FarSync BERT Tester – USB

The FarSync BERT provides a comprehensive, simple to use, all in one, line testing utility for testing asynchronous and synchronous lines from your Laptop PC. There are no extra expensive modules to buy to test different line types. All the popular standard BERT test patterns can be selected; customer supplied test patterns can be used; the test period can be controlled; real time error counters and full line test statistics are provided as well as support for user controlled error injection.

Lines with network interfaces RS232 (V.24), V.35, RS530 (EIA530), RS422, X.21 (V.11), RS449 and RS485 (4 wire) can be tested with line speeds ranging up to 2 Mbits/s or to over 16 Mbits/s with the FarSync BERT HS Tester-USB model.

The FarSync BERT adapter which is supplied as part of the FarSync BERT product is simply plugged into any of your Laptop’s USB ports; select one of the cables provided to connect to the line to be tested; the BERT application can then be started and the line quality results are displayed in real time. Multiple FarSync BERT products can be run from a PC enabling simultaneous line testing.

API access for LabVIEW or Windows applications enables the tests to be run, and the results obtained, programmatically.

Line Monitor software, which includes support for use with Wireshark, is also included in the product. Line Monitor cables are ordered separately.

• Complete set of BERT (Bit Error Rate Test) line test patterns
• BER testing from your laptop, notebook or PC using a durable USB adapter
• Line speeds from 15 baud to 2 Mbits/s using the FarSync BERT Tester-USB
• Line speeds from 15 baud to over 16 Mbits/s using the FarSync BERT HS Tester-USB
• Tests synchronous and asynchronous lines in loopback and point-to-point configurations
• Connects to RS232, V.35, RS530, RS422, X.21, RS449 and RS485 multidrop (4 wire) network interfaces
• Tests operation with NRZ, NRZI, FM0, FM1, Manchester Encoding and Conditioned Di-Phase line signalling
• APIs from Windows for LabVIEW for test management
• User controlled error injection facility and custom test patterns
• Hardware implemented BER test patterns and test operation
• Round trip delay testing – test the latency of your network

Operation, Installing, Main Features

Special Features

• Single or multiple bit errors can be injected at the user’s request.
• Line data can be inverted to support lines where the balanced pair data lines may have been swapped over or the data supplied has been inverted.
• Inverted receive data can be automatically detected and converted as required.
• Using the supplied loopback connector, the FarSync BERT Tester may be self tested prior to use.
• Audible Alerts on errors and loss of sync.
• Handling of custom clock rates.
• Line clock speed display.

Using the FarSync Line Monitor

We offer two variants of the FarSync BERT USB:

• FarSync BERT Tester – USB – maximum test speed 2 Mbits/s.
• FarSync BERT HS Tester – USB –  maximum test speed 16 Mbits/s.

Noting the overall maximum test speed for the product, the following lower limits apply to achievable test speeds. Most of these are physical limitations for the factor in question rather than a limitation of the product. Where several factors apply to a test mode, the data rate limit is the lowest rate for the individual relevant factors.

The maximum supported line rate for user defined data patterns depends on the length of data pattern provided. For example:

• FarSync Flex BERT – USB adapter (standard speed or High Speed)
• BERT Tester software for Windows
• KCR1-V2 – RS232, RS422 and RS530 DTE connection (DB25M) cable
• UCX1 – X.21 connection DTE (DB15M) cable
• TEST-T2U – Loopback connector for self test
• Line Monitor software
• API documentation

The latest FarSync BERT software provides support for the following FarSync adapters:

FS4105 FarSync BERT Tester – USB

FS4106 FarSync BERT HS Tester – USB

on 64-bit versions of:

Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8.1*, Windows 7*,
Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2012

*Note that with Windows 8.1 and Windows 7, these versions of Windows are
no longer supported by Microsoft. It is therefore not possible to provide assurances for correct operation on those
platforms.

Test Patterns

A wide variety of pseudo random and fixed test patterns may be configured on the FarSync BERT used to test the line. ITU compliant test pattern recommendations are supported, these are compatible with other industry standard BER Testers.

Synchronous Lines

The following pseudo random patterns are ITU-T compliant, they are used to test synchronous lines:

• 63: 2⁶−1 – including a max of 5 sequential zeros and 6 sequential ones
• 511: 2⁹−1 – including a max of 8 sequential zeros and 9 sequential ones
• 2047: 2¹¹−1 – including a max of 10 sequential zeros and 11 sequential ones
• 2¹⁵−1 – including a max of 14 sequential zeros and 15 sequential ones
• 2²⁰−1 – including a max of 19 sequential zeros and 20 sequential ones
• 2²³−1 – including a max of 22 sequential zeros and 23 sequential ones
• QRSS: 2²⁰−1 – modified to transmit a maximum of 14 consecutive zeros

The following fixed patterns can be used to test synchronous lines:

• 1:7 (1/8, 1-in-8) – 1 mark followed by 7 spaces
• 1/16 (1:15, 1-in-16) – 1 mark followed by 15 spaces
• 2/8 (2:6, 2-in-8) – 2 marks in 8 bits (0100 0010…)
• 3/24, 3-in-24 – 3 marks in 24 bits (0010 0010 0010 0000 0000 0000…)
• MK – all 1s
• SP – all 0s
• 1:1 – alternating 1s and 0s
• FOX (see ITU recommendation R.52 for definition)

Asynchronous Lines

On asynchronous lines 5, 6, 7 and 8 bit operation can be tested. The following patterns are recommended to be used:

• 63: 2⁶−1
• 511: 2⁹−1
• 2047: 2¹¹−1
• FOX

In addition to the standard test patterns the user can supply their own custom test pattern of up to 64Mb, test patterns do not have to be byte aligned.

