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TMT4 Margin Tester
Please note: The product on this page is no longer offered for sale by Tektronix. Learn about Tektronix PCIe testing solutions here.
Industry’s first dedicated Transmit/Receive (Tx/Rx) lane margining tool, the Tektronix TMT4 allows you to easily assess the link health of your PCIe® generation 3 and 4 designs in minutes, not days. Acting as an active link partner with the device under test (DUT), the instrument can control presets via protocol and quickly display eye diagrams with their associated link training parameters, providing insights into potential design flaws on a lane-by-lane or preset-by-preset basis.
PCIE® and PCI Express® are registered trademarks and/or service marks of PCI-SIG.
Gen 3 (8 GT/s), Gen 4 (16 GT/s)
CEM, E1, M.2, U.2, and U.3
0 to 9
Width
up to x16
Fast, Easy PCIe Lane Margining
The TMT4 Margin Tester complements existing Bit Error Rate Tester (BERT) and oscilloscope solutions for margin testing. Unlike BERT and oscilloscope systems, the TMT4 Margin Tester’s simple setup, configuration, and user interface minimizes the need for senior engineers to ensure systems are set up properly for testing, and enables a broader team of users to quickly assess the health of the link formed between Margin Tester and their DUT. Its targeted Tx/Rx capability allows you to capture issues with PCIe Gen 3 and Gen 4 communications on both ends of the link and enables teams to evaluate the link health of up to x16 Gen 4 links, across all PCIe presets 0-9, in minutes.
Simple Setup, Fast Results
Control the TMT4 Margin Tester using the front panel, a web browser, or the Rest API. Two scan options are available: Quick Scan and Custom Scan. Both include DUT Tx and DUT Rx tests. In Quick Scan, the Margin Tester and the DUT undergo a natural link negotiation to determine which presets to communicate over. Custom Scan is intended to provide users with more parameters to adjust for specific tests by forcing the DUT into specific presets for test.
Fast Results for Both Ends of the PCIe Link
With the TMT4 Margin Tester link health evaluation takes as little as two minutes.
- The DUT Tx test provides 2 key pieces of data: eye diagrams for each lane-preset combination measured at the receiver of the Margin Tester and the associated receiver training values the Margin Tester used to open the eye that is displayed.
- The DUT Rx test is a functional evaluation of the DUT’s receiver path. The test aims to determine how far the transmitted signal amplitude from the Margin Tester can be decreased, within an expected range of operation, before errors are returned.
A Full Suite of PCIe Adapters and Cables
The TMT4 Margin Tester supports most common PCIe form factors by means of 11 adapters available for CEM, E1, M.2, U.2, and U.3. A single 16-lane ribbon cable with high density PCIe connectors connects the Margin Tester to any of the adapters, except for the M.2 edge adapter, which has its own integrated cable to accommodate different insertion loss specifications.
| Model | List Price | Configure And Quote |
|---|---|---|
| TMT4 | - | Configure & Quote |
Device Under Test Transmit (Tx) Test
The DUT Tx tests provide 2 key pieces of data:
- Eye diagrams for each lane-preset combination measured at the receiver of the Margin Tester.
- Receiver training parameters the Margin Tester used to open the eye to what is displayed.
The resulting eye diagrams represent the error-free region of the link formed between the DUT and the margin tester.
Device Under Test Receive (Rx) Test
The DUT Rx test evaluates the DUT’s receiver path, testing to the point of failure, and reporting the cursor values and % of amplitude reduction at failure. This test supports training at all potential cursor combinations of the TMT4 transmitters, and is not limited to only standard PCIe presets.
To perform this test, the Margin Tester undergoes the standard link training process with the DUT. The Margin Tester then steps down the Tx EQ main cursor value for each lane until an error is seen by the Margin Tester, at which time the results are reported.
Greater Insight into Link Training with LTSSM
Use the LTSSM (Link Training Status State Machine) monitor feature to observe the state transitions during training between the DUT and TMT4. LTSSM Monitor enables users to watch the live progression of the states while a results window displays the percentage of time that the link spent in each state, speed, and link width as well as the count of transitions between states. Initiate monitoring manually or with a hardware trigger-in signal. You can also generate a trigger-out signal from an LTSSM event.
Quick Scan for Fast Link Health Evaluation
Choose Quick Scan, the fastest option, to evaluate health of your PCIe link following a natural link negotiation. For the Tx tests, the presets are determined by the Margin Tester, and for the Rx test, the presets are determined by the device under test. Quick Scan promptly provides DUT Tx eye diagrams for each lane-preset combination, with associated link training parameters, and the Rx test results table.
