Softla initial impressions

Well I just got mine today.

DOS only app.
Software came on 1 3.5" floppy with a hand written label.
Docs were single sided copies (19 pages)
Tech support: A phone # (no name)

Triggering is a masked word. Once it sees the trigger word it will start
logging. You can set "Don't care" bits. Up to the whole 16 bits can be used
in the trigger.
Has a "Scope" mode.
Timebases: "Fast", 50us, 100us, 200us, 500us, 1ms.

Fast is as fast as the computer can go. A figure is computed then displayed
(I have not tried yet).

One question for the list. Assuming I wanted to check the vector processor
section of a BZ what would be a reasonably good sample rate?

The cable from B&G Micro. Half a printer cable and a baggy of black micro
clips. Do it yourself. Don't waste the $ if you have some micro clips
already. I am going to probably return that and use a cable I already have
and some more color coded clips.

I also ordered there parallel printer programming book. I think it would be
pretty easy to write up a bit more functional piece of software.

But I am still not giving up on my CatBox project.

David
> ----------
> From: Clay Cowgill[SMTP:clayc@diamondmm.com]
> Reply To: vectorlist@spies.com
> Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 1998 10:36 AM
> To: vectorlist@spies.com
> Cc: Clay Cowgill
> Subject: Re: Sega boards (and Huntron again) (and BG Micro)
>
> >Sheesh, that seems like a fairly simple device. It generates a low
> >current ac signal, switches it through a number of gates, and stores the
> >results. The Huntron 2000 can be replaced with a scope and about $10 in
> >parts. Perhaps the DSI 700 would cost about $100 in parts and stuff. I
> >think reverse engineering on this item would be a snap.
>
> The one described a while back was just two transformers wired up to be
> about 3VAC at 60Hz. "Fairly Simple" describes it quite well. It wouldn't
> be too hard to marry that to a couple channels of A/D with a PC. The
> Huntron things look like they can control lots of "range" type behavior
> for
> testing voltages and I'm sure there are a lot of other bells and whistles.
> But... If you could make one that was 50% as good for <$100 it would be
> pretty damn cool. ;-)
>
> >Speaking though of interesting software/hardware, has anyone else looked
> >at BG Micro's ( http://www.bgmicro.com ) SOFTLA product?
> >I bought one to try out, and it looks interesting. "Turn your PC into a
> >logic analyzer." "Monitor up to 16 channels simultaniously, with this
> >nufty piece of softwear. Measure time in micro seconds between any tow
> >points." Software $29.95, cable kit $17.90. Requires 286 or faster with
> >a bi-directional parallel port (non bi-directional will only support 8
> >traces)
>
> That would probably be OK for bringing up home-brew projects. (The price
> is
> right!) When I use a logic analyzer I typically want to look at an
> address
> range or data and usually a couple other signals to qualify the trigger.
> The triggering is the big help on an LA, IMHO. If something isn't working
> and I get frustrated enough I'll just put the LA on it and capture all the
> addresses and data going over the bus. Pretty easy to see where things
> are
> getting stuck that way. They're also REALLY helpful for debugging
> programmable logic where you have a dozen or two signals coming in that
> all
> affect the outputs. 100's of nanosecond resolution works for most all old
> game boards-- it's nice to have 16 bits for address, 8 bits for data, and
> a
> few more bits for WR/RD, etc...
>
> -Clay
>
> Clayton N. Cowgill Engineering Manager
> _______________________________________________________________________
> /\ Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. clay@supra.com
> \/ Communications Division http://www.supra.com/
>
>
Received on Thu Jan 29 22:54:36 1998