Vector Labs Debugger vs Fluke 9010

colonelsnow

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What is missing from the Vector Labs Debugger(s), if anything that make them not a substitute for a Fluke 9010?
 
I'd like to know this as well. At a $200 price point they are very attractive over the fluke pods. I can't imagine most people are using enough of the fluke functionality to justify the extra costs.
 
I'd like to know this as well. At a $200 price point they are very attractive over the fluke pods. I can't imagine most people are using enough of the fluke functionality to justify the extra costs.

Agreed. Has anyone posted a hand-on review of one?
 
if anyone has one and wants to lend me one I'd be happy to do some fixing with it and do a writeup or videos comparing it to a Fluke 9010a.
 
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Just based on reading through the VL tester manual & having some experience with Fluke stuff:

- VL tester has some more advanced (arcade-specific) test functions built in, which the Fluke doesn't. Things like POKEY test, EAROM dump/write, vector generator test, and dumping a region of memory. You can do all these things with a Fluke, but they're turnkey on the VL tester.

- Requires a computer to operate. You have to use a serial terminal to interact with the VL tester, and be comfortable with its command-line interface.

- VL tester lacks some nicer software features of the Flukes, like loop, ramp, and walk, which can be helpful to locate specific faults.

- VL tester doesn't have any hardware interfaces beyond the CPU socket. The logic probe on the 9010a can be synced to the CPU's cycles, so you can probe a bus with it. A normal logic probe will report activity from all devices talking on the bus, which can make it harder to track down faults.

I'm pretty heavily invested in the Fluke stuff, so this isn't a viable replacement for me, but I am excited to see new hardware being made to fill this niche. I think with 6809 pods fetching $900 and up, it's a no brainer to pick up a VL tester instead, if you aren't already bought into the Fluke ecosystem.
 
if anyone has one and wants to lend me one I'd be happy to do some fixing with it and do a writeup or videos comparing it to a Fluke 9010a.



HighScoreSaves should take you up on that. If it is anything close to a substitute for the Fluke I would be in for a z80 and 6502
 
I'm pretty heavily invested in the Fluke stuff, so this isn't a viable replacement for me, but I am excited to see new hardware being made to fill this niche. I think with 6809 pods fetching $900 and up, it's a no brainer to pick up a VL tester instead, if you aren't already bought into the Fluke ecosystem.

That's very useful information, thanks! Considering the cost of entry and nothing else, it seems obvious that the VL stuff is worth a try at the very least.

Add in some actual use-cases, it seems even lower risk.
 
Ive considered it... I used to write documentation for applications for a past position.

Would be nice to have a setup like that.

Now only if these guys that make it were interested in simpsons bowling or IJ: TOD lol
 
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