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Leading Specifications

• Pass/Fail tolerance mask testing option for LC and Waverunner™ scopes.
• Unlimited applications: Datacomm, telecom, USB, video, custom applications, etc.
• Maximum flexibility: Test against complex masks with an unlimited number of polygons.
• Easy “do-it-yourself” interface: Instantly create masks from industry standards and other sources with MaskMaker.
• Free MaskMaker Windows utility: Quickly create and edit complex masks on your PC.
• Colored circles indicate points of failure, making them immediately noticeable.
• Mask testing of signals from two channels in the XY configuration. This feature is most useful for applications such as "safe zone" measurements in power applications or testing communications signal constellation displays. Masks for XY testing can also be created with the MaskMaker utility. 

Ethernet 100 Base-T mask, created with MaskMaker in Compliance with the IEEE 802.3 standard.

Pass/Fail testing on parameters and tolerance masks is a standard feature in all LeCroy oscilloscopes. Mask testing lets you compare a trace against a mask template to see if it falls inside or outside the lower/upper bounds of the mask and to perform some action if it “fails.” The PolyMask™ option enhances this capability by letting you view and test against much more complex masks. 

A Pass/Fail test of Safe Operating Area (SOA). The voltage and current waveforms are shown at the left. An XY plot of these signals and the SOA test mask are in the central grid.

Pass/Fail testing of a 16 QAM signal using XY display. The red circles highlight failed points. The I and Q waveforms are on the left side of the screen.

As the name implies, a PolyMask is composed of any number of independent polygons. It can even approximate curved lines. Like the standard masks, the PolyMask utility can then be used to test if a trace falls inside or outside of the mask. PolyMask testing is WYSIWYG. That is, the test for “inside or outside” is performed at the screen pixel level. First the mask is drawn onto a virtual screen that is the same resolution as the display. Then each sample point’s virtual screen position is tested for coincidence with the mask. 

Masks can be easily created with the new MaskMaker™ utility, a simple, user-friendly program that runs on any PC under Windows. Creating new masks is greatly simplified by loading a bitmap file as a background. By quickly tracing this background, a new mask can be drawn. After completing the mask, the default background can be restored to its original form. You also can create masks with any ASCII text editor. After a mask has been created, it can be imported into a LeCroy oscilloscope with a diskette. It is also possible to create new masks or edit existing masks using the oscilloscope front panel controls or remote commands. 

You can download MaskMaker or if you want to purchase PolyMask, you won’t have to wait for delivery. PolyMask is part of the DSO firmware and can be activated immediately with the PolyMask option key.

Ordering Information

Note: The PolyMask option is available only for the LC Series and Waverunner oscilloscopes.