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A 2018 Hackaday story about CNLohr’s Cypress FX3 development-board experiment is an instructive look at why engineers try to build cheaper test gear—and why speed and a low purchase price do not, by themselves, make a complete logic analyzer. The project began with a $45 board and promising data-transfer results, but the article does not establish that it became a finished analyzer or a current alternative to commercial products.
What the FX3 experiment set out to do
In an article published January 3, 2018, Dan Maloney reported that CNLohr began testing a Cypress FX3 development board after seeing an earlier article about an FX2-based analyzer. The board had cost $45 at the time. The motivation mixed irritation at Saleae pricing with the practical appeal of building a less expensive tool—the “spite” and “thrift” in the story’s framing. Read the Hackaday account.
This was an exploration of whether the board could serve as a foundation, not a report on a completed retail product. That distinction matters: demonstrating that a board can move data quickly is only one part of making a useful instrument.
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What the reported speed does—and does not—show
Hackaday described the FX3’s GPIF interface as 100 MHz and reported reading 16 bits at more than 200 megabytes per second before sending the data over USB 3.0. Those are figures reported by the 2018 article, not independently verified measurements here.
#1 Best Overall
- 【High-Speed 8-Channel Analysis】Captures digital signals at up to 24MHz across 8 channels, enabling precise debugging of complex protocols like I2C, SPI, and UART—ideal for advanced STEM projects without the limitations of basic 4-channel models.
- 【User-Friendly Design】Base module and breakout board simplify connections to breadboards, microcontrollers, and other setups.
- 【Logic Level Expansion Board】Breaks out all 8 channels to 2.54mm male pins and pads for alligator clips, enabling flexible and secure connections in diverse projects.
- 【Logic Level Breadboard Adapter】 Easily connects the logic analyzer to breadboards, providing direct and convenient access to all 8 channels for prototyping and testing.
- 【Dual USB Connectivity】Comes with both USB-A and Type-C cables for universal compatibility with older PCs, modern laptops, and devices, ensuring hassle-free plug-and-play across Windows, Mac, Linux, and Ubuntu.
The result is evidence of a potentially capable data path, not a complete analyzer’s sampling specification. Effective capture depends on more than interface throughput: the input circuitry, number of channels, buffering, triggering, and software all shape what signals can be captured and how reliably a user can inspect them. A throughput figure should not be treated as a guaranteed sample rate across all channels or operating conditions.
What makes an affordable analyzer useful
The debate around the article points to the questions that matter when comparing a DIY project with a commercial analyzer. Reader comments are personal opinions and anecdotes rather than controlled product evaluations, but they help illustrate why price is only one part of the decision.
Rank #2
- ✅ High-Performance 16-Channel Logic Analyzer: Cost-effective LA1010 USB logic analyzer with 16 input channels and 100MHz sampling rate per channel, featuring portable design and included KingstVIS PC software.
- 🌐 Real-Time Signal Visualization: Simultaneously capture 16 digital signals and convert them into clear digital waveforms displayed instantly on your PC screen for precise analysis.
- 🔍 Protocol Decoding & Data Extraction: Decode 30+ standard protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, etc.) to extract human-readable communication data, accelerating debugging.
- 🛠️ Multi-Application Tool: Ideal for developing/debugging embedded systems (MCU, ARM, FPGA), testing digital circuits, and long-term signal monitoring with low power consumption.
- 💻 Cross-Platform Compatibility: Supports Windows 10/11 (32/64bit), macOS 10.12+, and Linux – drivers auto-install, no configuration needed.
- Channels and sample rate: Match both to the signals and timing detail you need to observe. A high headline rate is of limited use if the device cannot capture enough channels for the target system.
- Capture behavior: Find out whether the analyzer records a finite buffer around a trigger or streams continuously to the host. Compression may extend captures, but it does not make every signal pattern equally compressible.
- Triggers and decoding: Check whether you can isolate the event of interest and decode the protocols you use. An instrument that captures bits but has awkward or missing analysis tools may cost more in time than it saves in hardware.
- Host software: Confirm that the software works on your operating system and supports the workflows you need. Software quality and compatibility were raised in the historical discussion, but the comments do not establish a current support status for any product.
- Analog needs: A digital logic analyzer shows logic-level transitions; it is not a substitute for analog capture when voltage shape, noise, or marginal levels matter. Verify whether a separate oscilloscope or mixed-signal tool is needed.
- Electrical compatibility: Check input voltage limits and protection specifications before connecting an analyzer to a circuit. Do not assume that a low-cost device tolerates every logic family or wiring mistake.
- Total setup cost: Include probes or leads and any other required accessories, as well as the instrument itself. A bare development board may require substantial additional hardware and software work before it functions as a practical tool.
How the alternatives fit the story
Hackaday also mentioned the $22 iCEstick as a potential low-cost Saleae alternative considered the prior year. Both the $45 FX3-board price and the $22 iCEstick figure belong to that historical account; neither is a current price or a present-day buying recommendation.
The article supplies no current model recommendations, current prices, verified availability, or model-by-model performance comparison. If choosing an analyzer now, compare current specifications and software support against your actual signals, operating system, and budget rather than treating this 2018 experiment as a buying guide.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- ★The logic for each channel sampling rate of 24M/s. General applications around 10M, enough to cope with a variety ofoccasions; 8-channel.
- ★Sampling rate up to: 24 MHz , can be 24MHz. 16MHz, 12MHz, 8MHz, 4MHz, 2MHz, 1MHz, 500KHz, 250KHz, 200KHz, 100KHz, 50KHz, 25KHz.
- ★Input voltage range: -0.5V to 5.25V; Input Low Voltage: -0.5V to 0.8V; Input High Voltage: 2.0V to 5.25V.
- ★Input Impedance: 1Mohm || 10pF (typical, approximate); Crystal: +/-20ppm, 24MHz.
- ★UART, SPI, IIC and other communication debugging, let you get twice the result with half the effort. 24M sampling rate, can automatically analyze UART, IIC, SPI and many other standard protocols.
Rank #4
- 16 channels dual-mode support: ①Stream mode captures and transfers data in real time for long sample duration; ②Buffer mode captures and stores data temporarily for high sample rate
- USB 2.0 Type-C interface with up to 16G sample depth in stream mode
- Support for adjustable threshold and shielded wires for a better, cleaner waveform
- 256Mbits on-board SDRAM memory with multiple buffer modes
- Compatibility with WinXP-Win10, macOS, and Linux, supporting nearly 100 protocol decoders, and being open-source on Github
Rank #3
- The logic for each channel sampling rate of 24M/s. General applications around 10M, enough to cope with a variety ofoccasions; 8-channel
- Sampling rate up to: 24 MHz , can be 24MHz. 16MHz, 12MHz, 8MHz, 4MHz, 2MHz, 1MHz, 500KHz, 250KHz, 200KHz, 100KHz, 50KHz, 25KHz;
- The logic for each channel sampling rate of 24M/s. General applications around 10M, enough to cope with a variety ofoccasions;
- Input voltage range: -0.5V to 5.25V; Input Low Voltage: -0.5V to 0.8V; Input High Voltage: 2.0V to 5.25V
- Input Impedance: 1Mohm || 10pF (typical, approximate); Crystal: +/-20ppm, 24MHz
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