Author Topic: free DSO for electronics beginner?  (Read 9723 times)

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Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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free DSO for electronics beginner?
« on: June 17, 2018, 03:34:50 am »
hi

anyone got a DSO laying around they dont want?

prefer if it works but i can try doing basic troubleshooting on it if its not 100%

doesn't need to be super duper accurate or amazing..

just using for low level and hobby things... something for me to experiment and play with.

can drive to get it...  im in Woolongong,  its about half hour south of Sydney...

anyone got one laying about?
« Last Edit: June 17, 2018, 04:48:37 am by cyndernight »
 

Offline aargee

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2018, 03:54:24 am »
You might want to search the forum for similar topics to get a feel for the requirements of such requests from the forum community.
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Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2018, 04:06:10 am »
If you can drive and spare gas, I suppose you can spare some cash for a DSO right?
 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2018, 04:09:15 am »
You might want to search the forum for similar topics to get a feel for the requirements of such requests from the forum community.

thank you for your time to respond to me.

im not sure i follow? did i say something wrong?

im not aiming to pity or scam anyone, this is literally a "would be awesome" for me to experiment with while im unemployed.

but i dont intend to try and coax someone to part with anything unwillingly... i was more asking

"anyone throwing it out, if so let me know" kinda thing...

its not a NEED for me to have this, nor is it for any impotent project i have in mind...

just being honest and on the level, i joined to ask if anyone was tossing one, or know where i can get one.

if not, thats cool,   if they do then great.  <3


If you can drive and spare gas, I suppose you can spare some cash for a DSO right?

at the moment im using the parents car (and there fuel) while i'm between jobs.

if i knew in advance how much something was, and had a week or two i might be able to find some cash yes, but i dont know how much nor how quick.
 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2018, 04:20:37 am »
as an addendum:

i wasn't intending to upset or stop on anyone's toes here.

if this has caused some upset or is taken negatively im happy to delete this posting and withdraw the question

i had no intent to upset or offend
 

Online Ian.M

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2018, 04:27:34 am »
You are a very new poster, so as you have no 'track record' here, you need to make the case for why *YOU* are more deserving of a freebee than anyone else in limited circumstances.  Also,  you need to give your location, down to city or nearest major town, unless you are proposing that you are willing to drive the whole Outback Highway in the 'rents car on their fuel card to pick one up.
 

Offline bitseeker

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2018, 04:28:22 am »
cyndernight,

Welcome to the forum. I don't know how long you may have been reading the forum prior to signing up. In any case, most would agree that it's generally bad form to make your very first post on a forum one that is asking for handouts. It'd be akin to walking into a ballroom full of engineers and the first thing you do is shout, "Hey, can anyone give me a digital oscilloscope for free?"

As aargee said, you may want to do some homework first. Then, invest some time into the forum and the people on it. You may be pleasantly surprised by what happens thereafter. No guarantees, of course.
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2018, 04:43:33 am »
You are a very new poster, so as you have no 'track record' here, you need to make the case for why *YOU* are more deserving of a freebee than anyone else in limited circumstances.  Also,  you need to give your location, down to city or nearest major town, unless you are proposing that you are willing to drive the whole Outback Highway in the 'rents car on their fuel card to pick one up.

this is true i have no record, and to be blunt i would rather if there is someone in critical circumstances that they get the scope over me.

i make no bones about this, this is a "would be nice to experiment with" since i play with arduinos from time to time, it would be nice to have but just that, would be nice.

if there is a choice between me and someone who needs it, please, the other guy.   

im only asking if its going to be tossed, sitting doing nothing a spare or otherwise "not needed anymore"... no guilt tripping or pitty at all.




cyndernight,

Welcome to the forum. I don't know how long you may have been reading the forum prior to signing up. In any case, most would agree that it's generally bad form to make your very first post on a forum one that is asking for handouts. It'd be akin to walking into a ballroom full of engineers and the first thing you do is shout, "Hey, can anyone give me a digital oscilloscope for free?"

As aargee said, you may want to do some homework first. Then, invest some time into the forum and the people on it. You may be pleasantly surprised by what happens thereafter. No guarantees, of course.

hi there bitseeker!

ive known about the forum a little while (EEVblog YouTube channel)  but always felt it was too... "hardcore" for me, my knowledge is very basic and my skills crude at best, so i felt it was best i just stayed out of it... as honestly i don't know i have anything worth anything to contribute.

all my knowledge is old, basic and archaic...  its not an unwillingness to contribute but more a "what could i possibly offer" that everyone else doesn't know of the back of there hand when they were in nappies?

as for the ballroom thing, yeah, it felt like that when i posted it, and was fully braced for the burning backlash of the internet.. but if i sat outside and spent the time wondering, i wouldn't get anything either...

worst case, im told to get lost... i shrug say sorry and leave... but on the slim to non chance i might find a lead, its worth asking.

