Any advice on purchasing a 'scope for Arduino type projects?
Cheers Alan
Sorry I can't advise, but I'm just replying so I'm in the thread to see the guys' suggestions.
A lot depends on how much money you have. I have just got a DS1074Z-S and while not the best in the world it is quite good for the money.
There are cheaper ones from China and more expensive ones as well. You can pay more for the Rigol scopes with other people's names on it like Agilent.
Any suggestions re sample time... I see this is important from my Googleing - depending on what you want to measure.
Given its non specific and general purpose usage I'm looking for doesn't seem to have helped.
Can't afford to spend spend spend just to get something that will do everything I may want to do but don't want to waste my money either.
Considering a second hand eBay CRT type or a new digital into the PC for the display type.
I believe one can click Notify also and not even have to reply.
I have a year old GW Instek GDS-2204A that I like a lot.
http://www.gwinstek.com/en/product/productdetail.aspx?pid=3&mid=7&id=1349
200 MHz bandwidth, 4 channel digital storage scope, comes with 4 250MHz probes.
Big display, easy to see waveforms. Easy to make voltage and timing measurements.
Optional modules can be added later, I don't have any yet.
Made in Taiwan, not in China.
I am not your typical hobbyist tho, with too little funding to buy the right tools for the job. Nor am I willing to go totally overboard. GW Instel seems to fill the void between expensive Tektronix equipment and what seems like China-made HP knockoffs.
I also have a Saleae Logic 8 channel logic analyzer, very nice for confirming SPI data streams. Can store waaaay more data than you'd care to scroll thru to find that one error byte in your data stream!
Not a oscilloscope but do you already own a logic analyser? - Logic Analyzers from Saleae - #1 with Professional Engineers -
helps to debug digital protocols like serial and I2C
Depending on your projects an LA might be a better choice!
CrossRoads:
I believe one can click Notify also and not even have to reply.I have a year old GW Instek GDS-2204A that I like a lot.
http://www.gwinstek.com/en/product/productdetail.aspx?pid=3&mid=7&id=1349
200 MHz bandwidth, 4 channel digital storage scope, comes with 4 250MHz probes.
Big display, easy to see waveforms. Easy to make voltage and timing measurements.
Optional modules can be added later, I don't have any yet.
Made in Taiwan, not in China.I am not your typical hobbyist tho, with too little funding to buy the right tools for the job. Nor am I willing to go totally overboard. GW Instel seems to fill the void between expensive Tektronix equipment and what seems like China-made HP knockoffs.
I also have a Saleae Logic 8 channel logic analyzer, very nice for confirming SPI data streams. Can store waaaay more data than you'd care to scroll thru to find that one error byte in your data stream!
Saleae Logic Analyzers
I think i'm on a different budget level... how much did that cost?
helps to debug digital protocols like serial and I2C
That is what the scope I got will do as well.
Around $1700, $1750 I think
http://www.tequipment.net/InstekGDS-2204A.html
These guys show $1785USD
Like I said, I am not your average hobbyist. I wanted bandwidth at least 10x max clock frequency and with fast rise times (i.e. really responsive input circuitry).
Shop around, see who has deals for UK. If you're going to get hosed with UK VAT, that may put anything really good out of range. Might as well hit a local flea market at local university and see what can be found.
Or get the Saleae analyzer for $149, and keep up the scope search for analog work and problem digital signals (like SPI signals that are getting corrupted).
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=gds-2204a&gbv=2&oq=gds-2204a&gs_l=heirloom-hp.3..0j0i30j0i5i30.1451.4196.0.5257.9.9.0.0.0.0.920.2199.2-2j6-2.4.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..5.4.2199.hQDHPsBfcKY
Yep... different budgets
I used one of these for a bit
http://www.dpscope.com/
Good enough for analog, basic things like voltage levels of a serial signal. But couldn't keep two signals in sync for display.
Have also used this for sound, with a $10 Sony microphone into the sound port on my laptop:
http://www.sillanumsoft.org/ Visual Analyzer
Helped me track down where the noise was coming from on a guitar tube amp I was making - used it to nail it down to power supply hum, feeding into first stage of amplification - and tuning the heater voltage on one of two of the tubes helped get rid of a lot of it.
So, different inputs/sensors for different applicatons.
My local component supplier has the ALP 212D on sale for 4300ZAR, which is about 250GBP, 400USD, 300EUR and 430AUD according to Messrs Google.
I have no real need for a 'scope, but it's one of those things I always wanted.
Any thoughts? (My only use for this is really just Arduino stuff.)
CrossRoads:
Made in Taiwan, not in China.
Taiwan is a part of China, didn't your geography teacher teach you that? 
HoHmeE:
CrossRoads:
Made in Taiwan, not in China.Taiwan is a part of China, didn't your geography teacher teach you that?
Seeing Taiwan as being part of China depends more on your political view than your geographic one. ....
Taiwan is a part of China, didn't your geography teacher teach you that?
My teacher taught me that China was part of the Japanese Empire, never trust geography teachers. ]
Grumpy_Mike:
Taiwan is a part of China, didn't your geography teacher teach you that?
My teacher taught me that China was part of the Japanese Empire, never trust geography teachers. ]
Your geography teacher is 100 percent a fool. So sorry for you to have such a teacher....
JimboZA:
HoHmeE:
CrossRoads:
Made in Taiwan, not in China.Taiwan is a part of China, didn't your geography teacher teach you that?
Seeing Taiwan as being part of China depends more on your political view than your geographic one. ....
It's not about political view. It has no doubt Taiwan is a part of China, just like Alaska is part of US. No doubt.
HoHmeE:
It's not about political view. It has no doubt Taiwan is a part of China, just like Alaska is part of US. No doubt.
They might talk, read & write Chinese but the currency is different, much like Scotland soon will might be. 
HoHmeE:
Grumpy_Mike:
Taiwan is a part of China, didn't your geography teacher teach you that?
My teacher taught me that China was part of the Japanese Empire, never trust geography teachers. ]
Your geography teacher is 100 percent a fool. So sorry for you to have such a teacher....
I think you miss the point entirely!
robtillaart:
Not a oscilloscope but do you already own a logic analyser? - Saleae Logic Analyzers -
helps to debug digital protocols like serial and I2CDepending on your projects an LA might be a better choice!
I like that..... probably cost a fortune landed here though, with shipping and duty. I'm going to ask my friendly supplier if they can source these.
Anyone got experience with Zeroplus LAP-C (16032)?