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USBEE, CleverScope Is this stuff any good?

  • Thread starter Anthony Fremont
  • Start date
A

Anthony Fremont

Jan 1, 1970
0
In my ongoing quest for some new equipment, I'm also looking for a small
logic analyzer of some sort. I don't really want (or have room for) a big
CRT based analyzer even though the price is right on e-bay.

I'm willing to go with a USB based LA if they work as advertised. So far
the USBEE looks to be pretty good if it really works. The one I'm looking
at (ZX) has only 8 inputs, but captures 24Msa/s. It has a 1M buffer
internally, but can rocket data to the PC at the full 24Msa/s if the machine
is fast enough making for incredible capture depth ability. Anybody use
one? Anybody know of something better in the $400-$500 range? I know the
ZX lists for $895, but I can obtain one for about $400.

All input welcome on your favorite logic analyzers.

Also, any thoughts on PC based scopes (like CleverScope) vs. regular DSOs?
CleverScope looks fairly impressive even sized up against a "real" scope. A
dual channel scope and logic analyzer for less than $1200 is interesting to
me. It would be a little odd at first, but the PC centric approach might
not be a bad way to go. I already have one sitting near by for
editing/assembling code, flashing PICs and/or displaying/sending serial data
to a project. Maybe one screen is the way to go?
 
In my ongoing quest for some new equipment, I'm also looking for a small
logic analyzer of some sort. I don't really want (or have room for) a big
CRT based analyzer even though the price is right on e-bay.

I'm willing to go with a USB based LA if they work as advertised. So far
the USBEE looks to be pretty good if it really works. The one I'm looking
at (ZX) has only 8 inputs, but captures 24Msa/s. It has a 1M buffer
internally, but can rocket data to the PC at the full 24Msa/s if the machine
is fast enough making for incredible capture depth ability. Anybody use
one? Anybody know of something better in the $400-$500 range? I know the
ZX lists for $895, but I can obtain one for about $400.

All input welcome on your favorite logic analyzers.

I bought this

http://www.pctestinstruments.com/

Very happy.
 
In my ongoing quest for some new equipment, I'm also looking for a small
logic analyzer of some sort. I don't really want (or have room for) a big
CRT based analyzer even though the price is right on e-bay.

I'm willing to go with a USB based LA if they work as advertised. So far
the USBEE looks to be pretty good if it really works. The one I'm looking
at (ZX) has only 8 inputs, but captures 24Msa/s. It has a 1M buffer
internally, but can rocket data to the PC at the full 24Msa/s if the machine
is fast enough making for incredible capture depth ability. Anybody use
one? Anybody know of something better in the $400-$500 range? I know the
ZX lists for $895, but I can obtain one for about $400.

All input welcome on your favorite logic analyzers.

Also, any thoughts on PC based scopes (like CleverScope) vs. regular DSOs?
CleverScope looks fairly impressive even sized up against a "real" scope. A
dual channel scope and logic analyzer for less than $1200 is interesting to
me. It would be a little odd at first, but the PC centric approach might
not be a bad way to go. I already have one sitting near by for
editing/assembling code, flashing PICs and/or displaying/sending serial data
to a project. Maybe one screen is the way to go?
I have one too, like it very much. Not expensive:
http://www.pctestinstruments.com/
 
A

Anthony Fremont

Jan 1, 1970
0

I saw that early on and it really caught my eye. Incredible samble rata and
nice looking display of the data. I really like the protocol decoding, but
I find that others do it too though usually not as nice looking. The only
thing that concerned me was the shallow capture buffer, but 2K samples would
still be allot of data. Thanks for the reply.
 
A

Anthony Fremont

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have one too, like it very much. Not expensive:
http://www.pctestinstruments.com/

Is it good at glitch detection? I really like all the capture pin
capability. I was worried that the capture buffer would be too small, do
you find it to be plenty large enough. Do you ever find yourself wishing it
was larger?
 
Is it good at glitch detection? I really like all the capture pin
capability. I was worried that the capture buffer would be too small, do
you find it to be plenty large enough. Do you ever find yourself wishing it
was larger?

I'm real happy with mine too.

It can't catch glitches like a TLA can, but it's better than the
USBee. Not that the USBee is a bad gizmo, it's just that this one is
a much better logic tracer.

32 @ 250 > 8 @ 24 !
 
A

Anthony Fremont

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm real happy with mine too.

It can't catch glitches like a TLA can, but it's better than the
USBee. Not that the USBee is a bad gizmo, it's just that this one is
a much better logic tracer.

32 @ 250 > 8 @ 24 !

What kind of signals do you use it for primarily? I'm concerned about the
buffer depth. That was one thing I liked about the USBEE is that even
though it could only sample 24Msa/s, it could do it forever over the USB
buss as long as the computer is fast enough. Outside of that, I really like
the LogicPort better.

Since there hasn't been any support for the USBEE here, but three people
like the LogicPort, I guess I probably know what I should get now. :)

I downloaded the software for the LogicPort and played around in demo mode.
Maybe it's me or it's the demo mode, but I tried setting up triggers and
they didn't seem to be effective. Also, changing the sample rate had no
effect on the buffer size, it would always represent 20.48uS of time asif
the sample rate was locked. Reported frequency measurements didn't jive
with what was being shown either. I assume this is all due to it being in
demo mode.
 
