Mid-Budget Oscilloscopes: $150 - $325 Range +- Suggestions?

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Trash80toG4

Active Tinkerer
Apr 1, 2022
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Bermuda Triangle, NC USA
I've been watching the Budget Oscilloscope discussions . . .


. . . but have a problem with spending 10% of the cost of a much more capable medium range O-scope. Budget jobs appear to top out at working with low end computing platforms. Such an "educational tool" might be worth the money, but don't see myself playing around with any system short of the 20MHz IIsi and up to the 40MHz IIfx or even my 110MHz Radius Clone.

Looking at this one as an example:

71JqOCHJEXL._SL1500_.jpg

Whatcha think about scopes in this price range, will they significantly increase the range of systems, maybe even up to the G4 range of processor/bus speeds? Its 7" panel looks to be usable without hooking it up to a computer/display?
 
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Trash80toG4

Active Tinkerer
Apr 1, 2022
1,197
363
83
Bermuda Triangle, NC USA
Also looking into this one, hate touchscreens with a passion. This one'll still fit into my knockdown, rolling big@ss toolbox electronics workstation setup.

71L+POCNTVL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

 

phunguss

Active Tinkerer
Dec 24, 2023
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Stillwater, MN
Well, for under $30, it seems to do what I need. I think I can decode what the pins are on the G5 Quad LCS. This is my first time using a scope, and first time interpreting my results.

This is pin 5, which some claim is 5-12V input. I am going to call it 0-Vmax input, but a typical PWM fan needs 25% to maintain minimum speed, so the 3V I am getting with a slight waveform is about correct for when the computer is idling.
PPC2026d22-DSO152-01.jpg

And as I run a CPU benchmark, things heat up, thus requiring the fans/pumps to accelerate...
PPC2026d22-DSO152-02.jpg

And at max heat/speed I get this... but when read with a multimeter, I get 11.8V
PPC2026d22-DSO152-03.jpg

Pin 1 people seem to have labelled as PWM, but it seems to just be Vmax to me, I saw no waveform whatsoever at any reading. Pretty much the same 11.8V I saw on the multimeter.
PPC2026d22-DSO152-04.jpg

Pin 3 is tach output, 3.3Vpp and adjusting the screen to your desired preference was rather easy.
PPC2026d22-DSO152-05.jpg


There are lots of youtube videos of this DSO-152 out there, and for the price, I am happy so far. If i need a second channel, that is as easy as ordering a 2nd one for another $30. Yes the test leads are alligator clamps and not a real probe, but you can get adapters.
 

This Does Not Compute

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