Test Modes

• The FarSync BERT Tester can act as either the physical DTE or DCE
• The tests can be run in loopback or point-to-point modes including interoperation with other suppliers BER Testers
• Line tests can be invoked manually via the GUI, via batch command files or via the API
• Tests can be run for a set number of bits or for a defined period of time

The FarSync BER Tester has a full graphical user interface that enables the user to select and configure the test to be run. The final test results are displayed via the user interface. The status of each test is reported in real-time via the GUI whilst each test is being run. Drop down windows provide additional detailed test results.

The FarSync BERT Tester products is supplied with the following cables, these are the most common network connector types used on synchronous lines.

• RS232 (V.24) DTE – using cable FCR2
• RS530 (RS422) DTE – using cable FCR2
• X.21 (V.11) DTE – using cable FCR2 plus 2 TCX1
• RS485 (4 wire) – using cable FCR2
• RS499 (V.36) DTE – using cable FCR2 plus 2 TC449

Additional cables supporting the following other interfaces may be purchased separately if required.

• V.35 DTE – using cable TCV1 (requires the FCR2 cable supplied with the product)
• X.21 (V.11) DCE – using cable Null-MX
• RS232 (V.24) DCE – using cable Null-MR4
• RS530 (RS422) DCE – using cable Null-MR4

FarSync BERT HS – Synchronous: up to 16Mbps (NRZ) or 10Mbps (Encoded Modes), Asynchronous: 15 baud to 115.2 Kbps/s

FarSync BERT – Synchronous: up to 2 Mbits/s, Asynchronous: 15 baud to 115.2 Kbps/s

Supported Line Data Encoding

• NRZ
• NRZI
• FM0
• FM1
• Manchester Encoding
• Conditioned Di-phase

The line test results displays industry-standard count values (e.g. ITU-T G.821) which help indicate the quality of the line under test. The result table shows error rates, expressed as a percentage or in scientific / engineering format.

• Bits – number of bits received
• Blocks – number of blocks received
• Block Errors – number of blocks received with errors
• Framing Errors – number of incorrectly framed asynchronous characters received
• Parity Errors – number of asynchronous characters received with incorrect parity
• Errored Secs (ES) / Unavailable Secs (US) – number of secs during which one or more errors has been detected
• Severely Errored Secs (SES) – number of secs during which the bit error rate has exceeded the threshold
• Severely Errored Secs (SES) – number of secs during which the bit error rate has exceeded the device’s SES threshold
• Available Secs (AS) / Error Free Secs (EFS) – number of secs during which no errors have been detected
• Loss of Sync (LOS) – number of times synchronisation has been lost

The network latency can be measured using the round trip delay feature which is particularly useful for testing wireless networks. The results are shown as a readout and graphically with the spread of times measured.

• Single or multiple bit errors can be injected at the user’s request.
• Line data can be inverted to support lines where the balanced pair data lines may have been swapped over or the data supplied has been inverted.
• Inverted receive data can be automatically detected and converted as required.
• Using the supplied loopback connector, the FarSync BERT  and FarSync BERT HS Testers  can be self tested prior to use.
• Audible Alerts on errors and loss of sync.
• Bidirectional clocking and enhanced clocking modes.
• Handling of custom clock rates.
• Line clock speed display.

Calibration of the FarSync BERT Products

FarSync BERT Tester Calibration Guide

The product is supplied with a high performance multi-channel line monitor software that allows the user to record, display and store line traffic with protocol decoding.

To monitor both data directions on the line, special line monitor cables are required. These cables are not included in the FarSync BERT Tester product but can be ordered separately.

Details of the line monitor cables available are listed on the Order Information section.

The FarSync BERT can be used to monitor X.25 devices when used in conjunction with one of our monitor cables.

FarSync KCR-MON and FarSync KCX-MON

LabVIEW API

The LabVIEW API allows the BERT functions to be invoked, and results to be read, by LabVIEW programs (VIs). Sample Vis are provided to illustrate the use of the API. All the features available from the GUI are supported by the LabVIEW API. Both 64 bit and 32 bit LabVIEW access is supported.

Windows API

The BERT’s COM API allows its functions to be invoked, and results supplied back, programmatically from Windows applications. All the features available from the GUI are supported by the COM API. Sample applications are supplied in Python, C# and VBS.

The FarSync BERT can also be used in command line/script mode with the configuration being specified by command line parameters – the results are written to a log file.

Note: Cables: KCR1-V2 and UCX1 and a TEST-T2U loopback test connector are already included with the product.