Best Oscilloscope for $3k

power it up once per month just to keep it running, although for long durivity it would probably be better to have it powered 24/7

I thought that make and model as a first scope pegged you as relatively young.

?-)

Idea: If you're not using the VESA mount for your monitor, you can use the holes as convenient hardpoints to bolt stuff to the back of the monitor. Something like an aluminum or plastic plate that extends to the edge of the monitor might be a good way to mount the encoder box. (Don't block off vent holes, though.)

Matt Roberds

Well, it was a once in a lifetime gift and I had the habbit (still do) of not being satisfied with low performance. Looking back I should have bought a lower priced scope and used the rest for other instruments Cheers

Klaus

I spend a lot of time tinkering, going to the library, bought my first databook, RCA 4000 series logic. A lot of details in that one back then

If only I had better access to good books and the internet was invented a lot more could have been gained

And today if you have a computer you can buy a eval board for 5 bucks and be up and running. Back then I spend 1 year designing my own 8051 system with an EEPROM emulator.

Cheers

Klaus

If it comes out well, you might OEM those to Pico.

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

I was thinking along the same lines. I'll let you know how it works out.

ChesterW

That sounds like a nice and fun way to start out. I believe digital is especially suited, since you can do a lot without much formal training.

I wonder if the internet makes it easier or harder for newbies nowadays. It's very distracting, and one needs to discount a lot of what's found. Also, easy access to information is not the same as easy access to understanding, which seems to take its own time and not be in a particular hurry about arriving.

I have to think that the 5 buck eval modules must take out some of the adventure, or that it's a different kind of adventure.

Here are some photos of my heirlooms from back then.

Purchased with 16th birthday money:

Three years later this was finally running:

A friend and I hand-assembled code and found some big (so we thought) prime numbers. We worked until we dropped. It was fun!

ChesterW

Yes, you don't get into the hardware stuff much, but can quickly combine building blocks to really cool systems

Nice

Is it still hanging on the wall as a reminder of the first project?

Cheers

Klaus

Yes. Reminders of humble beginnings and construction methods using recycled telephone-wire may prevent swollen-head syndrome. It's not always completely effective ;)

I think the first project was before the 8080. It was a tic-tac-toe game using combinational logic constructed using wire-wrap. Of course it was a disaster and never worked. I remember being happy upon realizing the symmetry of the problem reduced the complexity. I had not yet heard of Boolean algebra.

What was your first project, way back then?

ChesterW

The first was actually not an electronics project. My dad is an electrical engineer (high voltage) and he taught me the basics when I was about 9.

So I made a simple "notify" system for my room. A push button along side th e door to my room was hooked up to a switch inside my room. So my family to push the button and depending on the state of the switch a light would ind icate "not at home" / "do not bother" / "please come in"

Quite simple, not really advanced at all :-)

Cheers

Klaus

I'm not so sure, sounds like multi-valued logic to me. :)

That's very cool. I remember another project from about that time, constructed from a Radio Shack book, of a 3 or 4 transistor audio amplifier. I put the microphone at the focus of a dish-pan and used it to spy on my sister. I try to be more nice to her now that we are grown.

ChesterW