USB o-scope?

[ericjon262]

what do you guys think of these? any good?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hantek-6022BE-PC-Based-USB-Digital-Storag-Oscilloscope-2-Channels-20MHz-48MSa-s-/271265189899?pt=BI_Oscilloscopes&hash=item3f28aa500b

[Six_Shooter]

While I have not used that particular brand, I would unless absolutely effing necessary not get a USB O-scope. I have a Velleman Unit that I have had for several years, and while it works, it is not a go to unit by any means and most of it has to do with the PC GUI side of it. It's not very smooth and because the unit I have was designed before windows 7, the Vista/Win7 driver seems to be flaky. From what many other people say about other USB 'scopes the consensus is the same. Get a stand alone that will allow you to connect to a PC for screen caps, and what not, but make it a stand alone.

Rigol make some decent stand alone DSO 'Scopes that are fairly inexpensive.

[ericjon262]

While I have not used that particular brand, I would unless absolutely effing necessary not get a USB O-scope. I have a Velleman Unit that I have had for several years, and while it works, it is not a go to unit by any means and most of it has to do with the PC GUI side of it. It's not very smooth and because the unit I have was designed before windows 7, the Vista/Win7 driver seems to be flaky. From what many other people say about other USB 'scopes the consensus is the same. Get a stand alone that will allow you to connect to a PC for screen caps, and what not, but make it a stand alone.

Rigol make some decent stand alone DSO 'Scopes that are fairly inexpensive.

I was kinda figuring a response like that. any recommendations for what kinda specs to look for?

[Six_Shooter]

I was kinda figuring a response like that. any recommendations for what kinda specs to look for?

What are you using it for? What kinda of signals will you be reading? What environment will you be using it in?

[ericjon262]

What are you using it for? What kinda of signals will you be reading? What environment will you be using it in?

it'd be used alongside the jimstim I just bought to verify functionality of code changes, so sitting on a desk reading mostly ignition and fuel outputs of an obd2 PCM.

[Six_Shooter]

You don't need a very high band width then, a 20 MHz unit will be plenty.

Like I said previously look at Rigol. I don't own one, but I have used the DS1052E, and it works well. There is a hack to turn it into a 100 MHz unit as well.

You could get away with an analog unit, that can be found on Kijiji/Craigslist/ebay for less than $100 in most cases.

The DSO does have the advantage of having built in measure and storage functionality, along with the ability to screen cap and control through a PC interface.

I find the standalone units much more convenient than the PC based scopes, no compatibility issues, no dropped coms, don't need extra hardware to run the 'Scope.

I haven't found any 'Scopes that have the same features and good reviews that the Rigol has, for the same kind of money.

[ericjon262]

alright, thanks! at this point, I'm looking for a good used unit, it's not a tool that will see a ton of use, so I'd rather not spend a fortune on one.

[sturgillbd]

If you know anybody in college or a profeesor at a college, you can get this for $99. May have to do some padding with resistors on the inputs for the automotive voltages but has 16 channel logic analyzer built in. I am going to talk to one of my college professors who is still teaching electronics and see if he can get the student pricing. if he can, I may purchase one. Here is the sales sheet with some specs. http://www.digilentinc.com/data/products/analog-discovery/AnalogDiscovery.pdf

[lionelhutz]

I've read the Stingray DS1M12 is a decent unit. Haven't used one though.