Step 1 - System Requirements

Installation Steps: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

In order for the N7621B Signal Studio for Multitone Distortion software to generate multitone and noise power ratio (NPR) signals, you must have a properly configured PC and properly configured signal generation hardware, all of which meet the system requirements. Signal generation hardware includes a vector signal generator, an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG), and a spectrum or signal analyzer (to correct RF flatness, and to reduce intermodulation distortion (IMD) products). The signal generator is selected based on the desired frequency coverage and I/Q modulation bandwidth: internal I/Q, external I/Q, or wideband I/Q.

The analyzer is used for correction measurements. The N7621B software supports the entire family of Keysight PSA, UXA, PXA, and MXA analyzers. The analyzer is chosen for its frequency coverage and performance. The software also supports the ESA and EXA analyzer for corrections; however, the performance is not guaranteed. The N7621B can also use the N8201A Option H02 Synthetic Down-Converter.

In configurations that use an MXA/PXA signal analyzer, the N7621B Signal Studio for Multitone Distortion software turns off the signal analyzer's Auto Align feature to prevent the possibility of long communication delays during alignment. This is the recommended setting while the Multitone Distortion software is running. If you need to align your MXA/PXA, you can perform a manual alignment (Align Now), but understand that the software cannot communicate with the instrument during the alignment.

PC Requirements

100 GB HDD with 2 GB free disk space at runtime (5 GB or higher recommended)

1024 x 768 screen resolution (1280 x 1024 recommended)

Windows 10 Professional (64 bit)

  • 2 GHz or higher (recommended)

  • 8.0 GB of memory or higher

  • 1.5 GB hard disk space (includes 1 GB for Microsoft .NET Framework and 65 MB for the Keysight IO Libraries)

  • Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 and 4.0

  • Keysight IO Libraries, version 16.2 or later (installed in Step 4)

Installed GPIB IO interface card, LAN interface card, or USB/GPIB interface connector

National Instrument GPIB interface card users must install the National Instruments library. (Keysight IO Libraries will cover NI driver.)

Keysight VISA

Microsoft Windows Installer version 2.0 or later

For systems using the N603xA/M933xA or N824xA Arbitrary Waveform Generators:

IVI Compliance Package, version 4.1 (installed in Step 3) 

IVI-C N8241A driver, version 1.31.3 or later (N824xA Arbitrary Waveform Generators  – installed in Step 5)

IVI-C M9330A driver, version 2.00.0001 or later (N603xA/M933xA Arbitrary Waveform Generators  – installed in Step 5)

Vector Signal Generators

Requirements

E4438C ESG Vector Signal Generator 

Firmware revision C.05.70 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following baseband generator options is required for Internal I/Q:

  • E4438C-001 (internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory)

  • E4438C-002 (internal baseband generator with 32 Msample memory)

  • E4438C-601 (internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory and digital bus capability)

  • E4438C-602 (internal baseband generator with 64 Msample memory and digital bus capability, recommended)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • E4438C-005 (6 GB internal hard drive)

  • E4438C-403 (calibrated AWGN)

  • E4438C-UNB (high output power, mechanical attenuator)

  • E4438C-UNJ (enhanced phase noise performance)

E8267C PSG Vector Signal Generator

Firmware revision C.03.85 or later (how to upgrade)

Required options:

One of the following baseband generator options is required for Internal I/Q:

  • E8267C-001 (internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory)

  • E8267C-002 (internal baseband generator with 32 Msample memory)

  • E8267C-601 (internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory and digital bus capability)

  • E8267C-602 (internal baseband generator with 64 Msample memory and digital bus capability, recommended)

The following option is required for Wideband I/Q:

  • E8267C-015 (wideband I/Q inputs, only available above 3.2 GHz)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • E8267C-005 (6 GB internal hard drive)

  • E8267C-UNR (enhanced phase noise performance)

E8267D PSG Vector Signal Generator

Firmware revision C.06.18 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following baseband generator options is required for internal IQ:

  • E8267D-601 (internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory and digital bus capability)

  • E8267D-602 (internal baseband generator with 64 Msample memory and digital bus capability, recommended)

One of the following options is required for Wideband I/Q:

  • E8267D-015 (wideband I/Q inputs, only available above 3.2 GHz)

  • E8267D-H16 (differential wideband I/Q inputs, only available above 3.2 GHz)

  • E8267D-016 (differential wideband I/Q inputs, only available above 3.2 GHz, preferred)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • E8267D-005 (6 GB internal hard drive

  • E8267D-1EH (improved harmonics below 2 GHz)

  • E8267D-UNX (ultra-low phase noise, recommended) , or

  • E8267D-UNY (enhanced ultra-low phase noise) 

  • E8267D-H18 (wideband IQ below 3.2 GHz)

