-- Drew more LXI members than any other PlugFest
-- Certified an array of new products, including
the first to be certified under the newest
version (V1.2) of the LXI Standard
-- Grew LXI membership to 50 leading test and
measurement companies.
"Perhaps the largest change that came out of this most recent PlugFest was
the growing evolution of Class A and B instruments," said Bob Rennard,
president of the LXI Consortium. "The built-in advantages of this level of
the LXI Standard truly provide powerful and compelling benefits to those
building LXI systems. Coupled with the momentum in the adoption of
LXI-compliant instruments as the standard for Ethernet in test and
measurement, the value of LXI keeps increasing."
Many of the newly certified instruments were Class A and B. Class A and B instruments incorporate
IEEE 1588 timing/synchronization protocols. More than 75 percent of
the vendors demonstrating LXI applications were showcasing their Class A
and B products.
Companies participating in the IEEE 1588 discussions included Hirschmann,
Ixxatt, National Semiconductor, and Freescale. The LXI Consortium used this
event to establish testing standards for IEEE 1588 V2 enabled LXI
instruments, and to address potential interoperability issues introduced by
the new IEEE 1588 protocol.
A key goal of each PlugFest is to verify that instruments marketed as LXI
compliant are in compliance with key areas of the LXI Standard. An
independent testing lab is hired and paid for by the LXI consortium and
offered as a free service to all LXI members. The table below lists the
instruments that were certified at this PlugFest.
Manufacturer Functionality Class
Agilent L4490A/L4491A RF Switch Platform Class C
Agilent 7000 Series scopes (DSO7102A, DSO7104A, Class C
DSO7052A, DSO7054A, DSO7032A, DSO7034A,
MSO7102A, MSO7104A, MSO7052A, MSO7054A,
MSO7032A, MSO7034A)
Data Translation TEMPpoint DT8871/DT8872 Temperature Class C
Measurement Device
Keithley 2820 Signal Analyzer Class C
Keithley 2920 Signal Generator Class C
Rohde & Schwarz FSL18 Network Analyzer Class C
Rohde & Schwarz FSL18 Spectrum Analyzer Class C
The PlugFest also conducted interoperability tests on 16 instruments using
five different software packages. This included assembling and testing a
network of instruments using standard networking components. The
Interoperability testing places products in real-world scenarios that
demonstrate how the discovery setup protocols enable a system to be
assembled from disparate components and still deliver the speed,
simplicity, and power for which LXI-certified instruments are known.
Introduced in 2005, the LXI Standard has been rapidly adopted by 50
companies, representing a who's who of the test-and-measurement industry.
They recognize LXI as the natural evolution of the test and measurement
instrument interface, making it easier for test system designers and
integrators to create faster, more efficient systems. To date, more than
480 products have been certified as being compliant with the LXI Standard
and annual sales of LXI-equipped test and measurement equipment now exceed
$200 million (US).
About LXI and the LXI Consortium
The LXI Standard creates new capabilities that optimize test throughput,
overall system performance, and cost efficiency in a way that allows
engineers to build powerful, web-enabled test systems in less time. The LXI
Consortium, a not-for-profit corporation comprised of leading test and
measurement companies, manages the Standard. The group's goals are to
develop, support and promote the LXI standard. LXI's flexible packaging,
high-speed I/O, and standardized use of LAN connectivity address a broad
range of commercial, industrial, aerospace, and military applications.
Additional information about LXI-compliant products as well as licensing,
specifications, and consortium membership is available at
www.lxistandard.org.
Contact Information: EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Joel Goldstein Goldstein Group Communications, for LXI Consortium 1-216-573-2300 Bob Helsel LXI Consortium 1-303-652-2571