==============================================================================
==============================================================================
1. Unpacking your Agilent 81250 System
2. Installation
6. Printing User Documentation
8.
Known Problems
Installation
Installation Order and Plug And
Play library
Windows 7
Windows XP
How
to Make the Agilent E8491A/B Work on Windows 7
Agilent IO
Library 14 and above
10G
Ethernet Tool
SONET SDH
Frame Generator Tool
Product
Overview
=========================================================================
Use the Box Content List to verify your shipment for completeness. Refer to the Installation Guide for System Setup.
Controller PC Requirements:
· Processor: Pentium 4-class, > 2 GHz
· RAM: > 256 MB
·
Free disk space: > 500 MB
·
Supported Operating Systems
·
Windows XP Professional, SP3, English language
· Windows 7 Professional, 32 bit version, English language
· IEEE 1394 PC link to VXI
· Agilent IO Libraries Suite (version 15.5.13009.1 or higher)
Windows 2000 and Windows NT are not supported anymore.
Windows 7 64 bit is currently not supported because of issues with the Agilent IO Libraries Suite (for further details se below).
If during the installation a reboot is required, it is required to log in as the same user again. If after the installation a reboot is required, you must log in using the same account again that was used during the installation. Switching to a user login has to be done afterwards.
1. In case you are upgrading from a previous release we recommend that you read the "What's New" chapter in the System User Guide.
2. Generate 'Emergency Repair Disk' and set of three 'Bootable Disks' according to the Windows NT/2000/XP recommendations, when starting to use the system.
3. Regular backup of system data is strongly recommended. In case of a disk crash, this is the only way to recover customer-setting data.
4. Document all custom system configuration changes like network setup, printer setup and others. This makes it easy to restore your customized setup, should this become necessary.
5. To do software updates or other system administration, it is necessary to logon as administrator. As system is set to auto-boot into Agilent 81250 software, it is necessary to hold the 'shift' key down during system boot. This will prevent auto logon and provide logon screen.
Factory defaults are:
Agilent 81250 user: login 'dvt', password 'DVT' in upper case
Administrator: login 'Administrator', password 'DVTADM'
6. Exchange of E4862A, E4863A, E4864A, E4865A, E4862B or E4863B front ends require an auto calibration after a 30-minute warm-up period. Auto calibration can be invoked from the 'System' pull down menu.
P&P library: the preferred method for remote programming is using the P&P libraries. This library is installed together with the rest of the 81250 Software. There is no need to download these drivers from the web. P&P libraries can easily be integrated into all major programming environments. See the Help in “Start”, “Programs”, “Vxipnp”, “Agilent 81200 Help (32 Bit)”.
.NET programming: it is recommended to use the “Driver Wrapper Wizard” of the Agilent T&M Toolkit to wrap the P&P driver. Please refer to http://www.agilent.com/find/adntoolkit to find out more about the Agilent T&M Toolkit.
· When using Virtual Desktop Manager from Microsoft Power Toys for Windows XP to switch between multiple desktops, the Agilent 81250 GUI stops responding, and must be terminated from Windows Task Manager. We recommend against using Virtual Desktop Manager together with the Agilent 81250 Software.
· Agilent 81250 software version 6.XX is incompatible with the E4866A and E4867A 10 Gb/s data modules.
· The following table gives an overview about the ParBERT module compatibility of different software version:
|
ParBERT Software
Compatibility Matrix |
|||||
|
Module |
Description |
Software Version |
|||
|
|
|
5.84 |
5.88 |
6.30 |
>= 6.31 |
|
E4832A |
675 Mb/s Data Module |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4835A |
675 Mb/s
Analyzer Front-End |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4838A |
675 Mb/s
Generator Front-End |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E4861A |
2.7 Gb/s /
1.65 Gb/s Data Module |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4862A |
2.7 Gb/s
Generator Front-End |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4863A |
2.7 Gb/s
Analyzer Front-End |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4864A |
1.65 Gb/s
Generator Front |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4865A |
1.65 Gb/s
Analyzer Front |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E4861B |
3.35 Gb/s
Data Module |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4862B |
3.35 Gb/s
Generator Front-End |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4863B |
3.35 Gb/s
Analyzer Front-End |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E4866A |
10.8 Gb/s
Generator Module |
x |
x |
|
|
|
E4867A |
10.8 Gb/s
Analyzer Module |
x |
x |
|
|
|
E4868A |
Booster
Module |
x |
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
N4872A |
13.5 Gb/s
Generator |
|
|
x |
|
|
N4873A |
13.5 Gb/s
Analyzer |
|
|
x |
|
|
N4874A |
7 Gb/s
Generator |
|
|
x |
|
|
N4875A |
7 Gb/s
Analyzer |
|
|
x |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
E4805B |
675 MHz
Central Clock Module |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4808A |
High
Performance Central Clock Module |
x |
x |
x |
x |
|
E4809A |
13.5 GHz
Central Clock Module |
x |
x |
x |
x |
You can access all printable User Documentation from the Online Help System. If you are not using the User Interface, but you would like to print out the documentation, you can print the documents from Acrobat Reader. To access all available documentation, click "Start", “Programs”, "Agilent Digital Verification Tools" and "Printed Documentation"; then select the desired manual.
