Cheap oscilloscope advice please

Community General Discussion
1

I know this topic has been covered before ... read post after post ... but still trying to decided on a cheap scope to do some testing and learning.

This all started because a friend thought I might have some ripple on a power supply I had and said if I had a scope I could put in on and check.

He said "any cheap scope" will work for something like this.

I have never had a scope .. just want something to "play" with ... say under $100

I read review after review ... post after post ....

I came up with a few but need help deciding between them ... or maybe someone has a different one they recommend ...

Again ... simple testing ... maybe watch my PWM output on an Arduino ... stuff like that.

All these are from Amazon ...

At the bottom $39.99 ... Aleistfdno simple .... single channel .... downfalls (as far as I can tell) are small screen, only 3V amplitude on signal generator, limited trigger functions ... not sure if you can use signal generator and scope at the same time

At $69.99 (89.99 with $20 coupon) ... Bside with touch screen Dual channel ... not sure if I need that ... touch screen, not sure if this is good or bad ... only 7 signal types and you can't use them at the same time as the scope (from review) .. limited trigger function ...

At $84.99 (119.99 with $35 coupon) ... Bside 3 in 1 dual channel ... has multi meter , don't need one as I have two already ... buttons instead of touch screen (maybe better or worse) .... only 7 signal types and you can't use them at the same time as the scope (from review) .. limited trigger function ...

At the top $89.99 ($99.99 with $10 coupon) ... Fnirsi 2C53T ... Seems to have a lot of features ... just worry about the 4.2 starts on Amazon

And there are dozens more ... Fnirsi 2C53T $89.99 .... Fnirsi DSO152 $36.99 ... Leolov 154-pro $43.99 .....

Any advice here?

I know for the price these are all just toys ...

I am hoping for simple testing and learning how to use a scope, one of these will work.

I would be willing to go "a bit more" but from what I can see, I would need to go up to say $800 to get into a "real" scope ...

thanks .... Mike

2

One of the biggest features to look out for is the bandwidth (MHz) and sam,pling rate (Ms/sec). These determine the fastest frequency that the scope can see and the number of samples that it takes per second to draw out the graph.

The cheap scope on your list, for example, is 80 MHz, 250 Msa/sec, which is not great, but is enough to see ripple on a DC power line. 200 MHz is a pretty good bandwidth, but those are the ones that go for more like $250-$350 bucks. For example, I bout what I thought was a cheap Siglent 2-channel, 20MHz, 1Gsa/sec SDS1202 for something like $300. I am more than an amateur, but I'm not running a business with this thing either, and I feel like it is a good compromise of quality and price.

The final decision is up to you. Maybe just go with the cheapest thing available, and if later you find that you need more resolution then bite the bullet and buy a better one at that point; don't worry about sunken cost. Just my opinion though.

3

That depends on how you define "real." Over the years, I’ve purchased Tektronix oscilloscopes on eBay for very reasonable prices. Take some time to decide whether you want an analog or digital scope—I have both and use them for different purposes. I also purchased some 200 MHz probes from AliExpress and have had great luck with them. For critical tasks or anything over 500 MHz, I rely on my Tektronix probes; they’ve always performed flawlessly.

When buying on eBay, make sure the seller allows returns at a reasonable cost in case the item doesn’t meet your expectations. Some warranties are also available, so it’s worth checking those out as well.

Have fun!

1 Like
4

I dragged a Owon portable oscilloscope to the track for a number of years it held up. It held up bouncing about in the back of the suburban as I traveled the country. Worked great as a two channel scope. It filled the needs to compare two signals. To get the maximum use of the scope often involves the purchase of probes. I had a high voltage contact probe that I could check spark plug signal in seconds.
I did a lot of harness repair signal source at one end view the signal on scope if wire has been mashed or damaged the signal will show it.
So the real question is what are your needs to decide how much to spend do you need portable or bench model..

5

what I need from an Arduino scope is digital storage, 4 channels, and bandwidth

why I need that: I use a Passive Infrared sensor to trigger an active ultrasonic or microwave sensor, record the trigger command to the pinger, and the returned ping. I'm trying to build a driveway vehicle sensor. You need multiple inputs because of the way it's triggered. you need bandwidth to get accurate timing.

maybe think in terms of later on, and buy once, cry once.

