SB1604
14.5 Gb/s Quad-Channel
Programmable BERT
Data Sheet



The BERT Re-imagined••••

Complete 4 channel BERT system
14.5 Gb/s with excellent signal fidelity
Plug & play error detection with built-in CDR
Flexible, compact and expandable

Remember when BERTs needed two people to lift them?
Or when multi-channel meant a huge VXI system that
was almost unusable by normal people? We do, anddecided it doesn’t have to be that way. When you seean SB1604 in real life, you’ll be amazed at how small andlight it is. However, don’t be deceived – this is a highquality, flexible and feature-rich platform designed to beat the heart of any high speed digital testing.
Most test setups start with a high quality test source.
Look closely at the front panel and you’ll see a highquality 2.92mm connector, the first hint at the impressive output waveform. Fast rise times and low jitter are
evident in the high fidelity output eye, ensuring you willmeasure the performance of your test device, and not
your test equipment.
Error detectors used to be hard to set up, with the firstchallenge being where to get a suitable clock from.
Taking usability to new levels, connect to Data In, press
Auto-align and you are ready to go - the built in CDR oneach channel derives a clock typically within 10 μs, andthe system runs. This doesn’t mean that you are limitedin ED clocking options - an internal switch means a cablefree pass-over of PG clock if that suits your test needs
better.
Usability is key to a fast time-to-productivity,and is designed in from the ground up
with the SmarTest SB1604 as we’ll see.

Page 2Example PG output at 14.0125 Gb/s, PRBS-31 showing
fast rise and fall times, low jitter

SB1604 4 Channel 14.5 Gb/s BERT Data SheetApplications
Many test set ups have a BERT at their core for goodreason. Whether you are in an R&D lab evaluating silicon, or a transceiver test line in production we have youcovered.
In R&D there are times when you need every corner-casecontrol a BERT was ever equipped with, but more often
you just want to get testing fast, and here we shine. Withthe ability to link several 4 channel SmarTest BERTs together, testing of parallel backplanes, optical or electricaltransceivers and complex ICs just got a whole lot easier.
The continuous clock source means easy characterizationof maximum data rates up to an impressive 14.5 Gb/s.

Four channels of pattern generation and four independent error detectors make transceiver test easy for multichannel devices

Our experience in production environments also shows
through with features such as real-time BER display tohelp TOSA/ROSA alignment operations and many trigger
divide ratios enabling sampling scope mask measurements.

Frequency Point

Data Rate (Gb/s)

Standard

1

1.25

Ethernet

22.125Fibre Channel

32.5

Ethernet

43.125

XAUI

54.25

Fibre Channel

65

Infiniband

76

SATA/SAS

86.25

XAUI2

98.5

Fibre Channel

109.95328

Telecom

1110

Infiniband

1210.3125

Ethernet

1310.51875

Fibre Channel

1410.70922

Telecom

1511.181

Telecom

1611.317

Fibre Channel

1711.5

Telecom

1812.5

Ethernet

1912.8

Telecom2014.0125

Fibre Channel

While the system is data rate agile, in addition all common data rates are easily available using built in presets
SB1604 4 Channel 14.5 Gb/s BERT Data Sheet

Page 3User Interface
Many channels often means many screens, confusing
controls and a lot of time wasted. We’ve put everything
you need for the PG on one screen; it’s easy to see all
operational aspects in one glance, and changes can bemade to channels individually, or all together. The sameideas carries through to the ED screen - simple, easy andviewable with one glance. Press Auto Align and the detectors figure the rest out, with easy confirmation on thefront panel LEDs. User custom setups can be easily saved
and reload for future use.
The graphical user interface may be loaded on any Intel®-based PC running Windows® XP or later, and connects to the SB-series instrument over USB.

Pattern generator setup screen showing fast and simple
user interface

Error detector user interface

Page 4

SB1604 4 Channel 14.5 Gb/s BERT Data Sheet

Built in Flexibility
The heart of the SB-series instruments is the SmarTest BERT Engine that powers PG and ED channels. Aninternal synthesizer acts as clock source for the PG, andcan be internally switched to also be the ED clock source.
Alternatively each ED channel may derive its own clockfrom the incoming NRZ data stream.
For applications requiring multiple channels, SB-series instruments may be chained together using the Expansion
port and special cables (sold separately). This provides
sharing of clock and timing as well as communication
so that the system may be controlled over a single USB
connection from a PC.
SB-series instruments are also available as single-channel(SB1601) and PG-only (PG1604, PG1601) models.

PG	  Out	  Pa#ern	  Generator	  Expansion	  Out	  SmarTest	  BERT	  Engine	  Error	  Detector	  CDR	  PG	  Out	  Pa#ern	  Generator	  Error	  Detector	  CDR	  Error	  Detector	  CDR	  USB	  USB	  Controller	  DC	  Power	  Clock	  Synthesizer	  ED	  In	   3	  PG	  Out	  Pa#ern	  Generator	  Error	  Detector	  ED	  In	   2	  PG	  Out	  Pa#ern	  Generator	  Expansion	  In	  ED	  In	   1	  CDR	  ÷	  ED	  In	   4	  Trig	  Out	  (Sub-­‐Rate)	  Clock	  Out	  (Full	  Rate)	  Clock	  In	  SB1604	  4	  Channel	  BERT	  10	  MHz	  Ref	  In	  Internal block diagram with front panel (right) and rear
panel (left) connections

