About Input Channels

Input Channels

Use the menu to configure your VSA measurement channels. Start by selecting the input channel type (like Baseband, RF, I+jQ, Digital, User Input, etc.) and then specify the number of measurement channels based on your hardware's capability. By default, the VSA will suggest an input channel setup based on your hardware's capability (refer to the Current Analyzer Configuration help page). For custom configurations, choose the Custom Input Channels menu option.

Possible Measurement Channel Configurations
Channel Type	Descriptiion	Number of Input Channels Selection
RF	Denotes RF Channel type. Here, an analog frequency down converter (mixer) is placed before the A/D converter.	1 Channel 2 Channel n Channel, depending on hardware receiver ports. Refer to the Analog Input tab for additional configuration properties.
Baseband	Indicates a Baseband input type where there's no mixer before the A/D converter.	1 Channel 2 Channel n Channel, depending on hardware receiver ports. Check the Analog Input tab for additional configuration properties.
I+jQ	This channel type requires one I and one Q baseband input per I+jQ channel. The "I" channel represents Real data, and the "Q" channel denotes Imaginary data.	Single I+jQ requires 2 baseband inputs (input 1 + j*input 2). Dual I + jQ needs 4 baseband inputs, creating 2 "IQ" pair logical channels. "n" I + jQ means "n" such channels. See the Analog Input tab for more details.
External Mixer	This specifies the use of an external mixer as the input hardware, connected to an X-Series Analyzer's LO/IF port, which bypasses the RF connector.	Identical to Baseband Input. Check the External Mixer tab for more configurations.
Digital	Digital type relies on input data from Digital hardware, like a Logic Analyzer.	Same as Baseband Input. Visit the Digital Input tab for other configurations.
User	This type relies on user-defined input, like VSA stream data.	Same as Baseband Input.
Custom...	Open a dialog that offers the flexibility to make a custom input channel configuration based on your hardware's available channels and types.	For additional details, see the Custom Channel Configuration dialog topic.

Possible Measurement Channel Configurations

Channel Type

Descriptiion

Number of Input Channels Selection

Denotes RF Channel type. Here, an analog frequency down converter (mixer) is placed before the A/D converter.

1 Channel
2 Channel
n Channel, depending on hardware receiver ports.

Refer to the Analog Input tab for additional configuration properties.

Baseband

Indicates a Baseband input type where there's no mixer before the A/D converter.

1 Channel
2 Channel
n Channel, depending on hardware receiver ports.

Check the Analog Input tab for additional configuration properties.

I+jQ

This channel type requires one I and one Q baseband input per I+jQ channel. The "I" channel represents Real data, and the "Q" channel denotes Imaginary data.

Single I+jQ requires 2 baseband inputs (input 1 + j*input 2).

Dual I + jQ needs 4 baseband inputs, creating 2 "IQ" pair logical channels.

"n" I + jQ means "n" such channels.

See the Analog Input tab for more details.

External Mixer

This specifies the use of an external mixer as the input hardware, connected to an X-Series Analyzer's LO/IF port, which bypasses the RF connector.

Identical to Baseband Input.

Check the External Mixer tab for more configurations.

Digital

Digital type relies on input data from Digital hardware, like a Logic Analyzer.

Same as Baseband Input.

Visit the Digital Input tab for other configurations.

User

This type relies on user-defined input, like VSA stream data.

Same as Baseband Input.

Custom...

Open a dialog that offers the flexibility to make a custom input channel configuration based on your hardware's available channels and types.

For additional details, see the Custom Channel Configuration dialog topic.

The measurement hardware determines the available Channel Types (i.e., RF, Baseband, etc.) and number of logical measurement channels.

If the input channel selection is modified between single and multiple channels, the VSA will reset the frequency settings of the new channels to the hardware's default values.