VeEX CX100 Series User manual

CX100/110/120/150/180 series e-Manual
Please direct all questions to your local VeEX Sales Office, Representative or Distributor or contact VeEX technical support at
www.veexinc.com
© Copyright 2010 VeEX Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this user manual may be reproduced, translated into a
foreign language or be transmitted electronically without prior agreement and written consent of VeEX Incorporated as
governed by International copyright laws. Information contained in this manual is provided "as is" and is subject to change
without notice.
™Trademarks of VeEX Incorporated have been identified where applicable, however the absence of such identification does
not affect the legal status of any trademark.
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 About this User Manual
3.0 Safety Information
4.0 Basic Operations
4.1 Keypad
4.2 Touch-Screen Display
4.3 Battery
4.4 Connectors and Panels
4.5 LEDs
5.0 Home Menu
6.0 Channel Tables and Locations
7.0 Single Channel Measurement
8.0 Tilt Measurement
9.0 System Scan
10.0 Forward and Reverse Path Ingress
11.0 Upstream Signal Generator (CX120/150/180E models only)
12.0 DOCSIS Cable Modem (CX150/180/E models only)
13.0 Common Functions
13.1 Installation Check
13.2 Settings
13.3 Files
13.4 Help
13.5 Backlight
13.6 Tools
14.0 Warranty and Software
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15.0 Product Specifications
16.0 Certification and Declarations
17.0 About VeEX
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1.0 Product Introduction
VeEX™ VePAL CX instruments are next generation test solutions to install and maintain analog and digital cable TV networks
offering triple play services. All CX products are lightweight, rugged and weather resistant instruments featuring signal level meter
capabilities. Certain models can be equipped with a cable modem option to validate DOCSIS 2.0 and EuroDOCSIS based networks
while some units can also be equipped to support QAM signal generation for reverse path QAM analysis.
The product matrix below outlines the major functionalities of each CX product.
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2.0 About this User Manual
Every effort was made to ensure that the information contained in this user manual is accurate. Information is subject to change
without notice and we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. In case of discrepancy, the web version takes
precedence over any printed literature.
(c) Copyright 2006-2010 VeEX Inc. All rights reserved. VeEX, VePAL are registered trademarks of VeEX Inc and/or its affiliates in
the the USA and certain other countries. All trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted electronically or otherwise without written permission from VeEX Inc.
This device uses software either developed by VeEX Inc or licensed by VeEX Inc from third parties. The software is confidential
and proprietary of VeEX Inc. The software is protected by copyright and contains trade secrets of VeEX Inc or VeEX's licensors.
The purchaser of this device agrees that it has received a license solely to use the software as embedded in the device, and the
purchaser is prohibited from copying, reverse engineering, decompiling, or disassembling the software.
This user manual is suitable for novice, intermediate, and experienced users and is intended to help you successfully use the
features and capabilities of the VePAL CX100, CX110, CX120, CX150 and CX180 analyzers. It is assumed that you have basic
computer experience and skills, and are familiar with Cable TV and telecommunication concepts, terminology, and safety.
For more technical resources, visit VeEX Inc web site at www.veexinc.com.
If you need assistance or have questions related to the use of this product, call or e-mail our customer care department for
customer support. Before contacting our customer care department, you must have your product serial number ready. Please go to
Basic Operations section for details on locating your unit serial number in the menus or locate the serial number on the back of the
chassis. Please provide this number when contacting VeEX customer service.
Customer Care:
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Phone: + 1 408 970 9090
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.veexinc.com
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3.0 Safety Information
Safety precautions should be observed during all phases of operation of this instrument. The instrument has been designed to
ensure safe operation however please observe all safety markings and instructions. Do not operate the instrument in the presence
of flammable gases or fumes or any other combustible environment. VeEX Inc. assumes no liability for the customer's failure to
comply with safety precautions and requirements.