Rear panel showing power input (left), USB interface(right) and expansion ports (middle)

SB1604 4 Channel 14.5 Gb/s BERT Data Sheet

Page 5
Specifications
Clock System
Internal Clock
Frequency

Intrinsic RMS jitter
External Clock Input
Frequency
Clock OutClock rate
Impedance
Amplitude
Connector

625 MHz to 16 GHz
Selectable full rate internal
clock loopback connection
between PG and ED<500 fs typical
Full Rate, 625 MHz to 16 GHz
Full rate equal to internal
clock setting
50 Ω nominal, AC-coupled

400 mV typical
SMA, single ended,front panel
Divided Clock / Trigger Out
Clock rate
Selectable divided by n, with
n=1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64
Output type
SMA, single ended, frontpanel
Impedance
50 Ω nominal, AC-coupled
Amplitude
400 mV typicalConnector
SMA, single ended,front panel
10 MHz Reference Input
Front panel
Clock to Data Recovery System
Input data rate
From 9.95 to 11.3 Gb/s;
14.0125 Gb/s; automatic rate
detection
TypeInternal
CDR reference input Internal clock synthesizer orExternal Clock Input
CDR loop bandwidth Min: 5.5 MHz
Typical: 8.2 MHz
Max: 11.15 MHz
CDR lock time
10 μs typicalInput connector
ED data input, front panel
Front panel LED
1 per channel, LED on = CDR
lockedLED blinking = CDR seeking
lockPage 6

Pattern Generator Specifications
Number of PG
4, front panel connectors
channels
Connector
2.92 mm, differential,
front panel
Front panel LED
1 per PG channel,
green = channel on
Data output
Differential, AC coupledLine coding
NRZ
Data rate range
1.25 to 14.5 Gb/s
(common on all channels)
Output patterns
PRBS 2n-1, n=7, 9, 10, 11, 15,23, 31
Up to 20 bits/ch, user defined
Pattern invert
Yes
Output amplitude
400 - 1,000 mVpp
differential
Rise/fall times< 18 ps typical(20%-80%)
Intrinsic jitter (RMS) < 1 ps typical
Error injection
Yes

Synthesizer output at 16GHz showing RJ <300 fs

SB1604 4 Channel 14.5 Gb/s BERT Data Sheet
Specifications, continued
Error Detector Specifications
Number of ED4, front panel connectors
channels
Front panel LED
1 LED for ED channel
Red = ED no synced,
Green = ED synced to input
patter, ready to test BER
Data input
Differential, AC coupled
Input impedance
100 Ω differential
Sensitivity
25 mV
Line coding
NRZClocking mode
Internal CDR
Data rate range
1.25 to 14.5 Gb/s
(common on all channels)
Input patterns
PRBS 2n-1, n=7, 9, 10, 11, 15,23, 31
Up to 20 bits/ch, user defined
Input amplitude
0.1 to 1.0 Vpp
BER measurement
0 to 10 seconds, 1 ms steps
periodBER measurement
BER (instantaneous and accumulated, all error count, bitcount, time)
Connector type
SMA, front panelGeneralControl software
Interfaces

Included power
supplyPower consumption
Operatingtemperature
Storage temperature
Operating altitude
Dimensions(w x h x d)

Requires Intel®-based
computer running Windows®
XP or laterUSB 2.0 standard,
SCPI syntax
Exp In, Exp Out proprietarysystem expansion interfaces
100 V to 240 V AC,
50-60 Hz
150 VA max
0°C to 55°C
-30°C to 70°C
Up to 2000 m
Bench top
Without bumper
10.5 x 7.8 x 2 inches(267 x 198 x 51 mm)
With Bumper
11.5 x 8 x 3 inches(292 x 203 x 76 mm)
WeightWarranty

4 lbs (1.8 kg)
1 year standard
For warranty and calibration
services, contact SmarTest
sales atsales@smartest.us.com

Included Accessories
US power cord with external power supply; regionalspecific replacement power cord options available
USB cable
User guide with programing reference on CD

SB1604 4 Channel 14.5 Gb/s BERT Data Sheet

Page 7

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Ordering
SB1604

SB1604-3C
SB1604-3W

4 channel 14.5 Gb/s
integrated pattern generator,
error detector and clock
source3 years total calibration
service, return to factory
3 years total warranty

About us
We are an experienced group of test professionals withdecades of combined experience at some of the biggest
companies in the measurement business. We’ve brought
BERTs, oscilloscopes and many other instruments tomarket for the big guys, but wanted to take high speed
testing in a new direction. We’re based in the heart ofSilicon Valley, California.

Power cord options - replace US power cord with
region-specific one as follows
SB160x-AC-AU
Australia
SB160x-AC-CN
China
SB160x-AC-EU
EuropeSB160x-AC-JP
Japan
SB160x-AC-UK
United Kingdom

The SB1604 paired with the SB1601 single channel
14.5 Gb/s BERT

SmarTest, LLC
2005 De La Cruz Boulevard, Suite 195
Santa Clara, CA 95050
USA
www.SmarTest.us.com
SB1604EN 14-Mar-14

Copyright © SmarTest, LLC., 2014
All right reserved. SmarTest. Product specifications and descriptionsin this document subject to change without notice. Information in thisdocument supersedes that in all previously published material.