Quantum Data 881 - Manual (Page 204)

186 Chapter 6 Working with Formats
Creating custom formats
You can create new formats for the generator and add them to the generator’s flash
memory or PC card. You can create new formats using the Format Editor in the
generator’s Web server or the command line interface; however, the recommended
method is to use the Format Editor because it contains the algorithms for ensuring
compatibility between format parameters where there are dependencies in their respective
values.
Determining display’s signal specifications
Your custom format will be based on the specifications of the display under test. Typically,
you can find the information required for the format in the detailed specification sheet for
the display. At a basic level, you must determine if you are working with an analog or a
digital display:
• Analog displays can show an endless range of colors or shades of gray. These displays
normally accept video signal levels in the 1 Vp-p range.
• Digital displays are more limited and can display only a few gray levels or a limited
number of pre-defined colors. These displays normally accept TTL video signals in the
4 Vp-p range.
Creating custom formats using the Format Editor
The Format Editor provides a graphical user interface for working with formats. The
Format Editor is part of the generator’s Web server and is accessed over an Ethernet LAN
connection using a Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. The Format Editor
enables you to view, modify, and create formats. In addition, the Format Editor enables
you to view the currently displayed format as XML, and save the format as an XML file.
You can also test formats on the generator directly from the Format Editor.
Note: The Format Editor requires Internet Browser version 6.x. If you have Internet
Browser version 5.x you will need to upgrade.