Supported File Formats
Sharing Data With Other Applications
This topic provides a list of the general file format types supported by the 89600 VSA and also links to more specific documentation for a specific data type.
Supported File Formats and File Size Limits
| File Format | Export Limit | Recall Limit | Data Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BINF (Little-Endian Real32 Binary): .binf | 263* samples per channel | 247* samples per channel | Binary | |
| CSV (Comma delimited ASCII): .csv | 230 samples per channel | 231 samples per channel | ASCII | |
| E3238S Time Snapshot: .cap | N/A | 231 samples | Binary | E3238S Time Snapshot is only valid for recalling a recording. |
| MAT-file (MATLAB., MATLAB Version 4): .mat | 228 samples | 228 samples | Binary | Mat-file (Version 4) is not used for recalling a trace or recording. The MAT-file (MATLAB) fomat is used to recall this format. |
| MATLAB (HDF5): .mat , .hdf, .h5 | 263* samples per channel | 247* samples per channel | Binary | |
| N5106A Waveform Big-Endian (streaming data): .bin | < VSA2026: 230 samples per channel
≥ VSA2026: 263* samples per channel |
247* samples | Binary | If you are saving traces and will be recalling them back into the 89600 VSA as a trace, do not use the N5106A Waveform format. The MATLAB format is the most compact. |
| N5110A Waveform Little-Endian: .bin | < VSA2026: 230 samples per channel
≥ VSA2026: 263* samples per channel |
247* samples | Binary | |
| ORB: .orb | -- | -- | Binary | ORB is a proprietary format developed for Keysight ORAN Studio. |
| SDF (Fast): .sdf, .dat | 263* samples per channel | 263* samples per channel | Binary | SDF (Fast) is used to recall all SDF files. |
| SDF ( Export): .sdf, .dat | 231 samples per channel | 263* samples per channel | Binary | SDF (Export) is only used to save a recording. |
| Text (Tab delimited ASCII): .txt | 230 samples per channel | 231 samples per channel | ASCII | |
| Text (Multitone definition): .txt | 230 samples per channel | 231 samples per channel | ASCII | |
| VITA 49/49A and VITA 49.2 : .vita49, .pcap, .pcapng | N/A | < VSA 2026: < 231 bytes ≥ VSA 2026: 247* bytes |
Binary |
* File sizes greater than 232 samples are theoretical and untested. Practical file size limits depend on available memory and other factors.
Trigger corrections (delay and phase) are not currently applied to the exported data when exporting a file to a non-SDF (Fast) format.
If you are saving or recalling traces to or from another program or application, you must use the format that is compatible with that program or application.
File Format Specifics
Each data type has some unique file format differences. For more detailed file format information about a particular data type, click on the applicable link:
- Recorded data file format specifics, see Saving and Recalling Recordings
- Trace data file format specifics, see Saving and Recalling Traces
See Also
