Old unused analog oscilloscope Iwatsu - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Aang
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 08:46:37 am
content: Hello.I would like to ask, if it is a good idea to buy an old unused analogue oscilloscope that has served as a backup in the company. This is specifically the type of Iwatsu SS-571 for $150. I wonder, if this oscilloscope is worth the money to give it?Thank you very much for any answer.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 09:07:43 am
content: If it worksperfectlythen itmightbe worth buying. It seems rather expensive to me, but I don't know the specifications. A rule of thumb is to pay $1/MHz for a working scope.A large part of your decision is what you wouldneeda scope to do. If youneed4 channels or to capture single-shot events, then it is not suitable!Another part is what are yourotheroptions; a two channel 100MHz analogue scope can be very useful, certainly better than no scope at all.Don't forget you will need scope probes as well as a scope.

author: Aang
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 09:28:01 am
content: The oscilloscope looks like this:https://imgur.com/a/6RO6y5jI'd rather like to capture single-shot events. 4channels are useless to me. I'm looking for a cheaper oscilloscope and regularly watching advertising in the Czech Republic. That's why this oscilloscope has impressed me with the price, because here, in my country, I would barely get an oscilloscope for $1/MHz...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 10:06:47 am
content: Unused doesn't mean it has aged. Electrolytic capacitors may have dried and contacts may have corroded. An analog scope sucks at making single shot captures.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 12:15:03 pm
content: https://www.sbazar.cz/mdct/detail/86720787-osciloskop-iwatsu-ss-571This one??I think it is called Iwatsu SS-5710. Now you can find pictures using google.

author: Aang
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 12:18:46 pm
content: Yes, It is correct.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 02:10:22 am
content: Iwatsu is a very well known and respected Japanese brand. If it works today, I see no reason to shy away from it. At this point in time though, even though it wasn't used in production service, I would still consider it used. Certain components will deteriorate with time, so the risk is not that different from buying used ones.I would expect switches will need to be serviced and caps need to be closely inspected.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 02:29:26 am
content: I'd personally love to buy what's essentially a NOS analogue oscilloscope. I'm not sure I'd buy it as my primary oscilloscope though. As others have noted there may still be issues. If you are up to the challenge then why not?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 03:11:41 am
content: I'd bet it will work just fine.If you want to capture single shot events though an analog scope is not the right tool for the job. Without an external camera a non-storage analog scope has no facility to capture anything.

author: joseph nicholas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 11:35:27 am
content: I think the price is too high.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 03:58:00 pm
content: It's too high for my location but I'm some regions gear is far more expensive in general so it may not be an unreasonable price there.