buying a oscilloscoop - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: scroeffie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2024, 02:19:21 pm
content: hi iam looking to buy a oscilloscoop but i have no idea what to buy i dont want to go over 250 eurosiam not shure if i need only 2 channels or 4 ?i only work on c64 computers spectrums videogame consoles and crt monitors some tube radios /old amps and retro computers like 286/486 etcthanks for helping ,oh and i never used one so i dont know anything about itwanted to add. i got a free ibm crt monitor from a friend , he found it in the trash got it working almost perfectpsu is acting wierd sometimes it wont start up and when it does the first 3 min it turns off and on by it selfit has been fully recapped and cleaned and reflowed

author: drdm
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2024, 03:02:15 pm
content: I in my opinion:2 Channels is good enough for repairing stuff, but the moment you want to do some more serious design work, you are gonna need 4 channels. A simple comparator can take up 3 channels if you drive the two inputs and want to see what's on the output. For your budget, however I thing you can only get a simple 2 channel USB scope with some limited features:https://www.batronix.com/shop/oscilloscopes/PicoScope-2205A.htmlIf you are willing to spend some more money however you cant go wrong with the king of entry-level scopes:https://www.batronix.com/shop/oscilloscopes/Rigol-DS1054Z.htmlThat, of course are brand new ones. If you have some patience and luck you may find something second hand.

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2024, 04:58:29 pm
content: Look at the o scope tutorial at the top of this forum, when you get through it you will know what you need.drdm is correct. For most repairs 2 channels is plenty. I very seldom even use two in repairing radios and audio stuff.I used to be a fan of old CRT scopes but they are getting old and usually require repair. The older digital scopes are not great, newer ones are much better. When you have done more research, perhaps others can help with their experience with newer digital scopes. There are a lot of reviews in the Test Equip Forum.When you need to analyze many channels it is frequently when you are looking at logic circuits.Some scopes have logic analyzers built in but...If you need to analyze logic outputs there are relatively inexpensive logic analyzers available, these can show you many more channels.

author: bborisov567
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2024, 05:25:30 pm
content: You can look at the Hantek DSO2C15, it is a good entry level scope, there is also a version with built in signal generator if you don't have one. There are plenty reviews on Youtube and topics here on the forum.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2024, 05:42:10 pm
content: When the computers and video games that you are talking about were designed, 2 channel scopes were the norm in design labs. 4 channel scopes were very expensive (eg. Tek mainframes). People also knew how to use the external trigger input on 2 channel scopes when necessary. That's not to say that a 4 channel scope isn't highlydesireable, but it's not an essential. This might make your limited budget stretch further.Another item that was very expensive back then was the Logic Analyser. These day, you can get a basic Saleae USB logic analyser clone (which works with open source Sigrok) for <$10 for the 8 bit version. Back when everything was external to the microprocessor, wider LAs were used, typically 24 bits or so. 16 bit Saleae clones or even 32 bit USB models are also pretty cheap now. The work methodology was scope to look at signal integrity/quality, setup and hold timings etc, and the LA for decoding busses and decodes. SPI, I2C etc, weren't a thing back then, so protocol decoding is less useful.I would factor both into your budget, that might mean spending a little less on the scope, but I think you will find the combination helpful.

author: Aldo22
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2024, 09:09:02 am
content: @scroeffie: In your price range there is only one (new) benchtop scope with 4 channels afaik. The Hanmatek DOS1104https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005006329135606.htmlI have no idea how good or bad it is. There don't seem to be any useful reviews on the web.Other than that, under €250, almost the only one worth mentioning is the Hantek.I would take the simplest model DSO2C10 at the cheapest price.e.g. here:https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005006809075280.htmlSeriously better benchtop scopes are only available from about 400 € upwards.There are of course other types, such as USB scopes, handhelds, scopemeters, "toyscopes" etc. I don't know if you are looking for something like that?Or second hand.

author: scroeffie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2024, 09:05:06 pm
content: thanks all for helping friend says this is the best 300 euros scope that he could find its even better than the 500euros rigol modelsfor my hobby ,he also says i need probes 1:100 because of the crt psu puls 400....1000v no idea what he is talking about but i trust himdont even know how a scope works to much buttons and things on the screen but i wil figure it outneed to fix this psuOwon XDS2102A oscilloscoophttps://www.eleshop.nl/owon-xds2102a.html

author: Zenith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 19, 2024, 10:12:43 pm
content: It comes with probes, probably 100MHz and switchable between 1X and 10X. Mostly the 10X setting is used. I'd guess your friend recommended 100X probes as well, because you work on tube amplifiers and radios.A way to become comfortable with it is to play with it with a signal generator or function generator. It doesn't have to be a very good one. If you don't have one, a £10 XR2206 based function generator from ebay would do, or you could put something together with a 555 timer chip, or make a multivibrator.

