Really cheap oscilloscope recommendation. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: nwsnate
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 02:18:01 am
content: Hello Everyone,I'm looking for a cheap oscilloscope, ideally about $200-250 USD. I found a few scopes on amazon, I'm guessing these are all not so good, but just looking for other opinions. Thanks!https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J16NV54/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J1MQC3G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0758YCFPP/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A15LGCFRX7EFVX&psc=1

author: exit_failure
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 02:34:49 am
content: I'm really no expert on 'scopes (I got my first one three weeks ago) but have you thought about getting a used one? Maybe you could get a (much) better quality, albeit older one for the same price.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 03:18:16 am
content: Quote from: nwsnate on July 09, 2018, 02:18:01 amWelcome to the forum.BW and mem depth need be the deciders on entry level DSO's and of those 3, SDS1102CML+ is head and shoulders above the other 2.Questions like this normally draw a crowd and you'll get recommendations beyond your budget.Even though I'm exclusively Siglent I've been offered Owon but they haven't got anything with acceptable memory depth in this class last time I looked.Good luck with your hunt.

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 03:36:25 am
content: Are you a student? an Analog Discovery 2 is a really nice data logger/scope.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 04:06:03 am
content: In the $250 price range you really are better off with a used one. What sort of needs do you have in mind? Depending on where you are, you can probably find a nice older analog scope with probes for $100 or so, for under $200 you can often find a DSO if you don't mind a bulky CRT based one with a monochrome screen.

author: innkeeper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 05:02:36 am
content: are you dead set on or need a digital scope? a decent used analog scope can be had for 50 bucks....I agree though, with the prior poster, of the ones listed, the SDS1102CML+ at 299 is really a cut above the others. if you can swing the extra dollars, that's definitely the best of the ones you listed. (the + model having a higher resolution display over the older non + model)that's always the problem though, you keep creeping up with features and dollars, you have to draw the line someplace.at 350 you can get a 4 channel 50 Mhz RIGOL DS1054Z which can be hacked to 100mhz and has 4 channels and now all the decoder options included. (not sure if that's just a temporary deal though)then at 460 you can get the 100 Mhz siglent sds1104x-e 4 channel with all the decoders, that can be hacked to 200mhz and lets you add a AWG and MSO functionality later...so easy to keep creeping up in cost, but each tier has significant performance and functionality increases and it's worth it.I ended up talking myself into a siglent sds1104x-e, and am happy with it.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 06:54:29 am
content: Cheap pretty much means "secondhand" if you want something decent.Old analog 'scopes often offer very good performance at very cheap prices.Old DSOs are a bit of a "buyer beware" situation.Very old ones have very little memory, with the result that their quoted frequency response is only achieved at very short time/div settings.Modern DSOs (except for really low end junk), do not have this problem.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 10:30:36 am
content: What do you do that requires the oscilloscope? This can help answer the various suggestions about digital versus analog, used versus new, etc.For example, if you do audio circuits, the bandwidth and number of channels are not critical at all, since you can easily trace your data with something quite cheaper (as shown below), or a used analog scope and even with your computer's soundcard.https://m.ebay.com/itm/Pico-Technology-PicoScope-2202-20-MS-s-2-MHz-2-Channel-PC-USB-2-0-Oscilloscope/162651436398If you are working with Arduino (microcontrollers) and would like to monitor PWM ports or other functions, usually more bandwidth is required (50 or 100MHz are good starting points). If, in addition to that, you intend to decode serial data streams (SPI, UART, etc), then you should include a $10 cheap eBay logic analyzer in your purchase to stay within your budget. An oscilloscope with digital decoding usually requires more channels and decent bandwidth, which goes higher than what you want to spend.However, since you mentioned a $300 oscilloscope (the SDS1102CML+), for 16% more you can get a Rigol DS1054Z with many serial decoding features, but then the sky is the limit.

author: dazz1
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2018, 12:33:09 pm
content: HiYou really need to start with identifying what you will actually use the scope for. Then write out a feature list in order of priority. You can expect the price to increase as you go down the list. (more features = more $ $ $ $ ). You can also expect that items lower on the list (low priority) will get used less.In my case I have a positively ancient Phillips 50MHz dual channel CRT analogue scope with zero memory depth. I haven't replaced it because I simply don't have a requirement for something better. I also have the latest Siglent SSA spectrum analyser, but I only brought the lesser 3021X model because I don't have a requirement to look beyond 2.1GHz. If you are just beginning, then a good used CRT scope might be worth looking at if it ticks off your key requirements. DSOs can do a lot of things that CRTs can't but those things are only useful if you have a use for them.I am not saying you should by a CRT scope. I am saying you should base your purchasing decision on the features you will actually use.