Pendulum Instruments · Frequency Counters & Analyzers
CNT-104S
High-performance 4-channel frequency and time interval analyzer that measures 4 parallel signals at once, gap-free.
If you currently watch four signals with four counters and then try to line up their time axes afterward, CNT-104S is the instrument that replaces that method. Four inputs record in parallel with no dead time, and every reading shares one timebase, so nothing needs aligning later. Time resolution is better than 7 ps, frequency resolution up to 13 digits per second, and speed 20 million results per second. We see it in oscillator production test, multi-signal relative phase tracking, and any job where you must know whether two events really coincide. Before ordering, check whether your highest input frequency exceeds 400 MHz. If it does, add the RF channel: 3 GHz or 10 GHz hardware, the latter software-upgradable to 24 GHz.
Overview
The hard part of multi-channel measurement is not the channel count but whether the timing between channels can be trusted. Stitch several instruments together and each trigger instant and each timebase drift becomes its own error source; the phase difference you measure is often the difference between the instruments. CNT-104S puts four inputs in one box on one timebase, so channel-to-channel comparison is valid by construction. Measurement is gap-free: 20 million results per second continuously without missing an event, and block mode reaches 170 thousand measurements per second for catching brief anomalies. It is also a modulation domain analyzer, showing how frequency or phase changes over time rather than a single average. FM, FSK, BPSK, PWM and PPM are all within reach. Multi-stop time interval measurement (1 start, 3 stops) for time-of-flight work in physics is supported too. Gbit Ethernet and a built-in web server come standard, so ATE integration needs no extra interface card, and the rack option fits 8 counters into 19 inch 2U.
Key specifications
| Input channels | 4 parallel input channels, up to 400 MHz |
|---|---|
| Optional RF channel | Channel C, 3 GHz or 10 GHz base hardware (10 GHz software-upgradable to 15 / 20 / 24 GHz) |
| Time resolution | < 7 ps |
| Frequency resolution | Up to 13 digits/s |
| Measurement speed | 20M results/s (20,000,000 per second) |
| Block measurement speed | Up to 170k meas/s |
| Sample interval per channel | 50 ns |
| Timebase options | TCXO standard; optional OCXO (Option 30 at 50 ppb/year, Option 40 at 15 ppb/year) |
| Optional pulse generator | 0.5 Hz to 100 MHz |
| Interfaces | Gbit Ethernet standard; USB 2.0 (hardware ready); WiFi (external USB dongle); web server remote control |
| Display | Large color touch screen, wireless mouse supported, graphs and values side by side |
| Rack option | Rackmount adapter (option 22/05), 8 parallel counters in 19" 2U |
Features
Four channels at once, gap-free
Four inputs share one timebase, so phase and time differences between channels are truly comparable, not the result of syncing three instruments.
Resolution and throughput together
Time resolution under 7 ps, frequency resolution of 13 digits per second, and 20 million continuous results per second. High resolution usually costs speed; here it does not.
See the change as it happens
Built-in modulation domain analysis outputs frequency or phase versus time instead of a single average, so the moment an anomaly occurs is visible at a glance.
Frequency ceiling can grow after purchase
400 MHz base; the RF channel adds 3 GHz or 10 GHz hardware, and the 10 GHz version upgrades by software alone to 15, 20 or 24 GHz with no instrument swap.
Time-of-flight measurement
One start against three stops in multi-stop mode, so physics experiments get time-of-flight without extra circuitry.
Good on the bench and remotely
A large color touch panel for local work and a built-in web server for remote readout and data download. You do not have to choose one.
Typical applications
Production test
Oscillator and frequency component acceptance
One CNT-104S measures 4 DUTs at once with zero dead time, at up to 170,000 measurements per second, replacing the 4-counter setup in a typical test system and cutting cost per part and changeover wait. Stacked in 2U rack kits, a single rack slot gives 8 parallel counting channels for oscillator, VCO and crystal production test.
Metrology and calibration
Phase comparison of atomic clocks and frequency standards
With 7 ps single-shot resolution, CNT-104S serves as the core 1-pps phase comparator in a calibration lab. Two units run together monitor up to 8 clock inputs, so atomic clocks can be compared with no external switch, meeting the needs of time interval calibration and systematic error correction.
R&D analysis
Frequency dynamics and modulation verification
During development of RF transceivers, PLL synthesizers and frequency-hopping radios, CNT-104S records frequency transients, settling time and synthesizer switching continuously, and handles FM, FSK, BPSK, PWM and PPM time-frequency analysis, so engineers locate design problems fast and shorten verification cycles.
Options and configuration
Tick the options you need. We compile the configuration into a list and carry it into the quote request form.
Standard equipment (included)
Hardware options
Software options
Downloads
Need pricing, specifications or lead time for CNT-104S?
Also available for rent: CNT-104S is part of the Pendulum rental program, for project peaks, calibration backup and pre-purchase trials. Rental inquiry →