Analyze This
We show how to use a logic analyzer to isolate problems in your hardware setup.
Digital logic
Lead Image © Oleksiy Tsupe, 123RF.com
Designing software and hardware on Raspberry Pi and Arduino computers can be pretty easy and clear. However, when things don't work, and you aren't sure where the problem is, it can be very frustrating. Many software engineers are used to finding bugs in software by using source code debuggers and print statements and by working to duplicate and isolate the problem. And, you get pretty good at it after a while.
However, in small computer systems, you add another layer, which is the hardware. Trying to figure out why your I2C device isn't responding can be very difficult when you have no idea what is actually going out on the I2C bus. Why is your stepper motor not turning? Why can't you get your Raspberry Pi to talk to your Arduino across a serial interface? Often, the answer is either in the wiring, the grounds, or you just aren't writing the correct data out, but the answer can be difficult to find when you can't see the signals and the data coming across the lines. This is when a logic analyzer can be worth its weight in gold.
What Is a Logic Analyzer?
A logic analyzer is a test instrument that captures and displays multiple signals from a digital circuit. It converts the captured digital data (vs. analog data) into timing diagrams, decoded protocols, state machine traces, and sometimes even assembly language. Logic analyzers have triggering capabilities that can help you locate a problem and are useful when a user needs to see the timing relationships between many signals in a digital system.
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