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2024, 02:39:27 am
content: If you can arrange a bit more I'd strongly suggest something like the Siglent SDS804X-HD.It's more than you need right now, but it's amazing how quickly you can grow out of a tool once you realize its effectiveness.It is also easily "improved" like most of the Siglent scopes.It will eat the Owon for breakfast as an appetizer.

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2024, 09:14:33 am
content: If rock bottom price is your absolute priority, the Siglent SDS1202X-E / SDS1104X-E seem to be available at reduced prices, presumably as a result of the SDS800X-HD series introduction.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2024, 09:45:16 am
content: Quote from: Gyro on April 18, 2024, 05:42:10 pmThat was one thing I was going to mention, a lot of digital scopes have some decoding and logic analyser functionality built in, and it's extremely convenient to be able to switch from "what does the signal look like" to "what's the information in the signal" without having to disconnect and reconnect a bunch of stuff to go from one device to the other. If the OP is working with 8-bit micros and older x86 that don't require anything particularly exotic then something with a bit of decoding functionality might be useful.

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2024, 12:22:18 pm
content: When starting out use 10X probes. The 1X 10X probes are. in my opinion, dangerous to your scope.The switches sometimes are not good and just ONE mistake on your part can damage the scope. So I think the 1x 10 probes should be avoided. Some people even glue them to 10 X position, Also the specs are not as good usually.I do not use 1X probes. at all.Many of the cheap Chinese Probes are VERY good and as I said, Very Cheap. Just make sure the probes match the capacitance of your scope input. If you are going to order a pair, ask here for recommendations after you have picked out one or two possibilities.I work with HV tube equipment an do not use scope on very high voltages, just measuring the HV is a problem. I use old HV multimeters with HV leads for HV. Old military multimeters can have high voltage capabilities. I know these are not as accurate a modern multimeters, but you do not need that accuracy.If you are going to work on CRTs, may I suggest getting an old TV Picture tube tester. You can modify the base connection to evaluate tubes that are not on the list provided with the picture tube tester. You can even get a good idea if a oscilloscope tube is good or not. Picture TV Tube testers are very cheap, like $10. I gave one away. If you want one, look for ones that have multiple base connectors with them (for testing different tubes). Most of the CRT testers I have seen are in really good shape and hardly used.

author: baldurn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2024, 12:27:18 pm
content: The Siglent 804XHD might be 409 euro but that little extra brings you from toys to a real tool that will serve you for years. It also has much better resale value.

author: jasonRF
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2024, 02:41:40 pm
content: Safety should be the first concern.If you are working on Tube radios, the power supplies are likely several hundred volts. A high-voltage probe from a reputable source may be needed if you are poking around those with a scope.

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2024, 02:49:49 pm
content: Quote from: jasonRF on April 20, 2024, 02:41:40 pmA little excessive. Most standard passive probes are rated to 600V. That and a little care should be fine for 99.9% of tube radios. Most 100X probes I've seen are rated over 1KV.HV probes are usually rated over 10KV and are a bitch to use in tight places. Might be an idea for the CRTs though.But whatever gets your goose cooked.

author: scroeffie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 10:13:45 am
content: back again have 2 questions .are these any good for me as a beginnerhttps://www.eleshop.nl/owon-oscilloscope-probes-2kv.htmlsecond question we think we have found the problem of my ibm psu these 2 optos are not working corectly anymore and they are very old like 30+ years oldthe monitor also has been working like around the clock in a factory crt monitor is a ibm 8514 there is no schematic that i can find ,other than this small problem \i already did a full recap some caps where dead .if any one has a schematic or knows where what kind of replacement i could buy please let me know

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 10:36:19 am
content: Since you stated to have no knowledge on using a scope, I would advice to at first get some experience with low voltage signals before diving into devices with high voltages. A big risk lies in using the wrong point to connect your ground lead and then have your scope be at a high voltage on points you can touch. Or blow out things because your scope itself is properly grounded.Take a look at videos ofAdrian Blackwhere he is working on old computers and even monitors using simple oscilloscopes. Might give you some insights in what you need and how things can be done.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 10:58:35 am
content: Quote from: pcprogrammer on April 23, 2024, 10:36:19 amIndeed this is good advice. One suggestion that I can give regarding the choice of oscilloscope that mitigates this issue is a fully portable unit, which is isolated from anything else. I have one of these newer portable oscilloscopes from Zoyi/Zotek (ZT-702S) that allows troubleshooting several minor issues common in computers such as power supply ripple, RTC clocks, activivity on data or control lines, monitor reset lines, etc. Naturally, you might find yourself wanting for a better unit later in time, but these units are a great starter.Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 10:13:45 amI suspect you might find some good help with the schematic or tips to troubleshoot your 8514/A in the VCF forumshttps://forum.vcfed.org/index.php

