Post by thread:$199 logic analyzer, more info

I got this information from Proboard about their $199 logic analyzer, in response to questions prompted by someone else's experience with the unit. It sounds like many of the shortcomings have been addressed, and I intend ordering one. Proboard are e-mailable at spam_OUTproboard1TakeThisOuTaol.com. Forwarded message: 1) The programmable triggering circuitry on our standard unit only reads the first 8 inputs and compares them to your software selected 8 bits to control its triggering. You can either use the external trigger, the external clock, or additional attachments to the hardware to gain a full complement of 24 programmable samples. Incidentally, one of our past customers has developed a simple expansion to his unit which not only provides the full complement of 24 programmable triggers, but also a multi level triggering feature! He will be providing this expansion as an accessory after it is completed. 2) The hardware has jumper settings to control whether it samples before your pattern, or after your pattern. However, we have not yet implemented the software to utilize the pre-condition sampling feature. Regardless, we have still had several users who have made elaborate arrangements with this sampling feature. I would be glad to provide you with the documentation to experiment with this option. 3) I am not sure what you mean by real time monitoring. I believe perhaps you are comparing this with an oscilloscope that will provide a still image with a repetitive wave form. This logic analyzer can make repetitive samples, and display them. However, the beauty of a logic analyzer is to store data and capture it before it is gone! If your data is repetitive, then you can probably get away with a simple scope! 4) We now have a 115K baud data transfer rate. Our new software uploads data in the background, so the user can conveniently analyze the early part of the data while the remainder is being uploaded transparently. Thus, the typical time between trigger ing and viewing data on the screen is less than 0.25 seconds. 5) The standard system comes with 8 micro caesar clips which are very versatile, even for attachment to surface mount leads, along with 16 berg clips, which are handy for attachment to header. All clips are in sets of 8, and are attached via a rainbow color coded ribbon cable and a female socket that plugs into the board. You are free to attach other connections to the standard 0.1" headers on the board. 6) The inputs are buffered via an array of 74LS245's. These are socketed, and can be easily replaced. 7) Yes, one of the most popular features is the external clock option which we provide free of charge. This allows users to capture each individuaL sample only when their external clock is brought low. -- Clyde Smith-Stubbs | HI-TECH Software, | Voice: +61 7 3300 5011 .....clydeKILLspam@spam@hitech.com.au | P.O. Box 103, Alderley, | Fax: +61 7 3300 5246 http://www.hitech.com.au | QLD, 4051, AUSTRALIA. | BBS: +61 7 3300 5235 HI-TECH C: Compiling the real world...

To the people at ProBoard circuits: I am glad to see that you have made some considerable enhancements to the design of your 24-input logic analyzer. As someone who purchased one of the earlier units without said enhancements and found their lacking to have rendered the unit nearly useless to most of my purposes, what would I have to do to upgrade the unit? Also, w/rt your remark that for "real-time" monitoring a scope would be better, I personally would still like to have the ability to see within one video frame any changes on the analyzers' inputs; this should be fairly to implement: simply clock one sample into each FIFO and then spit out the read values [should take almost no time at 115,200 or even 9600].