Author Topic: My first oscilloscope  (Read 7118 times)

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Offline tsman

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #25 on: June 10, 2018, 11:31:44 am »
I think that AD gadget is vaporware.  I went on line to the AD website and tried to order one and all I got was 'Contact AD'.  None of the normal distributors show any stock.
I've got one right in front of me but I ordered it back in January. They only started shipping last month because of a component shortage.

It would be fun to compare the products but, in the end, the software is more important than the gadget.

You can look at the initial copy of the Scopy guide here. At first I liked the Digilent Waveforms software more but now I'm used to it, Scopy is decent. Scopy along with the rest of the firmware is open source as well which is nice.
 

Offline rstofer

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #26 on: June 10, 2018, 02:19:59 pm »
I think that AD gadget is vaporware.  I went on line to the AD website and tried to order one and all I got was 'Contact AD'.  None of the normal distributors show any stock.
I've got one right in front of me but I ordered it back in January. They only started shipping last month because of a component shortage.
It's kind of strange when the manufacturer can't get their own parts!  Nevertheless, when this thing becomes readily available, it would be fun to play with.
Quote

It would be fun to compare the products but, in the end, the software is more important than the gadget.

You can look at the initial copy of the Scopy guide here. At first I liked the Digilent Waveforms software more but now I'm used to it, Scopy is decent. Scopy along with the rest of the firmware is open source as well which is nice.
I'll download it today and see what it does.  The Digilent software has an API which is supposed to be pretty decent.  I haven't tried it but if I wanted to do automated testing there is a way to do it.
 

Offline tsman

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #27 on: June 10, 2018, 02:53:08 pm »
It's kind of strange when the manufacturer can't get their own parts!
It is the plastic case apparently and they're still having problems sourcing it. They've started shipping with just a big heatshrink sleeve instead and you can email somebody at AD for a case. The PCB is designed to fit this specific case precisely and I guess they've made a lot of the boards already so can't change it now. Annoying but not much you can do about it apart from waiting.

I'll download it today and see what it does.
Nah. Don't bother. You have to connect to a unit before the Scopy software does anything. All of the different tool windows are disabled until that happens. There isn't a demo option that pretends a unit is connected.

It looks to be based Sigrok Pulseview for the logic analyser + decoders and GNU Radio for the other bits.

The Digilent software has an API which is supposed to be pretty decent.  I haven't tried it but if I wanted to do automated testing there is a way to do it.
No API here (yet?).
 

Offline osteichthyesTopic starter

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #28 on: June 15, 2018, 01:40:04 am »
Wouldn't you know, just after I posted this an oscilloscope showed up in my school's surplus store. It's an HP 5403. I'm not finding much about them online. Has anyone used one?
 

Offline osteichthyesTopic starter

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #29 on: June 15, 2018, 01:46:23 am »
Thanks! I'm still not finding tons about them. Are they  well regarded scopes?
 

Offline JohnnyMalaria

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #30 on: June 15, 2018, 01:59:12 am »
Are you sure about the model number? There's a bunch of HP 54xxx scopes (e.g., 54503)
 

Offline osteichthyesTopic starter

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #31 on: June 15, 2018, 02:08:47 am »
 Nope.

I haven't seen it yet, and our campus surplus has a rather antiquated website. No pictures and just the following:

OSCILLOSCOPE, HP 5403, SN: US36180581, 60 MHZ, POWERS ON NOT TESTED

It's quite inexpensive, so it might be a good place for me to start, if it's well regarded and will last a while.

It seems like maybe some 54603Bs were labeled 5403 on the face? No idea.

What is a reasonable price for a functioning 54603B? It seems like $30-50 ish?
« Last Edit: June 15, 2018, 03:24:29 am by osteichthyes »
 

Offline JohnnyMalaria

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #32 on: June 15, 2018, 03:54:44 am »
It could be this:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=hp+54603b

Can you go to the surplus store and look at it and maybe take a photo to post here?
 