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4.0 Basic Operations
4.1 Keypad
The unit is powered on and off from the red key on the keyboard area. In order to turn off the unit, press the power key for at least
2 seconds. If the unit is not responding, holding the power key down by more than 10 seconds will force the unit to power down.
The keyboard includes the following keys:
Home key. Bring the unit to its home menu regardless of its location on the user interface.
Print key. Performs a print of the current result or selected stored result. The print function requires a USB printer. For a list
of supported printer please contact VeEX customer service.
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Store key. Performs the storage in the memory of the test set of the current results. If the result is running, it will provide a
snap shot at the moment the key is pressed. The store function provides an automatic storage with automatic naming and
time stamping function. To manipulate a stored file, please go to files.
History key. The history key resets any blinking LED due to a history condition. For more details on the LED, please go to
LEDs.
Help key. The help key brings the user to the online help, regardless of the current user interface location of the unit.
Arrow key. The arrow key moves the cursor in any of the four supported directions (left, right, up, down). The arrow key
works in conjunction with the Enter and Escape keys.
Enter key. The enter key provides an enter sequence to the user interface. It is used in non touch-screen operation mode to
enter menus and functions.
Escape key. The escape key provides an escape sequence to the user interface. It is used in non touch-screen operation
mode to escape menus and functions.
Note: By pressing Home and Help buttons simultaneously, the tester enters a sleep mode which helps
preserve battery life. To exit the sleep mode, press Home and Help simultaneously once more.
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4.2 Touch-Screen Display
The LCD supports touch-screen operations. In order to use the unit in touch-screen mode, open the transparent door covering the
screen. Then take out the stylus available on the top door i.e. door protecting the connector panel. Keep the LCD cover closed
when using the unit on non touch-screen mode, and use the arrow, enter, and escape keys. The location of the cursor on the
screen is indicated by a focus state. The focus state varies depending on the function or section of the test set. Please observe the
following precautions;
- Never use excessive pressure on the touch-screen as this may damage its functionality
- Never use sharp objects such as a pen, screwdriver etc. as this may damage the surface
- Clean the surface of the touch-screen using a soft cloth and mild detergent only. Do not use alcohol.
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4.3 Battery
The VPAL is equipped with an intelligent Lilon rechargeable battery pack which is located in the rear of the unit. The battery will be
partially charged upon delivery so it is recommended to charge the battery fully before use. It is recommended to charge the battery
at room temperature to preserve its life and to obtain maximum charge. The battery can be removed during operation provided the
unit is connected to the AC Main using the supplied AC adapter. Removing the battery, when not connected to the AC Main will
cause the unit to shutdown. Remove the rubber cover on the left side to connect the AC Main adapter to the unit.
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4.4 Connectors and Panels
RF Test Ports:
To access the RF test connectors, please open the top cover.
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RF Input: "F" Connector, 75 ohms for connection to the CATV network. This connector provides access to the Signal Level
Meter (SLM) and associated functions including Tilt, Ingress and System Scan measurements. Reverse Path QAM analysis
(CX180 only) is also performed on this test port.
Note: Maximum Voltage input is 100VAC, 140VDC
Auxiliary: This connector provides access to the DOCSIS cable modem and Upstream Generator functions where
applicable.
Utility Ports:
To access the utility ports, remove the protective rubber cover on the right hand side of the unit to expose the connectors;
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USB 2.0 Client port: To connect USB memory drives, WiFi or VoIP adaptors. These accessories are shown below.
USB 2.0 Host port: To connect USB printer (future firmware release)
RJ45, 10/100Base-T port: To connect to an Ethernet network. Applications include;
Transfer measurement results and test profiles between the instrument and a computer using ReVeal CX software
Upload/download channel tables between the instrument and a computer using ReVeal CX software
Upgrade the instrument software using ReVeal CX software
Remote control of the instrument using ReVeal CX software (optional)
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4.5 LEDs
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The CX100 is equipped with three LEDs while the CX120, CX150 and CX180 models are equipped with four LEDs.
