Latest innovation by Owon:  AS101 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Daruosha
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 10:49:05 am
content: Just look at this "new" oscilloscope:They claim it's the best replacement for a CROCheck out the link yourself:https://www.owon.com.hk/products_1_channel_oscilloscopeOwon always finds a way to surprise me

author: 001
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 11:02:01 am
content: Why it so deep? Is it to provide compatibility by dimensions with analog scopes?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 11:05:59 am
content: Look what it says in the description: ideal scope to keep using educational material written for teaching to use analog scopes. How is that going to help a student? At the first work place there will be a DSO with which the student will be totally unfamiliar with.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 01:18:57 pm
content: This is crazy as hell. Analog oscilloscopes aredeadnowadays. They are not produced any more. (Well, MCP seems to be the last producer...http://www.mcpsh.com/pr.jsp?_pp=0_305_183_-1)Analog oscilloscope is like a CRT television. There is no point to work with it at school in 2019.

author: Daruosha
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 01:40:24 pm
content: Quote from: Hydrawerk on September 07, 2019, 01:18:57 pmIt's a DSO, it has run/stop mode

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 03:30:32 pm
content: It is quite cheap...https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000067361714.htmlBut 20MHz is shit nowadays.

author: Calvin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 03:48:12 pm
content: Hi,couldn't get that stupid thing to work .... am used to push buttons on my CROjauuCalvin

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 05:08:04 pm
content: Cute. If it was 50$ with free shipping I'd get one just for giggles. It's adorable.

author: colorado.rob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 08:31:02 pm
content: They are probably going to sell a ton of these to schools in places like India and the Philippines.I spent a good deal of time a couple years back helping newbies on a popular C++ web site. So many of the questions would be from engineering students in these countries which could not get modern C++ examples to work because their coursework was based on an ancient Borland C++ compiler, a compiler that was older than the students. It was very frustrating for both the students and the people trying to help them. "WTF is conio.h? Why is that in your code?"I'm sure Owon are not idiots. There's a market for this sort of thing or they would not be building them. And it saddens me to think that.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 11:49:51 pm
content: When in need, a scope, even inferior, is better than no scope at all, simple logic that some people will never understand.

author: GregDunn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 01:41:33 am
content: For $150 you can go to a flea market or even the Bay, and get a superior scope to this! Perhaps even a DSO.

author: MadTux
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 11:14:04 am
content: At least it has a handle, to chuck it into nearest dumpster....

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 11:32:11 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on September 07, 2019, 11:49:51 pmYou are not getting the point. The whole problem is, is that it is aimed at the educational market. Sure Owon is not to blame because they just make what customers want to buy.I also disagree that CROs are only used in lesser developed countries / areas. A couple of years ago I visited a local EE school and much to my surprise they had a bunch of CROs for the students to use. Their reasoning was that they where easier to teach.

author: 001
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 01:15:35 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 08, 2019, 11:32:11 amIn fakt it looks intersting for my simple purposesBut two things are "minus" - the deep dimension is WERY strange (no reason to buid deep enclosures without CRTs now) and display is poor for 2019Now any cheap $50 tablets provided with 6-10" colour displaysThe one reason to buy one cheap scope is to DISPLAY waveform

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 01:24:33 pm
content: It doesn't seem completely crazy to start students off on a very basic scope with no "frills"... it may make sense to learn how to ride a bicycle before you have a go at a 1,000cc motorcycle!

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 02:51:54 pm
content: Quote from: SilverSolder on September 08, 2019, 01:24:33 pmThat is why some DSOs have educational modes in which some advanced features are turned off. That is a much better way then the other way around. And there is always the 'default' button to take the DSO back to a pre-defined setting.

author: 001
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 06:14:35 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 08, 2019, 02:51:54 pmBasic idea of abstract scope is to plot curve U=f(t) onlyMarker measurments and signal recording is pretty whistles of digital technology but it unnesessary for some LF applications like simple biasing of common audio amplifier or power supply ripple testing

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2019, 10:10:02 pm
content: Quote from: 001 on September 08, 2019, 06:14:35 pmOnce you have a scope you always want/need more functionality, Single shot, Stop and USB recording of waveforms are mandatory features these days.

author: snoopy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 01:56:59 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on September 08, 2019, 02:04:48 amI've got a copy of Borland Turbo Pascal somewhere if they want it. It comes on 5 and 1/4 floppy and runs under MSDOS

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 03:04:04 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on September 08, 2019, 10:10:02 pmOf course. But if you are organizing the course material for thousands of students where the curriculum consists of learning the basics of AC circuitry, the best scope is the one that "doesn't get in the way" with too many settings that can be messed up by the students. This product totally fits that bill, and of course you or I would never buy one! :-)

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 03:09:52 pm
content: Quote from: colorado.rob on September 07, 2019, 08:31:02 pmIn Spanish, reading "nio" as "ño": cunt, twat. A very popular curse. "Coño, I burnt my finger!"Explanatory enough.

author: Dwaine
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 03:46:58 pm
content: We need a Dave tear down. You will see these show up in high schools. We’re the budget dictates what students learn.Anyone buy one?

author: 001
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 04:01:08 pm
content: Quote from: Dwaine on September 09, 2019, 03:46:58 pmIt looks 100% good for me except case dimensions and small display

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 04:05:25 pm
content: I bet there's bugger all inside it. It looks like someone bought a few pallets of power supply enclosures and now needs something to put in it.Honestly though I like the form factor. Looks like your hands and cables don't get in the way of the screen, a perpetual PITA with other form factors. Also you can probably wedge your engineers and students in tighter spacesBut Video here. It's a piece of shit:TI83 of scopes?!Edit: oh look a power supply...

