Tektronix TTR 500 USB based VNA - cool

[rx8pilot]

http://www.tek.com/blog/tektronix-disrupts-rf-test-market-another-usb-based-instrument-introducing-ttr-500-series-vna?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social-sponsored&utm_content=sapl

This is a nice trend to see. USB based, high-end test gear that leverages the human interface, computer power, networking, and storage already built into just about every PC. This massively drops the physical size and cost of a 6Ghz VNA. I like the trend.

What I REALLY would like to see is a physical control surface with soft knobs, lights, and displays to help navigate USB based scopes, SA's, VNA, etc without using a mouse to click on everything.

[ralphrmartin]

Quoting the link you provided:

"The trouble is that many IoT projects face short time-to-market windows and tight budgets, making expensive desktop VNAs a luxury many projects simply can’t afford. "

Why the heck would I want a kilobucks 6KHz VNA to debug my EPS32 based IOT doorbell?

Marketing men throw in any buzzword, relevant or not...

Anyway - as for USB controllers - there are plenty out there for reasonable prices for music makers. Check out "Novation Launch Control", for example. The problem is, some code would need to be written to map their outputs to the inputs of the VNA/oscilloscope/whatever.

[loxodes]

For anyone curious about pricing: "$9,000 US MSRP for a 3 GHz instrument and $12,000 for a 6 GHz instrument"

It looks like it is still cheaper to buy a used boat anchor off eBay for the non-space-constrained hobbyist.

[rx8pilot]

Why the heck would I want a kilobucks 6KHz VNA to debug my EPS32 based IOT doorbell?

Yep - nearly all consumer IOT devices are just buying off-the-shelf modules and antennas and never consider doing a single test. Kinda funny.

Anyway - as for USB controllers - there are plenty out there for reasonable prices for music makers. Check out "Novation Launch Control", for example. The problem is, some code would need to be written to map their outputs to the inputs of the VNA/oscilloscope/whatever.

totally - there are piles of really cool and useful USB controllers - just none configured for T&M USB based gear. A little code and some general purpose controller to a USB test box would go a LONG way toward making them very useful.

For anyone curious about pricing: "$9,000 US MSRP for a 3 GHz instrument and $12,000 for a 6 GHz instrument"

It looks like it is still cheaper to buy a used boat anchor off eBay for the non-space-constrained hobbyist.

This box is clearly designed for professionals and $12k is rather fantastic for a brand new 6 Ghz 2 port VNA (assuming the software and speed are good). I have been looking at the old VNAs for professional use - but get really nervous about supporting an old OS, unsupported platform, lack of calibration, spinning hard drives, no USB, monochrome displays, lack of modern analysis features, cumbersome cal procedures, etc, etc. Like many USB effort before, the software will make or break this product, but like the RSA series, it will get constant updates.

As for the size and portability - that is a huge bonus on a modern bench. You can move it around based on what you need to test (including taking it in the field). The boat anchor VNA's practically need a dedicated workstation that you bring the DUT to.

[loxodes]

This box is clearly designed for professionals and $12k is rather fantastic for a brand new 6 Ghz 2 port VNA (assuming the software and speed are good). I have been looking at the old VNAs for professional use - but get really nervous about supporting an old OS, unsupported platform, lack of calibration, spinning hard drives, no USB, monochrome displays, lack of modern analysis features, cumbersome cal procedures, etc, etc. Like many USB effort before, the software will make or break this product, but like the RSA series, it will get constant updates.

Yeah, absolutely. I'm hesitant to buy a boat anchor VNA for even hobbyist use for those reasons. And I understand the appeal of portable test equipment, I've dragged an Agilent E5062A across the antarctic ice sheet in -40F/C weather.

It is just hard to be excited about it given the price. There are similar options like the $13k 6.5 GHz Copper Mountain S5065 or the $4k 6 GHz MegiQ (maybe the MegiQ is aiming for the semi-professional IOT doorstop makers) already on the market.