Acute TravelData TD3116E / TD3216E Pocket Data Generators
1) Product Introduction
The Acute TravelData TD3116E and TD3216E are compact, PC-controlled digital pattern generators. In plain terms, they create clean, repeatable digital signals so you can stimulate, debug, and automate your boards without writing firmware first.
They’re designed for electronic design engineers who need to bring up ICs, verify interfaces, and reproduce tricky timing issues. Plug into USB 3.0, select a protocol template like I²C, I3C, SPI or PMBus, and start driving pins with precise timing.
The main problem they solve is time. Instead of building test firmware or wiring ad-hoc signal sources, you load or draw the patterns you need and run them at up to 200 MHz clock rates. That gets you to root cause faster and with fewer spins.
2) Key Benefits
Cut bring-up time. Replace days of temporary firmware with minutes of pattern editing. Prebuilt protocol templates and vector import let you stimulate devices immediately and iterate quickly.
Make bugs repeatable. Capture a failing sequence on a logic analyzer, convert to vectors, and replay it exactly to confirm the fix. Repeatable stimuli mean confident, measurable progress.
Improve test quality. Control edges, timing, and sequence logic (loop, wait-for-event, jump). You can explore corner cases—faster clocks, missing ACKs, odd chip-select timing—without rewriting code each time.
Smaller, simpler alternative. Compared with bench-top AWGs or home-grown FPGA fixtures, TravelData is pocket-sized, USB-powered, and focused on digital patterns. Less overhead, more engineering.
3) Technical Specifications
Headline specs for the 16-channel TravelData family (E-series models mirror the electrical performance of current B-series—see datasheet links below):
| Parameter | TD3116E | TD3216E | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data output channels | 16 | 16 | Plus 3 event inputs for sequencer control |
| Max data rate (per channel) | 200 Mb/s | 200 Mb/s | Internal clock 1 Hz to 200 MHz |
| Pattern memory (per channel) | ~1 Mb | ~256 Mb | Depth varies by model for long sequences |
| Output levels | 0.9–4.5 Vpp + Hi-Z | 0.9–4.5 Vpp + Hi-Z | Programmable; CMOS-style drive |
| Protocols (built-in templates) | I²C, MIPI I3C, MIPI RFFE, PMBus, PWM, SPI, sync/async counters | Draw your own or import vectors (VCD/CSV/Acute-LA) | |
| PC interface | USB 3.0 (bus-powered) | Windows 7/8/10/11 software | |
| Size / weight | ≈ 123 × 76 × 21 mm / ~680 g | Pocket-friendly form factor | |
4) Real-World Problem Solving
Problem A — “I can’t talk to the new power controller yet.”
The challenge: You’ve placed a PMBus/I²C power manager on a new board. Firmware isn’t ready, but you need to bring rails up in a safe order and confirm margins. Waiting blocks layout fixes and reliability testing.
Why it matters: Days slip while software catches up. Each delay risks missing a thermal or sequencing issue that will cost a respin.
How TD3116E/TD3216E solves it: Connect the 16 outputs to SCL/SDA and enables. Load the PMBus template, type your writes/reads, and schedule timing with the internal 1 Hz–200 MHz clock. Add waits on “Power Good” using the event inputs. In an hour you’re toggling rails, sweeping voltages, and logging results—no MCU code required.
Example: Program 0x21 output to 1.05 V, poll status, then assert EN2 after 10 ms. Loop the sequence while measuring ripple. If a rail misbehaves, you can slow the clock or insert deliberate NACKs to test fault handling.
Problem B — “The SPI device fails once a day and we can’t reproduce it.”
The challenge: A sensor on SPI drops a bit every few hours. You captured one failing trace on a logic analyzer, but the team can’t trigger it again to test the fix.
Why it matters: Intermittent bugs kill schedules. Without reproduction, patches are guesswork.
How TD3116E/TD3216E solves it: Convert the LA capture to VCD/CSV and import it. Map CS/SCLK/MOSI/MISO to output channels. Now you can replay the failing transaction with the same timing jitter, loop it, and sweep parameters (CS setup, clock polarity, added delay). When the fix sticks through 10,000 repeats, you know it’s real.
Problem C — “We’re migrating from I²C to I3C and need confidence fast.”
The challenge: New silicon supports MIPI I3C for higher speed and in-band interrupts. You must evaluate behavior across clock rates and oddball edge cases.
Why it matters: Interface changes affect dozens of boards and suppliers. One wrong assumption can ripple through production.
How TD3116E/TD3216E solves it: Start with the I3C template, then push clocks and bus conditions well beyond typical. Inject malformed sequences, simulate slow turn-arounds, or force extended timeouts. Measure the device response and document margins. Because TravelData is scriptable, you keep every test as a repeatable asset.
Problem D — “Production needs a quick go/no-go without firmware.”
The challenge: Manufacturing wants to verify GPIOs, reset timing, and a few SPI commands before firmware is ready.
Why it matters: Early fixtures keep lines moving. Waiting for code stalls pilot builds.
How TD3116E/TD3216E solves it: Use jump/loop/hold to build a simple test flow: assert reset, wait for an event input from a bed-of-nails probe, shift out an SPI ID command, and light a PASS/FAIL line. Save the script with the job traveler so operators run the same check every time.
5) Applications (Short Scenarios)
Power systems lab: You’re characterizing a multi-rail board. With PMBus vectors you ramp rails, log status bits, and step loads while your scope records ripple. In one afternoon you map the safe-start window and share a repeatable script with the team.
Mixed-signal ADC bring-up: You need deterministic SPI timing to validate SNR across modes. TravelData clocks the exact burst length, duty cycle, and delays between conversions, so your measurements isolate the ADC—not firmware side effects.
FPGA prototype handshake testing: Before RTL is stable, you emulate the external ASIC’s ready/ack protocol on 8–12 pins. By the time the real device arrives, your FPGA already proved timing budgets and corner cases.
Embedded display control: Driving an SPI-based display, you pre-load init sequences and scroll patterns. UI designers iterate visuals while hardware verifies frame timing limits, zero coding required.
Power-on sequencing for safety-critical boards: You prove that resets, enables, and watchdog kicks happen in the right order. Event inputs gate progress on real hardware flags, turning flaky “it booted” moments into measurable criteria.
6) Getting Started
Talk to us: If you’d like help choosing between TD3116E and TD3216E (deeper memory for long scripts), contact Debug Store and we’ll walk through your use case.
Request a demo or quote: Share the interfaces you need to drive (e.g., I²C at 1 MHz, SPI at 50 Mb/s, number of pins, script length). We can provide a quick pattern example and pricing.
Download software & resources:
- TravelData TD3000 Series Datasheet (latest)
- TD3116 (product page) | TravelData family overview
- User Manual (TD/DG3000 series)
Training & support: We can help convert logic-analyzer captures to drive files (VCD/CSV), build your first scripts, and set up event-driven tests. Ongoing support includes pattern reviews and example libraries for common protocols.
Notes: