I remember 10+ years ago, when my managers argued whether buying a logic analyzer, because some of its functions could be done by an oscilloscope, and logic analyzers were selling for a few thousands dollars at the time. Fast forward to 2014, it’s now possible to acquire lower end logic analyzers that connect to a PC for as low as $75 thanks to products such as LA1016, LA2016, and LA5016, all supports 16-channels and respectively 100, 200 and 500 Mbps sampling rate.
Key features and specifications:
- Input channels – 16
- Max Sampling Rate: LA1016: 100M; LA2016: 200M; LA5026: 500M
- Measurement Bandwidth – LA1016: 20M; LA2016: 40M; LA5016: 80M
- Min pulse width – LA1016: 20ns; LA2016: 12.5ns; LA5016: 6.25ns
- Hardware memory size – LA1016/LA2016: 1Gbits; LA5016: 512Mbits
- Hardware sampling depth – LA1016/LA2016: 50M/channel; LA5016: 32M/channel
- Max compressed depth – LA1016/LA2016: 10G/channel; LA5016: 5G/channel
- Input voltage range – -50V ~ +50V
- Input impedance – 220KΩ, 12pF
- Threshold voltage
- LA1016/LA2016: low level < 0.8V, high level > 1.6V
- LA5016: low level < 1.0V, high level > 2.0V
- PWM
- LA1016/LA2016 – 2 Channels; 0.1 ~ 20MHz; frequency adjust step: 10ns; pulse width adjust step: 5ns; output voltage: +3.3V; output impedance: 50Ω
- LA5016 – 2 Channels; 0.1 ~ 12.5MHz; frequency adjust step: 8ns; pulse width adjust step: 8ns; output voltage: +3.3V; output impedance: 50Ω
- Standby current – LA1016: 130mA; LA2016: 150mA; LA5016: 300mA
- Max operating current- LA1016: 260mA; LA2016: 300mA; LA5016: 550 mA
- PC Connection – USB 2.0/3.0 compatible
- Dimensions
- LA1016/LA2016 – 95mm x 55mm x 23mm
- LA5016 – 117mm x 79mm x 24mm
Windows XP/Vista/7/8 software and user guides (English and Chinese) can be downloaded here, Jiankun Virtual Instruments Suite can decode UART (RS-232/485/422), I2C, SPI, CAN, DMX512, HDMI CEC, I2S/PCM, JTAG, LIN, Manchester, Modbus, 1-Wire, Simple Parallel, PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse, UNI/O, and USB1.1 protocols
A protocol SDK is also available so that you can write you own program to interface with LAx016 logic analyzers.
I first got tipped about these three logic analyzers by CoreWind pointing me to UUtools website selling the tools for $99 to $199, but after a quick search I found out these were also sold on SeeedStudio for $75 to $168, and further research led me to “Kingst Instruments and Meter Store” on Aliexpress which sells LA1016 for an ultra low $44.10 including shipping. {Update: As mentioned in comments, the $44 logic analyzer is not LA1016, but another lower cost version without PWM. LA1016 sells for $80 on that shop]. The picture of LA1016 board shows it’s based on an Altera Cyclone IV FPGA, combined with a Cypress chip for USB communication.
Kingst could be the maker of the logic analyzer, as the SDK, software and documentation download links point to kingst.org website, which ends up being a forum in Chinese only, and related to these products, and some other electronic lab tools. It looks like LA1016 may have been available at least for one or two years, but I could not find reviews on the web.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Looks like the $44 one isn’t an LA1016 :
– It doesn’t have the PWM output, and I’m not sure it has embedded RAM.
– The LA1016, sold at $80 by the same shop (http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/LA1016-USB-Logic-Analyzer-100M-max-sample-rate-16Channels-10B-samples-2-PWM-out/110167_2042455112.html) uses an Altera FPGA, and we clearly see the RAM.
@hwti
Oops! Thanks for letting me know. I got confused by the description on Aliexpress.
The PCB photo is the same for LA1016 and LA2016, it could be an error, or they could have the same hardware (perhaps the only difference is the FPGA clock).
Sadly the Cypress chips seems to be a CY7C66013, which means reading the captured data will be slow since it’s limited to full speed USB (12 Mbps).
The $44 one seems to be one of the many “Saleae 16” clones (CYC68013 + Spartan FPGA, no RAM, no analog input unlike the original Saleae devices).
Is it supported by Sigrok?
@zoobab
Good question, but apparently not. http://sigrok.org/wiki/Supported_hardware#Logic_analyzers
The Saleae 16 one mentioned by hwti seems to be supported.
So… the $44 one is supported -> http://sigrok.org/wiki/WayEngineer_Saleae16
If you click on the Aliexpress link at this end of that, it will redirect to the same $44.10 product.
@hwti
I think it is a CY7C68013 not CY7C66013. The CY7C68013 has USB 2.0 High speed FIFO channels.
I wonder if they have anything to do with LA1034 LOGICPORT
http://www.pctestinstruments.com/
You can buy chinese clone for ~$60
then there is Hantek LA5034 500MHz 34 Channel – basically same thing
the ones you found have buildin buffer memory (>=64MB), makes them orders of magnitude more useful
Sigrok with Saleae 16 – http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/Sigrok%20-%20Using%20Logic%20to%20Debug%20Logic%20-%20ELCE%202013_0.pdf
There’s a cheap (and popular) $10 Logic analyzer on DX too @ http://www.dx.com/p/logic-analyzer-w-dupont-lines-and-usb-cable-for-scm-black-148945
Sigrok page: http://sigrok.org/wiki/MCU123_USBee_AX_Pro_clone