PC-Based oscilloscope

Picoscope will do models up to 200MHz BW

Dave

Check this out:

ttyl,

--buddy

I'd prefer a TDS2024, slightly more expensive, but 200Mhz, 4 channels and color.

However, I would not trade real buttons and a separate screen for a PC. Even if you dedicate a PC to the job ($1000) you will be missing the real, physical knobs.

A scope like the TDS2000 is also quite small and compact. Just moving to another bench is simple, no PC attached and with its 10cm depth it takes up not much space.

Markus

One thing to consider when choosing an oscilloscope is what voltage levels you will be measuring.

If you will be going over 50 volts or so, it is probably safer to go with a stand alone unit.

Companies that might be able to satisfy your needs are:

Their Web sites will let you know what is available in the high end market.

Aidan Grey

Analog front-end bandwidth is nice but at a max of 200 Msps (single channel) the Nyquist frequency is only 100 MHz. Worse, to see reasonable representations of a single-shot waveform, you'd probably want at least the fifth harmonic so now you're down to 20 MHz. Use both channels and cut your sample rate in half, you're now down to 10 MHz.

Digital scopes are lovely, small, easy to take to the work (especially if one remembers scopes the size of grocery carts...), and have, usually, lots of nice measurement options. But if the OP wants a digital he'd be much better off getting one of the smaller Tek or HP digitals that have sampling rates at 1 Gsps and up. Another option would be the Fluke Scopemeters; nice if battery power and work site portability are high priorities.

--
Rich Webb   Norfolk, VA

This is perfect (although more expensive), but we have lots of one-shot signals and 2.5K points is not much...

Josep

No PC in the TDS2024. Can get LeCroy WaveSurfer, 4 channels, 200 MHz, huge screen, Windows XP, USB, Hard Drive, Net, measurements, stats, probes, 3 yr. warranty, much newer design, etc.

JS

Indeed better, but fully twice the price.

I suspect the OP was looking for a low-cost add-on to an existing PC, rather than an oscilloscope incorporating a PC.

A good link nonetheless.

Very nice, but too expensive... We're looking in the < $2000 range.

Thanks for the advice.

Josep

If you're looking for digital states (and not (or in addition to)) the waveform shape or power rail noise, etc then there are some pretty good and inexpensive logic analyzers that are PC-based. My current favorite is the LogicPort

It doesn't replace a an HP stand-alone instrument but it also doesn't take up half the workbench or weigh 40 lbs. The events can be stored "per transition" rather than "per sample clock tick" so the modest buffer size actually holds quite a lot in a typical application.

--
Rich Webb   Norfolk, VA

Thank you all for your comments... You've been very helpful

Josep