Saleae Logic Probe on sale at microchip.com

[ScaleRobotics]

A nice guy on the forum steered me toward the Saleae Logic Probe. Now after being thoroughly happy with mine in every respect ... they go on sale :eek:. This is a really great tool to use. It can even decode UART, I2C, CAN, SPI, and a few others. Really nice GUI as well, that lets you zoom the area you want quickly.

Microchip has these for 20% off for the rest of this month. They are well worth full price. Here is the link for Microchip http://www.microchipdirect.com/ProductSearch.aspx?keywords=TSAL0001 20% discount available with coupon code TPZD4K6 (expires 5/31/11)

Video of the device in use: http://www.saleae.com/logic/videos/

[HenrikOlsson]

Yes, great little analyzer, WELL worth the money.
And for those that may need it I just discovered that Saleae have relased the 16 channel version. (http://www.saleae.com/logic16/)

[rmteo]

I see a strong Apple influence in their mechanical design.

[Demon]

Yes, great little analyzer, WELL worth the money.
And for those that may need it I just discovered that Saleae have relased the 16 channel version. (http://www.saleae.com/logic16/)

That $149 special looks mighty appealing.

But with my favorite PICs (18F2550 and 18F4550) running at up to 48MHz, I suppose the smart thing for me to do would be to invest in that 16 channel puppy. :D

[ScaleRobotics]

Yeah, the 16 channel looks cool. But on the other hand, 8 channels is a lot for most things. Aimed right, you could get a lot of trouble shooting done, even on larger PICs.

The $149 is the standard price (what I bought mine for a month or so ago). So I think its around $119 for the 8 channel with the discount code. I don't think the discount shows up until youre about ready to check out, and you will need to put in the discount code.

But yes, it is well worth either price.

Walter

[rmteo]

With a 48 MHz CPU clock, the instruction cycle frequency of an 8-bit PIC is 12MHz, so the $149 unit will work.

[Demon]

Oh, 8 channels is plenty for me too, it's just that it tops out at 24MHz.

And then again, I hadn't even shopped for a logic analyser until reading this thread. :D

I think I have one, somewhere, a dinosaur that reads serial and parallel ports. lol


EDIT:


With a 48 MHz CPU clock, the instruction cycle frequency of an 8-bit PIC is 12MHz, so the $149 unit will work.

Now that's great news! I always forget about that divide by 4 thingy.


Yippee!

Ship date: May 12 2011
Arrival date: May 15 2001

$119.20
$13 shipping
$5.96 GST
$138.16 USD

or about $129.45 CDN using a conversion panel on PayPal account.

[mister_e]

Cool, you'll have it in minus 10 years :P

[Ioannis]

I have this little but great product for a couple of years and I am very very happy.

It helped a lot when there was something wrong and could not find it. Even the simple things could be so difficult to find.

Strongly recommended!

Ioannis

[Demon]

Is this logic probe a substitute for an oscilloscope (for PIC-type circuitry)?

The difference between the two is fuzzy to me. In my nooby opinion, it seems you set the timings on a scope and check the circuits, and the probe tells you what the timings are on your circuit - no settings necessary.

That video also highlights a few more extras that you get with the probe, like timings between any user-selected "points", I2C-specific information (and other protocols), 8 channels compared to 2 on the scopes, being able to save sessions, ease of taking screenshots to show you guys for questions, etc.

I already have 2 scopes, I think a 40MHz and a 60MHz, I'd have to take them out to make sure. I'm just wondering if it's now worth the hassle to set them up in my future lab or rely on this probe.

What can a scope bring that this probe does not already cover?

Has it come down to a matter of preferring to do stuff "old school"?

[cncmachineguy]

IMHO, A scope is still useful. The LOGIC is not real time unless I have not learned to use it that way yet. It seems to store a collection of data then display it for you. I would think both should rate bench space in your new lab. :)

[ScaleRobotics]

A lot of things the Logic probe can handle. But analog is not one of them. So if it is an analog signal you want to look at, or changing voltage, then you need a scope. For all digital pulses up to 5.5v (I think that is the limit) the probe works very well. So I think you want your scope in your man cave too.

Edit:

Good point Bert, about the not real time. You can set the logic probe to trigger on different inputs, but you basically press start, and then it gets its samples. After it is finished sampling, it displays them for you.

My scope is definitely collecting more dust since I bought the Saleae logic probe.

[Demon]

Thanks guys, I totally forgot about analog. I always think as a programmer first, on / off, 0V / 5V.

