PC Based Oscilliscopes
 

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

"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



is this a job for the goatse man ?
http://goat.cx
-------------------------------------------------
Ted Rubberford.
'The Man In The Green Latex Skintight Hood'

Depending on what you are trying to measure,
they can be a very usefull tool. A "real" scope is
much better, but much more expensive. IF you
can, try before you buy. At the very least get to
do a hands on demo. I use several different
audio applications for a variety of my measurement
needs. For the serious stuff, I borrow a good scope
from work.
The biggest "flaw" is they average the readings,
so if what you are looking for is a rarely occuring
gltich, a most PC scoes will miss it. For looking
at normal waveforms they do a respectable job.

Terry

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.


This one is free. It's only 20khz, though.

http://polly.phys.msu.su/~zeld/oscill.html




100Mhz. Price?

http://www.tiepie.nl/pages/uk/hscope3.html




Scope and logic analyzer..
http://www.bitscope.com/?c=7E39669B8...A6091527355655





mike

In article , james.douglas@genesis-
software.com says...

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.

My gut reaction when I see a PC-based O-scope is to cringe.

I would stay away from them. For the same price range that you
mention, you could get one heck of a nice Tektronix 7000 series 'scope,
or perhaps a 400 or 2400 series portable, all from the used/surplus
arena (more specifically, from ham radio swap meets or Greed-Bay).

Example: The Tek 7603 was one of their most popular, and is also
one of the most plentiful on the surplus market. It has a mainframe
bandwidth of at least 100MHz, and can often be found for around $50-$100
with plug-ins.

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.

Your test equipment needs are, of course, your choice. However, I
would like to say that just because a test instrument CAN be designed to
work in a PC environment does NOT always mean that it SHOULD be. Good-
quality input stages are hard to do (there's a reason Tek put so much
R&D into theirs), and they are one of the main driving factors where
cost is concerned.

I have little faith that the Taiwan-import PC-based (alleged) O-
scopes can do a proper job in this regard. Good quality test gear is an
investment, and it should be treated that way.

Keep the peace(es).


--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute.
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, ARS KC7GR,
kyrrin (a/t) bluefeathertech[d=o=t]calm -- www.bluefeathertech.com
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped
with surreal ports?"

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.

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..


mike

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 00:22:00 -0000, "Teddy Rubberford"
wrote:


"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



is this a job for the goatse man ?
http://goat.cx
-------------------------------------------------
Ted Rubberford.
'The Man In The Green Latex Skintight Hood'

Ahh, apparently some 12-yr old has just been introduced to goatse
(and/or slashdot) and wants to spread the pleasure.

No pun intended.

Seen Tub Girl yet?

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

"m II" wrote in message news:GIjId.17102$Qb.16595@edtnps89...
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.

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..


mike

Good post you Canuck!! Your all right tech wise :)
--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/

EMAIL-
(Hide the $100 to reply!)

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

Brian Hill wrote:

Good post you Canuck!! Your all right tech wise :)



I love damnation by faint praise. It's a good thing you haven't heard me
trying to practice this bass. You'd retract that

EADG EADG I mean. sheesh..how hard can it be? I'm starting to suspect
they shipped the wrong instructions with it, not that it matters, I can't
speak Chinese anyway.


http://www.clicmusic.be/images/hands_crossed_jpeg.jpg







mike eadg eadg