N5182B MXG Vector Signal Generator 

Firmware revision B.01.40 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following baseband generator options is required for Internal I/Q:

  • N5182B-656 (internal baseband generator, 80 MHz RF bandwidth, 32 Msample memory)

  • N5182B-657 (upgrade baseband generator to 160 MHz RF bandwidth, recommended)

Also required for internal IQ:

  • N5182B-UNV (enhanced dynamic range, required for specified corrected performance)

  • N5182B-1EA (high output power)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • N5182B-006 (instrument security & removable memory)

  • N5182B-009 (internal solid-state memory)

  • N5182B-022 (upgrade ARB memory to 512 MSa)

  • N5182B-023 (upgrade ARB memory to 1 GSa)

  • N5182B-099 (expanded license key upgradability)

  • N5182B-403 (calibrated AWGN)

  • N5182B-UNW (narrow pulse modulation)

  • N5182B-UNY (enhanced low phase noise)

N5172B EXG Vector Signal Generator 

Firmware revision B.01.40 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following baseband generator options is required for Internal I/Q:

  • N5172B-653 (internal baseband generator, 60 MHz RF bandwidth, 32 Msample memory)

  • N5172B-655 (upgrade baseband generator to 120 MHz RF bandwidth, recommended)

Also required for internal IQ:

  • N5172B-UNV (enhanced dynamic range, required for specified corrected performance)

  • N5172B-1EA (high output power)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • N5172B-006 (instrument security & removable memory)

  • N5172B-009 (internal solid-state memory)

  • N5172B-021 (upgrade ARB memory to 256 MSa)

  • N5172B-022 (upgrade ARB memory to 512 MSa)

  • N5172B-099 (expanded license key upgradability)

  • N5172B-403 (calibrated AWGN)

  • N5172B-UNW (narrow pulse modulation)

N5182A/N5162A MXG Vector Signal Generator 

Firmware revision A.01.86 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following baseband generator options:

  • N5182A-651(internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory and digital bus capability)

  • N5182A -652 (internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory and digital bus capability)

  • N5182A-654 (internal baseband generator with 8 Msample memory and digital bus capability, recommended)

Also required for internal IQ:

  • N5182A-UNV (enhanced dynamic range, required for specified corrected performance)

  • N5182A-1EA (high output power)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • N5182A-006 (instrument security & removable memory)

  • N5182A-019 (upgrade internal baseband generator memory to 64 MSa)

  • N5182A-099 (expanded license key upgradability)

  • N5182A-403 (calibrated AWGN)

  • N5182A-UNW (narrow pulse modulation)

N8212A Performance Vector Upconverter

Firmware revision C.04.73 or later

Required options:

This option is required for Wideband I/Q:

  • N8212A-016 (differential wideband I/Q inputs)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • N8212A-UNX (enhanced SSB phase noise)

  • N8212A-UNW (narrow pulse modulation)

Internal I/Q is not supported.

External I/Q and Option 016 are mutually exclusive - they share the same front panel connectors.

Instrument I/O is only available using LAN.

Spectrum/Signal Analyzers

Requirements

PC to Spectrum Analyzer I/O Interface

  • GPIB (Keysight GPIB cards or National Instruments GPIB cards compatible with Keysight I/O Libraries)

  • 10 Base-T LAN (for models that support LAN)

  • Keysight USB-GPIB converter

E444xA PSA Series Spectrum Analyzer

Firmware revision A.11.16 (how to upgrade )

  • E4443A (3 Hz to 6.7 GHz)

  • E4445A (3 Hz to 13.2 GHz)

  • E4440A (3 Hz to 26.5 GHz)

  • E4446A (3 Hz to 44.0 GHz)

  • E4448A (3 Hz to 50.0 GHz)

E44xxB ESA-E Series Spectrum Analyzer

Firmware revision A.14.06 with Option B72 (how to upgrade)

  • E4401B (9 kHz to 1.5 GHz)

  • E4402B (9 kHz to 3.0 GHz)

  • E4404B (9 kHz to 6.7 GHz)

  • E4405B (9 kHz to 13.2 GHz)

  • E4407B (9 kHz to 26.5 GHz)

E44xxB ESA-L Series Spectrum Analyzer

Firmware revision A.14.06 with Option B72 (how to upgrade)

  • E4411B (9 kHz to 1.5 GHz)

  • E4403B (9 kHz to 3.0 GHz)

  • E4408B (9 kHz to 26.5 GHz)

N9010A EXA Signal Analyzer

Firmware revision A.07.06 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following options:

  • N9010A-503: 9 kHz to 3.6 GHz

  • N9010A-507: 9 kHz to 7.0 GHz

  • N9010A-513: 9 kHz to 13.6 GHz

  • N9010A-526: 9 kHz to 26.5 GHz

  • N9010A-532: 9 kHz to 32 GHz

  • N9010A-544: 9 kHz to 44 GHz

N9020A MXA Signal Analyzer

Firmware revision A.07.06 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following options:

