> > Maybe only semi-OT. I'm working on a couple of classiccmp-ish projects > (6303, 6309 and 68030) and I find the trusty old Tek 465 o-scope is no > longer compensating for my lack of design skill (or I'm getting better at > hiding bugs in my designs, depending how you look at it). I'm looking for > a recommendation for a logic analyzer. Considering my very modest design > constraints, I'm thinking:
Firstly a word of caution. When I was younger, and LA's were very expensive (none had become surplus), I dreamed of owning one and thought it would solve all my debugging problems. Many years later I did get one and while useful (I use it a lot more than a 'scope) I have realised it is not a magic box that provides all the answers. Useful, sure, but not a substitute for thinking ;-) > - Suitable for 50MHz designs (really more like <16MHz, but you never know) > - 32 channels would be nice, ~128 probably perfect, less...you know...do > what you gotta do... > - No weird technologies in the design (all TTL/CMOS logic) That is going to be a problem. AFAIK no 'serious' logic analyser was all TTL or (high speed) CMOS. If you are looking for one that is mostly/all standard logic, I think you have to consider ECL here. > - I'm willing to spend a few $$ to get decent kit, but need to spend closer > to 465 money than TLA7012 money > - Decent analytics, hopefully more than "here's your traces...good luck" > - Ease of finding complete kit; nothing worse than dropping a dime on what > looks like a good deal only to find you're missing the unobtanium cable, or > the software disk that the vendor will be more than happy to provide you > only under a cripplingly expensive support contract. The 2 I have : Gould Biomation K100D (manual on bitsavers). All standard 10K ECL in the input side, controlled by a 6800 with ROM firmware. HPIB host interface HP1630 (manual from whatever Agilent became, includes schemaitcs, unlike later HP LA manuals). This has custom ECL ICs in the input stage, but a lot of standard logic too. Controlled by a 6809, and this is the only time I have seen the 6829 used. HPIB and HPIL interfaces. Neither of these need softwre disks to work. Both have documented command sets, so you can control them from a machine with an HPIB interface (I use an HP9000/200 machine for this). Make sure you get the pods/leads when buying a second-hand LA. They often go missing, and are unobtainium. Making your own is not a real option, although both the LA's I have mentioned have differential ECL inputs, so a TTL-only pod is a possible project (look at the 10124 chip). -tony A brief cruse of ePay didn't turn up much Tek/HP/Agilent older-generation kit that looked like it fit the budget, but I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm looking at. I know there's a general allergy to anything USB around here, and worse Windows-based USB software, but there is tons of USB-based stuff that looked like a possibility for those who are willing to hold their nose. So have the USB logic analyzers achieved Willem levels of usefulness (which one?), or is there a must-have Tek 465 moral equivalent I need to be looking for? KJ