For latest Data Sheets, Product Notes, Application Information and Support related information please refer to: http://www.agilent.com/find/parbert. Also an online version of the ParBERT 81250 Parallel Bit Error Ratio Tester Tutorial is available on this site.
For latest known bugs and workarounds, please refer to the information in the Support Area: http://www.agilent.com/find/parbert
If a previous version of the software is already installed, the installer will call the uninstaller of the previous version, in silent mode, to completely remove it, before starting the actual installation process. Due to a bug existing in the uninstaller for the previous versions (up to, and including 5.68), the unregistration of the ActiveX measurement controls will fail, and an error message will be displayed for each of them (e.g. Self-register failed for tmDUTOutputTiming.dll. Module not found). Click OK in all the error dialog boxes, and the installation should continue. There are no side effects of these errors, since the installation of the new version will simply overwrite all the remaining registry entries, related to the ActiveX controls, with correct values. After installation, the software will work as expected.
It
is recommended to install an I/O library before installing the ParBERT
Software. In this case the ParBERT installer can also install the Plug And Play
driver for ParBERT. Plug And Play is the recommended way to do ParBERT remote
programming, please see “Programming hints ” above.
If
the ParBERT software was installed before the I/O library, the Plug And Play
library can still be installed afterwards by doing a “repair” of the ParBERT
installation.
Using the 64 bit version of Windows 7 Professional is not supported at this point in time. This limitation is originated in the missing support for FireWire interfaces in the current version of the Agilent IO Libraries Suite. As soon as the Agilent IO Libraries Suite is supporting FireWire interfaces under the 64 bit version of Windows 7, there will be no further limitations using the Agilent 81250 under Windows 7 64 bit.
Note: Microsoft did change the FireWire drivers in Windows 7 in a way that is incompatible with the Agilent IO Libraries Suite. The Agilent IO Libraries Suite will normally detect this and offer to replace the FireWire driver with a compatible version automatically. On some systems this automatic driver update does not work. If that is the case on your system, please refer to the chapter "How to Make the Agilent E8491A/B Work on Windows 7 in the Agilent IO Libraries Suite Help.
Service Pack 2: When the firmware server starts for the first time, Windows firewall might show a security alert. You can decide to “Unblock” the firmware server to enable remote programs to connect to it. Alternatively, if you “Block” it, only programs running on the same machine as the firmware server will be able to access it. The same considerations apply to the LAN Server. You can also change these settings later, in the “Windows Firewall” applet from Control Panel.
In Windows 7, Microsoft introduced a new IEEE 1394 (FireWire) bus driver. This new bus driver behaves differently from the one that was included in previous Windows releases. This change in behavior makes the new bus driver incompatible with the Agilent E8491A/B VXI FireWire Controller. To deal with this situation, Agilent IO Libraries Suite gives you the option to replace the new Windows default IEEE 1394 bus driver with the older Windows Legacy IEEE 1394 bus driver when you connect an E8491A/B to your PC. If you accept this change, all IEEE 1394 cards on your system will be assigned the Legacy IEEE 1394 bus driver, and you will be able to use the E8491A/B (after rebooting your PC and reconnecting the instrument). If you choose not to accept this change, no changes will be made to the IEEE 1394 bus driver, but you will be unable to communicate with the E8491A/B.
