Which was the first oscilloscope with LCD display? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: aat24
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2015, 08:26:24 pm
content: For our "Oscilloscope Milestones" (http://oscopes.info/basics/2265-oscilloscope-milestones) we want to know which oscilloscope was the first one with an LCD instead of a CRT display? Any ideas? We think it must have happened around 1995.

author: AG6QR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2015, 08:54:22 pm
content: Interesting question, and it should be recent enough that many remember it. Amazing how quickly history gets forgotten, though.Fluke currently has a blurb claiming20 years of ScopeMeter® Test Tool Innovationon the web here:http://en-us.fluke.com/products/portable-oscilloscopes/fluke-190-ii-portable-oscilloscope-190-204-s.htmlI'm not sure if you consider the Fluke ScopeMeter to be a true oscilloscope, but I'd say it probably qualifies. If so, 20 years ago was 1995. I assume the first ScopeMeter had an LCD display, but I'm not 100% sure of that.It would make sense that the LCD innovation might happen first in portable scopes, since they benefit most from the reduction in size/weight.I hope someone else chimes in with an authoritative answer.edit: I found this link which claims the Fluke Scopemeter models 93, 95, and 97 were introduced in 1991. And reading the link, it appears they weren't the first portable oscilloscopes, though I can't say for sure if earlier devices used LCDs.http://www.fluke.com/fluke/uses/comunidad/Fluke-News-Plus/ArticleCategories/Oscilloscopes/ScopeMeter%C2%AE-Test-Tools-20-Years-Old.htm

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2015, 09:05:56 pm
content: Minor point on your timeline - I'm pretty sure the 54645D MSO never had an 8-channel version

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2015, 09:29:20 pm
content: When did the Tektronix T201/T202 (aka Createc SC01/SC02) come out? I think it was sometime around 1987.

author: Jay_Diddy_B
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2015, 09:32:48 pm
content: Hi,Tektronix sold a T202 in the late 80's. This was Tek's first LCD scope. But I think it was another manufacturer's rebranded.Jay_Diddy_B

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2015, 11:20:21 pm
content: What about that Tektronix with the CRT behind and LCD color "wheel" in front? Close enough? Too oddball?Tim

author: jwm_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2015, 12:02:15 am
content: I believe there was a flat screen gas plasma one before LCDs became widespread... I could just be misremembering a CRT in gas plasma orange.

author: aat24
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2015, 01:50:44 pm
content: Quote from: AG6QR on March 31, 2015, 08:54:22 pmGood input! I think we should focus on "real" (i.e. benchtop) oscilloscopes.In handhelds (I won't use the term portable because there are also portable benchtop scopes) CRTs I think never have been used, because then it wouldn't be a real handheld anymore. Actually we wanted to document the switch from CRT to LCD.

author: Lukas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2015, 02:14:43 pm
content: There also was this oddball scope made by Tek:http://www.i9t.net/5000_images/5116.jpgIt did three colors by using a red/green LCD color filter in front of the CRT.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2015, 04:02:00 pm
content: Quote from: aat24 on April 01, 2015, 01:50:44 pmIncorrect, there were a number of handheld CRT scopes, such as the NLS "Miniscopes", and Tek 211/212/213/214/221/222/224.

author: radix
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2015, 12:30:28 am
content: Iskrascopewas developed in years 1982-84. Sample time was 450ns. Theyclaimup to 2MHz real-time and up to 10MHz ETS.Here you have some info on this, written in a language that somebody actually speaks.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 02, 2015, 12:51:22 am
content: Quote from: aat24 on April 01, 2015, 01:50:44 pm+1

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2015, 01:37:41 am
content: Quote from: edavid on April 01, 2015, 04:02:00 pm

author: Jaka57
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 06:01:56 pm
content: Quote from: aat24 on March 31, 2015, 08:26:24 pmFormer Yugoslavian company Iskra made it in 1987.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 06:35:40 pm
content: Where would a Tek TDS-510 or 520 fit in the list ?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 07:08:35 pm
content: 2016 Tablet format scope ( Micsig)..?