C

Charlie Edmondson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Anthony said:
What kind of signals do you use it for primarily? I'm concerned about the
buffer depth. That was one thing I liked about the USBEE is that even
though it could only sample 24Msa/s, it could do it forever over the USB
buss as long as the computer is fast enough. Outside of that, I really like
the LogicPort better.

Since there hasn't been any support for the USBEE here, but three people
like the LogicPort, I guess I probably know what I should get now. :)

I downloaded the software for the LogicPort and played around in demo mode.
Maybe it's me or it's the demo mode, but I tried setting up triggers and
they didn't seem to be effective. Also, changing the sample rate had no
effect on the buffer size, it would always represent 20.48uS of time asif
the sample rate was locked. Reported frequency measurements didn't jive
with what was being shown either. I assume this is all due to it being in
demo mode.
Sorry, Tony, didn't see this till now. I have an older model USBEE, and
generally like it, but I haven't used it as much as I would like to.
Haven't done the design work I got it for... :-(

Charlie
 
What kind of signals do you use it for primarily? I'm concerned about the
buffer depth. That was one thing I liked about the USBEE is that even
though it could only sample 24Msa/s, it could do it forever over the USB
buss as long as the computer is fast enough. Outside of that, I really like
the LogicPort better.

Since there hasn't been any support for the USBEE here, but three people
like the LogicPort, I guess I probably know what I should get now. :)

I downloaded the software for the LogicPort and played around in demo mode.
Maybe it's me or it's the demo mode, but I tried setting up triggers and
they didn't seem to be effective. Also, changing the sample rate had no
effect on the buffer size, it would always represent 20.48uS of time asif
the sample rate was locked. Reported frequency measurements didn't jive
with what was being shown either. I assume this is all due to it being in
demo mode.
I'm not sure about the buffer depth. I'll look and tell you. I mainly
use mine for reading a/d's and looking at bit patterns from
uControllers we've programmed.
If there's something you want me to check, post it.
We find it very easy to use.
 
I'm not sure about the buffer depth. I'll look and tell you. I mainly
use mine for reading a/d's and looking at bit patterns from
uControllers we've programmed.
If there's something you want me to check, post it.
We find it very easy to use.

The buffer depth is 2048 words (of 34 bits).
A very strong argument for the Logicport is the sample compression.
I use(d) it to monitor a number of relatively slow pulses (ms) going
in and out
of an MCU and find that for that kind of use it was perfect.
I also like the clean look of the software (compared to other
solutions).
 
A

Anthony Fremont

Jan 1, 1970
0
The buffer depth is 2048 words (of 34 bits).
A very strong argument for the Logicport is the sample compression.
I use(d) it to monitor a number of relatively slow pulses (ms) going
in and out
of an MCU and find that for that kind of use it was perfect.
I also like the clean look of the software (compared to other
solutions).

So far this is the leader of all the stuff I've seen. There are things
about the USBEE that are nice as well like continuous capture. Seems like
you really need more than one to do it all, but I'll probably get the
LogicPort first.

Thanks for all the input guys. :)
 

Rob Denford

Aug 20, 2010
1
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
Messages
1
PC scope

Hi I bought a Cleverscope mixed signal scope. I'm really happy with it. Good sample depth. I saw found it at http://www.cleverscope.com/.
- Rob Denford


On Mon, 5 Mar 2007 03:03:24 -0600, "Anthony Fremont"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>[email protected] wrote:
>> On Mar 3, 6:53 pm, "Anthony Fremont" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> [email protected] wrote:
>>>> On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 18:45:36 -0600, "Anthony Fremont"
>>>> I have one too, like it very much. Not expensive:
>>>> http://www.pctestinstruments.com/
>>>
>>> Is it good at glitch detection? I really like all the capture pin
>>> capability. I was worried that the capture buffer would be too
>>> small, do you find it to be plenty large enough. Do you ever find
>>> yourself wishing it was larger?

>>
>> I'm real happy with mine too.
>>
>> It can't catch glitches like a TLA can, but it's better than the
>> USBee. Not that the USBee is a bad gizmo, it's just that this one is
>> a much better logic tracer.
>>
>> 32 @ 250 > 8 @ 24 !

>
>What kind of signals do you use it for primarily? I'm concerned about the
>buffer depth. That was one thing I liked about the USBEE is that even
>though it could only sample 24Msa/s, it could do it forever over the USB
>buss as long as the computer is fast enough. Outside of that, I really like
>the LogicPort better.
>
>Since there hasn't been any support for the USBEE here, but three people
>like the LogicPort, I guess I probably know what I should get now. :)
>
>I downloaded the software for the LogicPort and played around in demo mode.
>Maybe it's me or it's the demo mode, but I tried setting up triggers and
>they didn't seem to be effective. Also, changing the sample rate had no
>effect on the buffer size, it would always represent 20.48uS of time asif
>the sample rate was locked. Reported frequency measurements didn't jive
>with what was being shown either. I assume this is all due to it being in
>demo mode.
>

I'm not sure about the buffer depth. I'll look and tell you. I mainly
use mine for reading a/d's and looking at bit patterns from
uControllers we've programmed.
If there's something you want me to check, post it.
We find it very easy to use.
 
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