It has been 40 years since I have used an oscilloscope, I was an electronics tech back in the day. Thought I would get a used scope for audio equipment.
It appears that the Tektronics 2235 (and others) are readily available. I would prefer a stand alone to a usb scope.
What do you guys think?
Thanks
It appears that the Tektronics 2235 (and others) are readily available. I would prefer a stand alone to a usb scope.
What do you guys think?
Thanks
I’ll take a real CRO over a thing that needs a PC every time. Any PC based instrument is just an OS upgrade away from being landfill.
I agree, avoid USB scopes unless you have severe space or portability constraints. More modern self-contained DSO's are smaller and lighter than a tektronix brick though, and have colour displays.
I strongly prefer CRO oscillos over those digital units. The finest digital never will be as good as the poorest analog one.
2235 is a reliable machine, great to trace a signal, check frequency responses, just watch what you spray in the switch contacts.
It comes down to the right tool for the job.
I love my Tek digital scopes, find a analog that will decode a serial data stream.
The probe technology has come a long way since the old Tek cart days.
Your analog scope will limit you on what you can do and document.
It comes down to the right tool for the job.
I love my Tek digital scopes, find a analog that will decode a serial data stream.
The probe technology has come a long way since the old Tek cart days.
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I love Tek scopes. In the summer,my 2235 is the daily driver.In winter,the 547.Noisy,but it keeps the shop toasty.🙄
The 2235 may need some caps in the power supply.Kinda common with these.
The 2235 may need some caps in the power supply.Kinda common with these.
Any digital scope is only as good as the software, whether self contained on USB to PC. And some software is good for some things and borderline useless for thiers. However an analog scope is not too useful for glitches at the .0001% rep rate and the digital scope never really give the insight a real trace with fuzz can give.
USB scopes- the Picoscope software is pretty good and you pay for that. Self contained scopes- Tek and Keysight work pretty well, the others vary. However depending on what you are looking for they all will lie to you. Analog scopes have a hard time aliasing. I look for a scope with a good auto setup. That usually will show many issues with the software.
USB scopes- the Picoscope software is pretty good and you pay for that. Self contained scopes- Tek and Keysight work pretty well, the others vary. However depending on what you are looking for they all will lie to you. Analog scopes have a hard time aliasing. I look for a scope with a good auto setup. That usually will show many issues with the software.
Tek stand alone scope (DSA) with win XP OS internal. after 5 years- Tek says enjoy- don't call us, buy the new one ($25K for the frame alone).
Still the stand alone digital scopes seem to have continuous "improvement" going on as well.
Still the stand alone digital scopes seem to have continuous "improvement" going on as well.
Modern digital scopes are better in virtually every respect. I am talking real ones from Keysight, Tek, LeCroy, etc. - not cheap stuff.
It's taken a while, sure.
I'm not sure I agree. As far as I know, every standalone oscilloscope on the market now for the past 10+ years has had a PC inside. Tektronix uses embedded Linux with a Windows 10 option, Keysight (Agilent) is using Windows, LeCroy is using Windows.
A USB attached device is not any more prone to obsolescence than those are. Test equipment is so expensive that it's not a big deal to keep an old machine around or just use a virtual machine. I can still run the Windows software from a 15 year old LeCroy oscilloscope that shipped with Windows 2000 without any problem on Windows 10.
Is it any worse of a problem than finding working hybrid ICs and obsolete custom parts in the last generation of analog scopes?
Tektronix seems to be a shell of its former self in terms of customer service.
They wouldn't sell us software option keys for our spectrum analyzer, just wanted us to buy an entire new one. The rep on the phone basically said they don't even know how to generate the keys anymore.
We looked at their new VNA and they wouldn't loan us a demo unit for even a week.
On the other hand, LeCroy has repaired Windows XP based scopes for us for very reasonable prices. They replaced an LCD for us just last year.
Tek and Fluke are indeed shells of their former selves. literally. Both have been purchased by a company that only values mid product sales and not research or improvement. Let someone else do that. The Tek buildings are being sold off to other companies and the campus is nothing like what it used to be.
another one bites the dust.
Cheers
Alan
another one bites the dust.
Cheers
Alan
There is some commonality between the 2235 and 2465. At least in design approach and this may be helpful: Tektronix 2465B oscilloscope teardown - Page 1
Its horses for courses.
I use my analogue scope mostly but find my USB scope is good for storage of waveforms.
You can pick up USB scopes for peanuts now.
There is a 20MHZ USB scope on ebay for £11-99
Its very popular he has sold about 300 in a couple of weeks.
However some of the claims for these scopes is untrue.
I have seen 1MHz sampling speeds said to be good for 500KHZ. This is simply untrue as you need about 50 samples per cycle of the waveform you want to look at.
So a 1MHZ sampling speed is only good for 20KHz sine wave.
So a 20Mhz scope is good for 400KHz.
I use my analogue scope mostly but find my USB scope is good for storage of waveforms.
You can pick up USB scopes for peanuts now.
There is a 20MHZ USB scope on ebay for £11-99
Its very popular he has sold about 300 in a couple of weeks.
However some of the claims for these scopes is untrue.
I have seen 1MHz sampling speeds said to be good for 500KHZ. This is simply untrue as you need about 50 samples per cycle of the waveform you want to look at.
So a 1MHZ sampling speed is only good for 20KHz sine wave.
So a 20Mhz scope is good for 400KHz.
Have you actually purchased and received it? I did the former and got a message by the seller the ware was not available anymore, full refund.
I do not think the item is real.
No I haven't bought one as I design my own.
He had 100 up for sale then sold out for a few days.
Then 100 more went up and sold out again.
Now there is more up.
Might be worth trying to buy again ?
I must admit the price seems to good to be true as that model is usually around £45 elsewhere.
I have been keeping an eye on it as I sell USB scopes myself.
I was wondering if maybe its a Chinese scam.
Despite having sold over 200 his feedback has nothing mentioning the USB scope. Interesting !
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