The Power LED indicates the power state of the unit. The LED is off when the unit is powered off. The LED is green when the unit
is powered on. The LED is orange when the unit is connected to the AC Main and powered off.
The ALM/ERR LED is linked to the alarms and errors. The LED is solid red when there is an alarm or error condition. The LED is
flashing red to indicate an error or alarm that has occurred but is no longer present. This is called the history function. In order to
reset the history condition on any LED press the function key on the rubber keyboard (O -> O).
The DIG LOCK LED indicates the proper digital signal lock The LED is green when locking is achieved. The LED is red when
expected digital signal can not be found.
The AUX LED is related to the physical status of the built-in DOCSIS Cable Modem or Upstream Generator functions. This LED is
available on the CX120/150/CX180E models only. The LED is off when the Cable Modem or USG are inactive. Fast flashing green
indicates the Cable Modem is ready. Slow flashing indicates the Cable Modem has achieved the initial down stream and up stream
locking. Solid green indicates the Cable Modem is activated and online.
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5.0 Home Menu
This menu can be reached at anytime during operation by pressing the home key, accessible on the rubber keyboard.
The upper part of the menu contains items specific to the test application of the handheld test set, while the lower part of the menu
contains items common to all VeEX VePAL handheld test sets. The Installation Check function is however specific to CX models
only.
Some items are optional, and require the purchase of a software option in order to be activated. Some items have not been
released, and will become available in future software releases.
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6.0 Channel Tables and Locations
The unit requires Channel Tables and setting up its locations to perform measurements.
By default, the unit comes with several pre-loaded tables. These tables can be edited and modified under Settings (Home ->
Settings icon -> Setup tab).
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Alternatively, the channel tables can be created and managed using ReVeal CX (TM) PC software which is a standard accessory.
Additional tables can be created either from a blank table or from existing ones. The test set and the PC software can exchange
the tables for easy update. Please consult the ReVeal CX user manual for more details.
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The unit provides location settings in order to define thresholds for the measurements and pass/fail criteria for the installation check
function. The locations can be selected by a pull down menu on the top bar. The location pull down menu only appears when
required by the function. These locations can be edited and modified under Settings or by using ReVeal (TM) PC software. Three
locations are provided pre-loaded on the unit: Ground Block, Set Top Box, and Tap.
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7.0 Single Channel Measurement
The Single-Channel SLM function performs an amplitude measurement of a user-selectable frequency or channel that is defined in
the active channel table. The contents of the Single-Channel screen will depend upon whether the selected channel contains an
analog or digital signal.
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The channel is changed by using the up and down arrow. Each occurrence will increase or decrease the channel value by one.
The user can quickly jump in the channel table by tapping on the channel number area or by pressing enter. The center frequency
of a channel can also be edited by tapping on the frequency area.
The following measurement information is provided for analog signals:
Video Power Level (graphic bar and numeric in dBmV)
Audio1 Power Level (graphic bar and numeric in dBmV)
V/A1 Ratio (numeric in dB)
Audio2 Power Level (graphic bar and numeric in dBmV)
Video/Audio2 Delta (numeric in dB)
Carrier to Noise or C/N (numeric in dB) - note the affect of poor C/N on analog video carriers below.
Max Adjacent Channel Delta (graphic bar and numeric in dB)
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Note: All CX instruments measure the peak levels for analog carriers because the average power changes
depending on the picture content e.g. dark scenes have a higher average power than bright scenes. Using the
sync pulses, the carrier is at its peak power and it does not change from scene to scene therefore peak power
has become the standard for analog video carrier level measurements.
When testing a digital channel, the unit first tries to achieve digital lock. Once achieved, the unit displays the related digital
measurements as well as the constellation diagram. If the unit is unable to lock onto the digital channel, a warning message is
displayed. The unit will then switch back to the SLM measurement mode for this specific channel indicating signal level - the CX
measures the average power for digital carriers.
