NEW FOREST ELECTRONICS

What's new

November 2014 - now for something completely different!:

Britain's First Space Rocket:-

The Story of the Skylark

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January 2010 product introduction:

New 16 channel PC-based logic analyser introduced:-

The La-Gold-16 has a 1GHZ sampling rate and a built in pattern generator

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November 2009 product introduction:

Ethernet Protocol Analyser TAP with USB introduced:-

Full-duplex aggregation into USB2.0 simplifies PC connection
Enables fast easy protocol analysis with powerful statistics

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February 2009 price reductions:

PC-based logic analyser price reductions:-

La-Gold-36 logic analyser price reduced from £796 to £676 (excluding UK VAT)
Logic-16 logic analyser price reduced from £478 to £443 (excluding UK VAT)

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January 2009 firmware update:

Firmware update for SDA-02 Handheld Serial Data Analyser released:-

Firmware issue 3.8.5 is now being fitted to all new SDA-02 analysers
This firmware cures a problem reported when Modbus RTU mode was being used to monitor continuous high speed (19.2k+) data
The symptom was that the keyboard would stop responding whilst the data was being received
This release cures the problem and is available as a FREE upgrade
The free upgrade is applicable only to SDA-02 analysers with the Modbus feature, i.e. serial numbers 97247 onwards supplied since February 2006
Please email enquiries@nfel.co.uk or phone +44 (0)1425 650089 to arrange your free upgrade
(The Modbus feature may still be added at cost to SDA-02 analysers 97217 onwards [click here])

The latest (August 2008) products we have added to our range are:

PC-based logic analysers introduced:-

A range of three top quality PC-based logic analysers
An essential debugging tool for digital circuits
High performance, excellent value for money and ease of use
Up to 1GHz sampling rate and 1 Meg sample buffer depth for more accurate signal capture
Now small companies and even individuals can afford to benefit from the diagnostic power of the logic analyser.

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At the beginning of 2007 the UK introduced new WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations, requiring that all appropriate UK producers (manufacturers, importers or re-branders) be members of an approved producer compliance scheme, in order to meet their obligations regarding recovery, treatment and disposal of such waste

New Forest Electronics is a WEEE compliant company:-

We have been members of an approved WEEE Producer Compliance Scheme since February 2007
Our WEEE Producer Registration Number is WEE/FE0074UR/PRO
We have submitted quarterly returns for the EEE we have placed on the market since then, as required by the UK Environment Agency

The previous (February 2007) products we added to our range were:

RS-232 to RS-485/422 converters introduced:-

Bi-directional converter from RS-232 to RS-485/422 and vice versa
Provides point to point, multidrop and simplex operation over distances of up to 1200 m (4000 ft)
Four wire full duplex or two wire half duplex operation
Data transfer up to 100 Kbps
Isolated and non-isolated versions available

click here for further information

The previous (January 2007) products we added to our range were:

"Network TAPs" introduced:-

Avoid downtime when testing and troubleshooting computer networks
Once installed, allows monitoring of half/full duplex communications, and test equipment to be moved without breaking the network
Initial range for UTP copper cable, fibre optic and WAN versions to follow soon

click here for further information

The previous (January 2007) products we added to our range were:

"X.21" and "V.35" line monitor and breakout boxes introduced:-

Simple to use high speed (10 Mb/s) X.21 and V.35 test tools
Monitor all signal lines
LEDs instantly show the state of all signals

click here for further information

The latest (November 2006) accessory update is:

"TTL(3V3) converter cable" introduced:-

A fast simple way to connect devices with a 3.3 volt serial interface to USB
Enables an application program running on a PC to receive and transmit serial data from and to a device operating at 3.3 volt TTL logic levels
Ideal for test and development - TTL connections terminated with easy to connect female receptacles suitable for pushing onto standard 0.64 mm (0.025 inch) square PCB header pins

click here for further information

A recent (November 2006) line monitor box we have added to our range is:

"RS-530" line monitor box introduced:-

A simple to use high speed (10 Mb) RS-530 test tool
Monitors all signal lines
Note: this replaces the fully featured break-out box we previously sold, which is no longer manufactured

click here for further information

The latest (September 2006) handheld analyser feature we have added is:

"Online Download" - The analyser can now be set to output all data as it is received, i.e. it allows continuous data to be downloaded whilst it is received. This allows the analyser to be used as a "front end", in particular it can be used:

As a level converter - e.g. to connect RS485/422 or CMOS/TTL signals to a PC with only RS232 input COM ports
As a full-duplex to half-duplex converter - i.e. to combine two full duplex lines (e.g. RS232 transmit & receive) onto one data line, so that the data bytes are always separated even when arriving simultaneously. For instance this allows a PC running an application with only one serial data input (e.g. "HyperTerminal") to monitor data on two signal lines at the same time
As a half-duplex to full-duplex converter - i.e. to divide data on one signal line into data on two separate lines. This would for instance allow a user running a PC application with two serial inputs to clearly visually separate half-duplex signals monitored on an RS422 line
To feed an equipment with more memory than the analyser (16k bytes of data maximum) thus extending the amount of data which can be captured

Availability: Included on all new analysers, and available as a firmware upgrade (click here) on those with serial number 97217 and later.

Our revised application note AN1 contains details and connection diagrams for using "Online Download":

Downloading data to a PC (Application Note AN1) (1.2MB) >>

The previous accessory we added was the:

"RS232 to USB converter cable" - this helps the user as follows:

Allows a handheld analyser to download data to a PC without a standard RS232 COM port (e.g. a notebook sized PC)
Allows a PC running our FSA32 serial data analyser to monitor RS232 serial data when running on a PC without a standard COM port
General purpose - provides a PC serial port connection for any third party products that have a 9-way RS232 serial connection
Allows a handheld analyser to monitor data sent from a PC's USB port (at application level only, e.g. when the USB port is used as a serial port)
Works with any current or previous model New Forest Electronics handheld serial data analyser
Hardware assisted RTS/CTS, DSR/DTR and X-ON/X-OFF handshaking options (for use with third party products only)
1 metre cable length
Blue Side Light Transmit / Receive indicator LEDS
Uses FTDI's 4th generation FT232R USB UART bridge i.c.
Good driver support

click here for further information

The previous handheld analyser feature we added was:

"Modbus over Serial Line" capability - this helps the user in three main ways:

The analyser displays and analyses monitored Modbus messages in an easily viewed way, with automatic validation of CRC/LRC, and instant display of RTU timing errors
It allows the user to conveniently define and transmit test messages in Modbus format, without having to calculate CRC/LRC values
It can download captured data to a PC so it appears in Modbus format

The feature works with either "ASCII" or "RTU" (binary) transmission mode framing

Availability: Included on all new analysers, and available as a firmware upgrade (click here) on those with serial number 97217 and later.

An 18 page application note is available now:-
Using the Modbus facility (Application Note AN2) (784KB) >>

The SDA-02 appears on the "Modbus-IDA" website, a useful source of Modbus information, click here

Custom variations

The SDA-02 handheld analyser is designed and manufactured by New Forest Electronics. This gives us the opportunity to carry out design changes quite quickly, especially those involving just an update of firmware. Please contact us if there is an improvement you would like. There is no charge if the improvement is added as a standard upgrade!