About The 980; What Makes The 980 Unique - Quantum Data 980 User Manual

980 User Guide – HDMI Compliance Tests
Rev. B29

1 About the 980

This chapter provides an overview of features of the 980 Protocol Analyzer and the 980 Manager. The 980
Protocol Analyzer is an HDMI analyzer for HDMI source devices. It provides visibility into the HDMI protocol to help
resolve common interoperability problems in HDMI systems. The 980 Manager is a PC application to manage and
use the 980 Protocol Analyzer.
There are two options for the 980: 1) 980 225MHz "Gen 2" and 2) 980 297MHz "Gen 3". The 980 225MHz "Gen 2"
is able to parse HDMI streams from source devices with a TMDS clock up to 225MHz. The 980 297MHz "Gen 3"
version is able to parse HDMI streams from source devices with a TMDS clock and pixel clock up to 297MHz.
1.1

What makes the 980 Unique?

The 980 Protocol Analyzer is an analyzer for HDMI source devices that provides full visibility into the HDMI
protocol, timing, control and auxiliary data. It captures and decodes encrypted or unencrypted metadata (audio
sample, infoframes and other data packets) as well as DDC transactions and CEC messages.
Competitive "analyzers" available on the market are more limited because they utilize commercial silicon chips.
The 980 uses a proprietary solution and therefore can provide much greater visibility into the protocol, timing and
control data. The competitive "analyzers" support some of the 980 features but not nearly all of them. They support
functional testing but not true interoperability testing. Functional test "analyzers" often support only real time
monitoring. The 980 supports capture, store and analysis as well as Real Time monitoring.
For these same reasons, the 980 can support all of the HDMI source protocol compliance tests in Sections 7.4
through 7.8 of the CTS. Functional test instruments cannot. For example, the 980 supports all the Protocol tests in
Test 7-17 related to control periods, preamble and guard bands and the 980 can measure the audio sample rate
precisely and therefore measure audio jitter correctly. Functional test instruments cannot support these tests
correctly.
Page 3 August 5, 2011