Overview
This 24 MHz 8-channel USB logic analyzer is the cheapest possible upgrade from "blink an LED to debug" to actually seeing what your digital signals look like. Plug it into a USB port, hook the eight color-coded test leads onto your I2C / SPI / UART / 1-Wire lines, and watch every transition appear in software like Saleae Logic, sigrok / PulseView, or fx2lafw.
It's based on the popular Cypress CY7C68013A USB controller and emulates the original Saleae Logic 8-channel analyzer at the protocol level — meaning you can use the official (free) Saleae Logic software OR the open-source PulseView with full protocol decoders for I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, 1-Wire, JTAG, and dozens more. Sample rates up to 24 MS/s mean you can see SPI buses up to ~10 MHz cleanly.
At a Glance
Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
| USB Controller | Cypress CY7C68013A (EZ-USB FX2LP) |
| Channels | 8 digital inputs |
| Maximum Sample Rate | 24 MS/s (single channel) / 12 MS/s (8 channels) |
| Recommended Signal Frequency | ≤ 8 MHz for clean capture |
| Input Voltage Range | 0V - 5.25V |
| Logic Threshold | VIH ~ 2.0V (HIGH), VIL ~ 0.8V (LOW) |
| Input Impedance | ~100 kΩ in parallel with ~10 pF |
| Buffer / Memory | Streaming via USB (no onboard memory) |
| Interface | USB 2.0 Mini-B (cable included) |
| OS Support | Windows / macOS / Linux (via Saleae or sigrok) |
| Power | Bus-powered (USB 5V, < 100 mA) |
| Dimensions | 56 × 27.6 × 20.3 mm |
Pinout Diagram
Wiring Guide
Probing an I2C Bus
I2C only needs two channels. Connect a third lead to GND so the analyzer shares a reference with your circuit.
| Analyzer | Connect To |
|---|---|
| CH0 (black) | SDA |
| CH1 (brown) | SCL |
| GND (gray) | Circuit GND |
Probing an SPI Bus
SPI is 4-wire. The analyzer shows MOSI, MISO, SCK, and CS clearly so you can verify your transfers byte-by-byte.
| Analyzer | Connect To |
|---|---|
| CH0 | SCK |
| CH1 | MOSI |
| CH2 | MISO |
| CH3 | CS / SS |
| GND | Circuit GND |
Probing UART (Serial)
For unidirectional UART you only need TX. For full duplex add RX. Always tie GND.
| Analyzer | Connect To |
|---|---|
| CH0 | TX (from device) |
| CH1 | RX (from host) |
| GND | Circuit GND |
Channel / Wire Color Map
| Channel | Wire Color |
|---|---|
| CH0 | Black |
| CH1 | Brown |
| CH2 | Red |
| CH3 | Orange |
| CH4 | Yellow |
| CH5 | Green |
| CH6 | Blue |
| CH7 | Purple |
| GND | Gray (or White) |
Code Examples
The logic analyzer doesn't run code itself — your microcontroller does, and the analyzer captures the resulting signals. Below are setup commands for the two most popular software options.
Saleae Logic (Free, Windows / macOS / Linux)
# 1. Download Saleae Logic v1.2.x ("Legacy") from saleae.com/downloads
# The newer Logic 2 software does NOT support clones - use Logic 1.x.
# 2. Plug in the analyzer via USB.
# 3. Open Logic. It auto-detects "Saleae Logic 8".
# 4. Click the gear next to a channel to enable an analyzer (I2C, SPI, etc.)
# 5. Hit Start to capture.
sigrok / PulseView (Free, all platforms)
# Linux:
sudo apt install pulseview sigrok-firmware-fx2lafw
# macOS (Homebrew):
brew install pulseview sigrok-firmware-fx2lafw
# Windows: download installer from sigrok.org
# Plug in the analyzer.
# Open PulseView -> Connect to Device -> "fx2lafw" driver ->
# "saleae-logic" or "Cypress" -> Scan -> Select device.
# Set sample rate to 8 or 16 MS/s for typical buses.
# Add decoders by clicking the green "Add protocol decoder" icon.
Linux — Quick I2C Capture from CLI
#!/bin/bash
# Capture 5 seconds of an I2C bus on CH0 (SDA) and CH1 (SCL)
# Output as a .sr file you can open in PulseView later
sigrok-cli --driver fx2lafw --config samplerate=8m \
--channels D0,D1 --time 5000 --output-format srzip \
--output-file i2c_capture.sr