If you need to manually change which IEEE 1394 bus driver you are using (that is, to change back to the new Windows default IEEE 1394 bus driver), or if you have multiple IEEE 1394 cards and need to select different bus drivers for different cards, use the following procedure.
To Change Your IEEE 1394 Bus
Driver on Windows 7
· On Windows 7, click the Start button, then select Run….
· Type the following command:
devmgmt.msc
· Click OK.
· Find and expand the entry for IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers.
· Select the card that you want to change drivers on. Click Action on the main menu, then click Update Driver Software….
· Choose the option to Browse my computer for driver software.
· Choose the option to Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
· Select the bus driver that you want to be associated with this IEEE 1394 interface:
· To use the Legacy bus driver that works with the E8491A/B, choose 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy).
· To use the default Windows 7 bus driver, which does not work with the E8491A/B, choose 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller.
· Click Next.
· Click Close.
If you have chosen to use the Legacy bus driver, disconnect the E8491A/B from your PC, reboot your PC, then reconnect the E8491A/B.
The10G Ethernet Tool generates CJPAT and CRPAT segments that are compliant to the standard, but unfortunately, of limited use, because such a pattern does not ensure that the interface is brought into sync. An alternative segment that considers this can be found in Start -> Program -> Agilent Digital Verification Tools -> Samples -> Settings, within the Eth10G_XAUI_Generator folder. Corresponding Segments for the Analyzer can be found in the Eth10G_XAUI_Analyzer folder.
When generating multiple concatenated scrambled frames (SONET-C), the B-1 value is not calculated correctly. For single frame, it is fine.
The programming times specified in the Product Overview are not valid. They were measured for E4805B/E4832A/E4861A configurations and do not apply to other modules. Especially for the E4809A/N4872A/N4873A/N4874A/N4875A modules the start/stop times and frequency change times can be much higher.
The product brochure for Agilent ParBERT 81250,
which is supplied with this SW version and which can be found under
start=>all programs=>Agilent Digital Verification Tools=> printed
documentation=>further information=>Product Overview, contains references
to products which are no longer for sale. On the other hand, recently released
accessories and bundles are not listed.
Therefore the product structure published on page
56/58 and 57/58 should be replaced by the following:
|
Product
structure - ParBERT 81250 |
|
|
|
|
|
Part #/Option |
Description |
|
81250A |
ParBERT 81250 |
|
81250A-013 |
IEEE 1394 PC link to VXI |
|
81250A-015 |
Laptop including PCMCIA IEEE
1394 card |
|
81250A-148 |
13-slot VXI Mainframe |
|
81250A-149 |
Mainframe |
|
81250A-152 |
IEEE 1394 'FireWire'
expander frame |
|
81250A-0B0 |
Do not include tutorial CD
ROM |
|
81250A-AX4 |
Rack flange kit |
|
|
|
|
Software |
|
|
E4875A |
One licence
and software CD ROM for ParBERT 81250 |
|
|
|
|
Clock modules |
|
|
E4805B |
675 MHz central clock module |
|
E4808A |
High performance central
clock module |
|
E4809A |
13.5 GHz central clock
module |
|
|
|
|
Data modules & front
ends |
|
|
E4832A |
675 Mb/s generator/analyzer
module |
|
E4835A |
Two differential analyzer
front-ends, 675 Mb/s |
|
E4838A |
Differential generator
front-end, 675 Mb/s |
|
E4861A |
2.7 Gb/s generator/analyzer
module |
|
E4861B |
3.35 Gb/s generator/analyzer
module |
|
E4862B |
Generator front-end 3.35
Gb/s |
|
E4863B |
Analyzer front-end 3.35 Gb/s |
|
N4874A |
Generator module 7 Gb/s |
|
N4875A |
Analyzer module 7 Gb/s |
|
N4872A |
Generator module 13.5 Gb/s |
|
N4873A |
Analyzer module 13.5 Gb/s |
|
|
|
|
Warranty & services |
|
|
All systems and modules have
1 year on-site warranty. |
|
|
Start up assistance for
first time users is included. |
|
|
|
|
|
HDMI bundles and accessories |
|
|
E4887A-003 |
Economic HDMI Signal
Generator up to 3.4 Gb/s |
|
E4887A-007 |
