Microprocessors and large scale integrated circuits as major elements in test instruments provide significant benefits. The speed and packaging density allows the designer to set up, control and display the results for a variety of measurement requirements.
While most of these measurements for CATV are analog functions, converters (A to D and D to A) allow easy access to the power of digital processing.
Digital support circuits which utilize large scale integration are used by the computer industry in very large quantities, consequently the designer finds the cost performance ratio to be excellent.
Designing portable measurement systems utilizing these advantages may provide a combination of functions which would normally require several instruments and a skilled operator. An user friendly integrated instrument will allow good repeatability results, even with a less experienced operator