Turtlerock Forum

Can anyone suggest a decent, (but inexpensive), o-scope for a guy, (me), that is doing some DIY projects...

I have a decent multimeter but I think that I'll be needing a o-scope to set the balance in some Sta-Level and LA-2A compressors I'm currently building.. I doubt it needs to have all of the bells and whistles but it would be nice to check all the circuits and verify that the units are doing as they are intended to..

Obviously I'm new to all of this so I don't need anything that requires a PHD to understand.. But I do want to understand more about the gear that I'm building and how it affects the signal.

Thanks.

Any used Tektronix CRO will do the job admirably and you can pick them up on eBay for $200 to $300 in working condition. Try to get one locally so that you can check it out before purchase and it doesn't have to survive the vagiaries of freight handling. Stick with analogue ones for audio gear, digital is more expensive and not necessary except on high frequency gear. Make sure you get a set of probes, preferably with a x10 switch, with it.

Once you've got it, there are a number of "How to use a CRO" sites on the net, one at the Tektronix museum site IIRC.

Here are a couple that are on sale right now:

(Sorry, I took it at face value)

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tektronix-22 ... 33727fee9e

Youtube user NakedMenInMyBed....ebay username "dudesnude", and a oscilloscope video to match.
Not what I was expecting!

there are some quite cheap lcd screen oscilliscopes available now. check Altronics.

and do be very careful probing inside live tube circuits. Keep one hand in your pocket.

rob wrote: Keep one hand in your pocket.

and the other one doing a high five


8)

For audio work I would suggest avoiding digital or LCD scopes. They handle audio waveforms poorly. There is so much extra information available in "the cloud" that can appear around an analog scope trace showing a complex wave overlaid with noise, all of that info is lost on a digital CRO.

A decent old Tektronix with on-screen numeric displays is a dream machine, it replaces a multimeter, with one glance you can tell the average and RMS or DC voltage, frequency, and period without counting grid lines.

Thanks Gents!

I was looking through a bunch of the Tektronix ones on EBAY.. Seems I missed the one in the video though.. Though they are close and you cannot beat the price, I would probably want to wear rubber gloves when picking it up.. and have my wife standing near me with a knife, if you know what I mean...

I'll have a look through Altronics' site and see what's there.. I'm also looking at this one: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/120796616050 ... 1423.l2649

Is anyone here familiar with Rigol?

Peace!

In the end, and based on the advice of someone I trust fairly well I've gone with the Rigol.. Not the ebay one but through an Aus retailer.. The three year warranty is important..

This one should see me through all of my current and future needs..

Thanks again everyone.