New 3 Gb/s SDI Support for Tektronix Waveform Monitors

WFM7120 and WFM7020 Waveform Monitors Support New High Frame-rate HD Video Formats; Further Options Add Functionality for Full Waveform Monitor and Rasterizer Portfolio Including 2K Dual Link XYZ Color Space Formats

BEAVERTON, Ore.,March 2008 - Tektronix, Inc., a leading worldwide provider of test, measurement and monitoring instrumentation, today announced significant upgrades for its successful WFM and WVR series of waveform monitors and rasterizers including the addition of 3Gb/s Single Link Serial-Digital-Interface (SDI)support to the WFM7020 and WFM7120 Waveform Monitors. This capability is added through two new options: a monitoring option (3G) for WFM7020 and WFM7120, and a Jitter measurement option (JIT) for the WFM7120. With the addition of 3 Gb/s SDI support formonitoring 1080P 50/59.94/60 HD video, the Tektronix Waveform Monitors http://www.tek.com/products/video_test/signal_monitors.html, empowered by See and Solve™ user interface, provide the most precise, highly reliable, and broadest range of easy-to-use tools for every critical monitoring point in the digital video ecosystem.

3Gb/s SDI provides a means of transporting high-bandwidth 1080P (also known as Full HD) signals conforming to SMPTE 424M and 425M standards. Both WFM7020 and WFM7120 waveform monitors support 1080P 50/59.94/60 Level A and Level B formats. The WFM7120 also provides a solution for evaluating the physical layer performance on a single-link 3Gb/s interface with the new jitter measurement option. This option also provides a basic test pattern generation capability in the waveform monitor for quick verification of 3Gb/s signal presence and continuity.

Numerous additional features and enhancements are also being delivered across the entire Tektronix waveform monitor (WFM) and rasterizer (WVR) portfolio, enabling engineers to more efficiently verify video, audio, and ancillary data content, diagnose quality and physical layer signal quality problems, and store data for later analysis or documentation. For example, the monitors now support 2K XYZ color space formats, allowing users to diagnose errors introduced in format conversions more efficiently, and to ensure correct level and colorimetry.

“Consumer expectations for high quality video continue to increase in the new digital world,” said Arif Kareem, Vice President, Video Product Line, Tektronix. “Our customers need to provide a high quality videoexperience and uninterrupted service. To meet this need, the Tektronix family of waveform monitors provide the most complete and robust set of video monitoring capabilities, now including support for 3Gb/s SDI. Along with other new features and enhancements, the Tektronix portfolio of waveform monitors and rasterizers provide exceptional functionality, performance, and overall value.”

New features include the addition of automatic overshoot / undershoot measurements for the PHY option and enhancements to the award winning Audio / Video delay measurement capability. New support is added for Dolby E Audio / Video Timing and Synchronization measurements and to provide VANC Dolby Metadata Display. All audio options will now support audio loudness and peak measurement per ITU -R BS1770. All WFM and WVRxx20 instruments will now support decode of Wide Screen Signaling (WSS), Video Index, Teletext, EIA608/708 closed caption and Active Format Description (AFD) data. Altogether, more than a dozen feature enhancements are now available for the WFM and WVR platforms. A complete list can be viewed at: www.tek.com/wfm.

Price and Availability

Options 3G and JIT for 3Gb/s SDI are available for $10,000 each, U.S. MSRP. Additional options are available; customers should contact their Tektronix sales representative or distributor for further information. Current owners of existing options will be able to download firmware updates to enable many of these enhancements free of charge.
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