Buy an (your first) Oscilloscope

RMIM said:

Thanks for that line Nigel. I was going to give up on the idea of a pc based till I saw that. I’ll get a real one at some other point when I know a lot more electronics.

I bought the USBscope50. Seems to be made in the UK. – it’s the size of a really fat pen drive, that’s tiny for an oscilloscope. I need the portability.

I have been working with some IR decoders/encoders HT12A / HT12D, the oscilloscope has been very useful. The scope was expensive, it’s only one CH, unless I buy another one and stack it – but it’s small (the reason I bought it) and I like the interface.

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Can you post a few screen captures please
Thanks
Kinarfi

Yes, I downloaded the software but then discovered it required installing, i.e. you can't just extract it and run it so I didn't bother.

Hero999 said:

I've just noticed another thing: the Elan 'scope doesn't have an external trigger; is this typical for a PC based 'scope?

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most of the cheaper pc-scopes have auto trigger... and there are also pc-scope with external triggers available.. but THESE ARE WAY TOO EXPENSIVE...

Screen Shots

actually perhaps, downloading the manual would have been a lot more useful and a hell of a lot smaller than downloading the program. it has pictures too.

https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2009/08/usbscope50ug.pdf

I looked up external trigger. And I dont think it has it. But if you had 2 or more of the units someone could write it into the software I guess. But one of your units would be used for the external trigger. (Just guessing here going on what I got from wiki 'external trigger, a pulse from an external source connected to a dedicated input on the scope.')

Or even better, the creators of the scope could make another unit that acts as the input for the pulse, but this unit would be a lot simpler, so cheaper than the scope. Re-write software to include the external input. Again just guessing

When used lab-grade, high-end scopes are available for the price of a PC scope, why buy a PC scope. I've always favored stand-alone test and measurement equipment because it will easily out-perform PC-based stuff. I don't like the idea of always having to drag a PC around for a scope -- granted, a laptop makes it easier than it was in 1990, but still, it's a pain. I guess it's always seemed to me that a PC scope vs. a Tektronix 7904 was like comparing an arcade NASCAR racing game to a real Ferrari. A stand-alone scope will have better bandwidth and be better able to correctly render timing and phase relationships between two or more signals. As operating systems "advance", your PC-based scope may be left in the dust when either it doesn't like the OS or the OS doesn't like the scope. If it's computer interface and massive storage you like, then you can get a stand-alone digital scope with RS-232, GPIB (IEEE-488) or USB interface and nice software packages to go along with it.

If you're new to electronics, buy used and cheap to find out how to use a scope and what you really need. You can sell it later when you upgrade and your upgrade is not as likely to be something you'll end up hating.

Dean

Dean Huster said:

When used lab-grade, high-end scopes are available for the price of a PC scope, why buy a PC scope.

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You should read all the thread, not just the end of it - we've been through all this. The OP wanted a VERY small scope to use in conjunction with his laptop for a specific application, humping a huge great scope around instead of something the size of a flash drive makes no sense.

I was just checking out eBay and I see they have a full dual channel USB scope (DSO2250) with external trigger for around $220 US. Its rated for 100 MHz.

I am in the market for a small basic portable system with data logging features and being USB based it will work well with my laptop.
Most of what I ever work with is power handling systems under 150 KHz so I assume the 100 MHZ capacity will give me adequate resolution and reasonably true wave form readings even with higher frequency harmonics and noises.

Any thoughts?

That looks like a real 'scope, not cheap unless you look on eBay.
**broken link removed**

My only concern would be it's Windows only.

Thats the one ones listed on eBay! I have no problem with windows usage or eBay stores.

I may have to put it in the budget soon!