DOCSIS test solutions generate signals up to 192MHz

12th June 2014

Keysight Technologies (formerly Agilent)

Mick Elliott

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Datasheet

The DOCSIS standard continues to evolve to meet the needs of cable operators and their subscribers worldwide. Test solutions are required by R&D engineers to test transmitters, receivers and components against the requirements set forth in the DOCSIS 3.1 specification. This has led Agilent Technologies to launch a portfolio of Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) hardware and software test solutions for generating and analysing signals up to a bandwidth of 192 MHz.

Emerging applications, such as high-definition television (HDTV), video streaming around the home, and in-room gaming, are driving the demand for multi-gigabit data rates a,nd the need for increased bandwidth has led to the development of version 3.1 of the DOCSIS standard.

DOCSIS 3.1 achieves its increased speed and capacity through the use of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) and low-density parity-check (LDPC) forward error correction (FEC) technology. The new DOCSIS 3.1 specification provides up to 50 per cent more throughput over the same spectrum, the ability to deliver 2.5 Gbps in the upstream, and 10 Gbps in the downstream on an existing hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network.

For DOCSIS 3.1 signal generation, Agilent’s M8190A arbitrary waveform generator features deep memory, up to 5 GHz bandwidth and excellent spurious-free dynamic range(SFDR). This enables the M8190A to realistically stress DOCSIS 3.1 signals up to 192 MHz bandwidth and perform transmission network testing over the existing HFC network.

The M9099 Waveform Creator Application Software, combined with the M8190A AWG, creates uncoded DOCSIS 3.1 waveforms for component level tests. Agilent’s SystemVue electronic system level design software provides a fully coded DOCSIS 3.1 transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) simulation library. The library is used for generating waveforms with the M8190A AWG as well as conducting BER testing with low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoding. Additionally, SystemVue is the preferred platform for simulating stray signals to introduce as noise into the DOCSIS 3.1 transmission environment (e.g., LTE).

For DOCSIS 3.1 signal analysis, the M9703A 8-channel AXIe high-speed digitiser, or its 2-channel PCIe version, the U5303A PCIe 12-bit high-speed digitiser, provides a wide-input frequency range (DC to 2 GHz). The channel interleaving capability enables a 4-channel configuration for the M9703A or 1-channel configuration for the U5303A. This allows the digitisers to capture DC to 1.4 GHz signals with exceptional dynamic range for DOCSIS 3.1 waveform acquisition.

Agilent’s 89600 Vector Signal Analysis software supports multiple hardware platforms offering greater than 192-MHz bandwidth demodulation analysis capability.

For spectral measurements, Agilent’s N9020A MXA or N9030A PXA signal analysers, with 160MHz bandwidth, offer tremendous capability for testing narrower bandwidth downstream and upstream DOSCSIS 3.1 signals.