Custom Scan for In-Depth Evaluation
Custom Scan allows you to conduct a more in-depth analysis for specific lanes or presets by allowing the user to the select the:
- Generation (PCIe Gen 3 or Gen 4)
- Lanes to Test
- Presets to Test
| Model | List Price | Configure And Quote |
|---|---|---|
| TMT4 | - | Configure & Quote |
| Datasheet | Accessory | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PCIE4-CABLE | Accessory cable for all PCIE4 adapters except PCIE4-M2.22-EDGE-ZNC | |
| PCIE4-CEM-EDGEX1 | PCIe 4.0 x1 CEM Edge Finger Adapter | |
| PCIE4-CEM-EDGEX4 | PCIe 4.0 x4 CEM Edge Finger Adapter | |
| PCIE4-CEM-SLOTX16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 CEM Slot Adapter | |
| PCIE4-E1-EDGE | PCIe 4.0 E1 Edge Finger Adapter | |
| PCIE4-E1-SLOT | PCIe 4.0 E1 Slot Adapter | |
| PCIE4-M2.22-EDGE | PCIe 4.0 M.2 22mm M-type Edge Finger Adapter and Cable | |
| PCIE4-M2-22-EXTENDER | Five replacement extenders for PCI4-M2.22-EDGE adapter/cable | |
| PCIE4-M2-SLOT | PCIe 4.0 M.2 M-type Slot Adapter | |
| PCIE4-PRO-BUNDLE | All PCIe 4.0 Adapters in a Hard Case | |
| PCIE4-U2-EDGE | PCIe 4.0 U.2 Edge Finger Adapter | |
| PCIE4-U2-SLOT | PCIe 4.0 U.2 Slot Adapter | |
| PCIE4-U3-EDGE | PCIe 4.0 U.3 Edge Finger Adapter | |
| PCIE4-U3-SLOT | PCIE4-U3-SLOT |
Tektronix offers a range of calibration and warranty extension plans for purchase with your instrument to protect and maintain its performance over the years. Benefits include:
- OEM quality maintenance
- Priority on-bench service
- A host of accident protection, loaner program, and other program features
- A breadth of calibration service levels and options
Invest now to avoid unplanned downtime and expense. Talk to your sales rep about adding a service plan to your instrument purchase.
Protect Your Investment, Protect Your Uptime
Configure & Quote
| Service Plan Feature |
Tek Care (Opt. R3, R5) |
Total Protection (Opt. T3, T5) |
Gold Care (Opt. G3, G5) |
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| Extension of factory warranty |
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| Protection from manufacturer defects |
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| Free factory certified calibration with repair (if necessary) |
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| Free in-country shipping |
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| Priority on-bench service |
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| Coverage of user-caused EOS and ESD damage |
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| Coverage from accidental damage |
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| Coverage from normal wear and tear |
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| Loaner unit shipped within 48 hours |
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Maintain Accuracy, Get Updates, Pass Audits
Configure & Quote
| Calibration Features: |
Z540 Calibration1 |
ISO 17025 Compliant1 |
ISO 17025 Accredited |
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| Certificate of calibration and calibration label designed to meet audit requirements |
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| Firmware updates, if applicable, along with safety and reliability updates ² |
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| OEM procedures for measurements ² |
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| Test data | Optional |
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| Calibration record retention |
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| Traceability |
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| Uncertainty analysis |
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| Independent verification by a ISO/IEC accredited organization (with logo on certificate) |
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| Product/Option |
Description |
|---|---|
| Tektronix Opt. C3 | Calibration service 3 years. C3 provides for 2 calibration events during 3 years after shipment. Includes traceable calibration or functional verification where applicable, for recommended calibrations. Coverage includes the initial calibration plus 2-years calibration coverage. |
| Tektronix Opt. C5 | Calibration service 5 years. C5 provides for 4 calibration events during 5 years after shipment. Includes traceable calibration or functional verification where applicable, for recommended calibrations. Coverage includes the initial calibration plus 4-years calibration coverage. |
1 May be ISO 9001 in specific locations.
2 Standard with factory certified service.
Some limits apply, see program terms for details.
Need to Calibrate More than Just Your Margin Tester?
Tektronix is a leading accredited calibration services provider for all brands of electronic test and measurement equipment, servicing more than 140,000 models from 9,000 manufacturers. With 100+ labs worldwide, Tektronix serves as your single global partner delivering tailored calibration programs with OEM quality at a market price. Onsite, local pickup and delivery, and other options available.
