Scope dilema

[Greg]

I am looking to purchase my first oscilloscope use from eBay. I have seen
many recommendations for the Tektronix 465 series of analog scopes. I have
also seen several 100 Mhz Tektronix digital storage oscilloscopes such as
the 2232 and 2236 for prices in my range.

My interests are mostly in microcontrollers, but will be using some
instrument amplifiers, and probably some audio work as well.

It seems to me that the digital scope would really fit my interests well,
but the analog scope recommendations that I see far outweigh anything that I
see for the equivalent bandwidth digital scopes.

Can anyone give me some direction?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Greg

 

[john jardine]

"Greg" <Sticks_7@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:gd2tk.21064$9u1.15993@newsfe09.iad...

I am looking to purchase my first oscilloscope use from eBay. I have seen
many recommendations for the Tektronix 465 series of analog scopes. I
have
also seen several 100 Mhz Tektronix digital storage oscilloscopes such as
the 2232 and 2236 for prices in my range.

My interests are mostly in microcontrollers, but will be using some
instrument amplifiers, and probably some audio work as well.

It seems to me that the digital scope would really fit my interests well,
but the analog scope recommendations that I see far outweigh anything that
I
see for the equivalent bandwidth digital scopes.

Can anyone give me some direction?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Greg


I've been using a customers 'Owon' digital colour 'scope for a few weeks.

It's really excellent for storing and analysing microcontroller type logic
signals and poking around looking for gross disturbances and it's small,
portable and the battery option is great for when your experimenting takes
the mains out
But ... like all digital 'scopes it's absolute crap at doing anything
analogue. It's like viewing through the compound eye of a fly combined with
responsiveness of a slug.

 

[John Larkin]

On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:37:17 -0500, "Greg" <Sticks_7@yahoo.com> wrote:

I am looking to purchase my first oscilloscope use from eBay. I have seen
many recommendations for the Tektronix 465 series of analog scopes. I have
also seen several 100 Mhz Tektronix digital storage oscilloscopes such as
the 2232 and 2236 for prices in my range.

My interests are mostly in microcontrollers, but will be using some
instrument amplifiers, and probably some audio work as well.

It seems to me that the digital scope would really fit my interests well,
but the analog scope recommendations that I see far outweigh anything that I
see for the equivalent bandwidth digital scopes.

Can anyone give me some direction?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Greg

I've been using analog scopes since the old round-tube Tek 535 days,
and I've totally converted to color digital scopes. The infinite
storage, color display, quantitative cursors, frequency measurement,
signal averaging, tiny size and weight, are all wonderful.

I use a Tek TDS2012 (100 MHz, 1 Gs/s) for most stuff, including
microprocessor work.

John

 

[David L. Jones]

On Aug 27, 12:51 pm, John Larkin
<jjlar...@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> wrote:

On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:37:17 -0500, "Greg" <Stick...@yahoo.com> wrote:
I am looking to purchase my first oscilloscope use from eBay. I have seen
many recommendations for the Tektronix 465 series of analog scopes. I have
also seen several 100 Mhz Tektronix digital storage oscilloscopes such as
the 2232 and 2236 for prices in my range.

My interests are mostly in microcontrollers, but will be using some
instrument amplifiers, and probably some audio work as well.

It seems to me that the digital scope would really fit my interests well,
but the analog scope recommendations that I see far outweigh anything that I
see for the equivalent bandwidth digital scopes.

Can anyone give me some direction?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Greg

I've been using analog scopes since the old round-tube Tek 535 days,
and I've totally converted to color digital scopes. The infinite
storage, color display, quantitative cursors, frequency measurement,
signal averaging, tiny size and weight, are all wonderful.

I'll second that, for all the same reasons.
I hardly ever use my analog scope any more.

How much can you afford?
If you can afford it, get one of the new little digital scopes, prices
start around $600 or so.
Even a low bandwidth one will do most of what you want.
Then pick yourself up a used analog high bandwidth (100MHz) scope for
next to nothing if you need it.

You will never regret spending the money on a digital scope.

Dave.

 

[Robert Monsen]

On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:37:17 -0500, "Greg" <Sticks_7@yahoo.com> wrote:

I am looking to purchase my first oscilloscope use from eBay. I have seen
many recommendations for the Tektronix 465 series of analog scopes. I have
also seen several 100 Mhz Tektronix digital storage oscilloscopes such as
the 2232 and 2236 for prices in my range.

My interests are mostly in microcontrollers, but will be using some
instrument amplifiers, and probably some audio work as well.

It seems to me that the digital scope would really fit my interests well,
but the analog scope recommendations that I see far outweigh anything that I
see for the equivalent bandwidth digital scopes.

Can anyone give me some direction?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Greg

For a fun little project that can get you a very basic digital
oscilloscope for under $100, look here:

www.fpga4fun.com

I have a Tek 475 which I really like. I also have an SDS 200A, which
I'd recommend against buying. A little TDS would be wonderful if you
have the cash. Here is one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/TEKTRONIX-TDS210-TDS-210-60MHz-OSCILLOSCOPE-SCOPE-TEK_W0QQitemZ230284598293QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20080825?IMSfp=TL080825127r5715

For microcontroller projects, a logic analyzer is often more useful
than an oscilloscope. Here is one I've been thinking about getting:

http://www.pctestinstruments.com/

I haven't decided whether I need it yet.

Regards,
Bob Monsen

 

[Cmplx80]

Greg wrote:

I am looking to purchase my first oscilloscope use from eBay. I have seen
many recommendations for the Tektronix 465 series of analog scopes. I have
also seen several 100 Mhz Tektronix digital storage oscilloscopes such as
the 2232 and 2236 for prices in my range.

My interests are mostly in microcontrollers, but will be using some
instrument amplifiers, and probably some audio work as well.

It seems to me that the digital scope would really fit my interests well,
but the analog scope recommendations that I see far outweigh anything that I
see for the equivalent bandwidth digital scopes.

Can anyone give me some direction?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Greg


I have a 2232 that I use for small microcontroller projects. It serves

most of my needs, but occasionally the screen will become rather
jittery, followed by loss of a stored waveform. I suspect most of the
electrolytic caps have stopped electrolyting, for lack of a better term.

What I could use more than anything is a ton more memory to store
waveforms. Of course, I could also use some more options on triggering
and other goodies that would make things a tad more 21st Century.

Frank

 

[David L. Jones]

On Aug 29, 7:48 am, "john jardine" <john.jard...@idnet.co.uk> wrote:

But ... like all digital 'scopes it's absolute crap at doing anything
analogue. It's like viewing through the compound eye of a fly combined with
responsiveness of a slug.

That's only the "low end" digital scopes, i.e. sub $2000. Mid range
DSO's are much better at "analog like" performance, and high end
digital scopes are superb on analog signals, some are even better than
analog.

Dave.