December 13, 2007 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. announced that it has expanded its DisplayPort test platform with enhanced design, characterization and debug capabilities, as well as with compliance testing for source and sink.
DisplayPort is a standard driven by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), an organization comprised of leading companies in the High Definition Digital Display industry that are driving the development of this digital interface. As part of its standards compliance, VESA has established a comprehensive compliance test program for DisplayPort that includes product certification at independent third-party test houses for physical layer and link layer compliance testing. Physical layer test is comprised of source, sink and cable (media) test detailed in the DisplayPort Compliance Test Specification (CTS).
Agilent's DisplayPort test solution for source and sink test is comprised of the company's DSO80804B Infiniium oscilloscope and the E4887A TMDS signal generator. According to the company, benefits of the oscilloscope and signal generator for DisplayPort source and sink testing include: comprehensive source and sink design and characterization test capability; investment protection of TDMS signal generator for both HDMI and DisplayPort testing; and easier, faster compliance testing with source and sink method of implementation.
"Agilent's DisplayPort source and sink test products provide the most flexible, comprehensive solution for design, characterization and debug, as well as compliance testing," comments Siegfried Gross, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Digital Test division. "It's important to provide not only the tools for DisplayPort compliance test, but the test capability to support the design engineer through the entire DisplayPort development cycle.
Pricing for the DSO80804B Infiniium oscilloscope starts at $93,000. The DisplayPort stressed signal generator is based on the Agilent E4887A TMDS signal generator. Pricing for this device starts at $130,000.
Agilent has also introduced an extension to its DisplayPort compliance test software for the Infiniium DSO80000 Series oscilloscopes. Software version 1.5 adds more controlled compliance tests and additional validation tests for link-layer compliance testing to the extensive source and cable-end physical-layer tests provided in the original software. The addition of automated measurements for compliance and characterization testing offers a clear advancement in the speed and ease of these tests, contends the company.
The company says its U7232A compliance test software version 1.5 offers strict compliance testing according to the DisplayPort CTS. The software offers three modes of physical-layer test. In the first mode, engineers simply select the device capability and the number of tests (one, many or all tests); the tests then run only in the configuration (pre-emphasis, level, bit rate, lane) required by the CTS. A second mode enables engineers to add or delete configurations. The third mode allows characterization testing of any specific configuration and allows for statistical evaluation or repeatability analysis on these results.
Version 1.5 also adds physical-layer validation for link-layer tests. These tests require that the signal level, pre-emphasis or bit rate of the high-speed link be measured and noted for change in compliance to the link-layer commands.
"This software upgrade adds a significant step in compliance source testing, with expanded test process capability," comments Jay Alexander, vice president and general manager of Agilent's oscilloscope business. "It is an example of our ongoing commitment to the DisplayPort standard. Our customers will find the new software simplifies their compliance testing and decreases their overall test time."
The Agilent DisplayPort compliance test solution version 1.5 is available now at a price of $6,000.
Additional information about Agilent's DisplayPort compliance test platform is available here.
