I would like to be able to test waveforms for circuits, so I can understand better the relationships between electronics components. I don't want to go pro. Does anyone have the FNIRSI 1014D (Amazon) oscilloscope? What do you think about it? Other good alternatives?
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Which circuits do you interesting more - digital or analog?
Digital are some logical signals of the mcu, various protocols as UART, SPI, I2c... Analog - transistors, condensers, operational amplifiers etc...
For digital signals 5$ logic analyzer give you much more information than oscillloscope for $500
You could use a PC:
https://zeitnitz.eu/scope_en
Not being an expert, I thought an analog oscilloscope could read digital. But to answer your question, I'd like to be able to do both.
it is true, but in the oscilloscope hardly will be more than two channels, while any logic analyser has at least six.
Most digital circuits have more than two outputs where you want to see the signal, meaning you need a tool with many channels.
Of course, it is your decision, but for 5 years of Arduino hobby, I took out the oscilloscope two or three times, and I use the logic analyser every day
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Ah, I see what you're getting at. At this point, I'm playing with simple analog circuits. So I think I want an oscilloscope for that. But as I get more into digital, I may very well want to invest in a logic analyzer, which until now I didn't know exist.
Looks similar in spec to the Hantek DSO5102 I have, which is quite a reasonable 'scope and I would recommend. The one you linked to seems unavailable at the moment but the Hantek one is. A logic analyser is also useful for a different set of problems. The PC-based scopes that use sound cards often have limited bandwidth, nice to have something that does DC to 20MHz at least. When I was developing digital communications stuff a colleague pooh-poohed my use of a logic analyser, apparently he debugged a high speed satellite modem using just a scope and a logic probe, but that was 40 years ago!
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I just looked that one up, and it appears to come with EU power cord? I am in the US. Would I be able to exchange the cord with one from an old computer, 110v US?
I don't have a 'scope at home but that looks like a good bargain!
I use an oscilloscope at work "everyday" but so-far I've gotten-away without having one at home. A couple of times I've brought a hobby project into work so it could use the one at work but that's been very rare over many years of being an electronics hobbyist.
...Actually, not too long ago I brought an Arduino Uno into work because I wanted to see much time digitalWrite() takes. (about 3.3us.).
Sometimes I think it would be nice to own one, but besides the cost it's something else I'd have to find space for. 
I would recommend a "real scope" over one of those gizmos that plugs into your computer. You turn it on and it's "ready-to-go" and it's got physical knobs so you don't have to mess with computer settings, and it's more likely to have over-voltage protection and all of that stuff you expect in an actual "measurement instrument".
And a benchtop unit is better than a handheld device unless you need to carry it around in your toolbox. (Bigger display and easier to use controls.)
A 'scope is more useful as a "general tool" than a logic analyzer. I've used a logic analyzer a couple of times but on my workbench at work I have a 'scope, and there are lots of 'scopes around and I don't know where there is a logic analyzer or the company I'm currently working for even has one. It's easy to "probe-around" with a 'scope but it's a "project" to connect a logic analyzer to an 8 or 16- bit data bus or address bus, plus you need to connect at least one trigger (like a read or write line, etc.).
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The referenced o'scope appears to be well suited for your needs. On the positive side, it includes a function generator, FFT analysis, and 1G of RAM for storage of waveforms and playback.
I would think it a good value for home workshop use. It is a specialized tool, but when you need a storage scope ... well, you need a storage scope! Great educational asset.
Ray
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The FNIRSI 1014D oscilloscope can be powered from a power bank through the USB port. So it becomes semi-portable.
BITD (Back In The Day) when I was an instrumentation bench tech I put a T in my scope probe and fed the signal to my (at that time) state of the art 3-1/2 digit hp 3476A autoranging DMM.
I'd leave the scope on AC coupling and the DMM on DC. That way whenever I probed a point I'd get both the DC voltage and any AC riding on top. Worked well.
A dual trace scope allows you to compare timing vs a reference signal. Alternating two test points is a bit of a pain by you can effectively compare three signals in relation to each other. Lots of times a logic analyzer is overkill. I don't need to see every bit on a port, just the strobe and checking the data lines for activity in sync is sufficient.
I've even troubleshot a "stuck" CPU card with a dual trace scope, read the code being executed, figured out what it was looking for, and made it happy with a jumper. It took a little time and patience but it was doable.
In my entire professional career, and hobby "career", I've never needed a logic analyzer. I'm not saying there aren't situations where one is useful, I'm just saying, it's rare.
I have a 32 channel HP that I used a lot in the 70s when first starting out designing microcomputer hardware but nowadays with most everything modular I don't find the need for one.
I do use the four channels of my DSO for serial communication troubleshooting sometimes however.
Yes, it's a standard IEC power cord - "kettle connector" - just use an old computer lead or buy a new one though I'm sure one will come with the 'scope.
I bought a cheap ish hantek scope online and it has proved very useful. There have been a number of problems with pcbs I have been designing that could not be solved without one. In particular tracking my I2C signal and also working out noise issues and how to minimise. Useful piece of kit for when you move from basic to intermediate projects (ie messing to needing to work). That said, it doesn’t get a lot of use and if I had a neighbour with one I would borrow not buy.
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