Re: Opinions on Oscilloscopes

"RR" <newspaper.20.broom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:V7i%e.3574$U51.2990@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [...]
> Yes, a new Chineses scope is the way I'm leaning. My local (Australia)
> electronics chain has a 10MHz (1 Channel) for about US$120. The 20MHz (2
> Channel) is about US$300.
>
> The low cost of the 10MHz seems great to get started for me. Then when I
> get to the point I need a "real" scope, I might look at a PC-based digital
> like the Stingray DS1M12 USB- I've got a couple of old PCs (133 and
> 120MHz)
> sitting around doing nothing.
>
> Though I keep reading mixed messages about PC-based scopes. OTOH, it
> seems
> to me that to look at signal all you need is a fast A-to-D converter and
> the
> right software; it's simple and obvious - unless I'm missing something.
>
> But, I hear what you're saying about the 2 channel. So maybe I should go
> for the 2 Channel Chinese and then I'll have a usable analog scope that
> will
> last me for many years.
>
> It's not like I'm a "professional repairer" and it's not going to be used
> 10
> hours a day. In fact, it will probably spend 11 months of the year just
> switched off (after my initial burst of study).
> [...]


I would really push you to go with two channels. Being able to do things
like looking at both the good channel and the bad channel of a stereo, at
the same time, is very useful. And you need two channels to do Lissajous
curves, and to do curve tracing of semiconductors - all useful stuff.

As I said earlier, one of the big differences between okay and excellent
scopes is the quality of the triggering. That statement is probably
meaningless to you now, but you'll come to appreciate it over time... and
good triggering is all about ANALOG, even for a digital scope. Being able
to reliably trigger on a short erratic pulse, being able to *ignore* a short
erratic pulse - this is stuff that can't be done in software; you have to
just plain have good analog circuitry. Maybe there are PC scopes that have
good analog sections, but I'm sure there are more that don't :-)

But don't sweat it too much; you'll get there eventually. Get a cheap
dual-trace one way or another and start playing with it.



.

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