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 11:02:41 am
content: Quote from: BillyO on April 20, 2024, 02:49:49 pm... and not rated at 600V at "high" frequency.Always check the V-vs-f derating curve.Always remember that the highest frequency in a signal does not depend on the signal's period. It depends only on the signal's risetime.

author: shapirus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 11:03:30 am
content: Quote from: rsjsouza on April 23, 2024, 10:58:35 amBefore all the traditional scope-floating hell breaks loose, it should be mentioned that while these portable (aka floating) scopes are good for preventing the damage of the scope and DUT (as long as all ground leads are connected to the same potential), they do not inherently make measurements safer for the user. That part should be understood, and it was a good advice to accumulate some experience and knowledge before proceeding to probing higher voltage circuits.

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 11:54:17 am
content: Before you buy scope probes make sure that the probes capacitance matches your scopes input. I did not see the values of the 2 KV probes capacitance in the link.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 01:06:23 pm
content: Quote from: shapirus on April 23, 2024, 11:03:30 amActually they might make itmarginallysafer. Avoids deafening/blinding/lung damage/heart attack when something blows up and/or catches fireApart from those minor considerations, you are right: an isolated scope woudn't make it safer.HV differential probe are, for some use-cases, the appropriate choice of probe.The OP might like to consider that they will probably end up spending money on a scopeplus X, and hence to leave budget available for X. (X=probes. PSU, signal generator, meter, protocol analyser etc)

author: scroeffie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 02:30:59 pm
content: i think this scope is the best for me money wise and specs so this one with the probes i postedhttps://www.eleshop.nl/owon-xds2102a.html

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 02:37:39 pm
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 02:30:59 pmThat scope is probably not even made by Owon. It's made by whoever makes Hanmatek scopes and a bunch of other name-less items. Some 3rd party generic stencil scope maker.It's up to you however, but I do tend to buy things like this (several hundred $$$) from the people that actually make themandthat have a world wide service and support network.For instance, I would not buy (again) from UNI-T. They do make their scopes, but service and support are not in their vocabulary.

author: flaotte
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 02:50:31 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on April 23, 2024, 01:06:23 pmit is not safe, don't do it. Ok I got it. Like any high voltage device with no cover should not be powered on and lie on the bench.At the moment I have APC UPS pulled apart on my table. I am really tempted to power scope from power bank and check how actually sine looks like on that unit.Connect wires, turn UPS on, touch nothing, check the signal, try different load on extension cord, turn it off.Does not sound too bad, do I miss something?

author: scroeffie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 03:05:03 pm
content: iam not a expert or even a amateur like you guys. i work with elderly people thats my day job ,this is just my hobby nothing morei think the 300 euro scope is good enough for me ,dont see the need for 4 channels and more options etc like the 500 euros scopes and upi found a commodore 1901 monitor for 15 euros working just needs some love ,more projects

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 03:17:27 pm
content: Like I said, it's up to you. It seems like a nice scope for the money, but what if something goes wrong with it?Maybe just fire off a request to Owon about warranty support and service in your area. See what they say.I had bought a UNI-T scope and bench DMM. I had problems with both but I could not get service on either one. I could not even get a reply from UNI-T. $600 spent and now $600 collecting dust in my basement. Money wasted. Gone.Now I spend a little more and I get stuff that guy down the road will service for me and if I send a question in to the manufacturer I have an answer usually the same day.Again - up to you - but for 134 euro more you can get the Siglent from the same shop:https://www.eleshop.nl/siglent-sds802x-hd-oscilloscoop.html

