Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for testing a receiver incorporated into an IC to receive a bitstream. An apparatus includes a precharge component to set a VGA to output a differential bias voltage; a taps component to set a tap to form a feedback loop that extends from an output of the bit slicer to the input of the bit slicer through a delay circuit and the tap, the tap to output a first differential voltage to the input of the bit slicer to invert a polarity of a sum of differential voltages at the input of the bit slicer to enable oscillation of the bit slicer, the sum generated from at least the differential bias voltage and the first differential voltage; and a capture component coupled to the output of the bit slicer to capture a series of bit values therefrom. Other embodiments are described and claimed.