LeCroy Introduces the SDA 7 Zi Oscilloscope with SDA II - The Next Generation of Serial Data Analysis

Chestnut Ridge, NY, October 1, 2008 - LeCroy's SDA 7 Zi Oscilloscope with SDA II redefines serial data analysis in an oscilloscope. While many oscilloscopes measure compliance, LeCroy's SDA II goes beyond compliance testing with the introduction of five new debugging methodologies that 1) visually predict bit error rate directly on the eye, 2) provide dual methods of decomposing jitter that are presented both numerically and with insightful displays, 3) provide Quick-View, for intuitive combination eye and jitter breakdown master display, 4) measure millions of unit intervals at speeds up to 50 times faster than any other oscilloscope, and 5) integrate both compliance testing and SDA II debugging tools for complete drill down to find the source of the failure. For compliance testing, LeCroy's QualiPHY™ provides the best available automated compliance solution that configures and documents standardized tests. However, when a design fails a compliance test, the engineer needs an advanced set of tools to identify and solve those problems, and no other set of tools can match LeCroy's SDA 7 Zi Oscilloscope with SDA II.

IsoBER Visually Predicts Bit Error Rate

The SDA II toolset includes IsoBER™, an analysis tool that extrapolates the eye diagram data and displays the lines of Bit Error Rate directly on the eye. This helps to quickly determine the minimum eye opening and also is instrumental in detecting cross-talk by analyzing the vertical eye closure. These measurements are not possible with standard eye diagram techniques like Mask testing because those techniques lack quantitative analysis of vertical noise and jitter.

"IsoBER can display problems with Eye Diagram analysis that were otherwise invisible," said Christopher Busso, Product Marketing Manager. "The SDA 7 Zi with SDA II is another industry-first for LeCroy since the integration of innovative new methodologies and our X-Stream II software architecture can deliver performance, speed and analysis capabilities unmatched anywhere in the oscilloscope market."

Two Methods to Decompose Jitter and Multiple Jitter Breakdown Displays

Because LeCroy's X-Stream® II architecture is up to 50 times faster than other oscilloscopes, for the first time the results of two decomposition algorithms for jitter analysis can be calculated simultaneously. Both the traditional LECROY CORPORATION Page 2 of 3 spectral and the NQ-Scale decomposition algorithms are used to account for situations where cross talk, or other types of deterministic jitter, can masquerade as random jitter and cause incorrect calculations. The jitter decomposition calculates both methods simultaneously and alerts the user with a color-coded warning system only when there is a deviation between the results. This ensures that the correct jitter values will always be displayed, and users can be confident in their jitter results.

Busso continued, "With the increasing clock frequencies of today's serial data standards, jitter analysis has become a critical part of electronic design. LeCroy's history and experience in analyzing complex serial data signals enabled us to create and correlate methodologies that provide more accurate measurements of jitter."

Distinguishing between random and deterministic jitter, for example the jitter breakdown of a serial data signal, is a crucial part of being able to identify and debug the sources of jitter. LeCroy's SDA II provides intuitive graphical views of jitter decomposition to quicken insight to the root cause of problems. To understand deterministic jitter values and their sources, SDA II addresses PJ, ISI and DDJ with a Periodic Jitter Spectrum feature that identifies the sources contributing the highest values of Periodic Jitter (PJ), an ISI Plot that isolates bit patterns that contribute the most Intersymbol Interference (ISI), and a DDJ Histogram for deeper insight into the distribution of Data Dependent Jitter (DDJ).

More Memory, Advanced Industrial Design and Industry's Most Extensive Toolbox

LeCroy's SDA 7 Zi Series oscilloscopes are based on the recently released WavePro® 7 Zi Series oscilloscopes and are equipped with double the standard memory to capture more unit intervals in the eye diagram. The fastest eye building and the maximum unit intervals per second means the shortest time to reach a solution. This speed is applied in a Quick-View display which simultaneously shows the Eye Diagram, Spectrum and NQ-Scale Jitter Decomposition, TIE, jitter histogram and Bathtub curve. Quick-View is easily reconfigured by the engineer to see up to 35 different measurements and six displays, supported by the largest and highest resolution display in any oscilloscope.

The SDA 7 Zi features an advanced industrial design with an industry-first 15.3 inch, 16:9 high definition display equipped with a touch screen, and can be extended to an integrated second display, of equal size and resolution, in order to expand the oscilloscope's workspace. The removable front panel allows engineers to place the control-pod next to the circuit under test. LeCroy's new serial interface bus, LSIB, enables data to be transferred 10-100 times faster than any other method. In addition, TriggerScan™ and WaveScan™, special modes for finding rare events, shorten the time to debug a new design. With the industry's most extensive toolbox and SDA II Serial Data Analysis, the SDA 7 Zi can solve electronic design problems within minutes instead of hours.

Engineers and technicians who would like to know more can contact LeCroy at 1-800-5LeCroy (1-800-553-2769) or visit the LeCroy web site (http://www.lecroy.com).

About LeCroy

LeCroy Corporation is a worldwide leader in serial data test solutions, creating advanced instruments that drive product innovation by quickly measuring, analyzing, and verifying complex electronic signals. The Company offers high-performance oscilloscopes, serial data analyzers, and global communications protocol test solutions used by design engineers in the computer and semiconductor, data storage device, automotive and industrial, and military and aerospace markets. LeCroy's 40-year heritage of technical innovation is the foundation for its recognized leadership in "WaveShape Analysis"-capturing, viewing, and measuring the high-speed signals that drive today's information and communications technologies. LeCroy is headquartered in Chestnut Ridge, New York. Company information is available at http://www.lecroy.com.