 

Online Ian.M

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2018, 05:17:15 am »
Thanks for editing in your location.

I suggest either introducing yourself:  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/new-member-please-introduce-yourself/
or jumping right in and starting a topic about a (hopefully) interesting project you are working on.    Don't worry about your current lack of experience - we all originally started with a simple battery, torch bulb and switch in a series circuit, or something equally simple once, and without a steady stream of newbies this forum would be a much quieter and more boring place, without enough questions to keep the experts and other experienced members occupied.

The more people get to know you, the better your odds of one of them digging a DSO dinosaur out of their loft.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2018, 05:22:07 am by Ian.M »
 

Offline bitseeker

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2018, 05:25:59 am »
Well said, Ian.
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Offline tggzzz

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2018, 07:13:45 am »
as an addendum:

i wasn't intending to upset or stop on anyone's toes here.

if this has caused some upset or is taken negatively im happy to delete this posting and withdraw the question

i had no intent to upset or offend

Don't worry about that kind of thing; you were upfront and inoffensive - but also ineffective!

There are ways of asking questions that are more likely to get helpful responses. My take on that is at https://entertaininghacks.wordpress.com/library-2/good-questions-pique-our-interest-and-dont-waste-our-time-2/ Obviously not all that is relevant to this discussion, but it is frequently useful in other discussions.
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
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Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2018, 09:48:20 am »
Thanks for editing in your location.

I suggest either introducing yourself:  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/new-member-please-introduce-yourself/
or jumping right in and starting a topic about a (hopefully) interesting project you are working on.    Don't worry about your current lack of experience - we all originally started with a simple battery, torch bulb and switch in a series circuit, or something equally simple once, and without a steady stream of newbies this forum would be a much quieter and more boring place, without enough questions to keep the experts and other experienced members occupied.

The more people get to know you, the better your odds of one of them digging a DSO dinosaur out of their loft.


well i have a few projects going on i guess

i have 2x 3D printers here im working on... 
got a home made multi voltage current settable PSU in for repair... (currently swinging voltage wildly)
got a USB battery bank that runs from solar power...
i got my massive home made DIY speaker set...  8x 6.5'' speakers and a 12'' sub in 1 "portable" box, runs on battery's... that's kinds cool i guess?
home made LED strip lighting? got that around the place...
got a small electric brush-less buggy i built? that's neat i guess?

but, that's all basic stuff, probably nothing new to anyone here...
 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #12 on: June 17, 2018, 11:55:22 am »
i do have a question, if theres anyone watching this anymore



dave talks about floating earths and scope grounds...

he doesnt mention the most asked question...  why not just put tape on your scopes earth to make the scope float?

seen AVE do it, hes still alive...
 

Offline BNElecEng

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2018, 12:10:15 pm »
It's not safe, that's the bottom line.
If someone is careful and knows what they are doing then they would probably be fine. But that is one massive IF.
When the earth to an oscilloscope is removed, then the metal work on the front of the scope will be at whatever potential the ground clip is attached to. This could easily be connected to a lethal potential relative to earth. Now imagine that someone, who isn't you and doesn't know that that the earth is disconnected, goes and touches the BNC connector of one of the channels. Zap! it's very easy to accidentally brush up against the metalwork.

Do you have a measurement you want to make where you think you need the scope to float?

 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #14 on: June 17, 2018, 12:29:54 pm »
It's not safe, that's the bottom line.
If someone is careful and knows what they are doing then they would probably be fine. But that is one massive IF.
When the earth to an oscilloscope is removed, then the metal work on the front of the scope will be at whatever potential the ground clip is attached to. This could easily be connected to a lethal potential relative to earth. Now imagine that someone, who isn't you and doesn't know that that the earth is disconnected, goes and touches the BNC connector of one of the channels. Zap! it's very easy to accidentally brush up against the metalwork.

Do you have a measurement you want to make where you think you need the scope to float?



fair enough,  he talked about the transformers to make it float and was curious why he didnt touch the most common way to "float" something... sparkies tape.

me?  doubtful, im too chicken and rookie to mess with mains stuff, almost everything i work on is isolated, 5V, 12V or 18V...

i have 1 and only 1 project that's "mains rated" and i have a licensed sparky mate help me with that because i know 240 mains is lethal and i have no idea whats "safe" and not...
 

Online Ian.M

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #15 on: June 17, 2018, 12:40:18 pm »
This comes up several times a year, and we don't *really* need another thread on the subject:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aeevblog.com+float+scope

Please take the time to read several of the generic 'float a scope' threads (you can skip most of the model specific ones), most of which have several posts explaining why its a really bad idea, which can give misleading results, damage equipment and worst case lead to you being fitted for a closed pine box*.  If you *still* have questions after doing the research, including reading the links in those topics which give the scope manufacturers opinions of the practice, then ask them and we'll just have to suffer another thread on the subject.