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 03:55:55 pm
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 03:05:03 pmBased on this my advice would be to buy a cheaper portable hantek or even owon like this one:https://eleshop.eu/test-measure/oscilloscopes/all-oscilloscopes/owon-hds272s-handheld-oscilloscope.htmlGives you more functions in one device, is cheaper and will do the things you want while fault finding in old computers and monitors.No need for 12 bits in your case. Sure it is more accurate, but won't aid better in finding faults. 8 bits is plenty for your use cases.Adrian used the Hantek version in the above video, and he can make his repairs with it.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 04:20:54 pm
content: I agree with the majority here.First, not having experience with a scope and then starting with poking around in mains voltage circuits is a bad combination.Second. EUR300 is a difficult budget. For one or two hundred euro's more you can get a very decent scope, but for EUR300 you have to accept some heavy compromise. Update / refresh rate is a lot lower, so you miss events that occur occasionally, Scopes have much less built in functions, and other compromises. What I've heard and read of both Hantek / Owon / (Uni-T too?) is that they all have silly bugs in their user interface, or some functions that are just horribly bad designed. Because I am quite sensitive to such things myself, the minimum I would buy myself are Rigol or Siglent. With those you can be pretty confident that you have a good scope, but they are just a bit above your budget.I am a bit curious about the handheld scopes from Owon & Hantek. I recently bought an Siglent SDS1104X-E myself, but I still may buy such a handheld scope some day "just for fun". If you are interested in such a handheld device (Obvious compromises are a cramped small screen, finicky push buttons for adjustments instead of rotary knobs) then watch the reviews from Kerry Wong, where he compares features and capabilities of Owon and Hantek handheld scopes.

author: scroeffie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pm
content: i dont understand why i need a more expensive scope ? can you guys explain to me in a simple way thanksiam not a expert like you guys i dont design pcbs and i never wil ,i do basic stuff like installing rgb mods ,looking at schematics fixing crt tvs and monitorsold computers like commodore and pcs and some videogame console repairsnot shure why i need a 4 channel scope that cost 500 euros or morealso about waranty i think with have 2 years waranty in the netherlands by law

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 05:23:42 pm
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 03:05:03 pmIt is amazing what can be done withverysimple equipment (scopes included), provided there is understanding and imagination. But you canbuyscopes.Have fun, safely.

author: shapirus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 06:07:06 pm
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmYou probably don't.You may well be fine with one of these:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-2ch-pocket-dsosg-sigpeak-dso2512g/, $70-80ish currently on Ali. Check that thread and see if it looks reasonable.It may be a good idea to get one of these low end scopes (but not of the absolute trash category of course) which will likely serve you well in helping you do what you need to do and, importantly, provide a cheap way of learning what else you may need from an oscilloscope. When you learn that, you will already know when and why you need 4 channels, advanced triggering and other feature (or that you don't). If you do, you will have no difficulty with justifying spending more money on a more advanced scope, and that will be money well spent, as you will know better what you need and what to look for.The problem with $200-300 scopes is that they are neither this, nor that. They are not much better than the sub-$100 ones, and they are way behind the $400+ ones. IMO they aren't a good investment: you spend considerable money, but you get much less than you would if you spent a little more, and by going sub-$100 you save a lot, but don't lose too much in features.Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmNever say never :)Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmThese have their caveats related to working with HV, which I'm sure you are aware of, if you work on these devices. They apply regardless of the price and level of the scope though: you would need proper probes and know the techniques in any case.Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmThese should be fine with very basic scopes. More advanced scopes will be more comfortable to use, but the basic ones will get the job done.Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmFrom a hobbyist's point of view... better scopes can sometimes help you become interested in things for which you need better scopes :)

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 06:43:59 pm
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmYou most likely don't. The more advanced and expensive scopes are very useful when you do development and want to investigate a circuit you designed to check on the behavior of the circuit under different circumstances. Or when you are writing firmware for some project and you need to check if all the signals are proper in timing and frequency. High bandwidth and higher sample rate might then be needed too, driving up the cost even more. But it also takes knowledge and experience to properly use these kind of scopes.For fault finding often a multimeter can be all you need. A scope can offer more insight when tracing specific signals like what Adrian Black shows in his videos, and he copes with the cheap two channel handhelds just fine.Like others wrote, get used to working with a simple cheap scope first and when you think you need more you can always look into buying a better one.Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmA 4 channel scope is very useful when looking into communication busses like SPI. It allows you to look at all the signals at once, but that is not something you will do while repairing a commodore 64, because it does not have SPI. With two channels you can scope bidirectional asynchronous serial communication, but you would need protocol decoding to see the actual data. The Hantek 2C10 has this capability but it is not available at eleshop. The 2D10 is though.For looking at memory busses on old computers having two or four channels does not make that much of a difference. A logic analyzer is a better tool for that. There are mixed signal oscilloscopes that offer that too, but are of course more expensive. There are cheap 8 bit logic analyzers that can scan up to 24MHz and can be very handy with the old commodore computers, but also requires knowledge on how to use such a thing.My advice is to watch some of Adrian's videos on how to work with a scope and search for some threads on the different models mentioned here to get some more insights on their abilities.

