Dangerous Prototypes
Bus Pirate 5
The Bus Pirate 5 isn't a pure logic analyzer — it can also talk to chips directly, making it uniquely useful for hardware hacking and debugging unknown protocols. A great second tool for someone who already has a basic analyzer.
beginnershardware hackingarduino
7.5/10
Buy on Amazon · $40$39.99
Key Specifications
| Channels | 8 |
| Max Sample Rate | 40 MHz |
| Max Input Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Interface | USB |
| Software | Terminal / web UI |
| Buffer Depth | 1 samples |
| Voltage Range | 1.2V – 5.5V |
| Price Range | Budget |
Supported Protocols
SPII2CUART1-WireJTAGSWDI2SPWM
What We Like
- ✓Does more than analyze — can also talk to chips directly
- ✓Invaluable for hardware hacking and debugging unknown protocols
- ✓Cheapest tool with protocol interaction capability
- ✓Open-source hardware and firmware
- ✓Strong community on Hackaday and Dangerous Prototypes forum
Limitations
- ✗Not a pure logic analyzer — limited capture depth for waveform analysis
- ✗Slower sample rate than dedicated analyzers
- ✗Better as a second tool than a primary logic analyzer
Bus Pirate 5
$39.99 — 8 channels, 40 MHz