[time-nuts] Advice on 5370A vs 5370B differences please

[Chuck Harris]

> PS: I think that the availability of logic analyzers in the late 70's may
> have affected the adoption of signature analysis.

The real driving force behind signature analysis was the expense of hiring
technicians, who was more engineers, to fix complicated computerized test
equipment.  Signature analysis was designed to eliminate the intelligence
of the technician from the picture.  Any boob could stick a probe on the
various test points and note if the signature was correct, or incorrect.  If
it was correct, you moved on to the next test point.  If it was incorrect,
you wantonly replaced the parts ahead of the bad signature.

Sadly, it is only good at finding problems where a bit is hung.  Timing problems
usually aren't adequately exercised by the relatively slow signature analysis
test patterns.... glitches are mostly invisible.

-Chuck Harris