SDF
Sharing Data With Other Applications
There are two SDF formats for saving recordings: Fast and Export. Both versions use the same file extensions (*.SDF, *.DAT, and *.CAP).
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SDF (Fast) format
For recordings, SDF (Fast) uses cardinal spans, and the data may be uncorrected and unscaled (depending on the measurement hardware). Internal correction information is saved with the recording, but corrections are not applied to the data until you play it back.
For a trace, the data is always corrected and scaled.
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The SDF (Export) format
For recordings, the SDF (Export) format resamples the data to use the measurement span. The data is also corrected.
This format is not used for saving traces.
The SDF (Fast) file format allows you to save traces and recall traces saved by 89400-series analyzers. You can also import SDF files into Keysight Technologies EEsof ADS.
The SDF (Export) file format is only valid for saving recordings while the SDF (Fast) can both save and recall recordings. See Saving and Recalling Recordings for more information about SDF file format for recordings.
Trigger corrections (delay and phase) are not currently applied to the exported data when exporting a file to a non-SDF (Fast) format.
89400-Series Analyzer Recordings
Note the following when recalling recordings from 89400-series analyzers:
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By default, 89600 VSA software shows recalled recordings at the trace's cardinal acquisition span. Therefore, recordings from or analyzers that were acquired at full span will show a 10 MHz Megahertz: A unit of frequency equal to one million hertz or cycles per second. span in 89600 VSA software.
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Time corrections are accurate in recordings from -series analyzers that were acquired using a cardinal span.
When recalling a trace from an 89400-series analyzer, make sure the trace was created using a cardinal span. If the trace was created using a non-cardinal span, the 89600 VSA software cannot accurately recreate and apply time corrections.
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89600 VSA software cannot demodulate VSB signals from -series analyzers' recording files. The 89600 VSA software performs VSB demodulation at a 12 MHz span whereas the default span in -series analyzers is 7 MHz.
See Also
