Tektronix TFS3031 850/1300
Multimode OTDR, with option 03
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (April
15, 1996) -- Tektronix, Inc. (NYSE:TEK), today introduced a software upgrade
offering performance enhancements for its second generation mini-optical time
domain reflectometer, the TFS3031 OTDR. The OTDR, which replaced the popular
FiberMini OTDR introduced the IntelliTrace (patent pending) measurement
technique -- the first true one-button test in an OTDR. The OTDR is the first
mini-OTDR with both singlemode and multimode test capability in the same
instrument.
Software
Upgrade Provides Many Benefits
Enhancements introduced by
the software upgrade include reduced dead zones in both the IntelliTrace and
manual modes. The IntelliTrace technology provides for unprecedented accuracy
and ease of use in testing fiber optic networks. The IntelliTrace
technique is unique among OTDRs because it can accurately measure splices 10
meters from the beginning of the fiber and splices 100 km away during the same
acquisition with the press of a single button.
This means the user can
accurately measure greater fiber lengths with no increase in effort. The
software upgrade improves the performance of the IntelliTrace technique by
reducing near-end dead zone to 5 meters. The TFS3031 also has the capability
of entering and printing fiber notes.
"The accelerating
deployment of broadband networks is driving a need for rugged test tools that
are smaller, faster, and more intelligent," said Ken Ditto, TekRanger product
manager at Tektronix. "The TekRanger OTDR answers this need in data, cable TV
and telephony applications."
Dual Wavelength
Singlemode and Multimode Options
The TekRanger OTDR is the
first mini-OTDR to offer the capability to test both singlemode and multimode
fiber with the same instrument. The unique two-port design, which allows users
to test multimode and singlemode fiber without having to change modules, makes
the TekRanger OTDR very durable. The TekRanger OTDR has up to four test
wavelengths in one instrument: 1310 and 1550 nm for singlemode fiber, and 850
and 1300 nm for multimode fiber. A singlemode or multimode only instrument can
be upgraded later to test both types of fiber, so the product can adapt and
grow with the user's applications.
Designed for
Optimal Performance in the Field
Tested to Bellcore
Mini-OTDR TR Environmental Specifications (i.e. 30-inch drop, shock, etc.),
the TekRanger OTDR is shock, water and dust resistant. It weighs only nine
pounds (4.2kg) and measures 11.25" x 9.5" x 4" (29.2cm x 24.1cm x 11.4cm).
It operates using an
internal NiCAD battery, an external 12vdc supply, or standard AC. An enhanced
power management system includes a battery level indicator, low-battery
warning and the ability to be recharged from a vehicle.
The large, high-resolution
640 x 480 backlit display, makes waveforms and tables easy to read, even under
difficult lighting conditions. Users can easily store up to 100 waveforms in
the expanded internal memory, or use the optional, integrated disk drive for
waveform documentation and archiving. The disk drive also allows software
upgrades, enabling the TekRanger OTDR to meet evolving customer requirements.
