Agilent Technologies Inc. announced the availability of its MXA signal analysis platform -- heralding the arrival of the next generation in signal analysis. The MXA is the industry’s fastest signal analyzer with the highest accuracy of any midrange analyzer. Its exceptional measurement speed enables dramatically improved throughput and yields in manufacturing. This new platform provides the highest performance in a midrange analyzer, enabling engineers to solve design challenges for current and emerging applications faster and with fewer iterations.
Agilent’s new MXA platform allows flexible signal and spectrum analysis measurements for the design and manufacture of wireless communication devices to current and emerging standards. It seamlessly integrates a broad range of standards-based measurements, such as WiMAX, with Agilent’s industry-leading 89601A vector signal analysis (VSA) software -- all in a single instrument. In addition to the use of an open Windows® XP Professional operating system, the MXA provides an advanced signal analysis user interface. All measurement features and functions are intuitively grouped and accessible from the front panel or via a USB keyboard and mouse.
Optional measurement application software provides preconfigured test routines for testing 802.16e WiMAX, W-CDMA, HSDPA/HSUPA and phase-noise applications. Running the 89601A VSA software application in the MXA enables advanced signal modulation analysis and troubleshooting of the industries broadest selection of formats including: 2G, 3G, 3.5G, WiMAX, WLAN, digital video and Private Mobile Radio. Other formats supported are: CDMA (base and mobile), CDPD, GSM, EDGE, NADC, PDC, PHP (PHS), W-CDMA, TD-SCDMA, HSDPA, 1xEV-DO, 1xEV-DV, Bluetooth®, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/j/p, ZigBee, APCO 25, DECT, TETRA 1, TETRA 2 (TEDS), VDL mode 3, FSK: 2, 4, 8, 16 level (including GFSK), MSK (including GMSK), BPSK, QPSK, OQPSK, DQPSK, D8PSK, π/4-DQPSK, 8PSK, 3π/8-8PSK, 16/32/64/128/256/ 512/1024 QAM, 16APSK, 32APSK, 8VSB and 16VSB.
A complete set of one-button-power measurements are standard. These include ACPR, Channel Power, Occupied Bandwidth, Spectrum Emissions Mask, CCDF, Burst Power and Spurious Emission. “Both performance and speed are critical for communications and general purpose applications,” said Pat Byrne, president of Agilent’s Electronic Measurements Group. “The MXA platform ensures that no compromises are required between performance and speed. It is an ideal complement to our PSA Series, which continues to lead the industry for high performance analyzers with the best accuracy and a 14 bit ADC that provides the highest dynamic range, 80 MHz analysis bandwidth. The MXA highlights our ongoing and continued commitment to developing innovative solutions that exceed the performance and functionality requirements of new and emerging wireless applications.”
A breakthrough characteristic of the MXA platform is its intrinsic speed, which allows measurements from 30 percent to 300 percent faster than other analyzers. The MXA produces a W-CDMA ACLR fast-mode measurement speed of <14 ms, marker peak search at <5 ms, RF center frequency tune and transfer over GPIB at <51 ms. Measurement mode switching speeds are typically <75 ms. This exceptional speed enables a fast and seamless change between WiMAX, W-CDMA, HSDPA/HSUPA, phase noise measurements and 89601A VSA software. As a result, the MXA provides the fastest local and remote measurements for accelerating design verification and expediting automated tests.