buying a low cost oscilloscope for tinkering
 

any pointers for buying a low cost oscilloscope for hobbyist tinkering
of tv/vcr etc

like what freq/voltage ranges generally to look out for.
are the pc based or handheld LCD ones any good?
thanks

s

"s" wrote in message
oups.com...
| any pointers for buying a low cost oscilloscope for hobbyist tinkering
| of tv/vcr etc

eBay

| like what freq/voltage ranges generally to look out for.

Prices are low. Get the best you can afford.

| are the pc based or handheld LCD ones any good?
| thanks

are the pc based ones any good?

Not bad - useful for some things.

are the handheld LCD ones any good?

Very good but pricey.

"s" wrote in message
oups.com...
any pointers for buying a low cost oscilloscope for hobbyist tinkering
of tv/vcr etc

like what freq/voltage ranges generally to look out for.
are the pc based or handheld LCD ones any good?
thanks

Gee, oscilloscopes are like cars ... you will get hundreds of opinions ...
all valid perhaps but all focused on user bias.

If you have never owned one before, start very basic and start used. For
example, there are flea markets called "hamfests" where you can sometimes
pick one up from someone local who cannot screw you as you "know where he
lives." Ebay is rife with them but be wary!

Stay away from digital scopes and high price tags until you get your feet
wet with an older analog scope.

Bandwidth of 50MHz should be good, dual trace, 20 mV sensitivity. Tektronix
is the best brand name out there, by the way.

"Charles Schuler" wrote in
:


"s" wrote in message
oups.com...
any pointers for buying a low cost oscilloscope for hobbyist
tinkering of tv/vcr etc

like what freq/voltage ranges generally to look out for.
are the pc based or handheld LCD ones any good?
thanks

Gee, oscilloscopes are like cars ... you will get hundreds of opinions
... all valid perhaps but all focused on user bias.

If you have never owned one before, start very basic and start used.
For example, there are flea markets called "hamfests" where you can
sometimes pick one up from someone local who cannot screw you as you
"know where he lives." Ebay is rife with them but be wary!

Stay away from digital scopes and high price tags until you get your
feet wet with an older analog scope.

Bandwidth of 50MHz should be good, dual trace, 20 mV sensitivity.
Tektronix is the best brand name out there, by the way.




One of the least expensive used TEK scopes would be the T932/35,35 MHz
BW,not having any TEK-made ICs in it,and easily serviceable.
One of the simplest scopes TEK ever made.

Or the TEK 442,a rack-mount version of the T935.

(T932=single channel vertical,T935=2 chan.)

Next on my short list would be the TEK 2213/15/35 series.(incl. "A"
versions)

(not 2230/32 digital models)
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net

Jim Yanik . writes:

Next on my short list would be the TEK 2213/15/35 series.(incl. "A"
versions)

(not 2230/32 digital models)

I picked up a 2213 on eBay not long ago for under $100. Only problem was
a missing holdoff knob.

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Sam Goldwasser wrote in
:

Jim Yanik . writes:

Next on my short list would be the TEK 2213/15/35 series.(incl. "A"
versions)

(not 2230/32 digital models)

I picked up a 2213 on eBay not long ago for under $100. Only problem
was a missing holdoff knob.


Keep track of the focus string resistors;they have a habit of increasing in
value until they open. Use 1/2w carbon composition to replace instead of
carbon film types(TEK's recommended mod)


--
Jim Yanik
jyanik-at-kua.net