Best portable scope under $200 for pinball work - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: SilverBallzzz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 30, 2022, 07:55:06 pm
content: Hi - Newbie here, first post alert!I need a portable oscilloscope primarily for basic debugging and troubleshooting of pinball machines, guitar amplifiers, engine controls (both automotive and marine). Ideally, I'm hoping to find something suitable for under $200 and believe I have reasonable expectations for workman's tool rather than a precision bench testing instrument for developing new designs.Specwise and applications, I think I need at least a 2-channel scope with at least 50MHz of real bandwidth with simple triggering, memory is nice and USB to transfer screen caps would be useful. A built in signal generator would also be great. Voltage protection if I forget to use a 10x probe on 600V bias test points. Many of the pinball machines are old TTL logic running slow MPU's in the 6800 series family, etc. Simple signal tracing. Looking for AC ripple on power supplies. Bad filter caps, etc. Am I missing something?There are a lot of cheap candidates on eBay, Amazon, etc and many aren't listed here like the Leolov. Specifically,1. Leolov:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B497T6HR?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_FV71VMZ3VNZ2P25RP8F6(there nothing about this brand on these forums)2. FNIRSI 1013Dhttps://a.co/d/59wj3Yk3. FNIRSI 1014Dhttps://a.co/d/01C7WaUI am familiar with the other brands like Rigol, Siglent, etc but these are out of my price range. But - sanity check, please - am I being penny wise and dollar foolish?Again, I don't expect a precision test instrument. I just need a basic troubleshooting aid and understand its unreasonable to expect much in support or high levels of accuracy in this price range. So... thoughts and suggestions?Sincerely appreciate any thoughts and recommendations!!

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2022, 08:12:06 pm
content: The two latter have a real bandwidth of 30Mhz, and it wouldn'tbe a surprise if that's true for the first as well. Take a look at e.g.Owon HDS242S or Hantek 2D42.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2022, 08:32:52 pm
content: Quote from: SilverBallzzz on November 30, 2022, 07:55:06 pmWelcome to the forum.100%, don't touch much of the uber cheap junk as it's not fit for purpose.Their greatest failing is sensitivity especially when coupled to what we most commonly use, a 10x probe then resultant sensitivity is just 500mV/div which is useless for any LV work. Just as bad is 1x sensitivity where 50mV/div is not worth a knob of goat shit for checking ripple on a power rail.After that worthy dump of poo on such shit products, only 2 closing words, just don't !

author: pcprogrammer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2022, 08:44:33 pm
content: The first one looks familiar. Aliexpress also sells it:https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005004469022608.htmlThe other two scopes are indeed only ~30MHz BW and 200MSa/s per channel.More info on them here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/fnirsi-1013d-100mhz-tablet-oscilloscope/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-bench-scope-fnirsi-1014d-7-1gsas/I expect that the first one is also not to honest about the specs. In my mind I have the feeling a review has been done here on the forum, but there are so many of these cheapo scopes reviewed here on the forum, that I lost trackEdit: Found the first one:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-2ch-pocket-dsosg-sigpeak-dso2512g/It is SigPeak or Zeeweii. Sample rate either 200MSa/s with only one channel or 100MSa/s per channel going by the PCB layout and most likely used ADC.@tunk That you did not recognize it, because you started that thread

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2022, 01:49:52 am
content: i watched specs for portable scopemeters closely for some years, Uni-T, Hantek, cheap no brand china toy SigPeak etc (with exception/excluding tablet style Fnirsi). nothing clicked me until.... btw if you happened to buy one of those and then later look at the Owon HDS200 series, i think you are going to regret your purchasehttps://www.owon.com.hk/products_owon_hds200_series_digital_oscilloscope... namely its phenomenal refresh rate compared to toys... Owon HDS272S is $175, 2 ch + AWG in aliexpress.. if you plan ahead, you can get HDS2102S 500MSa/s 100MHz version with just few dollars added to the $200... and there is newly released HDS2202S if you want 1GSa/s... HDS2102S already helped me in a project where i want to probe "not ground referenced" voltage level, its like separate isolated differential probe that works beside my bench gnd referenced Rigol DS1054Z. ymmv.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2022, 05:47:52 am
content: Yep. FNIRSI will disappoint, those Owons are OK.(although you'll be forever charging the battery...)

