CT Viewer™ TDR software, for use with CT100 Series TDRs


CT Viewer™ is a powerful TDR trace analysis software package for Microsoft® Windows® XP / Vista PCs that lets you archive, manipulate, analyze, and compare TDR data acquired with CT100 Series Automated Metallic TDRs or any other TDR instrument. CT Viewer™ is included with CT100 Series TDRs. Read on to discover how CT Viewer™ will change the way you test cables.



Two TDR traces showing the reflected rise on the left and an open cable fault near the BNC connector on the right. Difference / subtraction and average traces have been produced after horizontally shifting one of the traces.

Figure 1 -- Example screenshot from CT Viewer™ (click to enlarge). Two similar TDR traces (red and black traces) have been loaded, each showing the reflected rise on the left and an open fault to the right, just after the BNC connector. To show some of the features of CT Viewer™ the red trace has been shifted horizontally approximately 150 ps and a difference trace (blue trace) created from the original two traces. An average trace (magenta) has also been created. Two independent cursors are shown measuring the risetime of the open fault.

50 Ohm BNC to SMA interconnect that is slightly loosened. The difference trace highlights the change in impedance at the connection signaling this subtle partial cable fault.

Figure 2 -- Screenshot from CT Viewer™ with the help diagram loaded. A number of features are quickly accessible from the keyboard, giving you full control over how your TDR traces are displayed.



Quickly and easily archive all your TDR data

  • Upload data from any CT100 Series TDR via 10/100 Ethernet, USB, or USB thumbdrive for comparison in the office. Export data to any CT100 Series TDR for later comparison in the field.
  • Import data from any other TDR instrument using standard comma-delimited CSV format files.
  • CT Viewer™ runs on Microsoft® SQL Server® for dependable, scalable relational database storage of all your TDR data.


Manipulate, compare, and analyze TDR traces

  • CT Viewer™ reproduces all of the features of CT100 Series TDRs on your PC and includes a number of new features all its own.
  • Powerful TDR manipulation features include dynamic independent horizontal and vertical scaling and translation of previously saved TDR scans. Measure or remeasure distance-to-fault, ohms-at-cursor, reflection coefficients, and more.
  • Alter or fine-tune Velocity-of-Propagation (VoP) to 6 significant digits.
  • Create new subtraction (difference), derivative, and other mathematical transforms of your saved TDR scans.
  • Coming soon, live Ethernet / USB streaming of data from any CT100 Series TDR, and remote control of one or more CT100 Series TDRs over a LAN / WAN or the Internet.


Use CT Viewer™ to improve the way you perform TDR cable testing

  • Increase the effectiveness of engineering oversight by separating the skills required for TDR trace acquisition from TDR trace analysis. With CT100 Series TDRs, only minimal training is required to acquire a high-quality scan that can be review later on CT Viewer™ by experienced personnel who may be located remotely.
  • Keep a record of prior scans from a given cable or cable harness; periodic maintenance testing with quick comparison to these prior scans could help catch very subtle cable faults that could degrade signal quality, impair system performance, or potentially lead to system failure.
  • Improve your QA/QC process by keeping a complete and accurate record of cable performance that can be reviewed later at any time.