General FAQs

1. What do I do if I'm having trouble setting up my JDSU test instrument or have questions about a test result?

In the U.S. and Canada, call toll free 1-800-638-2049, M-F, 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET. In Europe, contact our Technical Assistance Center. During off hours, you can leave a voice mail message, send e-mail to acterna.tac@jdsu.com, (North EMEA: support.uk@jdsu.com, Central EMEA: hotline.germany@jdsu.com, South EMEA: support.france@jdsu.com) or submit your question via our online Technical Assistance Request Form. We promise to get back to you within one business day.

2. When I am monitoring a live T1 with B8ZS coding, the B8ZS light just blinks instead of staying on constantly, which tells me the circuit is coded correctly. Why is this? And why do I then get a red B8ZS light?

The B8ZS light illuminates when the test set recognizes valid B8ZS encoded data. This only happens when there are at least eight zeros in a row. If there are a lot of ones in the data stream, the B8ZS coding will not be implemented constantly. The red light is just a history LED showing that the test set has seen the B8ZS code go by.

3. What type of printer can I hook up to my Acterna test instrument to print out results?

All Acterna test instruments that have print functions can use an RS-232 serial printer, such as the Acterna PR40A. Any serial printer should work, though there are a couple of requirements. It needs to be Epson graphics compatible if you are trying to print graphs. Also, all T-BERD and FIREBERD products require DTR (data set ready) on pin 20 from the printer. If you hook up your printer and nothing comes out, usually it is because this DTR is not being sent to the test set from your printer. If you get a printout and it looks like another language, or it is garbled, the baud and parity settings between the two devices don't match.

4. What is the difference between a 440A connector and a 358 connector?

The diameters of the connectors are different. The 440A measures .296 inches in diameter and is standard in the USA. The 358 measures .358 inches in diameter and is widely used in Canada and Europe, although its popularity is gaining in some US RBOCs. An easy way to tell the connectors apart is by using a pencil eraser. A pencil eraser will fit entirely into a 358 connector, but it will not fit into a 440A connector. Another difference is the name of the jack mated to the connectors. The 358 fits into a 358 jack. The 440A fits into a 560A jack.

5. Whom do I call if I am having trouble setting up my TPI test set, or if I have questions about a particular application?

For technical support on any JDSU instrument, call 1-800-638-2049, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. Of course, you can also leave us a voice mail message any time, and we will get back to you within one business day. (See also question 1.)