6

So ... you have me thinking completely differently now ...

I see a few Tektronix 3032 scopes on ebay ... 2 channel, 300 MHz, 2.5 GS/s ... they start at $100 ...sell for about $150 it looks like ... no probes

"good probes" are $150 each but from Aliexpress, 500 MHz probes are $15 ... don't know how good they are.

Would this be the way to go?

How do I know which model to look for ?

7

If you are in the US a Rigol DHO802 is a LOT of scope for about $325

8

I agree with @gilshultz , Tektronix is a great scope. I bought a brand new OS 5020 in 1995 and it still works great today. It's my backup scope, but it is really a good piece of hardware.

Getting better than 'out of the box' probes is important for people who need better resolution immediately, but is definitely something that a hobbyist can put off for a while.

I haven't bought a new Tektronix scope since '95, but the one I did is still great. If you can find a good cheap one, I would definitely recommend it. It sounds like a good compromise for you.

9

Read the reviews; I did not dig through all of them but there don't seem to be major issues with it.

Although a singel channel scope will do for your purpose, it will eventually limit you. So I would skip them.

Important parameters are the bandwidth and the sampling rate. Skip the 1Mhz bandwidth products; life begins at 20MHz and 50 MHz would be preferred. The sample rate should be at least twice the bandwidth; be aware that sometimes the sample rate is divided between the two channels so the a 250Msamples/second with 2 channels will result in 125Msamples/sec per channel.

Get one with 2 probes or add a second probe; you will eventually have a need for it.

The Bside with touch screen advertises as 50MHz but reading the product description it only has 25MHz per channel. It will do. The 7 signal types of the signal generator will not be a limitation for a starter signal generator; it can also output a 2MHz signal.

The Bside 3-in-1 is only useful if you need a multimeter as well.

The Fnirsi 2C53T is similar to the Bside 3-in-1; it offers 13 wave forms for the signal generator but only an output frequency 50 kHz. It also is a real 50MHz scope on both channels.

My choice from those would be the Fnirsi 2C53T although it has a lower output frequency for the signal generator. Spend the $10 coupon on a second probe.

10

This was actually the one that caught my eye first. I know it is a toy but I think for my first scope and just something to learn on it will do everything I want.

Thanks

1 Like
11

I notice that all the oscilloscopes you listed in your first post are handhelds. Is this characteristic a specific criteria for you, or is it only a matter of chance/pricing that they all shared this characteristic?

I'm not very knowledgeable on the subject, but my feeling is that the handheld scopes are useful for a specific use case where you need a high level of portability, but if you don't need that then they are going to be inferior to less portable alternatives.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are the USB scopes. These are even a bit less portable than a desktop scope because you need to have a computer on hand in addition to the scope. However, if you are someone who will have a computer at your work area then I think they are worth considering for someone looking for a cheap scope. The thing I like about the USB scopes is that the scope only needs to provide a capable electrical interface. The computer provides the high quality user input and display hardware for free instead of you having to pay for redundant and inferior user input and display hardware as part of the scope, and throw away the scope if that hardware fails. In addition to the proprietary software provided by the manufacturer, open source versions are available for some USB scopes (example).

12

Hi, @xtal_01

If you have a DMM, most will give you a ripple value if you measure the DC supply and have the DMM in AC mode.
It will measure the AC component, which will be the ripple.

Thanks.. Tom.. :smiley: :+1: :coffee: :australia:

13

Interesting. Yes, this will just sit on my workbench and I do have a laptop there also. Might be something to look into. Thanks

1 Like
14

I bought a Zoyi ZT-703S after watching EEVblog 1597 - Zoyi ZT-703S $80 2CH 50MHz Oscilloscope/Multimeter Review. For its price and size it's very impressive what it can do particularly if you don't already own a multimeter. I've been using it in my recent articles if you want to see it in action.

Another cheap option is second hand old CRT based oscilloscopes if you have the space ideally bought from a reliable seller.

15

I bought the Rigol DS1054, comes with four probes, easy in use, with 4 channels, and most of all it has Protocol decoding for (RS232, I2C, SPI), and it's comes with 3 year garantee, maybe take a look at the specifaction?, cost in the Netherlands around 400 euro.

16

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.