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How to Select a Scope

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JLuckey(at)pacbell.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 12:04 pm Post subject: How to Select a Scope

I’ve been considering purchasing an oscilloscope for hobby/trouble-shooting use.  It’s been 30+ years since I’ve fiddled with scopes.  I’m looking for counseling/guidance/recommendations.  

   

Some things I want to do:  

     Analyze the output of the crank angle sensor in      my car – (currently having some starting problems, but I digress)  
I like to program micro-controllers and would      like to do trouble-shooting & analysis   
Look at the wave-forms produced by an alternator  
Get the best bang for the buck    

   

   

Questions:    I see devises advertised that are combo      oscilloscope & logic analyzer.  Are these as cool as they appear?  
How do I decide which frequency range I      need?  (It seems the higher the MHz rating of a device the higher the      cost)  Most of the micro-controllers that I work with are clocked      around 4 MHz.  I once heard that the rating of the scope should be      10x the signal you want to analyze.  Is that true?  
What other criteria should I consider?   

   

As always TIA, I look forward to learning something  

   

Jeff Luckey  

   

       [quote][b]

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Norm Biron

Joined: 04 Feb 2009
Posts: 7

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 1:05 pm Post subject: How to Select a Scope

Consider a scope with storage capability and get the fastest scope you can afford.



Sent from my iPad



Norm





On Aug 9, 2012, at 3:12 PM, "Jeff Luckey" <JLuckey(at)pacbell.net (JLuckey(at)pacbell.net)> wrote:



[quote]               

Iâ€™ve been considering purchasing an oscilloscope for hobby/trouble-shooting use.  Itâ€™s been 30+ years since Iâ€™ve fiddled with scopes.  Iâ€™m looking for counseling/guidance/recommendations.  

   

Some things I want to do:  

     Analyze the output of the crank angle sensor in      my car â€“ (currently having some starting problems, but I digress)  
I like to program micro-controllers and would      like to do trouble-shooting & analysis   
Look at the wave-forms produced by an alternator  
Get the best bang for the buck    

   

   

Questions:    I see devises advertised that are combo      oscilloscope & logic analyzer.  Are these as cool as they appear?  
How do I decide which frequency range I      need?  (It seems the higher the MHz rating of a device the higher the      cost)  Most of the micro-controllers that I work with are clocked      around 4 MHz.  I once heard that the rating of the scope should be      10x the signal you want to analyze.  Is that true?  
What other criteria should I consider?   

   

As always TIA, I look forward to learning something  

   

Jeff Luckey  

   

       [quote][b]

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enginerdy(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:09 pm Post subject: How to Select a Scope

I have one of these:http://www.tequipment.net/RigolDS1102E.html

It's "good" -- it's a pretty good scope for $400. Digital, storage, USB image and data capture, RS-232/USB computer control port.

You can also get a DS1052E for $350 if you want to drop down to 50MHz bandwidth for $50 less. I ended up getting the scope case for $50 as well.

There are definitely some glitches and usability hitches every now and then, but overall it's great for the money. But, if I had tons of money to blow, I'd definitely get an Agilent Infiniivision scope.

For the microcontroller work, you're going to get a lot more productivity mileage out of a Saleae Logic:

http://www.saleae.com/logic

For $150 not only will it capture 8 channels in parallel, but you can also assign channels to be decoded inline. Many serial formats are supported out of the box. For digital work, I highly recommend it. It will not read any analog inputs, however, so you'd need a scope for that -- but getting that kind of serial decoding in a scope tends to be expensive.

Good luck!

--Daniel



On Aug 9, 2012, at 3:02 PM, Jeff Luckey wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  I’ve been considering purchasing an oscilloscope for hobby/trouble-shooting use.  It’s been 30+ years since I’ve fiddled with scopes.  I’m looking for counseling/guidance/recommendations.

