Electronics > Open Source Hardware

Open Source Oscilloscope

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jonw0224:
I saw the Open Source Hardware section, and I couldn't resist (my first post).  I've been working on a DIY oscilloscope that is OSHW for a while. 

The idea is to keep costs down for an entry level (beginner) scope and also to keep the construction at an entry level (there is a thru hole layout and another guy contributed a surface mount layout).  Nothing fancy, just a front end, an ADC, and a microcontroller.

Check it out.

http://jonw0224.weebly.com/ppmscope.html

I enjoy the videos, Dave!  Thanks!

FenderBender:
Looks very cool. Don't know much about oscilloscope design but why do you require such a big transformer, heatsinks, and cooling?

poptones:
That's interesting. I'm wondering if you've now given me an inspiration as to what to do with my raspberry pi. Seems like a 500MHz cpu ought to be able to keep up with a few mhz sampling - if one can figure how to get the data into the thing. There's an spi interface, but all Broadcom has to say about that is the clock rate will be "less than" 125mhz because the i/o pads won't handle it. There's a 600mbps serial input for a camera, but data on how to use all that stuff is scarce because of Broadcom's terrible documentation.

jonw0224:
The published project is only part of a "all in one lab" (power supply, oscilloscope, and function gen).  The power supply is linear rated 2A at +/- 12 V and 1A at 5 V.  The cooling is classic over design.  I've been criticised for that before, but the design is really just a record of what I did not what I should have done.

The great thing about open hardware is that others build on your project.  So I really suggest looking at the contributed PCB layouts and the two redesigns (SampleScope and DSOScope).  I really love the form factor of the DSOScope and the fact that Paul made it USB powered.  I'm going to build his implementation myself just for the portability.  The SampleScope adds Linux software (that may help Pi users), uses a PIC with integrated USB, expands the buffersize, and eliminates the hardware/human interface.

I spent a good deal of time thinking about licensing and decided on GPL for the software/firmware and CC BY SA for the schematic and PCB.  GPL doesn't allow commercial sale of the software, but that is not intended to keep it from being able to be produced commercially.  I just don't want someone being charged for the software since it's a major component of the project.

Thanks for the interest and whoever gave the post stars.

-Jonathan

poptones:
GPL 2 allows for commercial sale. Millions of Windows DVD rippers were sold and most every one of them used a mixture of gpl and proprietary code. Home routers use gpl code. You can sell it for as much as you can get, the restriction is you have to make available the source of any code linked to gpl code.

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