Electronics > Beginners
Looking For My First Oscilloscope
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Dan9550:
Hi everybody,

i'm looking to further my electronics hobby and pickup a scope i don't have much of an idea what i need, i basically just want the ability to probe at things ,see waveforms etc and have it spiral out of control from there. i've had a look on ebay and gumtree but pickings are slim. i've come accross a philips pm3070 which looks like it could be a good starting point but i'm not sure if its a good deal in my case.

eBay auction: #184053864114

Would anyone be able to give me some more hints on what to look for? where else i could be looking?

i just want to dip my toes in the water with this and want to also make sure i gett a useful device and not a device that is complete rubbish.
james_s:
What is your approximate location? (as in nearest major city? Don't post your address like the last person I asked that did)
I'm guessing somewhere in Australia given that auction? Prices on used gear depend heavily on location, but the general rule of thumb is around $1/MHz for analog scopes, that varies based on factors such as condition, special features, and of course brand. Premium names like Tektronix and HP tend to command premium prices but analog scopes are becoming a niche item considered obsolete by many so there are still bargains to be found.
Dan9550:
i'm looking in the melbourne, vic, au area
james_s:
Something I forgot to mention and where I was going with the location thing, shipping can easily end up costing more than the scope is worth, so if you can find something local and collect it in person that's going to be your best bet.

Sounds like specs are not super important, you'll probably want at least 50MHz but even 20MHz can get you started if the price is right. At some point you'll probably want something more capable but you'll have a better idea of what you need when that time comes.
alkmar:
Unless you are looking for a "real" analog scope, I would recommend one of the following: 

Rigol DS1054Z - its a four channels at 50mhz, the new scopes have all of the protocol decodes unlocked.  In addition their is a hack "license key generator" which can unlock the scope for 100mhz.  They also have the DS1104Z Plus has the ability to add 16 digital.

Siglent SDS1104X-E - Its a four channels at 100mhz, with full decodes too.  However this scope has the ability to be upgraded to allow for a 16 channel digital probs, in addition to the 4 analog ones. 

If digital channels are mostly used for if you are analyzing digital circuits, like seeing timing and multiple control signals on a vantage computer (as modern computers are too fast for these scopes).  The analog channels are good for understanding if the digital signals are actually formed correctly (analog noise and such), or viewing analog signals. 

The biggest question is what is the frequency you want to measure?  Remember the scope can't see singles faster then its specific sampling rate/freq rating (which are slightly different.)

If you don't need a lot of channels, then you can get a faster scope for about the same cost.

The ones i mentioned above are well above the price of the eBay auction ($350-$499 USD), but you get ALOT for the increased cost!
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