An equalization simulator with training sequence detection uses an oscilloscope to acquire digital samples of an analog waveform signal from a serial data link to produce a digitized waveform record. The equalization simulator has training sequence detection receiving the digitized waveform record and generates a training sequence, an equalization adapter receiving the digitized waveform record and the training sequence and generating equalizer taps, and an equalizer receiving the equalizer taps and the digitized waveform record and generating an equalized digitized waveform record.