Digital Interface Testing (AES3 AES/EBU S/PDIF)

As well as determining the audio performance of a device with digital inputs or outputs, it is important to be able to verify the correct operation of the digital interface. Problems with a digital interface tend to show up as intermittence in the signal rather than degraded audio. It is important to be able to determine the quality of the interface to ensure that it is within the specifications laid out in the AES3 standard.

The dScope Series III allows the digital outputs of a device to be tested for correct operation, as well as simulating poor quality digital output to test the operating parameters of the digital inputs of the Equipment Under Test (EUT). On the input side, measurements of the carrier can be made such as amplitude and jitter, together with a display of the “Eye Diagram” of the received carrier interface. The outputs allow several parameters to be varied to see their effect on the inputs of the receiving device. Several parameters of the dScope’s output carrier can be altered such as jitter, rise-time and common-mode interference, and lossy cables can be easily simulated.

Additional problems can occur when the Channel Status of a digital audio stream is not consistent with the audio itself or if there are any of a wide range of illegal, incomplete or unusual Channel Status configurations. Some devices can take drastic action when confronted with such errors, such as muting their outputs. The dScope allows the Channel Status to be independently controlled and analyzed for each channel, either to see the status output from the EUT or to test the input of the device under an incorrect Channel Status implementation.

User bits can be tested for transparency using a simple check of the audio routed through the EUT.

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