Pendulum Instruments · Modulation Domain Analysis Software
TimeView™
Turns a Pendulum counter into a modulation domain analyzer that captures dynamic frequency changes as they happen
TimeView addresses a built-in limitation of any counter: it gives you a string of numbers but not how those numbers change over time. Installed on a PC, it turns an existing CNT-90, CNT-90XL, CNT-91 or CNT-91R into a modulation domain analyzer that plots frequency, period or phase against time. A PLL locking, an oscillator warming up, the shape of a modulated signal: things that stay hidden in a list of readings show up directly as a waveform. Free-running sampling runs at up to 250,000 samples per second, and repetitive sampling reaches an equivalent 100 MSa/s. Before buying, check the counter you own: TimeView 3 supports only the CNT-91 and CNT-91R, while TimeView 2 covers the CNT-90 and CNT-90XL.
Overview
Frequency is not a static quantity. An oscillator drifts while it warms up, a PLL overshoots as it locks, and a modulated carrier is moving by design. That behavior only makes sense when frequency is drawn as a function of time, and a counter's list of readings hides it. TimeView takes the timestamps the counter has already captured and reorganizes them into a trace, so you get the modulation domain view without changing hardware. Free-running capture at up to 250,000 samples per second is right for slow drift and transients; for repetitive signals, repetitive sampling pushes the equivalent rate to 100 MSa/s with a minimum delay of 10 ns, which is how fast frequency steps are examined. The usable input frequency depends on the front end: 20 GHz with the CNT-90, CNT-91 and CNT-91R, and 60 GHz with the CNT-90XL. Typical jobs include PLL lock time and overshoot, VCO tuning linearity, oscillator warm-up behavior and verification of FM and FSK modulation parameters. Evencat, the authorized distributor for Pendulum Instruments in Taiwan, quotes the license against your counter model and supports the installation.
Key specifications
| Compatible front ends (TimeView 2) | CNT-90, CNT-90XL, CNT-91, CNT-91R |
|---|---|
| Compatible front ends (TimeView 3) | CNT-91, CNT-91R |
| Maximum input frequency | 20 GHz (CNT-90/91/91R); 60 GHz (CNT-90XL) |
| Free-running sample rate | Up to 250,000 Sa/s (250 kSa/s) |
| Repetitive sampling equivalent rate | Up to 100 MSa/s (10 ns minimum delay) |
| Timestamp resolution | 35 ps rms (CNT-91/91R); 70 ps rms (CNT-90/90XL) |
| Internal memory depth | 1.9M results (CNT-91/91R); 375k results (CNT-90/90XL) |
| Minimum sample interval (MDA mode) | 4 μs (free-running); 10 ns (repetitive sampling) |
| PC interface | USB (CNT-90 family); GPIB (National Instruments / Agilent / Keithley/CEC) |
| Operating system | MS Windows 2000, XP, Vista (TimeView 2); Windows 7 also supported (TimeView 3) |
| Waveform voltage resolution | 1.0 mV (CNT-91); 2.5 mV (CNT-90/90XL) |
| Order codes | Option 29/90 (TimeView 2, for the CNT-90 family); Option 29/91 (TimeView 3, for CNT-91/91R) |
Features
Upgrade the hardware you already own
Adding the software gives an existing counter modulation domain analysis; the measurement setup and cabling stay as they are.
See the process, not only the result
Frequency, period and phase are drawn on a time axis, so lock-in, drift and overshoot become waveforms you can inspect.
Two sampling strategies
Free-running at 250,000 samples per second for slow drift; repetitive sampling at an equivalent 100 MSa/s and 10 ns delay for fast steps.
Frequency ceiling set by the counter
Up to 20 GHz with the CNT-90/91/91R and up to 60 GHz with the CNT-90XL.
Check the version first
TimeView 3 supports the CNT-91/91R; the CNT-90 and CNT-90XL need TimeView 2.
Data you can take with you
Settings and results are stored as ASCII files for Excel or your own analysis code; histograms and dual-cursor readout are done inside the software.
Typical applications
Oscillator development
VCO and PLL lock characterization
Engineers developing voltage-controlled oscillators or phase-locked loops use TimeView with a CNT-91/CNT-91R to capture the frequency-versus-time curve with zero dead time, watch the PLL go from unlocked to locked, and quantify settling time and residual frequency error, which shortens each tuning iteration.
Aerospace and defense
Pulsed radar and frequency-hopping signal analysis
In radar acceptance or frequency-hopping module tests, TimeView rebuilds pulse width, rise and fall times and pulse-to-pulse frequency changes as a time-domain trace, so engineers can confirm that FSK and FM hop sequences and timing meet the design, in place of discontinued modulation domain analyzers such as the Agilent 53310A.
Frequency stability measurement
Oscillator phase noise and jitter statistics
Metrology labs and oscillator makers use the distribution histogram and FFT functions to quantify cycle jitter of crystal or atomic references, plot Allan deviation, and detect unintended modulation such as power supply noise, giving a documented, traceable basis for outgoing verification.
Options and configuration
Tick the options you need. We compile the configuration list and carry it into the quote request form.
Standard configuration (included)
Software version
Front-end hardware options (counter options)
Downloads
- TimeView™ datasheetDatasheet · PDF
- TimeView™ 3 datasheetDatasheet · PDF
- User manual: TimeView™ modulation domain analyzer softwareUser Manual · PDF
- Application note: modulation domain analysis basicsApplication Note · PDF
- Application note: Agilent 53310A emulation (TimeView 3)Application Note · PDF
- White paper: wander measurements with TimeView 3White Paper · PDF
- TimeView 2 trial download (30 days)Software · EXE
- TimeView 3 trial download (30 days)Software · EXE
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