author: baldurn
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 08:05:45 pm
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 05:18:04 pmGoing by "need" based on what you have described, you could get an old analog scope for €50 on your local equivalent to ebay. It might not be a bad choice leaving you with more to spend on other things, like a high voltage differential probe.But since you stated a budget of €300 that is close to some very nice options at €400. It is not that you _need_ those nice scopes, but like a nice car compared to a very budget car, it is simply much more enjoyable to work with. You get the very latest in user interface with touch screen and user-friendliness.The €50 used analog scope with two channels might solve the task equally well, but it is heavy and clunky, taking up most of your desk. It might require you learn how to use a special trigger input as a third channel and learn other tricks. Compared to the new generation Siglent and Rigol of which the later can run from an USB battery bank and is very lightweight. Four channels vs two similarly a matter of a very slight price difference, so it might be stupid to forgo the extra channels for the day, where you are stuck needing them.The €300 options you found just don't have a very good reputation here, as you might have discovered.Plenty of people swear that the old analogs are the best, and the old computers were build with those. Personally I am all digital, but in my opinion if you won't afford the €400 options, you might as well go all in on getting the job done with the old tech.

author: scroeffie
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 08:27:31 pm
content: what about this scope good or nothttps://www.eleshop.nl/rohde-schwarz-rtb2004-oscilloscoop.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwuJ2xBhA3EiwAMVjkVIkTxkxw-RRv1b-6FZMK4SPThHQuZIQDMGKAdpAg6m9gnVzIk4lLdxoCP54QAvD_BwE

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 08:31:31 pm
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 08:27:31 pmIt might just do the job

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 08:35:43 pm
content: OP: please note that pcprogrammer's and baldurn's last posts contain a lot of wisdomIt is worth understandingwhythey make those points.Be cautious of those claiming newer==better. Frequently older is sufficientBe very aware that the type of tests you do for repair are very different to those when developing something.

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2024, 08:01:44 am
content: Quote from: scroeffie on April 23, 2024, 08:27:31 pmThat is a large jump in budget.Definitely a good scope with lots of possibilities, but overkill for what you stated to be doing with a scope. Only when you become a developer and start to make more challenging designs you would need a scope like that.Like tggzzz wrote, we don't give our advice just for the fun of it.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2024, 08:07:49 am
content: Quote from: pcprogrammer on April 24, 2024, 08:01:44 amNor for any financial gainI like watching people's understanding grow: grokking is good

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2024, 03:07:20 pm
content: I really like old analog scopes. I still have two left of many I have repaired and sold.But I bought a used Agilent 54820 Digital scope and learned how to use it. This is an older scope and probably with not the same quality of features as the new ones. works just fine.The features on digital scopes are not found on almost ALL analog scopes. There are a few old scopes with some features like rise time, but these are rare and exotic scopes that are very difficult to fix when something goes wrong.If you think you need things like Fourier transform to look at the spectrum and rise time measurements, your only reasonable choice is digital.It is nice to be able to push the "Auto Scale" button on digital scopes and get a trace. Analog scopes do not have this. I have an old analog/digital scope that does this, a HP 1980 but you do not want this thing, besides it was $ 20K new.In MY opinion, the digital scopes are not any harder to use than the old analog ones. just look at all the buttons and switches on an old analog Tek 465. I just dragged one out and it took me an hour to remember what all the switches doModern scopes are menu controlled, with less buttons and knobs. People who are used to buttons and knobs find that troublesome. However that is probably an age thing, most people today are used to menu controlled devicesOn the other hand if you can purchase a GOOD used 100 MHz analog scope cheaply, and if you use it, you will learn what you need and what you want. If you can get a scope for maybe $100 or less, that is a reasonable option. You can probably sell it later and recoup most of your expense. Think of it as a learning experience.I THINK analog scopes are easier to use at low (audio) frequencies, but maybe the newer scopes are better.Some folks keep an analog scope just because of this.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2024, 03:16:37 pm
content: Quote from: Wallace Gasiewicz on April 24, 2024, 03:07:20 pmIt's not only the fancy stuff, it's simpler maths too. While I normally dislike soft-controls, with a digital scope it's really easy to perform operations on waveforms where, for an analog scope, you have to figure out exactly which combination of a faceplate full of controls you need to use to get the effect you want, including things like adding the inverse in lieu of subtracting and other bits of lateral thinking.

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2024, 03:46:40 pm
content: About HV on CRTI knew some TV tecks, none of them used their scopes on the HV lines at all. Ever. They just tested the TV CRT with a tester. Maybe use a HV voltmeter on the HV lines.Back then a TV repair grade scope cost as much as a New Automobile. They did use scopes on 100+ volt lines but never on the thousand + volt lines.