Vintage Handheld scope Createc SC04 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2013, 11:59:06 am
content: I scored this 1988 vintage handheld scope today, a Createc SC04 dual channel 20MHz digital scope. They called it a "Signal Computer".The one I got came complete with manual, PSU and even a funny little Seiko thermal printer that hooks up to the scope via a Centronics interface. It's a good thing I've got the manual - turns out this thing is not usable without it. The user interface is damn awful. There are no menus - you set everything via cryptic key commands.The LCD screen with 128x128 pixels doesn't make using it any easier. Grainy is the word.There isn't much info on this thing available on the net. Apparently it was made by a small German engineering firm in Berlin. However, I do remember reading about these scopes in an old issue of Elektor magazine, I hope I can find the article. Apparently Createc had a line of five of these hand held devices with varying features. Mine's the SC04, one down from the top of the line.I think (could well be wrong) this line of scopes were the first hand held DSO's available, maybe somebody knows more?It seems that Tektronix marketed one of them as the T201 - there's even less info on that one.The scope has built in RS232 and Centronics interfaces, it can communicate with a parallel printer that talks ESC/P2 or via RS232 with a DOS-PC running a software package called "WAVE" that lets you control the SC04 from the PC.Needless to mention I'm looking for a copy of this program, so if somebody still has it please let me know.It also has a built in DMM function which is rather neat. It displays Vpp, Vrms, DC component, frequency and length of cycle.It comes with a protective lid that can be used as a very nice stand for the scope, a really good idea.One drawback for a hand held instrument is the lack of batteries, the only power source is the power brick. The connection to the meter is made using a large non-standard multi pole connector.On the inside there's a stack of three PCB's with a mix of SMD and through-hole parts. I didn't expect so many through hole components, to be honest. But then again, this scope was designed in the early to mid eighties, so it's probably state of the art back then.

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2013, 09:06:00 pm
content: I have to correct myself: The scope has a -3dB bandwidth of 10MHz and does 20Msamples per channel.I've played around with it for good while today and even though it's nowhere near the preformance of modern DSO's (it is 25 years old after all) it at least beats all the Velleman and DSO Nanos by miles.Those toy DSO's do seem to have the edge when it comes to the user interface. The UI of the SC04 really lets it down badly, without manual I find it impossible to remember the button sequences for more than the very basic commands.

author: Rick Law
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 01, 2013, 07:17:18 pm
content: Quote from: david77 on June 30, 2013, 09:06:00 pmCan the 20MSamples/Second explain most if not all the performance superiority you saw or do you think there are more factors than that?

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 01, 2013, 07:24:33 pm
content: That's pretty cool, I want one.

author: seackone
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 18, 2014, 04:03:18 pm
content: hey.i've got the sc05 and searching for the software "wave".did you have the programm and could send it to me?

author: wilheldp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2014, 11:04:08 pm
content: That display reminds me a lot of my TI-82 graphing calculator in high school

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2014, 11:12:13 pm
content: Quote from: david77 on June 30, 2013, 11:59:06 amBack then, the only SMD parts were those with too many pins for through-hole and a few very common parts like logic.I find it amusing that nowadays you still see people referring to through-hole as "conventional" when it's become the exact opposite.

author: gqg2001
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 23, 2017, 01:53:42 pm
content: I got a similar one:Tektronix T202. Anyone have the manual?

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2017, 07:40:02 pm
content: Nice.

author: zoli56
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 01, 2021, 09:43:33 am
content: I got a Creative Sc-04 oscilloscope without a power supply. I would like to know the wiring of the power supply connector and the supplied voltage values. Thanks

author: Michael YYZ
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2021, 11:03:04 pm
content: I see “Createc” printed on ICs and PCB. Was Createc an OEM for Tektronix?Quote from: gqg2001 on April 23, 2017, 01:53:42 pm

author: zoli56
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 20, 2021, 12:12:42 pm
content: Hello! I'm looking for a createc SC04 power connector. It's lost and I want to use it. I add to it I just need to know the power supply parameters. Thanks.

author: FXProglJr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 18, 2024, 11:00:28 am
content: I was just cleaning Grandpa's basement and found one of these. Any idea what it's worth?

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2024, 11:16:56 am
content: Quote from: FXProglJr on February 18, 2024, 11:00:28 amI'm afraid the answer is "not much at all", unless you happen to find someone who has nostalgic feelings for this device because it was their first oscilloscope or such. (Which is much less likely for this type of device than for, say, an old Apple II computer.)The original post above is more than 10 years old, and the Chinese low-cost, no-name products have caught up. So the argument that this is better than the modern "toy DSOs" no longer holds, I think. Modern TFT oscilloscopes with comparable performance but with a color touch screen can be found for $30 or so.

author: FXProglJr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 21, 2024, 01:22:34 pm
content: thanks much for taking the time to respond.....Frank

author: FXProglJr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 21, 2024, 01:25:51 pm
content: still want one? if you can pick it up in Queens, NYC it's yours - free. Otherwise if you pay whatever it costs for the shipping, I'll send it to you...Frank.....fxprogljr@cs.com

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2024, 02:20:08 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on February 18, 2024, 11:16:56 amsame toughts, even the cheapest ones are somewhat better, not perfect but ....

author: Joaquim
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 14, 2025, 09:06:06 pm
content: Hi I have one Createc SC04 and I try found the cable interface RS232 to Connect via PC . Can you please inform where I buy one? Or if possible the pin out of this cable?Thanks a lot in advance for your helpAll the best