 

Some things I want to do:

 

Analyze the output of the crank angle sensor in my car – (currently having some starting problems, but I digress)
I like to program micro-controllers and would like to do trouble-shooting & analysis
Look at the wave-forms produced by an alternator
Get the best bang for the buck 

 

Questions:

I see devises advertised that are combo oscilloscope & logic analyzer.  Are these as cool as they appear?
How do I decide which frequency range I need?  (It seems the higher the MHz rating of a device the higher the cost)  Most of the micro-controllers that I work with are clocked around 4 MHz.  I once heard that the rating of the scope should be 10x the signal you want to analyze.  Is that true?
What other criteria should I consider? 

As always TIA, I look forward to learning something

 

Jeff Luckey

 



 	  Quote: 	
		  



href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List

blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://forums.matronics.com

style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">http://www.matronics.com/contribution



	


	


 [quote][b]

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klehman(at)albedo.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject: How to Select a Scope

saelig.com is worth a look for value. I have an older PDS5022S which is 

about all I need for playing with microcontrollers etc.



Ken



do not archive

On 09/08/2012 4:02 PM, Jeff Luckey wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   I’ve been considering purchasing an oscilloscope for

 hobby/trouble-shooting use. It’s been 30+ years since I’ve fiddled with

 scopes. I’m looking for counseling/guidance/recommendations.



 Some things I want to do:



  1. Analyze the output of the crank angle sensor in my car – (currently

     having some starting problems, but I digress)

  2. I like to program micro-controllers and would like to do

     trouble-shooting & analysis

  3. Look at the wave-forms produced by an alternator

  4. Get the best bang for the buck



 Questions:



  1. I see devises advertised that are combo oscilloscope & logic

     analyzer. Are these as cool as they appear?

  2. How do I decide which frequency range I need? (It seems the higher

     the MHz rating of a device the higher the cost) Most of the

     micro-controllers that I work with are clocked around 4 MHz. I once

     heard that the rating of the scope should be 10x the signal you want

     to analyze. Is that true?

  3. What other criteria should I consider?



 As always TIA, I look forward to learning something



 Jeff Luckey



 *

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Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

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JLuckey(at)pacbell.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2012 8:43 pm Post subject: How to Select a Scope

Thanks for all responses. Most have dealt w/ actual O-scopes.  



What about scope/analyzers that connect to a computer via USB for control &

display?



--

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klehman(at)albedo.net
Guest

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:30 am Post subject: How to Select a Scope

Jeff



While a logic analyser was very helpful with non microcontroller logic 

circuitry I have not needed one since switching to playing with micros. 

Note that I'm just a hobbyist.



I picked up a Velleman PCS100 multipurpose unit once that interfaces to 

a parallel printer port. After playing for less than an hour I put it 

back in the box and it has sat on the shelf undisturbed ever since. The 

software seemed pretty good but the logistics of needing a computer plus 

the scope plus AC power made it rather cumbersome and it was slow 

compared to a $300. (at the time) digital scope from saelig.com. I still 

may need a booster battery pack + inverter to use the saelig scope 

anywhere other than my bench but at least those are small rugged 

components that I usually have handy anyway.



I now assume that anything that interfaces with a computer has a life of 

only a few years due to computer and operating system upgrades etc. that 

eventually increase the hassle factor too high compared to replacing the 

unit.



Simplicity is important for occasional hobbyist use. Anyway don't 

underestimate the value of a stand alone (possibly hand held) scope. I 

avoid anything with non standard rechargeable batteries though. Speed is 

important for tracking down a glitch involving a spike at the corner of 

a digital signal but for me that is a rare need with microcontrollers. 

Usually I'm just looking for the correct polarity, phase, voltage, or 

frequency if that makes sense to you.



Ken



do not archive

On 10/08/2012 12:40 AM, Jeff Luckey wrote:

[quote] 



 Thanks for all responses. Most have dealt w/ actual O-scopes.



 What about scope/analyzers that connect to a computer via USB for control&

 display?



 --

- The Matronics AeroElectric-List Email Forum -

Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:

http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List

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