Electronics > Beginners
Purchased an oscilloscope but did I make a mistake? (re: newbie + Arduino, etc)
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bitseeker:

--- Quote from: IDEngineer on June 13, 2018, 04:12:41 am ---Oh man, I just can' t help it.  >:D

--- End quote ---

That's unfortunate.


--- Quote from: IDEngineer on June 13, 2018, 04:12:41 am ---
--- Quote from: rstofer on June 13, 2018, 02:35:06 am ---Then press the Auto button...
--- End quote ---

...and no more twiddling, right?

--- End quote ---

rstofer never said that. His approach for getting a new digital scope user's feet wet clearly illustrates that the Auto button is simply a starting point. He even explains why you're twiddling the other controls on the front panel. It's a good tutorial for a first-timer so that they quickly get initial results and can explore further.
rstofer:

--- Quote from: IDEngineer on June 13, 2018, 04:12:41 am ---
Hopefully, the user will have played around (and I do really mean PLAYED around) with the scope for a while so that he doesn't have to rely solely on the so-called "Auto" button.


--- End quote ---

I have been using a scope for more than 60 years so I do have a small acquaintance with how to drive them.  And I still use the Auto button more often than not.  I will always use the Auto button rather than go through the effort to twist a bunch of knobs to get a first image on the screen.  Just me, being lazy.

Yes, I know what Time/Div it takes and I certainly know the Volts/Div and if I was using an analog scope I would just dial them in - more or less - and then twiddle them to get the display I want.

I paid extra for that Auto button, I own that Auto button and I plan to use that Auto button every chance I get.

I never said the Auto button was the end-all be-all of scope controls.  Quite the contrary, I said to use it to get a squiggly line on the screen and then exactly how, why and which knobs to twist to refine the image.  As noted above, a simple little introduction to a brand new user.

bitseeker:
rstofer's next t-shirt: "It's my Auto button and I'll press it if I want to!"
JS:

--- Quote from: IDEngineer on June 13, 2018, 04:12:41 am ---Oh man, I just can' t help it.  >:D


--- Quote ---Then press the Auto button...
--- End quote ---

--- End quote ---
:palm:

--- Quote ---...and no more twiddling, right? Oh, wait, you'd better actually know how to use a scope because:

...
Hopefully, the user will have played around (and I do really mean PLAYED around) with the scope for a while so that he doesn't have to rely solely on the so-called "Auto" button.
...  :horse:

--- End quote ---

First thing I did when I got mine, disable auto button (DS1054Z has an option to do so, all should) So I don't hit it accidentally while clearing the display or running after a single shot (big "AUTO" button right in the middle of the frequently used ones). Quite a hassle to press it, once you get a bit used to it, just disable and learn to use it properly. You never know what's going to show but you know is not what you need...

JS
mtdoc:
Yeah, I agree with others that beginners should be discouraged from using the Auto button (and why an analog scope is a good idea to learn with first).

I remember teaching an electrophysiology course many years ago - where students had Tek 2225s to use (pre DSO days).  They always wanted me to find their signal for them. But if I did that then time and time again they would ask me to do it. I was their "Auto button". It was only by forcing them to think through the process of setting the timebase,vertical gain and trigger settings themselves did they finally get to that "Aha" moment of understanding exactly what the scope was doing, how it worked, and how to properly use it.   

I fear that encouraging use of the Auto button - is a short term feel good solution that will only delay learning how to properly use a scope.  It's like encouraging use of a calculator for simple calculations before leaning how to do basic math first.
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