[time-nuts] New Timestamping / Time Interval Counter: the TICC

John Ackermann N8UR jra at febo.com
Thu Nov 24 21:54:55 UTC 2016


Thanks, Bruce, I'll update the web page to reference the 53230A as the 
best resolution device currently available.

On 11/24/2016 01:03 PM, Bruce Griffiths wrote:
> John
>
> There is an application note or similar on the 53230A that indicates that
> the single shot noise for time interval measurement is typically about 13ps
> or so.
>
> Bruce
> On Thursday, November 24, 2016 09:43:54 AM John Ackermann N8UR
> wrote:
>> Hi Anders --
>>
>> Thanks, and thanks for the info on the 53230A.  I have not used one of
>> those myself but the data sheet lists 20ps single-shot.
>>
>> Also I should note that the TICC does not compete with counters like the
>> 53230A for high speed measurement, or frequency counting.  It does far
>> fewer measurements per second than the high-end counters -- my
> design
>> criteria was for use in PPS measuring system.
>>
>> With the current software, the actual measurement processing time is
>> about 1 millisecond; we may be able to optimize a hundred or two
>> microseconds from that as the code currently has more 64 bit
> operations
>> than are necessary, and there are other things that can surely be
> tweaked.
>>
>> The killer is the serial output via USB.  It can take up to 10 ms to
>> output 20 characters, and that's what really limits the measurement
>> rate.  I'm pretty sure this can be improved (one idea is to buffer
>> results to reduce USB packetization delays), but there's other
>> functionality that I need to finish first.
>>
>> BTW -- the software is open source and on github at
>> https://github.com/TAPR/TICC , so I welcome anyone who wants to work
> on
>> it.  Bug fixes are gladly accepted, and if you're looking for work to
>> do, I could use a volunteer to work on a couple of areas, most
>> critically finishing a UI that will allow the user to set operating
>> parameters.
>>
>> John
>> ----
>>
>> On 11/24/2016 02:40 AM, Anders Wallin wrote:
>>> Nice work!
>>> On the website in the introduction you mention 22ps single-shot
>>> time-stamping on the 5370A/B.
>>> I think it's well established that the 53230A does about 11-12 ps for
>>> time-intervals, which corresponds to about 9 ps single-channel. see
> for
>>> example:
>>> http://www.anderswallin.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/53230A_PPS_skew.png
>>>
>>> Anders
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Nov 23, 2016 at 11:13 PM, Peter Vince
> <petervince1952 at gmail.com>
>>>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Fantastic John - well done!  Yes, I'll definitely put an order in as soon
>>>> as possible.
>>>>
>>>>        Regards,
>>>>
>>>>            Peter  (G8ZZR, London)
>>>>
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