Logic Analyzer Recommendations

For those of us who are semi electronically inept (i.e. can replace components and burn eeproms, but not much else) what is a logic analyzer, what is it used for, and what situatios would require tyou to have one? (or when would it be helpful?) -----Original Message----- From: cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Glen Slick Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2005 11:02 AM To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts Subject: Re: Logic Analyzer Recommendations Is your budget $400 or $4000? If you really meant $4000 you can get some nice used equipment for that. I don't have experience with Tektronix, just HP / Agilent. If you don't need something portable I like 16700A mainframes. Not having a bult-in screen is a bonus in some ways in that if the built-in screen fails on newer portables it might not be cost effective to replace just the screen, plus with an external monitor you can run up to 1600x1200 vs 800x600 on some built-in screens. Also you should be able to find a 16700A without a built-in screen for a lot cheaper than a 16702A with a built-in screen. For $4000 you could get a 16700A fully loaded with something like (5x) 16715A modules (167MHz state / 333 MHz timing / 2MSa / 68 channel each card). I would much rather use a 16700A than a 16500B/C. One drawback of a 16700A compared to a 16500B/C is that the 16700A doesn't support the older and cheaper 16532A scope and 16520A pattern gen modules, only the newer and more expensive and harder to find 16533A/16534A scope and 16522A pattern gen modules. If your budget is $400 then you can't really go wrong with a 16500B with a 16550A or a 16555A or two. Yes they are older and big and heavy, but they are built pretty tough and there are enough of them out there that finding donor mainframes for parts if necessary should be easy. Just my $0.02 worth. (If you're interested in a 16700A/003 loaded with 16712A and 16715A modules and pods sets for less than $4000 send me mail offlist). -Glen