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The following measurement information is provided for digital signals over two screens. Under the SLM tab, the following
measurements can be seen:
QAM Power Level (graphic bar and numeric in dBmV)
MER (numeric in dB)
Pre BER & Pre Error Seconds (numeric)
Post BER & Post Error Seconds (numeric)
Severely Error Seconds (numeric)
Max Adjacent Channel Delta (numeric in dB)
Note: Modulation Error Ratio (MER) in digital systems is very similar to Carrier to Noise (C/N) in analog
systems. It is a measure of how tightly symbols are recorded with respect to their optimum location based on
the Error Vector Magnitude or EVM.
MER determines how much margin the system has available before a failure can be expected. A poor MER is not noticeable on
the picture up until the point of system failure - this is often referred to as the "Cliff Effect". Ideally you should have at least 4 to
5dB of margin from the MER where significant errors occur to allow for system degradation. MER measurements are useful for
early detection of non-transient (noise) impairments such as system noise, CSO, CTB and Ingress.
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The QAM Power Level and Max Adjacent Channel Delta are updated in real-time. The MER, Pre BER, Pre ES, Post BER, Post
ES and SVES measurements are snapshots upon entering this screen.
Constellation Tab: Constellation is an ideal tool to identify QAM modulator problems. The following measurements are reported:
QAM Power Level (numeric in dBmV)
MER (numeric in dB) is an indication of the operating margin of the system
Pre BER & Pre Error Seconds (numeric) is the error rate of the incoming signal prior to being corrected FEC circuitry
Post BER & Post Error Seconds (numeric) is the error rate of the signal after the FEC has corrected all the possible errors
Severely Error Seconds (numeric)
Constellation (graphic)
Max Adjacent Channel Delta (numeric in dB)
The MER, Pre FEC, Post FEC, and Constellation diagram are updated in real-time. The QAM Power Level and Max Adjacent
Channel Delta are snapshots upon entering this screen.
The following information is displayed for both analog and digital signals:
Channel
Frequency
Limits Location (Tap, Ground Block, or Set-Top)
Graphic limit indicators are provided for all graphically displayed signal levels. Numeric data that is outside of limits are displayed in
red.
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Note: The Constellation diagram is an X/Y plot of the I (In phase axis) and Q (Quadrature axis)
components of the QAM signal and is useful for viewing impairments due to ingress and/or modulation
problems present on the digital signal. A symbol (essentially a waveform representing one or more bits)
should ideally appear as a compact or clean dot in the center of each symbol box. Decision boundaries exist
within the constellation so that if the symbol falls within the boundary, the correct data is received. If due to
noise or other interference, the symbol falls outside the boundary, the data will be in error. Error detection and
and correction (e.g. FEC) will attempt to the correct these errors thus avoiding video impairments. Observing
the symbol's shape and location relative to their ideal positions allows you to draw some conclusions about the
nature of an impairment.
Graphics courtesy of Cisco and SCTE
The following impairments can be assessed visually;
Gain compression pulls the symbol clusters into the center while the middle ones are unaffected. Gain compression can
result from poor or bad amplifiers, IF equalizers and up/down converters.
Broadband or system noise causes symbol clusters to enlarge and this increases the probability of errors. An error occurs
when the dot is pulled across a decision boundary.
Coherent interference like CSO/CTB, spurs or ingress produce symbol clusters with a hole in the center so they appear as
"donuts". This can also be a result of laser clipping or sweep interference.
Phase noise causes the symbol clusters to appear as arcs particularly those near the edges of the constellation. Phase
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noise can result from headend up/down converters or by the I/Q modulator.
IQ Imbalance is when the constellation is not symmetrical in shape (it is taller than it is wide) - this due to gain difference in
the I and Q channels which may be caused by bad baseband amplifiers, modulators or filters.
The constellation display supports a zoom function. For QAM64 tap on the graphic and the entire constellation is zoomed. For
QAM256 modulation, the constellation is split into 4 quadrants for simplified viewing. The user can tap on any of the four
quadrants, which will zoom this specific quadrant.
