I think that this is not just a technical question.
Other issues are budget and physical space and convenience.
I am facing the same question but don't yet have an immediate need so have not yet invested in a logic analyser though I have
made my choice as I've got a non-MSO scope. I reckoned that getting 4 channels and higher bandwidth (350MHz) was a better
use of my budget than a more basic scope with the option of 8 digital channels.
But in my case, my budget didn't extend to the MSOX3000 series when I bought my scope and other decent MSOs are even more expensive.
Below this level MSOs seem pretty basic but still pricey compared to non-MSO equivalents. The Hameg scopes seem to offer quite good value
but all MSOs at the lower price levels are restricted to 8 channels though I guess this covers all serial comms. Stand alone logic analysers off e-bay seem to be
potentially powerful but rather large physically, I couldn't make bench space for one but you might have a lot more room.
I often suffer from paralysis by analysis and I suspect that you have a similar approach to problems. The real decision is are you going to try and get all
your tools in one box or put up with the inconvenience of having a collection of tools.
The cost of the LogicPort is $380, the cost of a cheap Rigol scope is $350 the cost of a MSOX2000 with 4 channels and 8 digital channels is around $3000
the cost of the most basic MSOX3000 with 4 channels is getting on $4000. (Of course you can get cheaper prices on e-bay from time to time.)
So if you go for the LogicPort and basic Rigol then you can learn what you really need and even if you sell them on at half price the cost is only going to be
around $300. More likely you'll just upgrade the scope and keep the logicport for some purposes even if you add an option with more memory.
If on the other hand you go for the MSOX2000, pay extra for decoding options and at the end of the day feel you need the MSOX3000 and have to trade up
the cost will probably be nearer $2000.
It seems to me that you (like me) don't quite know what your real needs and wants will be so I'd go for the cheapest means of finding out rather than
invest a lot of money in a very expensive tool that will cover all potential needs but ends up having most of its features left unused.
Hi jpb,
Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
I believe you are correct - the choice is some combination of scope plus LA in the $1k and under range or jump up to the $2k-$3k and beyond range. So, it's probably more practical/wise to get some experience, and if need be salvage some of the first investment and move up when and if needed.
So, that brings up a few choices:
1. a DS1052D or a DS1102D
2. live with my Tektronix 2247A and add an Intronix LogicPort for about $389 (or try to save some $ and go with a Saleae in the $149-$299 range)
3. maybe go with a DS1052e or DS1102E and one of the LAs
What I really want to accomplish is to simply see analog waveforms and the digital signals at the same time on the same screen synchronized together.Clearly, I am at the beginning stages. Here are two examples of the very simple stuff I'd like to do:
I have an Arduino Uno. I can make the onboard LED blink at various intervals by changing the sketch code parameters for the length of time the LED is on and the length of time the LED is off. I've added a LCD display that taps into the circuit and I can watch the voltage rise to 5 volts and lower to 0 volts as the LED blinks. With a scope I'd like to see the voltage rise and decline while on the same screen I'd like to see the correlated 1s and 0s.
In another super simple project I can turn three potentiometers to adjust the amounts and mix of RGB colors on a RGB LED. In the software monitor I can see the values for each color move between 0 and 1023. With a scope I'd like to the voltage change and with the LA I'd like to see the digital signals and their values - but I'd like to see both the analog and the digital signals on the same screen syncrhonized in time.
Of course, I'd like to be able to do some reasonable amount of triggering for both the analog and digital signals and look at the results on one screen. And I'd like to be able to have basic decode support for I2C and SPI.
I'm pretty sure that even the Saleae entry level unit can show such digital signal logic analysis and I'm confident the Intronix LogicPort can do much more, but what I don't know/understand is:
1) is there is a way to get the digital signals from one of these LAs AND ALSO the analog signals from the Tektronix 2247A to appear SIMULTANTEOUSLY AND IN A SYCNCHRONIZED MANER on my computer screen?
2) If the Tektronix 2247A can't output a signal that can be displayed on my computer screen along with the LA signals, would a DS1052E or a DS1102E have the ability to simultanteously send synchronized analog signals to the computer screen?
3) Alternatively, maybe it would be easier and not much more $ to do this sort of thing with the DS1052D or DS1102D (using their built in LAs)?Any answers or comments on these specific questions would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!