Full Description
Saleae Logic 8 is an 8-channel mixed-signal logic analyser designed for electronic design engineers who need to see both digital and analogue signals on the same timeline. Each of the eight inputs can be configured for digital or analogue capture, with digital sample rates up to 100 MS/s on three channels or 25 MS/s on all eight, and analogue sampling up to 10 MS/s at 10-bit resolution (≈1 MHz bandwidth). Combined with unlimited USB streaming and built-in protocol decoding for SPI, I²C, UART, CAN and more, it provides a powerful, compact tool for rapid debugging and validation.
Mixed-Signal Capture on Every Channel
All eight inputs can capture both digital and analogue signals simultaneously. With ±25 V input protection and software-adjustable thresholds, the Logic 8 connects safely to logic families from 1.2 V up to 5.5 V. For example, you can watch an I²C transfer at 400 kHz while monitoring the 3.3 V rail’s droop at the same instant. This makes it possible to identify not only that a transaction failed, but exactly why, by correlating protocol errors with analogue behaviour. The benefit is confidence in diagnosing root causes without switching between instruments.
Sampling Performance for Embedded Systems
The Logic 8 offers a 100 MS/s digital sample rate with three channels enabled, 50 MS/s with six channels, and 25 MS/s when all eight are active. Its analogue mode records at 10 MS/s, 10-bit resolution, with about 1 MHz analogue bandwidth. This covers most microcontroller buses such as SPI up to 25 MHz, UARTs at several Mbaud, and CAN or LIN networks, while also capturing analogue effects like ringing, crosstalk, and ground bounce. The benefit is full visibility of both the digital logic and the analogue environment that affects it.
Unlimited Streaming for Rare Event Detection
Rather than relying on a small on-device buffer, the Logic 8 streams data continuously over USB 2.0 into host RAM. Capture depth is limited only by your computer’s memory, allowing sessions that last minutes or hours. This capability is essential for catching elusive issues such as a watchdog reset after 45 minutes of runtime, or a UART framing error that appears once every 10,000 frames. The benefit is that rare and intermittent faults can finally be recorded and analysed with full timing context.
Protocol Analysis Made Simple
The Logic 2 software provides built-in support for more than 20 protocol analysers, including SPI, I²C, UART, CAN, LIN, MDIO and USB Low/Full-Speed. Decoded frames appear directly on the captured waveforms, aligned with the original edges. For example, you can inspect an SPI command at 12 MHz, see the data bytes decoded, and immediately correlate them with the analogue waveform. This eliminates manual decoding and dramatically reduces debug time, while ensuring protocol correctness and electrical integrity are considered together.
Flexible Logic Levels and Safe Probing
With support for logic families from 1.2 V up to 5.5 V and robust ±25 V protection, the Logic 8 can be safely connected to modern low-voltage microcontrollers, 3.3 V sensors, and legacy 5 V devices. Software-controlled thresholds allow precise adaptation to the system under test. The benefit is reliable probing across a wide range of designs without risking damage to the analyser or your circuit.
Everyday Debugging Scenarios
The Logic 8 is just as valuable for simple checks as for complex investigations. It can confirm that a UART running at 1 Mbaud is transmitting correctly, verify that an I²C EEPROM responds at 100 kHz, or ensure that an SPI DAC receives a 16-bit configuration word within 10 ms of reset. For longer sessions, continuous streaming makes it possible to capture CAN arbitration errors that only occur during heavy load, or to log a serial console until a random missing character appears. The benefit is clear visibility of both routine protocol traffic and hard-to-find faults.
Portable and Cross-Platform
Measuring just 53 × 53 × 12 mm and weighing around 60 g, the Logic 8 is compact and USB-powered, requiring no external supply. It is easy to move between benches or bring to a customer site. The Logic 2 software runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and captures can be shared without the hardware attached. The benefit is a highly portable tool that fits seamlessly into collaborative workflows across different environments.
Why Engineers Choose Logic 8
By combining 8 mixed-signal channels, 100 MS/s digital sampling, 10 MS/s 10-bit analogue capture, support for 1.2–5.5 V logic with ±25 V protection, and unlimited USB streaming, the Saleae Logic 8 delivers the performance needed to solve both everyday debug tasks and elusive intermittent failures. Its integration of protocol decoding, analogue insight and long-duration recording shortens debug cycles and gives engineers the confidence to move from symptom to root cause quickly.
Related Products
Engineers needing more performance can upgrade to the Saleae Logic Pro 8 logic analyser, which provides 8 channels with up to 500 MS/s digital and 50 MS/s analogue sampling. For wider bus analysis, the Saleae Logic Pro 16 logic analyser offers 16 channels of mixed-signal capture at the same high speeds. For reliable probing, the Saleae Logic 2×4 Header (Gen 2) Cable provides a secure, durable connection for consistent measurement quality.