looking for an oscilloscope for repair - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: captianirish
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 05:38:17 pm
content: so i am getting into motherboard repair, mostly in laptops and desktops. ive been looking at everything i need. ive got most of it, but i dont know if i need an oscilloscope or what kind. ive been trying to do my research but im getting a bit confused. i dont know if i even need one or if i just want one, i dont know what bandwidth i actually need, i see things like 20Mhz up to 1-2Ghz. what about the S/s. im sure i dont need anything crazy powerfull, but i dont want to get something that almost is what i need either.any thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 06:26:39 pm
content: Max budget ?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 07:00:27 pm
content: Generally if you don't know if you need an oscilloscope, you probably don't need one. This actually applies to many pieces of test equipment.

author: captianirish
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 07:54:49 pm
content: Quote from: BravoV on December 22, 2018, 06:26:39 pmim not too concerned about price at this time. like i want to know what i need. what bells and whistles are enough of a QoL that it makes it worth spending more on. im mostly trying to get info so i can scrounge Ebay for somthing that fits those needs, then probably double check here that the brand is good enough quality. but if i had to pick a price line id say about 300 but obviously i want to get it for cheaper.Quote from: james_s on December 22, 2018, 07:00:27 pmok thank you.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 08:50:45 pm
content: You can easily find a very nice analog scope for under $75-100 in good working order, used. These days you should be able to do much better than that, even. (Outside of ebay - which adds some overhead - $20 seems fairly common for decent quality dual trace analog scopes from the 80s and early 90s)Dont get anything older than that - The major brands of the 90s in particular, workhorse scopes made for schools and basic working lab scopes are often very good buys.Just don't jump on the first one you see.Try to get one without unobtainium parts - ask here - whose service manual is also online, thats listed as working, not 'for parts or not working', so you wont get somebody else's headache.Watch Dave's segment on getting your own old analog scope. Its all very good advice.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 08:55:08 pm
content: Quote from: james_s on December 22, 2018, 07:00:27 pmJust so.In this case the OP should define what can go wrong with the UUTsthat can be economically repaired, and then work out how to test for the failure. Then, and only then, can it be understood which type of test equipment is appropriate.BTW: beginners should ignore the sampling rate (S/s) since it is (mostly) markting wank. The bandwidth is the important parameter.

author: captianirish
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 10:31:35 pm
content: ya i watched dave's segment. i guess its starting to look more like i want one then i need one. which is fine, lol. just didnt want to get one that say has 20mhz and find out i need 100mhz to function in my pc board repair. thank you all.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2018, 11:42:22 pm
content: Oscilloscopes are fun, and certainly can be extremely useful. They are not a magic bullet though, I do not repair a lot of motherboards but when I have, I haven't needed a scope. The oscilloscope will show you what's there, but it's up to you to know how to interpret what you see. For digital projects I would certainly recommend a DSO as you often need to be able to capture single shot events. It's hard to go wrong with one of the popular entry level DSOs like the Rigol or Siglent models that are often recommended. Just don't expect it to be tremendously useful until you know what you're looking for.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2018, 03:49:00 pm
content: There is a lot to be said for a newer scope as opposed to an older one simply because the size and particularly the depth of older scopes makes them much less convenient to move around and use. You'll get the most benefit from a scope that its easy to use a lot.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 24, 2018, 10:20:30 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on December 22, 2018, 08:55:08 pmAnother vote on this. Plus a not-so-insignificant-point: Once you know you need a scope, you will have a better idea as to the features it will need to possess to satisfy those needs.

author: Jwillis
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 27, 2018, 05:27:03 am
content: When dealing with motherboards you would probably be better off looking more into Logic Analyzers .Since you'll be dealing with multiple inputs and out puts to diagnose a fail component.DSO's are limited because of the complexity of the circuit.MSO's provide benefits of both a DSO and logic analyser but are also limited.Just a thought.