Hi all,

I was searching for some tools on the net, can anyone tell my if they are any good? i know they are not of a good brand, but are the specs ok??

Multi-meter:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-VC97-..._Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item416bf4816f

Oscilloscope:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARM-DSO-P..._Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item5ae06f8c6f

USB oscilloscope:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-2-Cha..._Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item19c44b9946

And is the USB oscilloscope safe for the laptop? or can it somehow damage the USB port?

Thanks in advance.

 

Here is a link to the Pico PC Oscilloscope. http://www.newark.com/pico-technolo...5mhz-1-channel-100msps/dp/02M0838?Ntt=02M0838

As for the DMM, you get what you pay for. I personally prefer the Fluke model 117. I've never had any issues with it, nor with the model 115 I've had for many years.

 

specs ok for what? You haven't defined your needs/intended use.

 

Just for general use as a hobbyist.

Radiohead, yes fluke are good, but they are pricey too.

 

All those look to be a very cheap quality to me. That DMM probably won't get you very far--it'll probably break within a month. And, as radiohead said, you get what you pay for.

The USB oscilloscope is MADE for a computer. It's not going to damage the USB port. However, it also seems to be a fairly cheap quality and doesn't have a very wide range of functions.

 

Please learn from my experience and buy a Fluke. I was told I should buy a fluke right off the bat but didn't listen. I thought I could use a cheapy meter just to "get by" you know, after all, I'm just a hobbyist. Well, I went through 2 cheap meters from sears, then one from radioshack, and then I ended up buying a fluke. So where I would have paid ~200$ for a used (perfectly good) fluke at first, I ended up paying 400$ for that same fluke, when you add up what I paid for the other meters and what I ended up with.

Totally worth it. You only have to buy it once, which I guarantee can't be said of that chinese fluke knockoff.

 

Please learn from my experience and buy a Fluke. I was told I should buy a fluke right off the bat but didn't listen. I thought I could use a cheapy meter just to "get by" you know, after all, I'm just a hobbyist. Well, I went through 2 cheap meters from sears, then one from radioshack, and then I ended up buying a fluke. So where I would have paid ~200$ for a used (perfectly good) fluke at first, I ended up paying 400$ for that same fluke, when you add up what I paid for the other meters and what I ended up with.

Totally worth it. You only have to buy it once, which I guarantee can't be said of that chinese fluke knockoff.

To be perfectly honest, the multimeter I have now is one I've had for about 6 years that I bought at Kmart. It's a Craftsman, so it has a lifetime warranty, too. Bought it for $35. Last I knew, the price had dropped to about $20, and it's lasted me for a good long while. However, a Fluke really is top-of-the-line, and will definitely be worth it if you buy one. I have a feeling they make the Craftsman ones a lot cheaper (lower-quality materials) and they won't last as long as they used to. I think I also heard somewhere that they don't do the lifetime warranty thing anymore. My vote goes to the Fluke, though.

 

To be perfectly honest, the multimeter I have now is one I've had for about 6 years that I bought at Kmart. It's a Craftsman, so it has a lifetime warranty, too. Bought it for $35. Last I knew, the price had dropped to about $20, and it's lasted me for a good long while. However, a Fluke really is top-of-the-line, and will definitely be worth it if you buy one. I have a feeling they make the Craftsman ones a lot cheaper (lower-quality materials) and they won't last as long as they used to. I think I also heard somewhere that they don't do the lifetime warranty thing anymore. My vote goes to the Fluke, though.

the 2 I mentioned getting from sears were craftsman, and I managed to bugger both of them. It was my own fault, but they aren't idiot resistant. The fluke is much more hardy. I've done the same thing to my fluke that I did to those 2 craftsman meters and was not punished with smoke. Sure, if you know how not to be an idiot, you could probably use the fragile craftsman meter indefinately, but that's the problem - noobs (myself included) usually don't.

I don't remember about the warranty, but I assume that's something I checked into before shelling out for the same meter again. I just remember that I actually paid for the same meter twice.

 

Out of the 3 products listed I'd only buy the milti-meter. Fluke meters are great but they are also pretty pricey. That meter looks like a good substitution assuming that it lasts. I bought a similar type of meter for $50 six years ago and it has lasted without any problems.

 

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.
Is Hantek a good brand? I am considering buying the Hantek DSO1060:

http://toolboom.com/en/Articles/Rev...scilloscope-Oscilloscope-plus-Multimeter.html

Are the specs any good for a hobbyist/student in electronics??

Thanks

 

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.
Is Hantek a good brand? I am considering buying the Hantek DSO1060:

http://toolboom.com/en/Articles/Rev...scilloscope-Oscilloscope-plus-Multimeter.html

Are the specs any good for a hobbyist/student in electronics??

Thanks

That device does not appear to have many standard multimeter functions, such as resistance measurement, diode test, etc. It only measures frequency, voltage, and maybe current.

Why do you feel you need an O-scope so soon? What kind of work do you plan on doing? I personally use O-scopes very little. I think you can get by without one until you come up on a project that requires one. Then you can see about getting one. For now, I'd just focus on getting a decent multimeter. That is probably the most important tool you could ever own.

 

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=HHM-EX500&Nav=vhtj06

It's not FLUKE, but it is a name I trust, and that has a reputation for quality.

Look around, they have Clamp type ammeters that also serve as a DMM.

 

For $300.00 you can buy a used Tektronix oscilloscope on e-bay, use it for a year and sell it for what you paid. Buy real gear used, forget the disposable crap- especially those USB scopes.