Offline osteichthyesTopic starter

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #33 on: June 15, 2018, 06:02:54 am »
I plan to go check it out tomorrow. If it is that  model, is $30 a decent price?
 

Offline JohnnyMalaria

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #34 on: June 15, 2018, 02:27:08 pm »
I plan to go check it out tomorrow. If it is that  model, is $30 a decent price?


I can't say. $30 for any functioning scope seems pretty good especially since there'd be no shipping costs :)


Check to see if it has a power cord and, most importantly, probes.
 

Online rsjsouza

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #35 on: June 15, 2018, 03:24:29 pm »
I tried to do a search on the matching serial number and a few model numbers but found nothing.

https://service.keysight.com/infoline-demo/public/details.aspx?i=COV
Vbe - vídeo blog eletrônico http://videos.vbeletronico.com

Oh, the "whys" of the datasheets... The information is there not to be an axiomatic truth, but instead each speck of data must be slowly inhaled while carefully performing a deep search inside oneself to find the true metaphysical sense...
 
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Offline osteichthyesTopic starter

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #36 on: June 15, 2018, 09:12:15 pm »
It ended up being the 54603B. It was $50 and didn't include probes. I went for it because it should more than meet my needs for now. But, an upgrade may be in the future.
 

Offline JohnnyMalaria

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #37 on: June 15, 2018, 09:18:51 pm »
It ended up being the 54603B. It was $50 and didn't include probes. I went for it because it should more than meet my needs for now. But, an upgrade may be in the future.

Oh, very cool!

You should post back when you've started to play with use it.
 
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Online rsjsouza

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #38 on: June 16, 2018, 08:31:45 pm »
Congratulations!!!

This oscilloscope series is very smooth to use. I really have fond memories of using one in the early 1990s.
Vbe - vídeo blog eletrônico http://videos.vbeletronico.com

Oh, the "whys" of the datasheets... The information is there not to be an axiomatic truth, but instead each speck of data must be slowly inhaled while carefully performing a deep search inside oneself to find the true metaphysical sense...
 

Offline osteichthyesTopic starter

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #39 on: June 18, 2018, 10:29:03 am »
I got and calibrated a pair of probes recently. Having zero EE training and also having never used an oscilloscope before, I expected a steep learning curve and lots of confusion. But, the scope is so logical and simple to use that I've really been learning a ton without too much confusion. Everything sort of just makes sense. Plus there's something very satisfying about the whole green on black CRT thing.

I went with the cheap $10 probes from Amazon. They feel...cheap. What is a good brand of probe that's easy to find in the US? I'm thinking one or two 1:10 probes might be nice because those cheap ones from Amazon seem to be a little too easily switched between 1:1 and 1:10.

Thanks again for the advice, all!
« Last Edit: June 18, 2018, 11:10:37 am by osteichthyes »
 

Offline iainwhite

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #40 on: June 18, 2018, 02:17:17 pm »
I went with the cheap $10 probes from Amazon. They feel...cheap. What is a good brand of probe that's easy to find in the US?

You can buy really good probes but they will cost more each than your scope.
e.g.  Probemaster,  B&K Precision
http://probemaster.com/4900-series-oscilloscope-probes/

You could try searching eBay for secondhand HP probes and hope to get good quality.

See this thread for some ideas https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/suggestions-on-buying-scope-probes/

I assume you bought some P6100 type probes from Amazon?   I would probably stick with them, as to improve on them you are looking at a quite a bit more money which may be better spent elsewhere (don't get me wrong, I love gold-plated Probemaster stuff...)

Good luck with your scope - it sounds like you got a great tool to learn with at a great price.
 

Online rsjsouza

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Oh, the "whys" of the datasheets... The information is there not to be an axiomatic truth, but instead each speck of data must be slowly inhaled while carefully performing a deep search inside oneself to find the true metaphysical sense...
 

Offline osteichthyesTopic starter

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Re: My first oscilloscope
« Reply #42 on: June 21, 2018, 03:14:15 am »
 Per some prior advice, I tracked down an HP probe in great shape. Thanks all
 


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