  • N9020A-503: 20 Hz to 3.6 GHz

  • N9020A-508: 20 Hz to 8.4 GHz

  • N9020A-513: 20 Hz to 13.6 GHz

  • N9020A-526: 20 Hz to 26.5 GHz

N9030A PXA Signal Analyzer

Firmware revision A.07.06 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following options:

  • N9030A-503: 3 Hz to 3.6 GHz

  • N9030A-508: 3 Hz to 8.4 GHz

  • N9030A-513: 3 Hz to 13.6 GHz

  • N9030A-526: 3 Hz to 26.5 GHz

  • N9030A-543: 3 Hz to 43 GHz

  • N9030A-544: 3 Hz to 44 GHz

  • N9030A-550: 3 Hz to 50 GHz

N9010B EXA Signal Analyzer

Firmware revision A.17.55 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following options:

  • N9010B-503: 9 kHz to 3.6 GHz

  • N9010B-507: 9 kHz to 7.0 GHz

  • N9010B-513: 9 kHz to 13.6 GHz

  • N9010B-526: 9 kHz to 26.5 GHz

  • N9010B-532: 9 kHz to 32 GHz

  • N9010B-544: 9 kHz to 44 GHz

N9020B MXA Signal Analyzer

Firmware revision A.17.55 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following options:

  • N9020B-503: 20 Hz to 3.6 GHz

  • N9020B-508: 20 Hz to 8.4 GHz

  • N9020B-513: 20 Hz to 13.6 GHz

  • N9020B-526: 20 Hz to 26.5 GHz

N9030B PXA Signal Analyzer

Firmware revision A.17.55 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following options:

  • N9030B-503: 3 Hz to 3.6 GHz

  • N9030B-508: 3 Hz to 8.4 GHz

  • N9030B-513: 3 Hz to 13.6 GHz

  • N9030B-526: 3 Hz to 26.5 GHz

  • N9030B-544: 3 Hz to 44 GHz

  • N9030B-550: 3 Hz to 50 GHz

N9040B UXA Signal Analyzer

Firmware revision A.15.09 or later (how to upgrade)

One of the following options:

  • N9040B-508: 3 Hz to 8.4 GHz

  • N9040B-513: 3 Hz to 13.6 GHz

  • N9040B-526: 3 Hz to 26.5 GHz

Arbitrary Waveform Generators

Requirements

M8190A Arbitrary Waveform Generator

Revision 1 hardware (Option B02) is not supported.

Firmware revision 2.4.3.1 or later

  • Keysight IO libraries version 16.2 or later

Required options for Wideband IQ:

  • M8190A-002 (2 channels)

  • M8190A-SEQ (sequencer)

  • M8190A-14B (14-bit, 8 GHz max sample rate), or

  • M8190A-12G (12-bit, 12 GHz max sample rate)

Required options for Wideband IF:

  • M8190A-002 (2 channels)

  • M8190A-SEQ (sequencer)

  • M8190A-14B (14-bit, 8 GHz max sample rate), or

  • M8190A-12G (12-bit, 12 GHz max sample rate)

  • M8190A-DUC (digital upconversion)

Recommended options for all configurations:

  • M8190A-02G (upgrade baseband generator memory from 128 MSample to 2 MSample, recommended)

  • M8190A-AMP (5 GHz analog bandwidth)

  • M8190A-DUC (digital upconversion, required for IF)

N603xA, M933xA Arbitrary Waveform Generators

  • IVI compliance package 4.1 (includes IVI shared components)

  • IVI-C M933xA driver revision 2.00.0001 or later

    Fundamental DLL 3.0.3

Other requirements:

  • To support the N603xA, you must use the M933xA version 2.00.0001 driver

    (firmware version 3.0.3).

  • IVI Compliance Package 4.1 (or greater) (installed in Step 3)

PC to M933xA I/O Interface

  • IVI-C driver using National Instruments MXI PCI to PXI interface card

  • M933xA drivers must be installed and functional

N824xA Arbitrary Waveform Generator

One of the following is required:

 

  • N8241A-125 (15-bit, 1.25 GS/s sample rate)

  • N8241A-062 (15-bit, 625 MS/s sample rate)

  • N8242A-125 (10-bit, 1.25 GS/s sample rate)

  • N8242A-062 (10-bit, 625 MS/s sample rate)

Other requirements:

  • IVI compliance package 4.1 (includes IVI shared components)

  • IVI-C driver revision 1.31.3 or later

PC to N824xA I/O Interface

  • IVI-C driver using LAN

  • N824xA drivers must be installed and functional