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8.0 Tilt Measurement
Tilt measurement is used to check the channel levels at the lowest and highest frequencies because level variations across the
frequency spectrum are indicative of distortion. Tilt measurement is also the most efficient tool for balancing distribution amplifiers.
By tapping on the channel bars, the Tilt measurement will measure the two most recently selected channels.
Note: Typically, the same analog and digital channels which have been recommended or defined for the
Scan function should be used when performing Tilt measurements. Often tilt measurements are useful to
identify excessive cable lengths at the customer premises that can cause high frequency roll off.
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9.0 System Scan
The System Scan function provides a graphical overview of the entire channel plan according to the selected active channel table.
It can provide fast visual confirmation or a snapshot of key analog and digital TV channels or DOCSIS carrier levels. As a rule of
thumb, analog carriers should be no more than 6 to 10dB higher compared to digital channels while DOCSIS channel levels should
range between -10 to +10 dBmV to allow for adequate margin at the cable modem.
The following measurements are performed for each analog channel:
Video Power Level in dBmV
Audio1 Power Level in dBmV
V/A1 Ratio in dB
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The following measurements will be performed for each digital channel:
QAM Power Level in dBmV
The following measurements will be calculated based on the results of all channels and displayed under the summary tab:
Tilt in dB
Peak-to-Valley in dB
Min Power Level in dBmV
Max Power Level in dBmV
Min Delta V/A1 in dB (applies to analog channels only)
Max Delta V/A1 in dB (applies to analog channels only)
Once the test is completed or stop by the user, a marker is available and can be placed on any of the measured channel. The
measurements of the selected channel are then displayed.
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10.0 Forward & Reverse Path Ingress
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Background: The HFC network has the potential to offer tremendous bandwidth in the downstream or forward direction from the
head end or hub to the customer. Depending upon the extent of the cable plant upgrade, the available bandwidth could be as
much as from 54 to 860 MHz however downstream channel bandwidths are determined by the individual country's video broadcast
standards.
The historical broadcast video channel assignments limit the upstream or reverse direction from the customer to the spectrum
between 5 to 42 MHz for North America and 5 to 65MHz for Europe. The upstream spectrum which supports return path
connectivity is frequently impaired by ingress of interfering signals such as radio citizen band (CB), and other legitimate and non-
legitimate RF emissions.
The greatest challenge for the cable operator is to realize sufficient usable upstream bandwidth to achieve the systems throughput
requirements for data or other services. The limited upstream bandwidth must often be shared with other services, ranging from
impulse pay-per-view (IPPV), telemetry, and alarm gathering information from the active elements in the cable plant, as well as
having to compete with interfering signals that radiate into the lower frequency range.
Ingress noise: A term assigned by cable operators to describe any interference that is coupled into the
forward or return path cable plant via an external source. Sometimes defined as a frequency selective
impairment, Ingress can be broadly categorized as follows;
Narrow band ingress: The predominant coupling mechanism for ingress noise is a poorly shielded drop
coaxial cable that is acting more like an antenna then a drop cable. AM modulated carriers, amateur
band and maritime radio transmission generate unwanted signal frequencies at varying amplitudes
according to the propagation conditions.
Location specific ingress: Electronic equipment in the subscriber premises can pass strong signal
carriers back into the cable system and these can interfere with reverse signals such as cable modems.
Cable network architecture will determine ingress sources e.g. aerial cabling versus underground
cabling
Common Path Distortion (CPD): Produced by poor contacts in the cable distribution network - these
contacts create a diode or rectifier effect which produces potentially harmful 2nd and 3rd order intermodulation
distortion (IMD) products or beats. These beats will occur every 6, 7 or 8 MHz in the reverse path depending
on the channel plan used. Although the magnitude of these beats are small, they increase at a node when
several reverse paths are combined.
Impulse Noise: Typically generated by man-made devices and sometimes by nature. Man-made sources
include power switching, electrical motors, engine ignitions, and air conditioning systems. Sources in nature
are generally lightning. Laser clipping in the upstream path is another impulse noise source.
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