Electronics > Beginners
Is An Oscilloscope Practical
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soldar:

--- Quote from: tvl on January 02, 2019, 08:11:22 pm --- I'm not even sure of my end goal. Would a scope help ME better understand real world circuits WITHOUT any formal training in electronics? Or would that be difficult at best?

--- End quote ---
No, a scope is not going to help you understand. I would recommend a lot of reading online, videos, etc. that explain how things work. Then, when you want to build and troubleshoot that is when you need the tool.

If you do not know if you need something then you don't need it. When you get to the point where you think you need a scope for a particular purpose then you need it. You will know you could use a scope for a purpose when you have the knowledge. The scope does not bring the knowledge. You have to supply that. You need to gain the understanding first. Then you need the tools to use that knowledge that you have. Again, you can spend hours learning from online resources without spending a dime and without leaving the comfort of your chair.
tooki:
I do not have formal training in electronics, and I found a scope to be enormously helpful in learning. When you’re reading up about electronics, it’s all theoretical when it’s on paper. Building a circuit brings it to life, and for that, you need test gear to measure and see the results.
Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: soldar on January 02, 2019, 09:53:50 pm ---No, a scope is not going to help you understand. I would recommend a lot of reading online, videos, etc. that explain how things work. Then, when you want to build and troubleshoot that is when you need the tool.

If you do not know if you need something then you don't need it. When you get to the point where you think you need a scope for a particular purpose then you need it. You will know you could use a scope for a purpose when you have the knowledge. The scope does not bring the knowledge. You have to supply that. You need to gain the understanding first. Then you need the tools to use that knowledge that you have. Again, you can spend hours learning from online resources without spending a dime and without leaving the comfort of your chair.

--- End quote ---
I disagree, honestly. Both an oscilloscope and a multimeter are tremendous tools to help you understand what's going on. Without knowing what's going on in your circuit, it's very hard to get a good grasp on what is happening when and why. As you can't see electrons, both tools serve as your eyes as a substitute.
IanMacdonald:
A trainee once asked my why I was using a 'scope to check a DC supply rail. I explained that it was supposed to be DC, but that didn't guarantee that it was DC.

A multimeter may give the same reading whether it's DC, pulses or poorly rectified AC. For example the inexperienced guy checks a computer PSU with a multimeter, sees +5 and +12, decides it can't be the PSU and starts swapping a whole load of parts that aren't faulty.  |O

The experienced guy checks it with a scope and gets the fault rightaway, that there's a substantial AC ripple on one of the lines.  :-+ Not only that but the nature of the ripple suggests a dried-up electrolytic on that rail. He peeks in through a ventilation slot and sees the bulging object behind it. Fault diagnosed.

Jwillis:
I'm not as experience as most people here with even less experience with an oscilloscope.Wish to some day get a proper DSO. But I already find my analog an indispensable tool to find whats going on in a circuit. I would be completely blind without it and learn absolutely nothing. 
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