Also, do you *really* want to trust your test equipment or even your life to a layer of 'sparkies tape' that's already been compromised by being scuffed by the ground contact as the plug was inserted in the socket?

* I cant emphasize enough:  A floating scope that isn't specifically designed for the purpose vastly increases the risk of electrocution not only for yourself but anyone who tries to rescue you. 
« Last Edit: June 17, 2018, 12:43:39 pm by Ian.M »
 
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Offline sokoloff

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2018, 12:57:49 pm »
If you’re mostly messing with Arduino stuff, buy a cheap USB logic analyzer first.
24 MHz, 8 channel is 24 MHz and 8 channels more than you have now and under US$8.

That’s a pretty good starting point, but obviously useless for analog signals.
 

Online Ian.M

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2018, 02:33:55 pm »
Yes, if you've got a logic analyser, even an old CRO is good enough for most analog stuff, which widens the potential pool of working or easily fixed scopes that might be available for beer money in the Sidney area considerably.

There's also the free Soundcard Scope program by Christian Zeitnitz.   Due to the limitations of your PC soundcard its only got a low maximum sample rate, limited input range of only a volt or two and unless you mod an external USB soundcard, is strictly AC coupled only, but its remarkably capable for what it is.   Caution: one mistake probing too high a voltage without a potential divider could kill your soundcard.  If its on the motherboard or you are using a laptop you should really get a USB soundcard (make sure its not output only) to minimise the risk.
 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #18 on: June 17, 2018, 10:34:17 pm »
If you’re mostly messing with Arduino stuff, buy a cheap USB logic analyzer first.
24 MHz, 8 channel is 24 MHz and 8 channels more than you have now and under US$8.

That’s a pretty good starting point, but obviously useless for analog signals.

Yes, if you've got a logic analyser, even an old CRO is good enough for most analog stuff, which widens the potential pool of working or easily fixed scopes that might be available for beer money in the Sidney area considerably.

There's also the free Soundcard Scope program by Christian Zeitnitz.   Due to the limitations of your PC soundcard its only got a low maximum sample rate, limited input range of only a volt or two and unless you mod an external USB soundcard, is strictly AC coupled only, but its remarkably capable for what it is.   Caution: one mistake probing too high a voltage without a potential divider could kill your soundcard.  If its on the motherboard or you are using a laptop you should really get a USB soundcard (make sure its not output only) to minimise the risk.

logic analyser?

i dont know what that is...   >.<   showing my beginner level information here.
 

Online Ian.M

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #19 on: June 17, 2018, 11:32:59 pm »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic_analyzer

You should be able to pick up a clone of a Salae Logic 8 for about $20 AUD, and use it (legally) with the open source SIGROK software.  That will handle just about any digital signal or serial bus you are likely to be working with on an Arduino or similar MCU.   If you expect to be developing hardware for old & retro 8 bit computers a clone of a Salae Logic Pro 16 would be better so you've got enough channels to capture a whole 8 bit data bus + the bottom few bits of the address bus + control signals.
 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #20 on: June 18, 2018, 04:30:54 pm »
how do i delete this thread?

this isn't gunna happen so no point it sticking around here
 

Online Ian.M

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #21 on: June 18, 2018, 04:40:48 pm »
You can't.   IIRC Root posts in threads cant be deleted as it messes up the forum's logical structure, and you certainly cant delete replies from others.

Also, deleting legal and inoffensive content that you have posted just because the answers didn't suit you is not going to win you any friends here. 
 

Offline cyndernightTopic starter

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #22 on: June 18, 2018, 04:47:01 pm »
You can't.   IIRC Root posts in threads cant be deleted as it messes up the forum's logical structure, and you certainly cant delete replies from others.

Also, deleting legal and inoffensive content that you have posted just because the answers didn't suit you is not going to win you any friends here. 

was more thinking no need to have a thread necro and go old, wansnt trying to delete something i didn't like,  the thread can sit here for all i care  <3

just thought it courteous to close - delete a dead thread.
 

Online Ian.M

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #23 on: June 18, 2018, 05:17:33 pm »
If you want to be courteous, edit the title of your first post to add '[CLOSED] in front of it., but IMHO its neither necessary or advisable unless you have actually managed to get a scope, as threads age into obscurity all the time, and if you continue to hang around and post here, there's still a chance of a scope coming your way if any user in the Sidney area upgrades or is having an old gear clearout.
 

Offline Fred27

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Re: free DSO for electronics beginner?
« Reply #24 on: June 18, 2018, 06:57:14 pm »
Nothing in particular against the OP who was at least polite, but it amazes me how often people think they might get a free 'scope just be asking. Would you go onto a petrolhead forum and ask "can anyone give me a free car" as a first post?
 


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