OT: Looking for the Tek 465 of Logic Analysers

Ken Seefried seefriek at gmail.com
Thu May 28 21:53:07 CDT 2015


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:

- 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)
- 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.

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


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