Seeking help from experienced scope users to help guide a new scope purchase - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Luckystrike
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 02, 2020, 05:58:40 pm
content: Hello all,I am looking for a scope to use exclusively on automotive diagnostic work and while I've used one here and there I'm out of my depth pretty quickly especially when it comes to buying one. I'm very open to the idea of using a bench scope over a pc scope - and this is where I don't see a lot of comparisons being made. This purchase represents a significant investment on my part, hence my posting, if there are some threads to look at please post up. My searching didn't yield a lot of results.I am looking for a 4 channel scope that offers the best value & specs, and while the quick answer is get a Picoscope 4425a, the scope itself is around $1500 with probes and amp clamps it can run upwards of $2500. There is also a TiePie pc scope but its software is more European focused. From my understanding there is a lot of value to the software (i guess, no personal experience here) but at the same time the scope specs seem marginal for the price. I also hear people say that once you understand the scope and how to use it, the software becomes less important and that a bench scope is just as easy to use as the pc based scope. I want to become an advanced scope user and want to put the time into understanding it, instead of just using presets, but I don't want to be biting off more than i can chew also.I cant help but feel that the pico is a "specialized" product - which just means a high price for a standard product aimed at a specific group?I know you can hack the Rigol mso5000 scope and a 4 channel one can be had for $1000, along with hacking a Siglent sds200x version too. I watched some videos on the rigol, it did seem buggy - or lack luster in ways, but is hack-able to much higher specs compared to the Siglent. The specs for the price seem like a much better value compared to the Pico no matter which one you pick.Is the pico software alone reason enough to purchase it?Is a pc scope better for long data analysis (intermittent failures / drop outs)?Can you log and store a decent amount of data in a bench scope (battery voltage and alternator charging test is around 5 minutes)?If the bench scope has a video output, is the scope usable on the pc or is it just a video output only?Can logs be transferred from a bench scope to a computer to look at in a useful way?Is there another bench based scope to consider?Thank you for the help!

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2020, 06:36:44 pm
content: Bench scopes are not made for that job.Picoscope software is excellent and has thousands of saved waveforms and hundreds of guided tests.Take a peek here:https://www.picoauto.com/library/automotive-guided-testsPico is kinda expensive, but worth it for business. You can save by not buying kit, but just scope and basic accessories. All of the other accessory cables are just that, cables, and can be had from other sources or made by yourself. Current probes can be used from other manufacturers (although Pico sells good quality probes, same quality ones from other sources won't be much or at all cheaper). Some other sensors (like capacitive ignition pickup) can be had from Hantek for fraction of money, and some probes are piece of PCB with piece of coax.One good thing about Picoscope is that you save all measurement on a PC in a file, that you can open later and analyse it. You can also open it on another PC without Picoscope connected. So you can save something you don't understand and send to someone to take a look at it.Other option if Picoscope is too much is Micsig ATO1104. That is a tablet scope that is super handy.There are automotive scope from Hantek. I don't know anything about them, so someone else must chime in. They are very affordable.Then there are cheap handheld scopes that are not automotive, but you can still see many things with them if you know how.Fact is, if you are new to car data analysis with a scope, Picoscope gives you instrument, software , learning and reference material. It is quickest way from zero to useful.And you can save few hundred bucks by buying simple accessories from other sources. Get scope, basic probes and current probes from them. The rest are mainly cable accessories that you can get from elsewhere and maybe not all needed at first. You can get them later, and also will damage them and have to replace them occasionally.But for business, even kits (which are not too expensive bun also not cheap or great bargain) are excellent value, because you just buy it, it comes in the mail, you open it and start working right away...If that holds value, Pico is the way. New software version 7 is in the making, will be released sometimes next year, that is full touch capable, so can be used with tablet PC. Current version also works, but new will be much better..

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2020, 06:44:09 pm
content: Micsig make an "automotive" 'scope:http://micsig.com/html/31.htmlDisclaimer: I don't know anything about that model but I really like Micsig's other 'scopes, their user interface is awesome.Something to investigate.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2020, 08:38:04 pm
content: Agreed. I'd look at the MicSig automotive offering as well. Knowing MicSig you don't have to worry about bugs in their firmware. They test their software very thouroughly.

author: Luckystrike
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 02, 2020, 08:59:05 pm
content: thank you for the replies, looking into the micsig now, I did not know about that one. So far it looks like one sleek setup.I've seen enough to know that the hantek is not the scope I want.I was planning on purchasing the scope alone and adding a few accessories, and adding along the way, mentally prepared to spend $1800 or so. Just wanted to make sure investing in the pico was the right move especially since i am open to a bench style scope and haven't seen many comparisons.