Advice on used oscilloscope

Craigslist might be worth a try. I found a tektronix 453 (late sixties-early seventies vintage 50MHz, dual trace) locally on craigslist.com for $100, just a short drive away (on the Long Island Expressway, where even a short drive is a PITA, oh well). Or ham swapmeets. Just to avoid the cost of shipping.

If you want to spend that much, why don't you consider a new chinese scope with a good warranty? I just bought a Rigol DS1102C, that I simply love, for $999 (100MHz, 2 channel DSO, color, 400Msam/s, 1M buffer, 3yrs). Great customer support.

You might like something like this, but it's only 25MHz:

If you want pure analog, this looks like a decent deal:

You should decide whether you want digital or analog, I suggest getting one of each. ;-) What do you plan to use it for?

You really can't go wrong with Tektronix TDS210 or TDS220. They usually go on ebay for between $500 and $700. Sampling rate is high enough that you won't need an analog scope....except, better to get an old analog scope if you're doing low-level audio. Paul Mathews

Is that you? Oh, wait, I'm in California.

I sold a 453 for about $100 on Craig's List. You don't see scopes there very often, but it's a good place to keep watch...

Suggest you join Google groups "tekscopes". They deal with collection and refurbishment of these, but you can get a good recommendation from the members and there's always a few for sale among them...

Good luck,

Use a PC attachment instead.

Otherwise, the choices are Tektronix, Tektronix, and Tektronix.

Do not get sucked into the urban lore myth that Hewlett Packard or Agilent oscilloscopes exist.

Their last useful model was the 130C. It has been steadily downhill ever since.

The choice is a tradeoff between cost and risk.

There are any number of reputable second-hand equipment suppliers. I personally like Sphere Electrronics in BC, Canada. They stand behind their products, are reasonable aboiut shipping and don't sell junk. They currently have a nice Tek 2235 for about 600 USD. On the other hand, you can buy the same scope, from an individual for about 1/4 that price, but the risk is all on your end.

Where are you located?

I got mine (actually a refurb, but they also sell used) from Eurekaspot, which is a sideline of Testmart.

I watched eBay for about a month looking for a scope. At least half the auctions were scams. You could easily tell after a while, as the same images turned up on many auctions, often from accounts that had only sold knitting supplies previously. The ones that weren't scams were constantly overbid.

A TDS2002 would meet your needs, at the high end of your pricerange. Of course, if you're like me, you'll start looking at the relativly small incremental cost of getting 4 channels, or more bandwidth, and talk yourself into a more expensive one. The TDS2014 (4ch, 100M) is down to $1425 now. I think I paid $1710 for it last year. Then Tek released the TDS2014B and prices dropped.

Testmart arranged a will-call for me because they happened to dropship the refurbished Tek scopes from PDX.

Thank you all for your responses!

I'm located in Ontario, Canada.

My uses would be general purpose. I'm doing some work right now with IR emitter's and detectors and trying to test anything properly without a decent scope is an exercise in futility. I've been considering purchasing one for a while now; finally ready to make the plunge.

Yes the TEK 2200 series are nice scopes, we had the 2200's (forget the exact model it's been two years) in my college, if they can withstand a college lab environment they must be durable. Six hundred would be the max that I could afford that would include delivered to my door.

Is anyone familiar with this brand

Again Thanks for your input everyone.

I like their mixed signal oscilloscopes. Very usefull while doing an fpga design for speech processing.

Maybe spend a bit less and get a Tek 2230. It is an analog and digital oscilloscope in one and that feature is most usefull. I have one and I'm not about to retire it.

I dunno about the OP's location... Sphere is in Kelowna BC??? That's not exactly BC's high tech epicenter. Imagic Design also in BC sells used equipment too.

I guess it depends on what you are after. Sounds like a Nice Tek 2400 series is in your price range and way more scope than you are asking for.

One person I highly respect and recommend for used stuff is Bob Garcia. He is a retired person who sells used Tek Scopes. Generally the $100-$800 price range stuff is his niche. 2200, 2400 series mostly lately. He checks them all out, fixes them if needed and calibrates them (not NIST but calibrated). You pay about going rates from him for a good clean and checked out scope. If there are ever any issues he will fix, refund or trade in. I have perhaps bought 20-25 pieces from him over the last 10-15 years and he has always done me good.

Robert C. Garcia ?Bob? - KD4JRT ?The Scopeman?

I personally am getting rid of two scopes if either interest you e-me off line. They are both fine scopes, they are just a bit slower than I need. Tek 2445A very nice 150Mhz analog - the 150Mhz version of the high demand 2465B. Tek 2430A 150Mhz Digital. Decent digital, but sample rate is a bit low. Great for basic low speed requirements.

Hawker

On 4/7/2007 9:36 AM, The digits of snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com's hands composed the following:

Hawker wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

(FYI,the main PCB itself is the part that determines bandwidth of the scope. the hybrid ICs are common to both 2445 and 2465 scopes,including later A and B versions.)

The 2445/65 series is the best analog scope TEK ever made.

On 4/9/2007 2:28 PM, The digits of Jim Yanik's hands composed the following:

So I guess In part I was wrong. From the front they look the same, and I have some Tek literature where they advertise the 2445A and 2465B on the same cut sheet essentially calling the 2445A a lower bandwidth version of the 2465B. Perhaps, as you say, the guts are very different inside, but the front cover looks the same so given that and the literature I have I made my assumption. Still it is a great scope if you don't need the bandwidth of the 2465B. I do find it interesting that you point out how they are not related, then go on to group them in the same statements (same hybrid ICs and that both not just 2465 is the best analog scope TEK ever made)

Hawker

I've use both brands. I like it when people dis HP scopes as it makes them cheaper for me to buy used. ;-)

I'm using an old 1725A. Intel blew them out years ago, so they are all over Silicon Valley.

There are nuances in the way HP and Tek DSOs sample. Some Tek scopes multiplex the sample head. This means the channel to channel matching is great, but the bandwidth goes down in multichannel mode. The HP DSOs I've used don't do this, so they probably have a sampler per input

Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me, but wasn't the 130C one of the very very very select group of scopes with a DC BAL control on the front panel? Not as a recessed screwdriver adjust that you tweaked twice a year-- as a big one-inch diameter knob, often with all the edges worn smooth from constant use? :)

Nicest feature, IMHO, -- no fan.

Hawker wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mid.individual.net:

The B series has different software(along with the improved microprocessor board),different front panel modes available. I don't have the manuals anymore,or I'd be specific.

When TEK makes an "A" or "B" version of an instrument,it usually is a minor upgrade,adding features,not any drastic circuit changes,and in the digital age,that's all software. Some TDS scopes have all the options circuitry onboard,but you need a special SW key to activate the options.

Of course,when they do make an "A" or "B" version,the older scope begins it's Long Term Support Period;the countdown to "obsolescence" and end of support. Since TEK no longer has component level schematics in their "service" manuals(AFAIK),that makes repair nearly impossible.TDS models are factory service or module exchange only.(don't trust the "repair and return" option for your assemblies,TEK often loses them.Then you're screwed.)

Wouldn't that be "... TEK often loses them. Then *they're* screwed"? I mean, isn't it their responsibility to replace or find like replacement? I mean, how far can "I'm sorry, it's gone" go?

Doesn't make sense...

Thanks for your advice everyone.

Just to let you know I just bought this DSO.

For $400 more it's new with a warranty, rather then take a crapshoot on a used one.