author: SilverBallzzz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 01, 2022, 05:10:19 pm
content: Gentlemen - sincerely appreciate all the replies. That was exactly what I thought that most of the cheap Chinese stuff is junk, that it's likely not fit for purpose... that said, the Owon's look like they might me just the ticket and in my price range. I can live with short battery life and these represent the value proposition I'm looking for.On the lower end the Owon HD272S is $195 on Amazon at the moment while the Owon HDS2202S is $266 at Walmart of all places. I have a business account on AliExpress, I'll look to see if I can find a better deal there - thanks for that suggestion Mechatrommer!Since I'm a big believer in the right tool for the job... and hopefully a 'lifetime" tool that delivers long service I'm going for the new HDS2202S.Thanks again for the advice!

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2022, 05:39:39 pm
content: Quote from: SilverBallzzz on December 01, 2022, 05:10:19 pmsince its using replacable 18650 batteries, modifying it to take external battery pack that can last a day should be easy.Quote from: SilverBallzzz on December 01, 2022, 05:10:19 pmtunk also made the suggestion earlier. i replied due to $200 portable scope caught my eye, so "scope meter" or toyish grade mini portable scope is in mind... after replying i missed the "pinball" part and the fact you are suggesting tablet style scope which i havent look closely, what available features that maybe right for pinball work. maybe there is digital decoding needed? i'm not sure, you need to look closely, i dont know about pinball circuit, i only know how to play. of course more feature full dso is bench type, such as triggering mode and serial digital decoding etc... but the decent grade is out of your price range. ymmv.

author: elecdonia
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2022, 08:18:51 pm
content: Quote from: SilverBallzzz on December 01, 2022, 05:10:19 pmThe Chinese are more than happy to offer “cheap” stuff which may be junk. Or occasionally it’s cheap but adequate.The Chinese are also more than happy to offer products of excellent quality which are still quite affordable. Chinese products which have a brand name that has been around for several years are often an excellent value for the price.Another point: The Chinese excel at manufacturing “clones” of popular repair parts. Examples: “Generic” Chinese replacement carburetors for small engines (Briggs & Stratton, Tecumseh, Honda, etc.) work better than OEM original parts, plus these generic parts are cheap & readily available from Amazon & eBay. When it comes to electronic parts I have purchased many “generic” Chinese optical pickups for CD players & DVD players which have all performed ***better*** than the original OEM parts.QuoteI wish you success at finding the tools & test gear you need.I have been pleased with nearly everything I ordered through Amazon or eBay. I don’t have any experience with AliExpress or Banggood. So far I’ve been able to find everything I wanted at Amazon or eBay.-EB

author: SilverBallzzz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 02, 2022, 12:43:13 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on December 01, 2022, 05:39:39 pm

author: SilverBallzzz
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 02, 2022, 01:12:11 am
content: tunk also made the suggestion earlier. i replied due to $200 portable scope caught my eye, so "scope meter" or toyish grade mini portable scope is in mind... after replying i missed the "pinball" part and the fact you are suggesting tablet style scope which i havent look closely, what available features that maybe right for pinball work. maybe there is digital decoding needed? i'm not sure, you need to look closely, i dont know about pinball circuit, i only know how to play. of course more feature full dso is bench type, such as triggering mode and serial digital decoding etc... but the decent grade is out of your price range. ymmv.Actually the combo 'scope, meter, and signal generator in a handheld portable seems ideal for the kind of work I'm doing on everything from older pinball machines - late 70's thru 80's with slow MPU's from the 6800 family, etc. a little bit of digital debugging, guitar amps - tube stuff especially, engine work. The Owon HDS200's - the S models - seem ideal.My brother owns 30 pins and now I'm buying a few olders ones to refurb so I can rotate with his stock... lots of board and EM troubleshooting...