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2019, 06:48:17 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on September 09, 2019, 04:05:25 pmNow that's the one that bugs me... PSUs with crap UIs. Screens crammed with numbers, keypads, arrow keys, etc.Give me coarse, fine voltage and current limit knobs, simple voltage and current readouts, andwell behavedregulation instead!Just because youcandoesn't mean that youshould.

author: CDaniel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 04:33:47 am
content: Some people would like all the information on that power's supply screen and more buttons , including myself , I don't think this has anything to do with that crappy oscilloscope and the "thinking" behind it ...

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 02:53:32 pm
content: Quote from: 001 on September 07, 2019, 11:02:01 amIt's tall. If it were also shallow, it would fall over

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 11:08:12 pm
content: Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on September 07, 2019, 05:08:04 pmI might have to get one for shits and giggles

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 11:11:03 pm
content: If they made it 100MHz/1GHz, like the old Tek TDS200 series, and it was that current US$150 price, there might be a niche market for such a slim benchtop single channel scope.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 11:12:04 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 10, 2019, 11:11:03 pmWait, I just realised it doesn't have a single shot mode?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 11:22:36 pm
content: If it were a TDS200 class unit even if only 50 megs I’d have bought it. But it’s not. It’s poo.I really like the form factor. It’s like the old Japanese scopes.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 11:30:33 pm
content: I wonder how it will work in X-Y mode? Spec says up to 1MHz on both channel but what about the refresh cycle? If that's good enough, I may actually have a use for it.

author: StillTrying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 11:37:22 pm
content: They've missed off the focus, astigmatism and beam finder controls.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 12:38:57 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 10, 2019, 11:12:04 pmWhich one would imagine will reverse your previous interest:Quote from: EEVblog on September 10, 2019, 11:08:12 pmYep, for a DSO not to have Single triggering is just plain dumb !

author: med6753
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 12:57:30 am
content: I think it's just plain stupid. If you want an analog scope, buy an analog scope. And if it's broke, learn to fix it.

author: med6753
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 01:06:08 am
content: Quote from: bd139 on September 10, 2019, 11:22:36 pmNo, the form factor is like the old Heathkit scopes.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 02:32:33 am
content: It's a silly scope.

author: AG6QR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 03:03:35 am
content: Quote from: CDaniel on September 10, 2019, 04:33:47 amCompare the Power Supply's case to the Oscilloscope's case. They re-used the mechanical design of the power supply case to make the oscilloscope. They produced a new control panel, but the position of the screen, the layout of the ridges on the sides of the screen and below the screen, are identical.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 05:22:56 am
content: Quote from: AG6QR on September 11, 2019, 03:03:35 amIt'd be interesting to know how quickly they knocked out this design...

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 11:20:21 am
content: I think that Tektronix TDS2000 and its derivatives are standard school scopes for years.Yes, it is basic, but OK for school.

author: TurboTom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2019, 11:26:41 am
content: I want it with a round screen! Round, like "real" CRTs. Please, Owon, would you make one with one of these smart watch TFTs?!

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2020, 06:06:21 pm
content: Martin Lorton has just released a video:

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2020, 06:15:40 pm
content: I only skipped through the video quickly but that's not a bad little scope. It's a digital analogue scope basically! If it was 25% cheaper I'd probably buy one

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2020, 01:54:47 am
content: I picked up one of the Owon handheld scopes for under $100 a while back and would consider it far more useful. Martin mentions the fast bootup time for the AS101, but I think being able to hit an auto button on a DSO eliminates that advantage.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2020, 03:30:44 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 08, 2019, 11:32:11 amtranslation : the teachers didn't have to learn anything newer ...

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2020, 03:52:09 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on April 14, 2020, 03:30:44 amIt seems a reasonable argument, that by removing extraneous functions you get the students to focus on the basics and not ask questions about "luxury features" that mainly benefit experienced users?

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2020, 04:14:38 pm
content: Didn't owon use to make CRT scopes in that form factor?it wouldn't surprise me if that was the exact same scope, just with a different video board

author: ralphrmartin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2020, 05:01:02 pm
content: You are all missing the point about the form factor - the students can't readily stick one under their jackets and walk off with them.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2020, 06:43:41 pm
content: I was noticing refresh rate on XY feature was rather impressive. Maybe that alone justifies purchasing one. I can't get anywhere near that on my digital scopes.Besides that, I really don't see a point. Folks who are proficient on analog scope will have very shallow learning curve going to digital. Folks who never touched analog one won't have issue adopting simpler digital kind either.

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 07, 2021, 01:21:02 am
content: Here's a review and teardown:https://chinese-electronics-products-tested.blogspot.com/p/as201-benchtop-oscilloscope-tested.html