Bench Oscilloscope Suggestions

[LB-V]

I did search a bit for some possible discussions regarding bench oscilloscopes...but did not find much.

Looking for any recommendations for a bench scope. I plan to use it for basic troubleshooting of my vintage gear. I do not have plans for developing complex circuits and testing them. Just want to check components for operation against specs and locate noise, etc.

It's been many years from my college lab circuit courses, and I do not recall what functions would be applicable to my needs
and there are a great deal of options available at corresponding price points.

Suggestions / comments would be most welcome!!

 

[par4ken]

Check eBay there are many for sale at reasonable prices. Some are bid items, starting off low. I would get something with two channels. Bandwidth does not have to be great for audio.

A couple of scopes caught my eye almost immediately. You can't go wrong with HP.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/33511354505...7db1dXvg0+3vlS068kpns3Q7QA|tkp:Bk9SR6qn7Nm7Yw

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/37525681136...C6WeagmndaUL+NNuSCEEuqT9YA|tkp:Bk9SR6qn7Nm7Yw

 

[gene_stl]

Nobody ever got fired for buying a Tektronix oscilloscope. The same is true for Hewlett Packard although they are better known for other instruments.
I like the Tek 4xx series and personally have a 485 that came my way recently from an older engineer who didn't really want to start messing with ebay.
I also bought a Fluke portable from him Both are good for 100 mHz.

Prior to that I had (and still have) several BK Precision ranging from 20 mHz which is generally fast enough for audio use up to 100 mHz. These came my way in the 1990s. They still work perfectly. All the above are easy to find. I sometimes see Teks on FB marketplace from when gramps croaked for $20 or $50.

Probes can be had cheeply from China inc. I myself prefer analog scopes to digital ones but that is a personal preference. Many digitals can do all sorts of signal analysis but they usually don't have deep enough A/D converters to do real distortion and spectrum analysis. (12 or `14 bit fast converters) The digitals may take up way less space if they are non CRT which many are.

 

[par4ken]

I like this one, it's rack mount with four channels and it is a TEKTRONIX! And notice the big speakers in the background.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/25640948269...8OjTiXQHdULAC5yjk0eRYKkw==|tkp:Bk9SR4Suy9q7Yw

 

[Tribby2001]

Analog or Digital?
Frequency/Bandwidth?
Channels?
Used vintage boat anchor?
OR new, lighter, smaller, cheap as used, made in Shenzhen shipped direct from the PRC?

Finally, consider it's resale value. Will you be able to easily sell it?

 

[LB-V]

A couple of scopes caught my eye almost immediately. You can't go wrong with HP.

Man, this HP is about 20 minutes from my house. For $120 I could be up and running in trouble shooting bliss, after getting some probes. Nice!

 

[LB-V]

Nobody ever got fired for buying a Tektronix oscilloscope. The same is true for Hewlett Packard although they are better known for other instruments.
I like the Tek 4xx series and personally have a 485 that came my way recently from an older engineer who didn't really want to start messing with ebay.
I also bought a Fluke portable from him Both are good for 100 mHz.

Prior to that I had (and still have) several BK Precision ranging from 20 mHz which is generally fast enough for audio use up to 100 mHz. These came my way in the 1990s. They still work perfectly. All the above are easy to find. I sometimes see Teks on FB marketplace from when gramps croaked for $20 or $50.

Probes can be had cheeply from China inc. I myself prefer analog scopes to digital ones but that is a personal preference. Many digitals can do all sorts of signal analysis but they usually don't have deep enough A/D converters to do real distortion and spectrum analysis. (12 or `4 bit fast converters) The digitals may take up way less space if they are non CRT which many are.

Thank you for the help!

 

[LB-V]

This one looks good....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3352452425...ufToihgTHy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[mandrix]

It has been many years, but I used to sit 8 hours a day with a Tektronix scope. I don't recall the model now but it got the job done. The company had some HP's I believe but I was happy with the Tek.
All I have personally these days is an old BK Precision bench meter.

 

[par4ken]

Analog or Digital?
Frequency/Bandwidth?
Channels?
Used vintage boat anchor?
OR new, lighter, smaller, cheap as used, made in Shenzhen shipped direct from the PRC?

Finally, consider it's resale value. Will you be able to easily sell it?

He doesn't need wide bandwidth for audio. No advantage for him with digital and dual channel is fine. Many great units are available cheaply. Who cares about resale value?

Man, this HP is about 20 minutes from my house. For $120 I could be up and running in trouble shooting bliss, after getting some probes. Nice!

I would go for it!

 

[DuncanS]

I did search a bit for some possible discussions regarding bench oscilloscopes...but did not find much.

