Digital or Analog osciloscope? / General Science and Electronics / Forums

Forums

4hv.org :: Forums :: General Science and Electronics

« Previous topic | Next topic »

Digital or Analog osciloscope?

Move Thread

LAN_403

MRacerxdl

Thu Feb 21 2008, 05:53PM

Registered Member #989 Joined: Sat Sept 08 2007, 02:15AM
Location: SÃ£o Paulo, Brazil
Posts: 476

I am planning to buy a Osciloscope.

Here on brazil, I can get a cheap (at least in brazil) 10MHz Icel Osciloscope (One Channel) for R$470 (US$276)

Its the cheap New Analog osciloscope that I can find here :(

I have other analog option, that are 20Mhz Icel Osciloscope with 2 Channels

Ok, but I have another thing that I can buy:
The PicoScope Digital Osciloscope (For PC)
What I Plan to get:
PicoScope 2203

2 Channels, 5Mhz, 40MS/s Sampling Rate, 8kS Record Lenght, 8 Bits (Or 12 Bits Enhanced).
For only R$522 (US$300)

What is the better option for I get? The prices are very expensive here, but I think if I get that digital one its better, because its have more resourcers like Measure Voltage and Frequency.

Is the digital one the better choice?

Thanks!

101111

Thu Feb 21 2008, 06:17PM

Registered Member #575 Joined: Sun Mar 11 2007, 04:00AM
Location: Norway
Posts: 263

You can use an analog scope to measure both voltage and frequency it is just a little trickier.

Sulaiman

Thu Feb 21 2008, 07:03PM

Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3141

An interesting choice. You should consider a few things;

1) What are your main areas of interest in electronics? (e.g. digital, audio, Tesla coiling, radio etc.etc.)
2) An analog 'scope is quite rugged and stand-alone, a pico-scope needs a (relatively expensive and fragile) PC attached
3) Pico-scope types offer the potential for computer analysis of signals and can be used as a data-logger (e.g. battery charge/discharge curves, monitoring of natural phenomena etc.)
4) Do you need a new 'scope?, could you get a cheap second-hand 'scope?

...

Thu Feb 21 2008, 07:11PM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

I would personally recomend getting a cheep standalone digital scope (battery powered is awesome for scoping circuits that are connected to the line).

I have had good luck with my owon EDU5022W scope. The downloading of data is a little flakey (although I am using an emulator to run the software under linux, you might have better luck...), and the 8bit resolution can be limiting at times (although still much better than what you can do with an analog scope), but otherwise it has served me well and seems very immune to noise and abuse (I accidentally pulled a power ark from my sstc about 6" long to one of the probes, which melted the tip slightly but the scope still works fine

) The 100Msamples/sec sample rate is plenty fast enough for just about anything you want to do.

It is a little more expensive than what you are looking at (about $400), but if you are really planning on getting into the hobby you are better off spending the extra $100 now, rather than buy an inferior scope and then realising you need to upgrade later.

Weston

Thu Feb 21 2008, 07:59PM

Registered Member #1316 Joined: Thu Feb 14 2008, 03:35AM
Location: Cambridge, MA
Posts: 365

why cant you use normal scope on line voltage? it is isolated by the transformer, hopefully. :)

WaveRider

Thu Feb 21 2008, 08:48PM

Registered Member #29 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 09:00AM
Location: Hasselt, Belgium
Posts: 500

Beware of spending too much for analog scopes. They can be had quite cheaply on EBay, e.g.

A good analog scope is a very useful tool, but it limits your processing capability.

I have a PicoScope 5203 and am extremely satisfied with its performance (it is a bit pricy, tho' if you are on a budget). Spectrum analysis and other complicated signal analysis is possible with it (when used in conjuction with Octave/Matlab, etc.).

If you have a limited budget, I would definitely go for a good analog scope first. As mentioned earlier, they are rugged and fairly easy to use. When you gain experience (and cash), go for the best digital scope you can afford. These are valuable tools that you can use for a lifetime, if you choose well!

MRacerxdl

Thu Feb 21 2008, 09:57PM

Registered Member #989 Joined: Sat Sept 08 2007, 02:15AM
Location: SÃ£o Paulo, Brazil
Posts: 476

The bigger problem its on brazil the used scopes are most the same prices than newers. I was think to buy one via eBay but the brazillian customs are a ***** thing

That I cant get thinks outside the country for less 200% the original price

, The picoscope I put as an option, because I have a cousin that lives on Germany, and she will come day 8 of march. And she can buy it for me.

My primary use is for building and correcting my SSTC/DRSSTC circuits, I will use it for general eletronics too, but I think not much complex things.

Dr. Slack

Fri Feb 22 2008, 08:02AM

Registered Member #72 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:29AM
Location: UK St. Albans
Posts: 1659

If you are going to connect it to your SSTC/DRSSTC, then I would strongly recommend an analog scope. Do you want to kill not only your scope but also your PC with one accidental strike?

Moderator(s): Chris Russell, Noelle, Alex, Tesladownunder, Dave Marshall, Dave Billington, Bjørn, Steve Conner, Wolfram, Kizmo, Mads Barnkob