So I'm seeing this cheap iPhone looking portable oscilloscope for sale for around $100. Does anyone have any experience with this? Think it may be worth picking up as a cheapo scope to get me through my amateur days? Check it out and any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated. Also its open source and seems to have the code availible to play with. I really like that.
http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/micro-digital-storage-oscilloscopedso-nano-p-512.html

 

I think you would be able to find an o'scope used that has far more features than the one your implying about. The bandwidth, for instance, is extremely limited to only 1MHz. You can't do much with a 1MHz bandwidth.

Austin

 

Yah I was worried about that. But I was thinking if this would be easier to throw in the tool box and my space is limited. I'm not doing anything crazy fast but just want to play with PIC24's - PIC32's and may be some ARM cortex's. I keep looking for used HP older scopes but so many seem to be broken or uncalibrated to get a decent one I'm looking at around $300-$400. Everything cheaper usually says AS IS unable to test. Then the next one they say fully tested and checked out ok.

 

If you will be monitoring any digital-type signal, that's where the higher bandwidth is necessary; compared to analog signals. It certainly would be simple to add it to a tool box, and if your looking for something similar in that regard, you might consider the portable o'scopes now available. However, cost might be an issue.

Austin

 

Yah I'm looking for something thats not over kill but something still useful. I'm trying to build a decent lab setup and right now space is a huge concern as is cost. Do you think I would be better off dropping $200 on one of the USB scopes that runs 60mhz - 100mhz? I have a netbook I could dedicate to it.

 

Before you try that, I'd check out Craigslist or ebay to see what o'scopes they have available. If you're able to provide $200 towards a o'scope, I believe you might find a nice one on either of those websites. The great thing about Craigslist, is the fact that if the item your interested in is near your local area, you can visit the seller and look at the equipment yourself (and you're able to test it!). With ebay that isn't possible, but you still might find something worthy there.

Austin

 

Yah not too many come through CL by me. Right now this is the best thing on it.
http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/ele/1674958401.html

 

Yah not too many come through CL by me. Right now this is the best thing on it.
http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/ele/1674958401.html

This actually looks like a good o'scope, why not test it?

AUstin

 

I was thinking they were pretty old scopes. I thought the 24XX models were much nicer for the money. I really don't know you think this is a good scope at a good price?

 

I was thinking they were pretty old scopes. I thought the 24XX models were much nicer for the money. I really don't know you think this is a good scope at a good price?

I would say that the price they list is reasonable for that particular o'scope, assuming it works.

Austin

 

I only buy stuff at incredible deals, lol. I try to shop around and ebay as much as possible. I have been looking at local ebay scopes and have seen many Tek 24XX scopes for cheap, its just finding a validated working one thats hte problem. Seems people buy em, test em and calibrate em, then resell em for 10 times the price guaranteed.

 

That is true. If your serous about your hobby or work, be careful. If you have a real scope then, yes, get the $89 piece for your toolbox.. But if you have none to back up the seed $89 thing, dont get it. If you are just being cheap (thrifty) shop around.. I did for 6 months before buying my home scope. I paid under $300 delivered for a brand new 25MHz scope with two channels and two 10x probes and warranty. Digital scopes have come down in price. If you are going to gamble with a ebay or CL scope, be careful.. You will likely have to calibrate it when you get it anyway. If you dont know how, add that to the price.