HDMI TMDS Signal Generator
up to 7 Gb/s |
|
E4887A-037 |
HDMI TMDS Signal Generator
up to 3.4 Gb/s |
|
E4887A-101 |
CTS 1.3 compliant low-speed
cable emulator (< 75MHz) |
|
E4887A-102 |
CTS 1.3 compliant high-speed
cable emulator (> 75MHz) |
|
E4887A-104 |
CTS 1.3 compliant passive EQ
type cable emulator (set of 8 units) |
|
E4887A-207 |
HDMI Frame Generator
Software for E4887A platform |
|
E4887A-303 |
Accessory and Cable Kit for
E4887A-003 HDMI Signal Generator
|
|
E4887A-307 |
Accessory and Cable Kit for
E4887A-007 TMDS Signal Generator 7 Gb/s |
|
E4887A-308 |
Accessory and Cable Kit for
E4887A-007 HDMI TMDS Signal Generator |
|
E4887A-310 |
Accessory and Cable Kit for
E4887A-037 HDMI TMDS Signal Generator |
|
E4887A-S01 |
CTS 1.3 compliant passice EQ type cable emulator prototype (5mm chip) |
|
|
|
|
Accessories |
|
|
15440A |
Adapter kit: 4* SMA (M) I/O adapters |
|
15442A |
Cable kit: 4*SMA (m) to SMA
(m) |
|
15443A |
Matched cable pair |
|
15446A |
8-line trigger input pod |
|
15447A |
Deskew
probe |
|
N4871A |
Cable kit: SMA matched pair,
50 ps |
|
N4910A |
Cable kit: matched cable
pair for 13.5 G |
|
N4911A-002 |
Adapter 3.5 mm female to 2.4
mm male |
|
N4912A |
2.4 mm 50W termination, male connector |
|
N4913A |
4 GHz deskew
probe |
Furthermore
references to the following data rates refer to these mentioned products no
longer available for sale and should be ignored: 1.65Gb/s,
2.7Gb/s, 10.8Gb/s and 45Gbs
There are a few known issues with the user software, described below:
|
ID |
SAD00166401 |
|
Title |
Select
Setting Dialog shows two settings selected |
|
Description |
When
opening or deleting settings in the GUI, a list of existing settings is shown in a dialog box. Selecting a setting from the
list will cause both the clicked setting and the first one to be shown as selected, although only the one selected by
the user is really selected. |
|
Workaround |
Click
on the first setting to select it, then again on the desired setting. The
current selection will be correctly highlighted. |
|
ID |
SAD00166282 |
|
Title |
MXI
extender module not shown in the first frame |
|
Description |
In
a system consisting of two frames, connected through a MXI extender module
placed in the first frame, the MXI module is not visible in the configuration
tool display of the frame. The serial number tab of the configuration tool
shows an empty slot, instead of the MXI extender module. |
|
Workaround |
You
can safely ignore this problem; the configuration tool does not have a
picture of the MXI extender, therefore it cannot show it. However, the MXI
extender is detected and configured appropriately.
There are no issues running a system with such a configuration. |
|
ID |
SAD00167204 |
|
Title |
MUI
unable to load settings after creating a new measurement |
|
Description |
After
creating a new measurement, a saved setting can be loaded from within the
measurement properties. However, the first time a setting is loaded and Apply
is clicked, the system displays an error message
about the setting being invalid. |
|
Workaround |
Load
the setting from the ParBERT GUI, or try to load the same setting again from
the MUI. This problem only happens once, after the measurement control is created. |
|
ID |
SAD00158026 |
|
Title |
Wrong
description of hp81200_connectorOutputPolarity |
|
Description |
The
Agilent 81200 plug&play help incorrectly states
that the output is set to ON or OFF. Actually, the
output polarity is set to NORM or INV (i.e. normal or inverted). |
|
Workaround |
Refer
to the corresponding function for port or terminal; their description is
correct. |
|
ID |
SAD00196859 |
|
Title |
BER
measurement logging loses data under system load |
|
Description |
Under
heavy system load, the logging function of the BER measurement in MUI may not
record all measured points, but e.g. every second or sixth point. |
|
Workaround |
Avoid
getting the system where the MUI and/or firmware server are running under too
much load (do not run other programs at the same time, reduce the number of
remote client programs connected to the firmware server, transfer the
software to a faster machine, etc.) |