Looking for any recommendations for a bench scope. I plan to use it for basic troubleshooting of my vintage gear. I do not have plans for developing complex circuits and testing them. Just want to check components for operation against specs and locate noise, etc.

It's been many years from my college lab circuit courses, and I do not recall what functions would be applicable to my needs
and there are a great deal of options available at corresponding price points.

Suggestions / comments would be most welcome!!

Since I can only get to a Lab these days if I get on a plane (and thus I can't borrow an oscilloscope anymore!), I recently bought one of these, a handheld dual channel 40MHz oscilloscope with built in Signal Generator & multi-meter, great for general use and checking audio.

MP720781 from Multicomp Pro is a multi-function device offering both oscilloscope, digital multimeter and signal generator functionality. Features a 3.5" high resolution LCD display, USB type-C interface, self-calibration function and SCPI support.

• Digital multimeter function offers 4½ digits and V, A, ohm, farad, diode, continuity testing modes
• Signal generator function offers sine, square, ramp, arbitrary waveform (25/5/1/5MHz) frequency o/ps

£139 UK: https://cpc.farnell.com/multicomp-p...hz-2-1ch-w-signal/dp/IN09307?CMP=TREML007-005
$219 on sale at $158 USA; https://www.newark.com/multicomp-pr...-dso-40-mhz-250-msps/dp/25AK2940?ost=mp720781

 

[LB-V]

Since I can only get to a Lab these days if I get on a plane (and thus I can't borrow an oscilloscope anymore!), I recently bought one of these, a handheld dual channel 40MHz oscilloscope with built in Signal Generator & multi-meter, great for general use and checking audio.

MP720781 from Multicomp Pro is a multi-function device offering both oscilloscope, digital multimeter and signal generator functionality. Features a 3.5" high resolution LCD display, USB type-C interface, self-calibration function and SCPI support.

• Digital multimeter function offers 4½ digits and V, A, ohm, farad, diode, continuity testing modes
• Signal generator function offers sine, square, ramp, arbitrary waveform (25/5/1/5MHz) frequency o/ps

£139 UK: https://cpc.farnell.com/multicomp-p...hz-2-1ch-w-signal/dp/IN09307?CMP=TREML007-005
$219 on sale at $158 USA; https://www.newark.com/multicomp-pr...-dso-40-mhz-250-msps/dp/25AK2940?ost=mp720781

View attachment 102252

Thank you!

 

[LB-V]

This one looks good....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3352452425...ufToihgTHy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I'm picking this 4 channel Tektronix up today. I wanted 4 channel, it's a Tektronix and has a floppy disc drive! Everything I wanted. It can connect directly to a printer too...I thought that was cool.

Thank you everybody. A new phase just begun in my journey/ hobby.

 

[mandrix]

Wow I just saw a "lot" of probes for 12.50 on EvilBay. Not the clip type, though.

 

[barfle]

This is the scope I bought about six months ago.

https://www.tequipment.net/Instek/GDS-2102E/Digital-Oscilloscopes/?search=true

These are cheaper, but I don't know exactly what you might be giving up.

https://www.gwinstek.com/en-US/products/detail/GDS-1000B

 

[Tribby2001]

If you need real cheap...

https://www.amazon.com/Mivofun-Handheld-Oscilloscope-Bandwidth-Oscilloscopes/dp/B09X385FPV/

 

[mandrix]

If you need real cheap...

https://www.amazon.com/Mivofun-Handheld-Oscilloscope-Bandwidth-Oscilloscopes/dp/B09X385FPV/

Not what a technician would use, but appears from comments to be pretty functional for your average home/car stuff.

 

[Tribby2001]

Not what a technician would use, but appears from comments to be pretty functional for your average home/car stuff.

There are loads of electronics and radio hobbyists out there that use this stuff that would have been out of reach for most of us just a decade ago. You can buy handheld oscilloscopes direct from Ali in Chyna for $8.

 

[mandrix]

There are loads of electronics and radio hobbyists out there that use this stuff that would have been out of reach for most of us just a decade ago. You can buy handheld oscilloscopes direct from Ali in Chyna for $8.

I don't disagree! My comment was more to working in a professional environment, I don't know what is used these days but I would assume a good quality 'scope.
I might pick up one of those hand held units myself.

 

[Tribby2001]

I don't disagree! My comment was more to working in a professional environment, I don't know what is used these days but I would assume a good quality 'scope.
I might pick up one of those hand held units myself.

Yes, of course. I've worked with them my entire career. Buy my company paid for them back then. It is an indispensable tool for certain tasks.