Author Topic: Affordable and portable oscilloscope?  (Read 27811 times)

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Offline alexwhittemore

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Re: Affordable and portable oscilloscope?
« Reply #25 on: March 17, 2014, 08:50:06 pm »
This discussion kind of begs the question, this has to be a reasonably common 'want' for car audio installers. I know there are automotive-specific scopes, but they're much more expensive, comparable to low-end handheld electronics scopes. Seems like you could make a reasonably cheap single-purpose audio diagnostics scope for 1 or 200 Vpp just to measure sonic quality at various points throughout an audio installation.
 

Offline mainman

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Re: Affordable and portable oscilloscope?
« Reply #26 on: March 18, 2014, 06:24:36 am »
The PC based one will just be a complete PITA for this application. I'm assuming you need to actually do this inside the car?, if so the PC option is just too fiddly, forget that option IMO. Hand Held is the only way to go - it's instant on, rugged, small, convenient, battery last much much longer etc.

I'm always taking my laptop out to the cars I work on already to program car alarms to the vehicle. The only thing I hate about it is the touch pad mouse. I hate using touch pads. I'd rather have a mouse in my hand. Other then that, I find no inconvenience in it. I did see the Velleman HPS140 and considered it but no one had mentioned it until now. I hate how tiny the screen looks but I can probably deal with it until I can afford a better one. Like I said before, I really wanted to get the TPI 440 which is a handheld.

You run a car audio shop and can't afford the extra $100 for a decent convenient tool? A good spanner will almost cost you that.

Yes I run a car audio shop and can't afford the extra $100. I have a $300 drill and impact set, $200 automotive multimeter, $200 power probe, $100 router, $150 router table, hundreds of dollars worth of router bits, $100 circular saw, $200 butane soldering iron......you get the idea. All the tools in this business are expensive and in the hundreds. I racked up $2,500 in debt just on tools alone when I started this business. That doesn't include the loan payment for the building and land, inventory, utilities, credit card bills or advertising!....I have paid my $2,500 debt in tools down to $800. Once I'm done paying that off I will be purchasing a better oscilloscope but for now, approx $100 is all I can spare. I'm sorry we can't all be wealthy. Just because someone owns a business doesn't mean they are rich or can afford all the nicer stuff. I do live in the USA where no one can make up their mind on how to fix the economy. One president screws it up, the next one tries to fix it but congress just want to keep screwing it up. The tax laws changed this year and well this is tax season! Almost everybody got screwed over on taxes this year. Not to mention the new health care bill started this year as well which is screwing a lot of businesses over. So my apologies for not having pockets full of money but money doesn't grow on trees and I live in a country that just wants to fuck it all away! I work very hard just to stay in business!!

And I have no clue what a spanner is!!

Now if we're done talking about my financial situation, I'd like to get back to an oscilloscope I can afford. The Velleman HPS140 seems nice (aside from the tiny screen) and I found one on ebay up for bid. I've made arrangements to buy me more time in acquiring an oscilloscope so if I can win that bid around $100 I'll get that. If not, I'll get the Hantek that Mark_O suggested. And thank you Mark_O for all the info you gave me. It has been much appreciated.

OK dude, I am sure no one meant any offense. Sometimes I too am amazed over the deep pockets of a lot of members here. I mean so many here can just causally buy things such as a fluke 87 a $1300 Rigol spectrum analyzer or a 4 channel 200 MHZ Rigol DSO, good lord. I see videos of labs that have all these things in the background and wonder how can they afford that. In comparison I have to save up to buy my test equipment as I can not afford to buy any piece of test equipment over $80 at the drop of a hat. For example I desperately need a LCR meter badly but can't afford the $250 for the cheapest model that will meet my needs so I am saving up. Never buy the cheapest piece of crap based on the money you have on you right now, just save up.

My first scope was actually one of those $100 nano, worse $100 I ever spent. Where I am getting is maybe you should save up and get a descent scope instead of what ever low end toy you can afford with your current funds at hand.

The UT81B would be a good purchase for your needs.

http://www.amazon.com/Uni-T-Handheld-Digital-Multimeter-UT-81B/dp/B008133N1Q
« Last Edit: March 18, 2014, 06:31:10 am by mainman »
 

Offline pickle9000

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Re: Affordable and portable oscilloscope?
« Reply #27 on: March 18, 2014, 06:39:06 am »
@AznGothic

I'm a little curious, are you basically an autosound guy or are you interested in the electronics under the hood as well?

 

Offline HP-ILnerd

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Re: Affordable and portable oscilloscope?
« Reply #28 on: March 20, 2014, 06:13:29 am »
I have actually managed to debug something in an impromptu setting with that Velleman pocket scope.  It suffers a bit from the button interface, and the lone channel, but it is really super-portable.  It was definitely better than nothing.
That said, I have found the Rigol 1052e fits in a backpack like nothing, and is very light and compact.  Out-of-budget in this case, I suppose, but having a real scope around can be a real boon.
 


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