Recommendations on Logic Analyser for embedded debugging - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: matth
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2024, 11:24:47 pm
content: In past lives I have used some pretty sophisticated logic analysers to do debugging of complex digital systems (ie RISC CPUs, memory, PCI interfaces etc).Fast forward to today this is now a home hobby and mainly looking at vintage computers and arduino systems. I am in need of a logic analyser for my home lab but as I will not use this very often I would like to seek advice on what my options are for cheap(ish) open source / ebay / Aliexpress options.I do not need hundreds of channels and Ghz timing. I am thinking I probably need enough channels to probe some address and data buses and a few enable signals. Probably in up to 20Mhz but a bit higher would be a bonus. What I need is something with decent software that I can record traces, decode some addresses and other protocols like I2C/SPI etc.Suggestions ?RegardsM

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2024, 11:41:11 pm
content: Start by looking at the BusPirate 5.

author: matth
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 12:26:00 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on May 06, 2024, 11:41:11 pmLooks cool for single wire protocols but not good for probing Address and Data buses - eg Z80, 68000 etc.

author: egonotto
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 01:16:20 am
content: Hello,perhaps Digital Discovery?Best regardsegonotto

author: matth
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 01:57:55 am
content: I am liking this one :https://www.dreamsourcelab.com/product/dslogic-series/Any experience ?

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 02:47:21 am
content: You can download their demo software and give it test drive.https://www.dreamsourcelab.com/download/You might also look at PulseView open source software and look at hardware that works with PulseView.https://sigrok.org/wiki/PulseViewIf you haven’t looked here this is a popular choice but they are going to be more pricey.https://www.saleae.com/?gad_source=1

author: rteodor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 03:14:28 am
content: Mouser: SparkFun TOL-18627 USB Logic Analyzer - 24MHz/8-Channel cca. 19EUR + VATWorks with Sigrok & Pulseview.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 07:31:24 am
content: What is the budget? If you have some money to spend, I'd get a DSO with digital channels + protocol decoding. Then you can also see the signals change in realtime which is often helpful.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 09:29:31 am
content: Quote from: matth on May 07, 2024, 01:57:55 amI have the plus. It only works with their own software, not Sigrok, as I would have liked. But since their software is a fork of Sigrok, it's an acceptable compromise. Some of the units have the Xillinx FPGA in them, they work with Sigrok. It's better, higher quality, faster than those FX3 based analyzers. But I haven't used it much yet.

author: alm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 09:36:56 am
content: If you're talking about external memory and data buses, then I'd say you want the number of channels equal to the sum of the memory and data bus width as absolute minimum. You may also want to monitor some other lines like write enable in addition to the buses. So I think that excludes any 8 channel logic analyzers.

author: mianos
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 09:38:38 am
content: I have a dreamsource labs LA. It works well. I use a mac and it works perfectly. Their ui is quite useable. I had a salea 8 channel clone and used their application for a few years. To me both work fine. The Salea may be better but it is a lot more expensive for a full unit

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 09:39:12 am
content: 8 channels is easy to get but only good for serial protocols and simple handshakes16 channels will cope with simple parallel buses like HPIB but not microcontrollersThat's 90% of the cheap USB logic analysers out.There are one or two USB analysers that can do 32 bit, which is enough for an 8-bit microcontroller. They won't stream so they need to have a big enough memory to capture what you want. They may have minimal triggers and very likely won't have state capture, only timing. So, pretty much useless for z80/68000 era captures.You really want a traditional (ie HP or similar) with at least 64 channels and a few clocks with state capture. A timing-only analyser will use its memory up too fast if you try to use it for data/address buses.

author: pascal_sweden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 09:52:11 am
content: Check this thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/logic-analyzer-that-is-using-the-cypress-ez-usb-fx3-chip/

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 11:21:56 am
content: or thishttps://sysprogs.com/analyzer2go/they use many nucleo boards, the fx3 too sure its a paid SW but it doesn't cost a fortuneand they are not 5v or more input tolerant be careful

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 01:33:28 pm
content: OP mentions Aliexpress, so here is a cheap one:https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005006375064581.htmlPlenty of these to be found there from different stores for around 5 bucks. Works with sigrok or when you don't mind pirating thesaleaesoftware.Not sure if they can be used in parallel. Only have one of them so can't try it. Should not be a problem USB wise, but the software has to support it.For looking at old computers 32 channels would be the best for scoping all the signals, but 16 is probably the minimum to be any useful. (8 data, 16 address, leaving 8 for control signals)

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 03:53:54 pm
content: the recent and supported ones are DSLOGIC and Kingst LAxxx seriesSaleae is now defunct and the one youll find will cost you a leg

author: alm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2024, 04:56:53 pm
content: Quote from: coromonadalix on May 07, 2024, 03:53:54 pmDid Saleae stop operating or go bankrupt? I missed that news. Do you have a link to the announcement?