Below a Gigahertz

Martin Rowe's musical release reflects on today's problems with high-speed signals and how they make yesterday's signal-integrity problems seem trivial.

Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 10/11/2007 7:18:00 AM

Music and lyrics by Martin Rowe
Copyright 2007

Once upon a time below a gigahertz my signals swept right through.
They moved through vias, they moved through connectors, they knew just what to do.
But now their speeds are so fast, they degrade along every path.
You must design those channels right, you must do all the math.

Even test probes will degrade a signal, so don’t believe what you see.
Like everything else, they soften the edges and reduce what reaches scope screens.
You’d better calibrate your test fixtures, you’d better know what to do—
Compensate for those errors and your signals will look like new.

I remember the good old days when signals had a lot less haze!
Back then, pulses were clean and they didn’t look quite so mean!

Once upon a time below a gigahertz, you didn't have to simulate.
You designed a circuit, built it on the bench, and you knew you’d get it straight.
You looked at a signal with any scope probe and you could trust what you’d see.
You’d measure rise times, even with some overshoot—“My circuits work!” you’d say with glee.

But nowadays bits act like microwaves and I need help just to see through the maze (of distortion).

Once upon a time below a gigahertz, my signals swept right through!