SourceUSB Comparisons

How is SourceUSB different from other USB tools?

• SourceUSB analyzes host USB I/O requests that cannot be viewed from a hardware analyzer

Hardware USB analyzers see traffic downstream from the host controller and thus, see bus activity as streams of packets to and from devices. However, SourceUSB analyzes the requests to and responses from the host controller. These activities cannot be viewed from a hardware analyzer. This information is essential to understanding host behavior. Thus, SourceUSB is a very useful tool to complement a hardware analyzer.

• SourceUSB is much easier to set up and use

Hardware analyzers usually require two systems, one for controlling the data capture pod and one which is the target under test. Add to that, the installation of software and the configuration of cabling and you have a fairly involved setup procedure. This is just to get started and we haven't even mentioned triggers or understanding the trace output.

With SourceUSB, you install on the target machine in minutes and have meaningful traces to examine shortly thereafter. It's a breeze to use!

• SourceUSB does not reveal low level details of the USB protocol like a hardware analyzer does

Hardware USB analyzers are essential for viewing token, data, and handshake packet details and timing on the bus. For example, if you need to see NAKs to a data phase or split transactions used by USB 2.0 hubs, you will need a hardware analyzer. Many of our customers use both SourceUSB and a hardware analyzer.

• SourceUSB does not use a filter analyzer driver

SourceUSB does not introduce filter drivers into the driver stacks of the system under analysis. Thus, it is less invasive than some other products which require a filter driver to be installed. The downside of using a filter driver, is that you can't log USB activity until the driver is loaded. This means you miss the enumeration steps performed by the operating system.

• SourceUSB uses a boot-loaded analyzer driver

Software-only USB analyzers can install their analyzer drivers at boot time (when the operating system starts up) or when their application starts. By using a boot-loaded driver, tracing is possible from the time the system starts until it shuts down, enabling boot-logging capability.

• SourceUSB logs USB activity at the lowest levels in the driver stack

By using a boot-loaded driver, SourceUSB is able to log events at the chip level in the driver stack, including function calls at the hub-to-usbport and miniport-to-usbport interfaces. This enables SourceUSB to log enumeration and removal more completely than other software analyzers; it can also reveal details of host controller operation.

• SourceUSB is targeted specifically for USB bus analysis

SourceUSB does not support other buses, such as PCI and 1394. It is designed from the ground up to be USB only and provide more relevant and detailed information about all types of USB I/O requests.

• SourceUSB is more reasonably priced

It costs only a fraction of the popular hardware analyzers. It is also priced less than similar software bus analyzers in the market.