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Budget oscilloscope

Andrea Bioli
Intellectual 500 points

Hi, I know it can look a little bit odd, but being a programmer for a living, and, at least for now, a hobbyist in electronics, I would like to receive some good advice on a budget oscilloscope to analyze MSP430 signals.

I see that there are very expensive models, but I wouldn't spend all that money, at least for now: so, what are the features that I have to look for? Some specific models, for examples?

Thanks in advance to everybody!

Andrea

  • 0
    Intellectual 385 points

    Hi Andrea,

    if you only want to analyze microcontroller signals, think about a logic analyzer.

    There´s some at saleae.com which isn´t too expensive.

    I bought this one but didn´t get it by now.

    When I have it and tried it out I can post some experiences.

  • 0 in reply to MaxE
    Intellectual 500 points

    Thanks Max, I'm looking forward for your experiences! But which model are you talking about?

    Andrea

  • 0 in reply to Andrea Bioli
    Intellectual 500 points

    ...and, by the way, I looked, and I confirm: I think I need a logic analyzer! :-) I just got the first good advice! :-)

    Andrea

  • 0 in reply to Andrea Bioli
    Guru 27285 points

     Hi Andrea, also check here: Antratek if you are in Europe seems to be less expensive.

     There where some clone of Logic, don't be foolished by lower price and buy original, you support this amazing tool and get forever software update hassle free.

     It work very fine on all platform and I like Linux version I am proudly using to debug MSP and other thing too and fit on the laptop bag.

     I own Agilent LA but sometimes this tools is more flexible and on low speed is unsurpassed. Cons is the complexity when you wish to develop a non standard module or complex trigger event, this one cost149$ not 50K over.

  • 0 in reply to Roberto Romano
    Intellectual 500 points

    'amazing tool'? Is it so perfect, for the job? Do I have to look nothing else?

    Price is good enough, so it can be a really viable choice...

    Andrea

  • 0 in reply to MaxE
    Guru 12966 points

    I splurged 2 months ago and bought the Saleae Logic16, it is a fantastic tool (Logic8 works similarly just can't keep up as well with loaded USB busses as I understand it).  Did some serious debugging of an nRF24L01+ library I made for the MSP430 Value Line and with the Saleae it was refreshing seeing exactly what's happening on the wire.  Figured out quite a few bugs with it.

  • 0 in reply to Andrea Bioli
    Intellectual 385 points

    Hi again,

    the model I bought is the Saleae Logic8. I should get it tomorrow or

    on thursday, so I can work with it and post my first experiences then.

  • 0 in reply to Andrea Bioli
    Guru 227245 points

    Andrea Bioli said:
    'amazing tool'? Is it so perfect, for the job?

    The Logic8 isn't really a very complex piece of hardware. Actually a set of schmitt-trigger inputs and an USB controller. The case, however, will stand a sledgehammer and it looks nice. The Logic16 has (in addition of 8 channels more) selectable trigger levels and up to 100Msampes (the Logic8 has only 24MSamples). Can be handy, but also not bleeding-edge technology.
    The really amazing part is the software. It is slick, has no obvious bugs, jus tdoes what you think it should do and also offers a whole bunch of analyzing tools for analyzing many different protocols. Of course it only works with the original Logic8/16 and not with the clones. The software is the weak spot of cheap devices (and often of expensive ones too). Here, it is the strong spot.
    It's not the hardware you pay for, it's the software that is more than worth the price.

    You can test it before buying - it is free to download and if no Logic is connected, it goes into demo mode, feeding test data into the UI instead of real one.

    We paid ~€110 for the Logic8. The logic16 is ~€190 or so. In Europe, you can order them from Elektronikladen, Mikrocontroller Praxis and others. It's definitely worth the money.
    And if you order this, you should as well order the breakout cable and/or a few additional probes.

  • 0 in reply to Jens-Michael Gross
    Intellectual 500 points

    I hope to not hurt anyone, but Jens is always flying in circles like a hawk... :-) his answers are sharp and trustable, even if I have to thanks a lot the other friends for their feelings, too!

    Moreover, answers all converge, so I think Logic8 will be my first logic analyzer! :-)

    Thanks again, as always!

    Andrea

    P.S.: Jens, what's your day job? I'm curious! ...and your book? When did you write your last page? ;)

  • 0 in reply to Andrea Bioli
    Guru 227245 points

    Andrea Bioli said:
    Jens is always flying in circles like a hawk...

    If you could see me... I'm rather hacking into the keyboard like a monkey :) And lately, I wish I had a hawks eyes in exchange of mine. :(

    Andrea Bioli said:
    P.S.: Jens, what's your day job? I'm curious! ...and your book? When did you write your last page? ;)

    I design hardware and firmware for industrial metering devices (yes, MSP-based, mostly). last year I also got the task of debugging and extending our flash-based client and now I also got the task of fixing bugs in the Java-based server software. So if I slow down with flying circles, it has a reason.
    And don't ask for the book. I haven't made more than a few changes and additions to the existing three chapters in the last months. I should definitely reconsider my priorities. But if I do, who knows what they will be after then.

  • 0 in reply to Jens-Michael Gross
    Guru 27285 points

    Jens-Michael Gross said:

    Jens is always flying in circles like a hawk...

    If you could see me... I'm rather hacking into the keyboard like a monkey :) And lately, I wish I had a hawks eyes in exchange of mine. :(

    [/quote]

    Me too, or recover mine to few year ago... :(

     Thank a lot for link to Praxis, less expensive than antratek and full of interesting thing stocked in EU.

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