I have to have the scopes up to check sine waves and stuff like that (another thing I want to get into later).

Now, is there something like this probe that you guys recommend as a multi-meter? I'm using a TES-2712 'cause it's all I could afford when I first started. I changed the battery but I'm starting to have doubts on its precision.

http://www.tes.com.tw/2700.htm

http://www.tes.com.tw/pro-images/27002712.gif

[Ioannis]

Robert, you both want to have a scope and some more tools for debugging synchronized logic sugnals.

That is why a Logic Analyser has 4, 8, 16 or even 32 inputs. Youset the trigger on one or more inputs and after that it records what happens at all the inputs. Then it displays them on the screen. So you can see when channel a is high whatthe others do.

Also it supports protocols, like RS232 or I2C etc. So when you see a stream of bits, you can see what they represent in the appropriate protocol. Very handy was this when I was debbuging 1-wire devices.

If you want todo this with a scope, sure you can. With a 8 channel beast with a lot of memory and more thousands of dollars!

So every tool for its purpose.

About the multimeter, well. When I was a student I bought Hung-Chang digital multimeter and I was very happy (still have it after 30 years!). Now I use a Fluke 179 and comparing the two, surprise they do show same measurments!

OK, Fluke has one more decimal digit and true RMS and... but hey it costs 10 times more also! :o

Robert maybe find a friend with a good one to make parallel measurments to calibrate it.

Ioannis

[ScaleRobotics]

For a DMM, I bought one before I figured out what I wanted to do with it. I bought a Fluke 112 (one of their cheaper range models). Then I got a little interested in low power, and wanted something to measure uA. So I then bought a very well used Fluke 37.

Mackrackit mentioned earlier that he had a Fluke 83 which measures down to 0.1 uA. That pretty much does everything (I think) that my Fluke 112 (for portable) + Fluke 37 (don't laugh, yes it is an ancient bench top DMM) It's calibration seems to agree with the 112, although the calibration is about 21 years overdue. For low power stuff, I have also heard of people using the Fluke 8050A.

But it is one of those things that it really depends what your into. They make automotive dmm's, HVAC dmm's, etc, with varying degrees of bells and whistles.

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
As have been mentioned, a scope is not a logic analyzer and logic analyzer is not a scope. If you're serious about the hobby you want both and I'd probably go for a scope before a logic analyzer if I hadn't a specific need for the analyzer like right now.

A logic analyzer works with logic levels it displays a '1' when the voltage qualifies as a '1' and '0' when it doesn't but you you can't see the real voltage or the actual shape of the pulse. If something is loading the line so the voltage doesn't reach the proper level you won't see it with the analyzer but with the scope you'll be able to see that there is 'something' but that it doesn't "reach" the correct level which would likely lead you to thinking something is loading the line.

Being able to decode serial protocols are great, I've only used the async yet but it works great, I'm attaching a screenshot from LOGIC where I'm debugging some modbus-code I've been working on (for ages).

Now, one feature that IMHO would be GREAT to have on LOGIC is to be able to use one of the 8 inputs as a trigg output. That way you can set up some fairly complex trig-mechanism in LOGIC and once it trigs it also output a signal with which you can trig your scope.

/Henrik.

[Demon]

My Logic probe came in yesterday. I had no idea it would be so small! I expected something the size of a router or at least a pack of cigarettes. This thing is about the size of a $2 coin.

And a feature that I hadn't paid attention to is the zipper soft-case; you have the unit, clips, cables, etc, all held in place by fishnets, very nice.

[Ioannis]

In this case size does not matter!

Carefull not to loose it :)

Ioannis

[Demon]

You know, at this price, you can buy a 2nd unit and have 16 channels for just a bit over $200.

I know the $300 unit has more features, but for some people that extra $100 is important in their budget.

[HenrikOlsson]

I'm pretty sure that ain't going to work....

[Demon]

I sent a note to Saleae:



Hi,
I recently purchased the 8 channel probe and would like to know if it is possible to have more than one probe work at the same time.

I was able to have 2 instances of the software running so that I could compare saved sessions, but that doesn't mean your software could pick up 2 devices.

Thanks, and have a nice day!

[mister_e]

Probably running 2 instance would work?!? But ya never know if they allow 2 identical device like PICKIT. Not sure if they allow 2 instance either. Worth a try.

If this works, then you just need to use 1 channel on each probe as Trigger to sync both software instance.

[Demon]

I suppose it's just how they designed their USB code in their drivers that's important. I can connect 2 identical USB keyboards just fine, others have been able to do the same with gaming controllers.

