Timing mode sample rate: 1KHz to 500MHz (uses internal clock)
State mode sample rate: 0 to 200MHz (clock provided by circuit under test)

Would this be anything to do with it?

 

Ahhh. That could be it.

 

Please translate this for me:

Would this be anything to do with it?

Ahhh. That could be it.

So how am I supposed to use it at 500MHz ?

 

Set the clock source as internal, then you can sample up to 500 MHz....
that is basically what they are saying.....

The LogicPort will simultaneously sample all 34 channels with full buffer depth at 500MHz in timing mode, 200MHz in state mode.

Sample Mode SetupTiming Mode (Internal Sample Clock)
When timing mode is chosen, the LogicPort will sample at a rate specified using one of the configurable controls on the Waveforms tab.
State Mode (External Sample Clock)
When state mode is chosen, you can select which clock input will be used for sampling, which edge of the clock should be used, and what timing relationship exists between the chosen clock edge and the data you wish to sample. You can also enable qualified sampling to allow the clock input to be qualified by another signal.

B. Morse

 

If your talking about this screen:

It is already in the "Timing Mode", so then I must be doing this wrong: "the LogicPort will sample at a rate specified using one of the configurable controls on the Waveforms tab"

What "configurable controls" are they talking about ?

PS. If you look in the screen shots I posted in post #18, the CLK1 and CLK2 are not connected to anything.

 

You should have Timing mode selected on that popup window....


B. Morse

 

The "Sample Mode Setup" window looks exactly like what you have (in the screen shot you just posted)...

 

try setting the trigger mode to continuous, (On the menu bar there is an arrow pointing to the right with a box , click that), this will set it to continuous triggering mode, see if this makes a difference.....

I will have to play around with mine when I get home to see what I can do to help... I do not have my hardware here so I can only use the software in DEMO mode....


B. Morse

 

Hi BMorse,

I made a video to show you how I'm testing it, take a look:
[edit]I deleted the video because I found out that it is actually working the way it's supposed to...[/edit]
Play it at 480p (high quality) so that you can read the text in the video.

I will delete the video after you view it (or in a few days...)

 

Try to save a sample run at 500MHZ (even though you dont see anything) and reload it to view.


What software are you using for your screen record?

 

Gosh guys, I bet if you posed this question to Intronix, they'd have an answer real real fast - in English even. We're not talking about one of those unsupported Chinese mystery products here. Just a thought...

 

I'm using CamStudio, it's free...

Actually I just found that if I Zoom a lot, then I actually see something... but i's only 2 samples

When I save it, it basically displays the same data from first sample to last sample (2047).

See attached screen shots:

 

Gosh guys, I bet if you posed this question to Intronix, they'd have an answer real real fast - in English even. We're not talking about one of those unsupported Chinese mystery products here. Just a thought...

LOL, good point... I will do that now

 

I'm using CamStudio, it's free...

Actually I just found that if I Zoom a lot, then I actually see something... but i's only 2 samples

2 samples? How do you figure? It is showing a little over 4us time period, and at 500MHz sample rate, each sample is 2ns. So, 4us/2ns = ~2K samples. The screen shot says it captured 2.04K samples. Makes sense to me.

I think what you are seeing is the difference between 200MHz sample rate -with- compression and 500MHz sample rate -without- compression (specs say compression is only available for sample rates to 200MHz). From your video, apparently it captured 220 megasamples at 200MHz sample rate.

 

I think i'm starting to understand what is going on now...

So, because at 500MHz there is no compression, then I basically see raw samples in the full buffer. And since the frequency that I'm measuring is very small (130Hz), then it basically captured only one state (the High bit).

Before I said 2 samples because that's what it shows in the "State List" tab...

So, now that I understand what is going on... it probably still does some kind of compression on the software side, and since it's the same data from the beginning to end, it shows only the first and last sample, right ? but when I saved it in the CSV file, then it shows all the samples in raw format.

But this kinda sucks, because this makes the 500MHz sample rate almost unusable. This means that it records (samples) until the buffer is full with basically the same data (and it's quite small buffer), then does not sample anything until the data gets sent to the computer. So in the end it will make Huge gaps between buffers received.
But when compression is enabled, then it records more data, therefore the gaps are smaller between the buffers.

Am I doing the deductions correctly ?

 

I think i'm starting to understand what is going on now...

So, because at 500MHz there is no compression, then I basically see raw samples in the full buffer. And since the frequency that I'm measuring is very small (130Hz), then it basically captured only one state (the High bit).

I think that's right.

Before I said 2 samples because that's what it shows in the "State List" tab...

So, now that I understand what is going on... it probably still does some kind of compression on the software side, and since it's the same data from the beginning to end, it shows only the first and last sample, right ? but when I saved it in the CSV file, then it shows all the samples in raw format.

I saw an option that said something about showing only transitions in the state list. Probably you have that turned on.

But this kinda sucks, because this makes the 500MHz sample rate almost unusable.

Not at all. You just need to use it for its intended purpose (which is not capturing 130Hz data at a 500MHz sample rate - kinda of pointless). I think you may have a misconception about what a logic analyzer does. It's not a data logger. You need to use appropriate trigger setups to be sure you capture "the right" data.

This means that it records (samples) until the buffer is full with basically the same data (and it's quite small buffer), then does not sample anything until the data gets sent to the computer. So in the end it will make Huge gaps between buffers received.

Yup, that's exactly how logic analyzers work. Capture as much as they can, then stop and display. Been that way since the beginning of time (standalone units do the same, except all in one box).

But when compression is enabled, then it records more data, therefore the gaps are smaller between the buffers.

If you're worried about gaps between buffers full, then you're still thinking data logger. The gaps between buffers are not very meaningful in logic analysis. It's the data you -do- capture that matters, and capturing the real data of interest depends upon good trigger setups - not chance. When used properly, a logic analyzer can wait virtually forever looking for the trigger event in real-time (yes, even at 500MHz). Then when the trigger event finally occurs, it springs into action and captures some data. A gap of even minutes or hours before/after the data is captured doesn't matter because you've trigger on and captured the meaningful event.

 

Thanks for taking the time to help me logicator. (I see you joined the forums because of my thread)

I think i'll be OK from now on... I guess I will learn all the settings & trigger, etc. in time, as you can see this is new to me...

 

If you did capture five minutes of logic changes at 500Mhz, from a 500Mhz circuit, Your great x 20 grandchildren MIGHT be able to get to the end of the samples list.
500MHz is 500,000,000 cycles a second so if you were only capturing the logic changes at 1 point (1 channel)
that would give you 150,000,000,000 (One hundred fifty billion) samples to view. If you viewed 5 a second, and never slept or anything elst, it would take you almost 1,000 years just to read the data.

Acually it would be 347222.222 days. so 951.29 years.

If you have a circuit running at 500mhz and you want to know what logic is sent to an IC after a flip or flop of a particular section, you would grab the bits at and immediately following the trigger.

so grabbing the 8, 10, 12, 16, 32, 64 bits after the trigger should give you the segment of transfered data. Also, read about preambles to see the logic combinations used to let a receiver know that new data is coming.

 

Hi Michael,

I found the wonderful (and unique) Sound Tutorial that you have started a few years ago. Congratulations, it is the most complete tutorial I could find after serching the the web for several month.
I have a working proposition for you, I need some code (several small codes in VB) and it would be great to have some one like you to write it. Let me know if it is some thing that you would do, or if you know some one that would like to do it for.

Best regards,
Din