PicKit Serial Analizer Clone

[localcrack]

PicKit Serial Analizer is great tool for debugging different protocols.

The PICkit Serial Analyzer currently supports the following protocols:

I2C™ - Master
I2C™ - Slave
SPI - Master
USART – Asynchronous
USART – Synchronous
LIN (external hardware required to meet electrical specifications)
MICROWIRE

Recently I have found the Pickit Serial Analyzer build it yourself link that may be helpful for many peoples.

http://www.todopic.com.ar/foros/index.php?topic=30710.0

[LithiumOverdosE]

Nice project but there are only pictures available.

PCB files and source are missing though.

[b555b]

You probably need to be a registered user of their forum to be able to see the PDF.
Note that the schematics can be found in appendix A of the serial analyzer users manual and that the firmware and GUI can be downloaded from Microchip, so it shall not be too difficult to build your own version.
Link to product and download page at Microchip

[cadence]

Yes, the circuit and pcb layout are included in a pdf attached to the article. Link provided here for convenience.

As b555b points out the link in the article to the Microchip site points to the required PC software and hex firmware.

[motox]

I made this board 5 years ago.
If you are interested I can share the OrCAD project.
The advantage of having the complete project is the possibility to change the USB connector footprint. Because it could be difficult to get a connector exactly like the one I used.

If I recall correctly, my board is a perfect clone of the original. I see that the above board is not.

[Parmin]

This is all good, but I cannot see why to use this when Saleae logic analyzers are so cheap and have more channels.

at one stage in my life I like to make testing circuits like these, but after a while I gave it up because IMO they are neither fish nor fowl.
if the testing equipment is not standardized then the result of test are not often reliable

[cadence]

Whilst the Saleae is a great little device (and I'm awaiting delivery on a pre-ordered Logic Pro 16) I don't feel it can't be compared to the PICKit Serial Analyzer solely on the basis of the number of channels it has.

Unfortunately (for Microchip's sales and marketing team) the word 'Analyzer' in the product title does it a disservice.  For instance - rather than just monitor, record and analyze (like the Saleae) it can:

• act as an I2C master device - sending commands and receiving responses (either individual or scripted) to and from slave devices
• mimic an I2C slave device by receiving and responding to I2C commands from a master

The Saleae can neither send nor respond...

Then consider that the PICKit Serial can do pretty much the same with SPI, LIN and USART protocols, and on top of that up to 4 devices can be plugged in at a time to give multiple bi-directional channels.
In my opinion it's a great little (and largely overlooked) piece of kit that has its place alongside the Saleae for sure (which unquestionably wins in terms of speed), but for these protocols it's more than up to the job.

Agreed - investing time to build a clone of this little device is mostly negated by its low price.  However building 4 in the same enclosure (perhaps an old 4-port USB hub) could be an interesting way to pass an evening.

[towlerg]

Rather surprised not to find a cheapo clone on ebay. Anybody know of a source (of cheap clones)?

[pickit2]

The pickit2 and serial analizer share almost the same components & circuit, so you could quickly turn a pk2 into a serial analizer.

[localcrack]

This is all good, but I cannot see why to use this when Saleae logic analyzers are so cheap and have more channels.

at one stage in my life I like to make testing circuits like these, but after a while I gave it up because IMO they are neither fish nor fowl.
if the testing equipment is not standardized then the result of test are not often reliable

Saleae is good for high speed logic analysis and protocol debugging this only use one directional communication and MPLAB do not support Saleae however PicKit Serial Analyser supports two directional communication and supported by MPLAB for debugging.

[PICker]

Is it possible to use PICKit 3 with the serial analyzer software?

[motox]

Is it possible to use PICKit 3 with the serial analyzer software?

No.