Last Updated: August 23, 2016
Product: PAM4 Analysis
Version: 10.0.0.17
This readme is best viewed in a fixed-width font such as Courier New.
Contents of this Readme File:
1. System Requirements
2. Contents of Distribution
3. What's new in this release?
4. Release Notes
5. Known Problems and Limitations
6. Contact Information
================================================================================
1. System Requirements
- The PAM4 Analysis application runs on the following oscilloscopes.
DPO/DSA/MSO73304DX
DPO73304SX
DPO75002SX
DPO75902SX
DPO77002SX
DPS73308SX
DPS75004SX
DPS75904SX
DPS77004SX
- To operate this application, your scope will require the DPOJET Jitter + Noise
application (DJAN) and its option key. In order to use the equalizer features
(CTLE, DFE) your scope will also require an option key for SDLA Essentials,
SDLA Advanced or SDLA Visualizer, although the application itself doesn't need
to be present. If any required option key is not installed, it may be possible
to use free trials. Alternatively, you can work with your Tektronix Account
Manager to get a floating license for evaluation.
- You must be running Tekscope version 7.6.1 or later.
- You must be running DPOJET version 7.1.3 or later.
- 70000SX model scopes must run Tekscope version 10.3.x or later firmware with
DPOJET version 10.0.0 or later.
================================================================================
2. Contents of Distribution
PAM4.exe
PAM4.ctf
PAM4_Launcher.exe
PAM4_Application.pdf
SRM.xml
Readme.txt (this file)
================================================================================
3. What's new in this release?
- V10.0.0 adds the following features:
* Noise analysis (EW6, EH6, VEC) per OIF-CEI contribution oif2014.230.07.pdf
(Dated June 10, 2016)
* Adjustable BER target (Use 1e-6 to be compliant with OIF-CEI)
* Fast high-population eye rendering, when Noise Analysis is enabled
* Interactive eye diagrams (resizable, cursors, BER contours, export options)
* Population controls (stop on # of symbols, # of acquisitions, or stop
if the center eye becomes closed)
* Automatic skew alignment, in case the eyes are not at the center of the
unit interval (as determined by clock recovery).
* Optional logging of the results of every sequencing cycle to a .csv file.
* A greatly expanded SCPI command set for remote control.
================================================================================
4. Release Notes
- On SX-model scopes, if greater than 20M record length is used, only the first
20M samples will be analyzed. On DX-model scopes, the limit is 8M samples.
- Some of the waveform analysis requires repeating patterns. For jitter
analysis (RJ, DJ, [email protected]) a minimum of 50 pattern repeats are needed. For
correlated-pattern analysis, a minimum of 3 repeats are needed.
- The application reserves Math2 - Math4 and Ref2 - Ref4 for internal use. This
leaves Ch1 - Ch4, Math1 and Ref1 available as input sources. Not all the
reserved sources are used, depending on the PAM4 configuration, but those
that are needed are overwritten without warning.
- The Flt3 user-defined arbitrary filter slot in the scope's math system is
reserved for use by the PAM application, and may be overwritten without
warning.
================================================================================
5. Known Problems and Limitations
- Sometimes jitter measurements (RJ, DJdd, TJ) are blank for an eye that appears
to be open. This is a DPOJET defect for which a beta fix should be available
in Q3 of 2016.
- Pattern detection and analysis happens prior to the DFE. Because of this, if
the DFE is enabled and successfully opens a closed eye, PAM4 may still report
that no pattern is detected, and may therefore suppress jitter and correlated-
pattern analysis.
- If the oscilloscope is accessed via Remote Desktop, the background color of
the header rows of the measurement result tables is sometimes washed out,
making the column headings difficult to read. If this causes problems, VNC
may be a reasonable alternative for remote access.
- The programmable interface cannot respond to commands while sequencing. This
renders the 'status' query unusable, and the 'stop' command has been disabled
although it still appears in the reference manual. Instead, the user must
poll the "pam4" variable as described in the manual. When the variable is
returned as "OK", sequencing has completed and communications re-established.
Since 'Run' mode cannot be interrupted via the programmable interface, remote
users should either enable population limits (so that Run mode is terminated
automatically by the application), or use a sequence of Single commands
instead of Run mode.
================================================================================
6. Contact Information
- MyTek - One way to receive timely information on new software updates,
new products from Tektronix and other useful information is to join MyTek.
Visit www.tektronix.com/mytek to become a member.
- Product Support - For application-oriented questions about a Tektronix
measurement product, in North America call 1-800-833-9200 option 3,
Monday-Friday, 6:00AM - 5:00PM Pacific Time or contact us by email at
[email protected]
For service support call 1-800-833-9200 option 2, Monday-Friday,
5:00AM-5:00PM Pacific Time or contact us by email at
[email protected]
Outside of North America: please contact your local Tektronix Sales or
Distributor office. Refer to our web site at www.tektronix.com for
listings of those offices.
For all other information call 1-800-833-9200, visit our web site at
www.tektronix.com, or write to us at:
Tektronix, Inc.
P.O. Box 500
Beaverton, OR 97077
================================================================================
7. Auxiliary Licenses
The following license applies to the 3rd-party binary function 'findjobj'
which is incorporated into the PAM4 Analysis application:
Copyright (c) 2015, Yair Altman
All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
met:
* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution
THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
---End of File---