author: JLNY
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 08:12:10 pm
content: The HP 180 series in 1966 is listed as a family of mainframe oscilloscopes with different plugins, but what about the HP 140/141 mainframes? those had a whole slew of different modular plugins up to 20MHz (and also had Spectrum analyzer plugins and TDR plugins), and I believe they date back around 1963 or possibly earlier (or at least the 140A, the rectagular CRT version the 140B came slightly later perhaps). There was also the 141A/B, which was the analog storage version of the 140 mainframe, but I'm not sure when the 141 was released, so it may not be earlier than the Tek 564. The 140A and its scope plugins (or at least the 1401A and 1420A which I have) were hybrid SS and tube, but the 141T and some of the later SA plugins are all solid-state, and I don't know about the other plugins like the TDR ones.an article dated Sep. 1963 describing the 140A, some of the scope plugins, and the 1415A TDR plugin:http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1963-09.pdf

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2016, 11:30:36 pm
content: Also, are we talking LCD graphical main display, or LCD at all? Because I'm betting there were a few early ones with simple digital displays for indicating status and measuring voltage/frequency counter sorts of things.There's a few Philips scopes (I don't remember the numbers) with DSO functions tacked onto an otherwise normal CRT scope, that used an LCD to indicate state.Tim

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 03:18:28 am
content: Quote from: tautech on December 15, 2016, 06:35:40 pmNowhere, it has a CRT display.Quote from: JLNY on December 15, 2016, 08:12:10 pmI think you are posting in the wrong threadQuote from: T3sl4co1l on December 15, 2016, 11:30:36 pmYes, not auxiliary displays or color shutters.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 03:42:43 am
content: Quote from: edavid on December 16, 2016, 03:18:28 amYes of course.OK let's try again: TDS210

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 04:21:31 am
content: Quote from: tautech on December 16, 2016, 03:42:43 amI think it was 1997.

author: MK14
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 04:24:15 am
content: Warning:The OP does not seem to have visited the forum, for about 1.5 years now.The thread is approaching being a couple of years old, now. In a few months.We should have warned him it usually takes about 3 years, before he gets the right answer.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 16, 2016, 09:19:41 am
content: The first scope with an LCD display was made by Scopex in the UK. They worked with the RSRE (Royal Signals and Radar Establishment) who developed the first serious LCD pixel matrix panels. That was back when the UK was still a source of innovation.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2016, 02:08:46 am
content: I had an LCD scope some time late 80s early 90s. Sorry but I can not remember the brand and was unable to find a picture on the net of it. I do remember that they had a custom printer for it. There was a small cover you could remove to get to a DIP package EPROM. I wanted to use a standard Epson, pulled the EPROM and stuck it in the DATA I/O. There were not that many micros, and was able to figure out it was some sort of 8051. Clipped on the EPROM with the logic analyzer then hit the print button. Hand disassembled the printer code. Then added my own code at the end of the EPROM and jumped to it. I offered to do a write up in one of the trade magazines of the day but they thought it was too specialized. I remember the single shot specs on it was REALLY poor.

author: JFJ
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2016, 03:42:25 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on December 16, 2016, 09:19:41 amThe Scopex Voyager was mentioned in the May 1982 issue of Physics Bulletin (in the news brief section, on page 164):One was listed on eBay in November 2015:It appears to have been sold to somebody linked to Scopex, because the seller's feedback for the buyer stated:"Fantastic that it's gone to ' meet it's maker ' !!!! (Sorry about that !! )".

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2016, 04:51:23 pm
content: I can tell you just by looking at it, that unit is a lot older than the first one I had.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 17, 2016, 10:29:17 pm
content: I remember seeing cheap LCD lunchbox scopes at Fry's Electronics in Sunnyvale in 91... Might have been Tek branded, even. I remember being more interested in the lunchbox form factor and low price than the LCD itself.