If we're lucky, yes, if not, I'll just have to start saving for v2 then. :D

[HenrikOlsson]

Hi,
Even if you could run two sessions, one for each LOGIC, you can't compare that to a 16 channel unit.

You want the state of all signals to be samples at exactly the same time, I'm pretty sure having two separate LOGICs won't allow that. Even if two 8 channels units was able to connect a single session used in 16-bit mode I don't think it'll work due the (small but still) buffer that is inside LOGIC. It's not going to stay in sync and if they don't it's pretty useless.

/Henrik.

[mister_e]

True, nothing beat the real deal ;)

[Demon]

I wished I had seen this product comparison chart before:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rmNr4Eeren8jBG7MXfHYxsQ&output=html

[mister_e]

Digging the ESLA100 idea... but you know, clones remain clones, nothing beat the real thing for support... for 50$, I'll take the bet. Worst case scenario, it will be a beautiful Dust Gathering device :D

[Ioannis]

You need also 20 more for the miniGrabbers which are NOT included. Included are the ... cables only!

Also the size is extra jumbo compared to the Logic.

More, Saleae gives you another device if yours is broken.

To be honest I was tempted...

Ioannis

[mister_e]

from Baly's store

Package includes

1X Logic analyzer.

1X USB 2.0 Extension Cable.

1X 8-wire Bundle

Question:
What's a 8-wire bundle ?!?!

Here's a 10-wire one

http://www.dcctrain.com/images/ESUcable.jpg

:D


Will post what they meant by that once I have it in my hand.

[Ioannis]

Aha! You ordered one, didn't you?

Well, they have to meant 9 wire bundle (earth including). Otherwise, maybe it is a 7 channel logic analyzer :)

Ioannis

[mister_e]

I did, I did !
I'm not a ChingMing clone fan myself, but needed something new to mess with, and since awhile i'm on a (LALALALA) tight budget, so... why not.


Well, they have to meant 9 wire bundle (earth including). Otherwise, maybe it is a 7 channel logic analyzer :)Haha yeah but... you never heard of floating ground?!? :D


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Isp4-zlWnGg/TMBNjlfKHmI/AAAAAAAAAAQ/I3kA2Z4QxRQ/s1600-R/flyingpig.jpg%3Fw%3D216%26h%3D207

If pigs can fly
imagine what a cloned Probe can do
and how much "bacon" you saved
...
[S. Monfette, 1973]

[Normnet]

I am happy with the use of my new LA1034 LogicPort. (http://www.pctestinstruments.com/index.htm)

It decoded VGA signals for use with a PIC.


Norm

[Demon]

I am happy with the use of my new LA1034 LogicPort. (http://www.pctestinstruments.com/index.htm)

It decoded VGA signals for use with a PIC.


Norm


I'm impressed, and then I'm impressed by just about everything it seems. :D

The LogicPort provides 34 channels sampled at 500MHz.

VGA is another one of "those things" that I wanted to dabble with, mainly for flight sim. When the connector has 15 pins, having more than 8 channels seems like a good idea.

[HenrikOlsson]

Depends on what you want to do.... VGA is, as far as I know, an analog interface so putting a logic analyzer on the actual VGA signals probably won't do much for you. If, on the other hand you want to monitor what goes on on "the other side" of the DAC then a fast logic analyzer would be the key. But then it's the number of bits in the interface bus to the DAC and not the number of pins in the VGA connector that stipulates the number of channels you need....

/Henrik.

[Normnet]

Depends on what you want to do.... VGA is, as far as I know, an analog interface so putting a logic analyzer on the actual VGA signals probably won't do much for you. If, on the other hand you want to monitor what goes on on "the other side" of the DAC then a fast logic analyzer would be the key. But then it's the number of bits in the interface bus to the DAC and not the number of pins in the VGA connector that stipulates the number of channels you need....

/Henrik.
For VGA timing is critical, vertical and horizontal sync as well as clocking out the D/A pixel data.
Also additional hardware support as the PIC just isn't fast enough to determine the pixels in a line.

Norm

[mister_e]

Finally received the clone, work as advised, no complaint, but yeah you may want to add the mini grabber probe kit to your shopping cart. As it is right now, it's just a bunch of wire with female connector on the end, something that plug perfectly on male headers (such as those on EasyPIC board)

Allow 2-4 weeks for their free delivery as well.

Not something I would highly recommend or do again, but surely cheap and workable solution.