Agilent 53131A/132A Compatibility Mode
The Keysight 53220A/230A Universal Frequency Counter/Timers provide an improved SCPI command set
that is easier to use than that included in the Agilent 53131A and 53132A counters. However, via the
SYSTem:LANGuage command, the 53220A/230A also supports most of the older SCPI command set of
the 53131A/132A counter. When SYSTem:LANGuage "53131A" or "53132A" is selected, the
53220A/230A will emulate the SCPI command set of the 53131A/132A. When SYSTem:LANGuage
"53220A" or "53230A" is selected, the 53220A/230A will use its native command set.
When the 53131A/132A compatibility mode has been selected, most SCPI commands should execute
semantically the same as the SCPI commands described in the Agilent 53131A/132A 225 MHz Universal
Counter Programming Guide. In fact, the instrument even returns the identification string for a 53131A or
53132A when you execute *IDN?. Nevertheless, there are some differences that may prevent your
53131A/132A program from running identically on the 53220A/230A:
1.
The 53131A/132A CALCulate1:IMMediate, CALCulate1:IMMediate:AUTO, CALCulate2:IMMediate, and
CALCulate2:IMMediate:AUTO commands, which allowed recalculation of old measurements, are not
supported.
2.
The 53131A/132A READ?, FETCh?, and MEASure? commands returned a variable-length ASCII string
whose number of digits depended on the actual measurement resolution. The 53220A/230A always
return 15 digits.
3.
The 53131A/132A READ:<function>? and FETch:<function>? commands do not allow data conversion
from one function to another. <function> must match the currently configured measurement function.
4.
The 53220A/230A hardware has only two input hysteresis levels, compared to three on the
53131A/132A. Sending the 53131A/132A SENSe:EVENt{1|2}:HYSTeresis 50 or 100 command enables
noise rejection (INPut{1|2}:NREJect ON) in the 53220A/230A; SENSe:EVENt{1|2}:HYSTeresis 0 disables
noise rejection.
5.
The 53131A/132A allowed you to set different reference levels for the rising and falling edges for pulse
width and duty cycle measurements using the SENSe:EVENt{1|2}:LEVel subsystem commands. The
53220A/230A use the same reference level for both edges. If you require different references levels for
the two edges, you can accomplish this by using the time interval measurement function instead of
pulse width or duty cycle.
6.
The 53131A/132A allowed the lower and upper reference values for rise and fall time measurements to
be in different units (percent vs. voltage). The 53220A/230A require the same units for both reference
values (both must be percent, or both must be voltage).
7.
The 53131A/132A updated the SENSe:EVENt{1|2}:LEVel:ABSolute value each time an auto-level was
performed. The 53220A/230A retain the programmed value.
8.
The 53131A/132A had different resolutions for long and short gate times and delays (CONFig-
ure:TOTalize:TIMed, MEASure:TOTalize:TIMed?, SENSe:FREQuency:ARM:STOP:TIMer, SENSe:TINTer-
val:ARM:STOP:TIMer, SENSe:TINTerval:ARM:ESTOP:LAYer1:TIMer, SENSe:TOTalize:ARM:STOP:TIMer
commands). The resolution for gate time and delay does not change based on value on the
53220A/230A.
9.
The 53131A could automatically adapt to external reference signals of 1 MHz, 5 MHz, or 10 MHz. The
53132A only accepted 10 MHz signals. The SENSe:ROSCillator:EXTernal:FREQuency? query would
measure and return which frequency was present. The 53220A/230A accepts 1 MHz, 5 MHz, or 10
MHz, but you need to specify via the SENSe:ROSCillator:EXTernal:FREQuency command which fre-
quency is present. This command form is available in 53131A/132A compatibility mode; the query form
returns the programmed value, not a measured value.
Agilent 53131A/132A Compatibility Mode
496 Keysight 53220A/53230A Programmer's Reference
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