Used Bit Error Rate Testers (BERT)
181 units in stock — modular BERT mainframes, standalone field test sets, and BERTScope protocol analyzers from Agilent/Keysight, Anritsu, Tektronix, and Exfo. Ships from Pleasant Grove, UT.
Acroamatics BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Advantest BERT Equipment (4 units)
Agilent BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Agilent / HP BERT Equipment (2 units)
Agilent / HP / Keysight BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Agilent / Keysight BERT Equipment (65 units)
Anritsu BERT Equipment (35 units)
Digital Lightwave BERT Equipment (2 units)
EXFO / Gnubi BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Exfo BERT Equipment (15 units)
Finisar BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Fluke BERT Equipment (1 unit)
HP BERT Equipment (4 units)
HP / Agilent BERT Equipment (12 units)
IFR Aeroflex BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Innocor/JDSU BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Ixia BERT Equipment (3 units)
JDS Uniphase BERT Equipment (4 units)
JDSU BERT Equipment (3 units)
Keysight / Agilent BERT Equipment (2 units)
Lecroy BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Marconi / IFR / Aeroflex BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Rohde & Schwarz BERT Equipment (1 unit)
SAGE INSTRUMENTS BERT Equipment (1 unit)
SmartMetrics BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Spirent BERT Equipment (3 units)
Spirent/Netcom BERT Equipment (1 unit)
TTC BERT Equipment (5 units)
Tektronix BERT Equipment (7 units)
W&G / Acterna BERT Equipment (1 unit)
Modular BERT Mainframes
Anritsu's MP1800A and MP1900A BERT Signal Quality Analyzer mainframes, and Agilent/Keysight's 81200A and 81250A ParBERT platforms, accept separate pattern generator and error detector modules — you configure data rate, channel count, and pattern capability by choosing which modules to install. This modularity is what makes these platforms the standard in R&D and production test environments where requirements shift from one project to the next, rather than a single fixed configuration.
Standalone and Field BERT Test Sets
The Fluke 635A Quickbert and TTC's T-BERD-style field testers pack a fixed BERT configuration into one self-contained, often handheld unit, built for a technician to check a T1 or similar circuit in the field without assembling a modular test system. These trade configurability for simplicity and portability — exactly what's needed for turn-up and troubleshooting work outside a lab.
Protocol-Aware BERTScope Analyzers
Tektronix's BERTScope line (the BSX and BSA series) goes beyond basic bit-error counting, adding protocol-aware triggering and eye-diagram/jitter analysis so you can see the underlying signal integrity — jitter tolerance, eye opening — that predicts marginal performance before it shows up as hard bit errors. This is the tool for characterizing a high-speed serial link's margin, not just confirming it currently passes.
Error Detectors and Modules
A large share of this category is individual error detector units and modules — the Advantest D3273/D3281/D3286 series, HP/Agilent 3782B and 70842B, and Anritsu MU181040A/B modules — built to pair with a matching pattern generator, either as part of a modular mainframe system or alongside a separately sourced generator. Confirm compatibility with your existing pattern source before buying a detector on its own.
What to Check Before Buying
Confirm the maximum data rate covers your application — this category spans legacy T1/E1 rates up to 40+ Gb/s serial links, and a unit built for one end of that range won't help at the other. For modular mainframes, confirm the specific pattern generator and error detector modules you need are included; a bare mainframe without modules can't generate or measure anything on its own.
Calibration for BERT Equipment
Calibration on a BERT verifies timing accuracy, output level accuracy, and — for error detectors — threshold accuracy against a traceable reference. For modular platforms, each module is typically calibrated individually rather than the mainframe as a whole, since the mainframe itself provides only power and control, not the actual signal generation or detection. See all calibration services →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a bit error rate tester actually do? +
A BERT transmits a known pseudo-random bit pattern into a digital link — a cable, a transceiver, a whole transmission system — and an error detector on the receiving end compares what arrives against what was sent, counting every bit that came through wrong. Dividing errored bits by total bits transmitted gives the bit error ratio, the standard way to characterize how clean a digital link actually is at a given data rate and pattern.
What is the difference between a BERT mainframe and a standalone BERT test set? +
Modular platforms like the Anritsu MP1800A/MP1900A and Agilent/Keysight 81200A/81250A ParBERT are mainframes that accept separate pattern generator and error detector plug-in modules, letting you configure data rate, channel count, and pattern capability by choosing modules — useful for R&D and production test where requirements vary. Standalone test sets like the Fluke 635A Quickbert or TTC field testers pack a fixed configuration into one self-contained unit, built for field technicians checking a T1 or similar circuit without assembling a modular system.
What makes a BERTScope different from a basic BERT? +
Tektronix's BERTScope line (BSX and BSA series) adds protocol-aware triggering and eye-diagram/jitter analysis on top of basic bit-error counting, letting you see not just whether errors occurred but the underlying signal integrity characteristics — jitter tolerance, eye opening — that predict marginal performance before it shows up as hard errors. A basic error detector just gives you a pass/fail bit error ratio number.
What should I check before buying a used BERT? +
Confirm the maximum data rate covers what you need to test — this category spans everything from legacy T1 rates up to 40+ Gb/s serial links, and a unit rated for one end of that range won't help at the other. For modular mainframes, confirm the specific pattern generator and error detector modules you need are included, since a bare mainframe without modules can't test anything on its own.
Need a specific data rate or module configuration?
Tell us your target link speed and pattern requirements, and we'll check our incoming stock.
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