On Tuesday, May 4, Fluke Networks (www.flukenetworks.com) announced the DTX CableAnalyzer series, a family of products that "significantly reduce total time to certify by improving the speed, accuracy, and diagnostic capability of the testing process," the company said while announcing the product line.
DTX CableAnalyzers feature a 12-second Category 6 autotest time, 900-MHz testing bandwidth, 12-hour battery life, and troubleshooting diagnostics. These capabilities are in compliance with standards for Category 5e and Category 6, as well as emerging cabling technologies such as Class F/Category 7 infrastructure and applications like 10 Gigabit Ethernet. The DTX achieves Level IV accuracy.
"The 12-second autotest time is three times faster than any other tester on the market and the powerful on-board diagnostics let users troubleshoot faults twice as fast," the company stated. "When a link fails, DTX pinpoints the location of the failure and suggests corrective action so the technician can solve the problem quickly without needing to consult a project manager. This high-speed diagnostic process comes with the added security of Level IV accuracy."
Added Hugo Draye, Fluke Networks' copper products marketing manager: "DTX CableAnalyzers will increase the user's productivity from day one, with time savings of 33% per year and greater. In typical installations, DTX will save the user as much as four hours per shift. All you have to do is multiply that kind of hourly savings times your labor rate to see that the payback on a new DTX tester is measured in months. After that, everything else goes to the bottom line."
Optional multimode and singlemode fiber-test modules are available for the DTX series. These modules can be left on the unit during copper tests, allowing immediate testing of fiber or copper cabling without swapping adapters, and thereby saving setup time during certification of jobs containing both copper and fiber. The fiber autotest provides standards-compliant certification by testing two fibers, each at two wavelengths, measuring length and determining pass/fail status, all in approximately 12 seconds. Fluke Networks says this speed is about five times faster than alternative testing methods. DTX fiber modules also feature an integrated visual fault locator for troubleshooting simple link problems.
Testing accuracy Level IV has been proposed in ISO/IEC to test Class F links to 600 MHz. DTX testers exceed this emerging specification, assuring higher confidence in results over the full frequency range.
The primary models in the product line are the DTX-1800 and DTX-1200. Both offer color displays, 12-hour battery life, Level IV accuracy, and advanced diagnostic functions. The DTX-1800 has 900-MHz maximum bandwidth and 12-second autotest; the DTX-1200 supports test capabilities up to 350 MHz wit a 12-second Cat 6 autotest.
DTX CableAnalyzers have a suggested U.S. list price starting at $6,995. They are available for immediate order from Fluke Networks distributors and representatives. Orders will begin shipping May 17.