Q for oscilloscope savvy forumites?

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manalishi

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Jul 5, 2007
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Am looking at the decreasing price of digital storage oscilloscopes (about £300 now), to replace my fairly simple analogue CRT scope (Hameg HM203-6).

Anyone got any thoughts on them - ones like this 25MHz model: GW Instek - Test and Measurement - Oscilloscope, Spectrum Analyzer, Signal Source, Power Supply, Basic T & M Instrument

My needs are pretty simple: audio signals only, 100mV to 500V. The extra features of these digital ones are very appealing: colour display, instant measurements, save/recall of waveforms, zoom in/out, USB control/data transfer, etc.

Just wondering if there are any potential SNAFUs that I hadn't thought about? The only feature I can't see that would be useful is built-in spectrum analyser (which I presume is kept for higher-price models).

Any advice would be welcome. :)
 
I've had a look at the spec and it looks a fantastic instrument for the money.
The range of functions is pretty awesome.
Some of the earlier DSOs had their quirky problems, such as aliasing, but I would not think that it was a problem at the sampling rates for these instruments.
 
Do you really need a DSO?

Personally I would go for a previously cherished Tektronix (I prefer the 465).

Might not have the storage facility, but is a great scope with delay.

A 465 and a Fluke 75 DMM. Ready for anything :)

Or am I just getting old?
 
Thanks chaps.

johnsco - It seems OK. I've now found an EE blog that explains some of the differences on sampling and bandwidth for low-cost DSOs and I need to reread that DSO page to check if this one has a suitable spec. Does seem good (so far)

Ted - not sure what that Tektronix would give me for my needs above what the Hameg already does? That DSO has some very useful features - I listed the ones that are (genuinely) useful. Simply being able to screengrab a waveform is worth a lot to me.

Honest - this isn't just Gear Acquisition Syndrome! :D
 
Just had a good look at that scope.
Bloody hell that is well specced! Maybe it is just me getting old!
 
my dad switch to digital units from CRT's a couple of years ago (for NDT of welds/metal fabrication rather than electronics) very happy so far and pleased that he doesn't need to lug the old CRT box around anymore.
 
It's a small world.
I use as my main calibration instruments a Tektronix 150 MHz cro type 2445A and an elderly Philips DMM type PM2521.
Most of my work with them is calibration of ultrasonic and eddy-current ndt equipments and related work.
I also use a Gould 2-channel DSO and two Yokogawa 4-channel DSOs for continuous signal monitoring on a couple of automatic ultrasonic test machines.
They have the great advantage that you can use them in screen roll-mode ... rather like a hospital heart-beat monitor.
I have used Tektronix analogue storage scopes for the same application, but the DSOs are far superior.
All the above kit is getting on in years ... A bit like myself.
 

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