Tips on Using the Logic Analyzers

Pay attention!!  This could save you a lot of time!!

The Tektronix Logic Analyzers are industrial-strength instruments that are sold by Tektronix for big bucks, but partially donated to UW so we can use them in our courses.  Used in the right way, they are very powerful and productive.  However, the Tektronix tools have certain quirks that can make them difficult to use at times and which, if ignored, can lead to frustration.  Fortunately, some of these problems can be avoided by following a few simple guidelines and knowing where the possible problems lie.  On this page we will attempt to point out these problems, and where possible, give some ideas for avoiding or fixing them.  If you come up with new tips, please mail them to us and we will add them to this list.  By the way, this page is written on the assumption that you will follow our advice.  Specifically, we don't talk about what to do with all the bad things that happen if you don't.
 

General Tips:

• Keep it simple and don't stray from straightforward, proven ways of doing things.  Don't expect the tools to do things the way you think they should be done.  Don't fight the tools, go with the flow.  The tools always win.

Data Capture:

• Sometimes the logic analyzer prints out a lot of data that you don't care about, making it hard to find the useful information.  But the logic analyzers can be set to trigger off the rising edge of a signal, and stop collecting data at the falling edge (or a few cycles later).  So with a little effort, you can get the device to capture only a few cycles around a particular signal change, and not be inundated with lots of other data you don't care about.