Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:
In article GIjId.17102$Qb.16595@edtnps89, says...


Dr. Anton T. Squeegee wrote:


If you want some serious bandwidth, you should have a look at the
Tek 7904 or 7104. The base frames have bandwidths of 500MHz and 1GHz,
respectively, and you should be able to get a good 7904 with plug-ins
for a little over $300.


There's one major advantage to the PC based scopes. It's STORAGE of
waveform. When I was younger we had to put a hood over the front of the
scope and use a Polaroid to get shots of easy to miss signals.


Tektronix DSA602A Digital Signal Analyzer. All kinds of waveform
storage and analysis, and a floppy drive as well. Runs about $400-$500
on the used market, uses 11-series plug-ins, mainframe bandwidth of
1GHz.


A real storage oscilloscope costs a fortune, but if you can get a PC variety
that fills your frequency needs, I'd go for it. Three or four hundred bucks
is a bargain when accompanied by a good warranty..


And how long will it last? If it's made up entirely of custom
parts, and cannot be repaired by the end user (at least at the module
level), then I would hardly think of it as a good investment.

When I buy test equipment, I expect it to be serviceable for a
MINIMUM of ten years. Very few items that I've bought new have measured
up to that requirement.





You make some valid points, but I still have concerns. Tektronix, among many
others, has been known to use proprietary chips/components in their scopes.
These may be getting hard to get. That would tend to even out the decision
making process, all other things being equal.


Having said that, Tektronix stuff is very nice, quality made merchandise.
I'm admiring a 7B92A dual time base module even as we speak. I just don't
want to wind up like Hamlet...

Alas, poor 7904, I knew it Horatio...






mike

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 17:38:26 -0600, "Jim Douglas"
wrote:

Anyone use these? Any recommendations good or bad? I am looking at some that
have Scope, Meter, Spectrum Analysis, etc. Are the "multi-use" type PC
scopes any good? I see some that are down around $200-300? which is in my
price range.

Some of them aren't too bad, although in the $200-300 range you'll not
get any record setters. For one data point, though, some of the higher
end scopes do use Windows as their user interface. Check out Tek's
TDS6000B at http://www.tek.com/site/ps/0,,55-14873-INTRO_EN,00.html

For one possiblity closer to your price range, take a look at
http://www.linkinstruments.com/oscilloscope.htm. I have not used their
o-scopes but I have (and use) one of their PC-based logic analyzers.
Been reasonably happy with it.

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

Jim Douglas wrote:

Anyone use these? Any recommendations good or bad? I am looking at some that
have Scope, Meter, Spectrum Analysis, etc. Are the "multi-use" type PC
scopes any good? I see some that are down around $200-300? which is in my
price range.

Thanks!


Jim Douglas
www.genesis-software.com
Carrollton, TX USA 75006
Latitude 32.9616
Longitude 96.8916




They are too limited to be worth the money.
Get a used Tek in good working order in that
price range, as another poster mentioned.

Ed

I'd rather have a stand alone scope myself. I don't know how good a
scope you need, but you can find them real cheap if you look around.
IE: hamfests, etc..I have 3 scopes, but the one I use mostly now is a
Kikusui COS 5060. I bought it for $50...It's a 60 mhz scope..It's
no top line scope, but it's quite usable for most of my needs.
I also have an old heathkit scope, which still works, and also an
ancient 60's tube hickock, which was built by tektronics...Has the
plug in tektronics preamps, etc...
But the old tek scope blew a gasket the last time I plugged it in.
I consider it tit's up...The kikusui is pretty modern compared to the
other two... MK

Thanks for all the input, I am going to pass on the PC stuff and shop EBay
and ?? for a good used scope. Any recommendations other than EBay?


"Jim Douglas" wrote in message
...
Anyone use these? Any recommendations good or bad? I am looking at some
that
have Scope, Meter, Spectrum Analysis, etc. Are the "multi-use" type PC
scopes any good? I see some that are down around $200-300? which is in my
price range.

Thanks!


Jim Douglas
www.genesis-software.com
Carrollton, TX USA 75006
Latitude 32.9616
Longitude 96.8916

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 08:26:08 -0600, "Jim Douglas"
wrote:

Thanks for all the input, I am going to pass on the PC stuff and shop EBay
and ?? for a good used scope. Any recommendations other than EBay?

There are several places around the internet that sell reconditioned
test equipment. You might end up spending a bit more than at ebay but
you (should be) getting something that has been cleaned, op tested, and
has all of its parts. Possibly also a better warranty.

There are a jillion out there, but a couple that I get periodic catalogs
from a
http://www.testequity.com/
http://www.testequipmentconnection.com/


--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

Jim Douglas wrote:

Thanks for all the input, I am going to pass on the PC stuff and shop EBay
and ?? for a good used scope. Any recommendations other than EBay?

Do a Google search for 'used lab equipment'.

http://www.saelig.com/PR_Stingray.htm

Jim Douglas wrote:
Anyone use these? Any recommendations good or bad? I am looking at some that
have Scope, Meter, Spectrum Analysis, etc. Are the "multi-use" type PC
scopes any good? I see some that are down around $200-300? which is in my
price range.

Thanks!


Jim Douglas
www.genesis-software.com
Carrollton, TX USA 75006
Latitude 32.9616
Longitude 96.8916