M5200A Multimodule Configurations

The VSA software supports configurations using multiple M5200A Digitizer modules, with and without the M9032A System Sync Module.

Configuration	First Logical Instrument	Subsequent Logical Instruments	Frequency Reference in VSA	M9046 QS# Option Needed	Drivers Needed	Number of Test Sync Executive (TSE) Licenses Needed (in Addition to VSA License)
Single Module	M5200A Only	None	Int (use chassis backplane) or Ext (use 2.4 GHz Gigahertz: A frequency measurement which equals one billion hertz. in on M5200A)	None	M5200	---
Multimodule w/o Sync Module + Int Ref	M5200A Only	M5200A in each	Int (use chassis backplane)	Any QS# option	M5200, TSE, PXI Chassis	1 per M5200 module*
Multimodule w/o Sync Module + Ext Ref	M5200A Only	M5200A in each	Ext (use 2.4 GHz In on each M5200)	QS1,QS2, or QS3	M5200, TSE, PXI Chassis	1 per M5200 module*
Multimodule w/ Sync Module + Int Ref	M5200A & M9032A	M5200A in each	Int (use chassis backplane)	Any QS# option	M5200, TSE, PXI Chassis, M9032	1 per M5200 module + 1*
Multimodule w/ Sync Module + Ext Ref	M5200A & M9032A	M5200A in each	Ext (use 2.4 GHz In on each M5200)	QS1, QS2, or QS3	M5200, TSE, PXI Chassis, M9032	1 per M5200 module + 1*

*The number of TSE licenses required may be different if the hardware has a Hard Virtual Instrument (HVI) option. See the PathWave Test Sync Executive 2025 User Manual for more information.

The following is an example of the 3 basic M5200A configurations ( Int vs Ext reference not shown):

Notes:

The Int vs Ext reference in the VSA Frequency Reference panel controls whether the M5200 modules use the 2.4 GHz In (Ext choice) or the chassis backplane (Int choice).

Note that the 10 MHz Megahertz: A unit of frequency equal to one million hertz or cycles per second. frequency reference In of the chassis is not controlled by the VSA software. The Chassis SFP can be used to control that.

Inclusion of the M9032 Sync Module is optional, but time alignment between channels on different M5200 modules is better when the Sync Module is included.

When using multimodule the Channel (level based) trigger type is not supported.