My 1631D logic analyzer and digitizing oscilloscope arrived yesterday. I bought it on US eBay a few weeks ago for as little as $70 (plus $40 shipping to Poland). The thing scared me at first with all the cables, buttons and… its size – it takes one third of my desk! Also, my wife looked at me as if I was some kind of idiot when I brought the box to our newly remodeled apartment.
Anyway, the analyzer works. I have found an excellent resource on the web – a 6-page “getting started” guide that allowed me to display first analog traces in no time at all (I haven’t tried digital state or timing yet but it should be pretty straightforward).
The 1631D provider 43 digital state channels, 16 state channels and 2 analog inputs to a 50MHz digitizing oscilloscope. It is enclosed in a 7.5 x 16.8 x 17.6 in (190 x 426 x 447 mm) metal case with a 10 inch green CRT display and weighs about 40 lbs (20 kg). It has a leather case attached to the top that holds all the pods, probes, wires and connectors. Its specs may be found here.
In the photo on the right is my 1631D displaying a waveform of a “hand generated” clock signal (I really tapped the probe onto a +5V bus on the breadboard a few times, nothing more). Considering I have never even owned an oscilloscope, this was fun.
Now the equipment will have to sit on my desk and wait until I complete the design and simulation and start the actual construction. Current progress indicated this may still take a while…