User manual
Remote Control
R&S
®
RTO
389User Manual 1316.0827.02 ─ 06
16 Remote Control
16.1 Basics
This chapter provides basic information on operating an instrument via remote control.
16.1.1 Remote Control Interfaces and Protocols
The instrument supports different interfaces for remote control. The following table gives
an overview.
Table 16-1: Remote control interfaces and protocols
Interface Protocols, VISA address
string
Remarks
Local Area
Network
(LAN)
Protocol: VXI-11
VISA address string:
TCPIP::<IP
address>[::inst0]::INSTR
The LAN connector is located on rear panel of the instrument.
The interface is based on TCP/IP and supports the VXI-11 pro-
tocol.
See also:
● "VXI-11 Protocol" on page 390
● chapter 16.1.1.1, "VISA Libraries", on page 389
GPIB (IEC/
IEEE Bus
Interface)
VISA address string:
GPIB::primary
address[::INSTR]
(no secondary address)
The optional GPIB bus interface according to standard IEC
625.1/IEEE 488.1 is located on the rear panel of the instrument.
See also: chapter 16.1.1.3, "GPIB Interface (IEC/IEEE Bus
Interface)", on page 391.
Within this interface description, the term GPIB is used as a synonym for the IEC/IEEE
bus interface.
SCPI (Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments)
SCPI commands - messages - are used for remote control. Commands that are not taken
from the SCPI standard follow the SCPI syntax rules. The instrument supports the SCPI
version 1999. The SCPI standard is based on standard IEEE 488.2 and aims at the
standardization of device-specific commands, error handling and the status registers.
The tutorial "Automatic Measurement Control - A tutorial on SCPI and IEEE 488.2" from
John M. Pieper (R&S order number 0002.3536.00) offers detailed information on con-
cepts and definitions of SCPI.
16.1.1.1 VISA Libraries
VISA is a standardized software interface library providing input and output functions to
communicate with instruments. Instrument access via VXI11 protocol is usually achieved
from high level programming platforms using VISA as an intermediate abstraction layer.
VISA encapsulates the low level VXI or even GPIB function calls and thus makes the
transport interface transparent for the user.
Basics