eevBLAB 126 - Ebay Oscilloscope ABUSE - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 16, 2025, 10:21:10 pm
content: Trigger Warning: Oscilloscope Abuse is real. A look at this bargain Ebay Tektronix MSO46.https://www.ebay.de/itm/356204034380

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2025, 12:20:49 am
content: Ouch! ;_;I may understand organizations destroying/damaging the gear they no longer need. But what is the seller imagining setting the prices? $1500 for an intentionally damaged device?

author: ultranalog
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2025, 03:48:25 pm
content: QC rejects which should never be allowed to reach the market?

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2025, 11:32:01 pm
content: Quote from: golden_labels on March 17, 2025, 12:20:49 amIn the comments someone offered $750, and they didn't accept it, so they are actually thinking its worth this much. If it was JUST the screen that was smashed I could understand. Going price for a working one might be 2-5k?

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 04:28:26 am
content: If that was just an accidental damage, it would be a good donor for parts. The motherboard itself may be worth $2000–3000, if in working condition.But with the destruction being so deliberate and extensive, and without doubt applied by smashing it with some tool? If the mobo isn’t already broken in half or components didn’t fall off, the chances of some latent damage or calibration loss are too high. In my mind only a gamble-loving person, who then “fixes” another unit and dishonestly resells, would go for this.While that Tektronix may still be one the edge of being reasonable for somebody into gambling, I can’t say the same about the other offers.

author: Haenk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 08:46:57 am
content: The same seller had an Audio Analyzer, with similar damages. I did not take the risk, someone else did, however. Though I assume the PCBs were not intentionally destroyed, but who knows.Maybe these things came from a bankrupt company, and an unhappy ex-employee made sure there really is nothing left of worth in the equipment inventory.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 09:20:39 am
content: Also, they ask 150 EUR for shipping to other EU countries

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 09:23:19 am
content: Quote from: bitwelder on March 18, 2025, 09:20:39 amThat’s because they carefully package it to prevent damage in transport. /s

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 12:33:02 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on March 17, 2025, 11:32:01 pmI saw that, they were crazy not to accept it. No one is going to pay $1500 for it.

author: temperance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 12:57:35 pm
content: I wouldn't even offer a dime for this. Anything in that box can be broken.Around 2002 my colleague had to destroy 10 PA system power amplifiers for a well known brand costing €5K each. They were the remaining stock and they could not be sold because they would go up in smoke at random. We even got instructions on how we had to destroy them and we had to provide evidence as well. 4KVA transformers, massive heat sinks, quality capacitors, 16 pairs 2sc2922 2sa1216... all for the scrap yard. A very sad day for humanity. Those 2sc2922 2sa1216 transistors costs a small fortune today.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 01:40:22 pm
content: I wouldn't for $1500 for sure, but at a much lower price, why not? It's hard to tell if it's damaged beyond what can be seen though, so could be just wasted money. But otherwise, replacing the display and the BNC connectors looks doable. If it went for $200 I might give it a shot.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 05:45:23 pm
content: Price has dropped a little since October, but still crazy for that sledge-hammered piece of shit.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg5696121/#msg5696121David

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 06:02:01 pm
content: Disgruntled employee? War casualty? Super clumsy fellow?

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 06:12:47 pm
content: Probably not, the seller has other test gear in "smashed condition", the company I work for has also destroyed bigger stuff with oxyacetylene to stop any competitors using it, really stupid & wasteful as it's very unlikely to be acquired by a competitor, if sold at a specialist industrial machinery auction.More recently they sent the entire contents of the electronics & cal lab, to a waste company that will probably shred everything, they left everything in skips outside to get thoroughly rained on, to make sure it's not useable. :'(David

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 09:01:04 pm
content: Quote from: factory on March 18, 2025, 06:12:47 pmIt can be acquired by a customer as well, which you don't want.QuoteAny cameras watching it? Apparently dumpster diving in UK is legal.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 09:03:18 pm
content: That looks like how a lot of former US militaryownedequipment gets "De-Milled" (de-militaried). I once bought a lot about 70 HP-71s from a US army base (Ft Bliss) and all of the displays had been smashed with a hammer but all of the US Army Proprietary ROMS were still in them and they all still worked. I donated the ROMS to several US Army units that needed them (and couldn't get them!) and I used the rest of the units for parts. I wish that I had a penny for every dollars worth of high valuecivilianequipment destroyed by the US Government. During the Obama administration they were even destroying empty ammo boxes to prevent civilians from reusing them. I don't know if the surplus US military ammo boxes are available again but a few years ago I needed some and I bought 50 exact copies of them that weremade in Chinafrom Amazon for fraction of the price of the genuine US made boxes.

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2025, 09:55:09 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on March 18, 2025, 09:01:04 pmYes many cameras unfortunately, a P45 (getting fired) would be guaranteed.Not sure it really matters if a customer acquires something, which the suits decided we are to no longer to work on either.Seems the smashed Tek is now out of stock, either someone bought it or the seller de-listed it.David

author: golden_labels
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2025, 06:49:01 am
content: The video Dave promised:EEVblog 1675 - Ninja Blender REPAIR because WHY? (Right To Repair).While watchingthis(here) video, I was expecting the new video to be discussing different things. I didn’t post some comments to not interfere with Dave’s content. Now I can. So here are two reasons, why organizations may destroy equipment. It’s a quick repetition ofwhat I talked about in a dumpster diving thread.This may differ by location and organization’s own policies, but causes include bookkeeping and taxes. While to us an oscilloscope is an oscilloscope, in accounting it’s property or waste. The most safe way of turning first into second is removal of its usability features. A sledgehammer is legally safer than a signature.

author: jonovid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2025, 10:59:52 pm
content: did this scope do military service in Ukraine or Gaza?