Navtel 9460 Protocol Analyzer info?

[Dwight K. Elvey]

>From: "Scott Stevens" <chenmel at earthlink.net>
>
>On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 01:02:47 +0200
>Tore S Bekkedal <toresbe at ifi.uio.no> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 2005-04-12 at 20:46 -0500, Scott Stevens wrote:
>> 
>> > > I used a PC-based software scope that worked fairly well.  And
>> > > yes, it was a definite must-have for any serious serial-based
>> > > development work.
>> > > 
>> > 
>> > It's the perfect use for an older laptop that happens to have two
>> > serial ports.  There is software that then turns both serial RX
>> > lines into inputs so you can monitor both directions of a full
>> > duplex connection. It gets you a dual-channel 'serial scope.' 
>> > Unfortunately, there aren't that many laptops with two serial ports,
>> > certainly none being made today.
>> 
>> False :)
>> 
>> USB to serial and PCMCIA to serial exist, and they're cheap,
>> especially the USB job.
>> 
>> Of course, the laptop would have to be relatively modern, say a
>> Pentium I.
>> 
>
>My Pentium I laptop, a very mainstream Toshiba model, doesn't have USB. 
>A fact that bugs me fairly often.
>
>And anyway, for a 'serial analyzer' which is probably going to run some
>ancient DOS program if it's analyzing conventional serial traffic, some
>old 486 laptop (or a 386SX) is probably up to snuff, and will cost less
>than said USB to serial or PCMCIA to serial adapter.  Plus it's then
>'sanctioned' on-topic hardware for this list (kinda).  And aren't (at
>least some of us) all about practical use as well as fooling around with
>old gear?  I'd hate to think some of the old stuff isn't still useful in
>a practical sense.  (not gonna wire two 6402 UARTS to my SYM-1 and make
>it a serial analyzer on principle, though)

A true analyser also measure disortion and levels.
Dwight