PCI Express Protocol Analysis Drops Below $5,000

The Summit T24 protocol analyzer supports PCIe data transmission rates up to 5 GT/s and data lane widths up to x4 in a single compact unit.

Companies that are assembling high-end test labs recognize that test equipment can be costly. Teledyne LeCroy is making it possible with products such as the Summit T24 to reach justifiable price points. The Summit T24 provides a complete range of PCIe 2.0 analysis features at a price point that young, innovative companies can afford,” said Joe Mendolia, Vice President of Marketing, Teledyne LeCroy. Low cost protocol test equipment will allow more companies to implement effective test plans to reach their goals of high quality products and customer satisfaction.

Protocol analyzers are used by system integrators and by driver and firmware developers to understand serial data communication between devices and systems. The protocol analyzer acquires, records, decodes, analyzes and displays complex high-speed serial I/O communication streams, such as PCI Express. The new Summit T24 protocol analyzer provides a solution for system implementers by providing powerful data capture and analysis at prices starting as low as $4,950. The Summit T24 also supports upgrade paths from low-cost base units to higher data rates and larger lane size, to protect the customer's investment in protocol analysis as their product requirements change. This flexible licensing allows users to get the features they need at a budget they can afford to get the job done.

Every day more I/O applications are reaping the benefits of PCI Express technology. The challenges of development and test can be costly but Teledyne LeCroy understands and is bringing a new generation of protocol analyzers that will help solve this. If you are developing embedded boards for military and telecommunications, storage SSDs or consumer products, the Summit T24 is a very cost effective way to get the job done, said John Wiedemeier, Product Marketing Manager for PCI Express Protocol Analysis, Teledyne LeCroy. The new Summit T24 PCI Express 2.0 protocol analyzer offers many of the same high-end features found in our larger platform protocol analyzers.

At only 9 W x 6.1 D x 1.7 H, the Summit T24 provides all this capability in a physical volume less than 50% of its predecessor, the Summit T28. This provides not only dramatic cost savings but also increased portability for sharing units within a lab or for field applications.

The Summit T24 supports all existing Teledyne LeCroy PCIe 1.0 and 2.0 application-specific interposers and probes, which allow quick and easy connection to a wide variety of different physical designs. Embedded board developers working with MicroTCA, ATCA, VPX, CompactPCI serial, XMC and similar form factors will appreciate this low cost analysis tool's large portfolio of interposers. Each interposer is designed for reliable data transmission between hosts and devices and for quick set up times for testing new hosts or new devices.

The Summit T24 protocol analyzer includes the same powerful PETracer software included with Teledyne LeCroy's most advanced PCI Express protocol analysis systems. PETracer includes important data analysis views such as:

-LTSSM/Substate Views
-Hierarchical Views
-BitTracer Views
-Data Views
-Flow Control Views
-Configuration Space Views

Teledyne LeCroy protocol analyzers have been at the forefront of PCI Express development tools. All Teledyne LeCroy protocol analyzers feature hierarchical displays, real-time statistics, protocol traffic summaries, detailed error reports, powerful test scripting, and the ability to create user-defined test reports, which allow developers to troubleshoot intricate problems and finish their projects on time.