Apparatus and Method for Generating a Waveform Test Signal Having Crest Factor Emulation of Random Jitter

A signal generating device has a display and a central processing unit for setting parameters for a serial data pattern and parameters for deterministic and random jitter impairments, and a displacement crest factor emulation impairment to be applied to the serial data pattern. A waveform record file is generated using the serial data pattern parameters, the impairment parameters for the deterministic jitter and random jitter, and the displacement crest factor emulation impairment. The displacement crest factor emulation impairment is selectively positioned in the impaired serial data pattern. A waveform generation circuit receives the waveform record file and generates an impaired serial data pattern analog output signal based on the serial data pattern, deterministic and random jitter impairments, and the displacement crest factor emulation impairment with the displacement crest factor emulation impairment being selectively positioned in the impaired serial data pattern analog output signal.