O scope recommendations
- Thread starter Oldskoolfan
- Start date
I like my old HP equipment. It was inexpensive because I really researched and shopped for the right deals on eBay.
But, it needed maintenance and repair to be usable, like all old test equipment.
I did buy a new digital scope and signal generator. Accurate and easy to use, with many cool and useful features.
But not as fun to use, and the scopes digital flat screen hasn't the resolution of a CRT.
I really prefer the HP as my go to equipment. It's great having the digital as backup for verifying questionable results or maintaining the HP.
My digital signal generator is a Koolertron DDS, scope is a Siglent 1200 series.
And, take a look at the QuantAsylum QA403. It's awesome.
But, it needed maintenance and repair to be usable, like all old test equipment.
I did buy a new digital scope and signal generator. Accurate and easy to use, with many cool and useful features.
But not as fun to use, and the scopes digital flat screen hasn't the resolution of a CRT.
I really prefer the HP as my go to equipment. It's great having the digital as backup for verifying questionable results or maintaining the HP.
My digital signal generator is a Koolertron DDS, scope is a Siglent 1200 series.
And, take a look at the QuantAsylum QA403. It's awesome.
I have a Tektronix 2235. It is a transistorized version of the old school tube versions. It is also known by its Military designation, AN/USM-488. The military scopes are rugged and easy to use. My 2235 is a two channel 100MHz unit, ideal for audio. You can get 3 or 4 channel scopes and scopes that go to 400MHz, but the cost escalates quickly.
My Function Generator is a HP 3311A. For a signal (or function) generator make sure it has sine, square, and sawtooth waveforms from 1Hz to 100KHz. You will see 1KHz to 1GHz but high frequencies get expensive and you need to cover the Audio Spectrum 20Hz to 20KHz. It also should output at least 5V, 10V is even better, mine will do 9V. The best signal generators are crystal controlled with an oven to maintain constant temperatures for frequency stability.
My Function Generator is a HP 3311A. For a signal (or function) generator make sure it has sine, square, and sawtooth waveforms from 1Hz to 100KHz. You will see 1KHz to 1GHz but high frequencies get expensive and you need to cover the Audio Spectrum 20Hz to 20KHz. It also should output at least 5V, 10V is even better, mine will do 9V. The best signal generators are crystal controlled with an oven to maintain constant temperatures for frequency stability.
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- You never have too much tapedecks ^^
My very elderly father has a Tek 2235 with the frequency readout in the basement. He worked as a electronics tech his whole life up until retirement decades ago.
He said it's his preferred scope.
Been sitting unused for so long it's caps will probably puke even if brought up slow with a Variac and DBT.
He said it's his preferred scope.
Been sitting unused for so long it's caps will probably puke even if brought up slow with a Variac and DBT.
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of O'scopes. There are USB scopes. I bought the USB OWON 1021 off Amazon a few months ago to use in a class room. You have to be especially careful with ground connections and ground loops with USB scopes.
I use a 40 year old Hitachi analog scope on a regular basis on my bench. Any TEK or HP would work. Leader is also another option. There are 4 channel digital scopes for under $400.
For signal generators, I have a couple LOFTECH TS-1 which is a fairly low distortion oscillator, Frequency counter and DB meter. They're great for checking frequency response. I also use an HP 204 to test the 400/700 relay boards at sub sonic frequencies. Awesome HP quality from the 70's. They're less than $100 on EBAY.
I use a 40 year old Hitachi analog scope on a regular basis on my bench. Any TEK or HP would work. Leader is also another option. There are 4 channel digital scopes for under $400.
For signal generators, I have a couple LOFTECH TS-1 which is a fairly low distortion oscillator, Frequency counter and DB meter. They're great for checking frequency response. I also use an HP 204 to test the 400/700 relay boards at sub sonic frequencies. Awesome HP quality from the 70's. They're less than $100 on EBAY.
I currently have my HP3325A function generator apart on the bench after measuring it for caps.
It suddenly got noisy after doing a long series of square wave measurements.
It was due, knew it was just a matter of time.
Good thing is, there's ample info on other forums about the common failure points of this old lab grade equipment.
Your 2235 is no doubt well documented.
It suddenly got noisy after doing a long series of square wave measurements.
It was due, knew it was just a matter of time.
Good thing is, there's ample info on other forums about the common failure points of this old lab grade equipment.
Your 2235 is no doubt well documented.
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- Victim of the record bug since age five
I have an Owon PDS5022T, LCD screen. Don’t like it, I think the classic CRT scopes are better. It works, resolution is crappy, but was cheap (in both senses of the word).
EDIT:
So anyway, I bought this record, supposed to make animated graphics on a ‘scope screen, but I can’t make it work. I think a CRT scope is necessary for it to work.
EDIT:
So anyway, I bought this record, supposed to make animated graphics on a ‘scope screen, but I can’t make it work. I think a CRT scope is necessary for it to work.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2011
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- 784
- Location
- Absurdy, new name of France
- Tagline
- You never have too much tapedecks ^^
I use both a Tek TDS350 (digital) scope as well as a Tek 2225 (analogue) scope, mainly for cassete deck refurb/repairs.
Both are great, stable and reliable but I defer to the TDS350 mostly as I like its' 'autoset' button which means bringing up waveforms that fit to the screen is a cinch! (gowon, call me lazy, I dont care
)
The 350 also has math functionality which makes waveform differences easy to visualise (v handy for azimuth corrections)
I had to swap out it's noisy af ball-bearing fan with a quieter one when I got it but now it's almost silent and I can leave it switched on for hours without any noticeable background noise.
Sometimes I whip out the 2225 to verify reuslts on the 350 if I think I'm getting spurious results from things. Good for measurement redundancy therefore.
I use a Wavetek 75A arbitrary waveform generator which is fine, accurate and adequate for what I use it for if not the easiest to set up.
I do need to get it set up permanently on the bench somewhere at some point though...
a quieter fan, pilfered from an old busted PC power supply
Its' usual operating position, slides in and out from under the bench
and does Lissajous, for all that's worth
Azimuth bang-on for a CR3E. Triggers off ch1 which is why ch2 looks 'smoothed'.
Now to finesse the L/R amplitude...
Both are great, stable and reliable but I defer to the TDS350 mostly as I like its' 'autoset' button which means bringing up waveforms that fit to the screen is a cinch! (gowon, call me lazy, I dont care
)The 350 also has math functionality which makes waveform differences easy to visualise (v handy for azimuth corrections)
I had to swap out it's noisy af ball-bearing fan with a quieter one when I got it but now it's almost silent and I can leave it switched on for hours without any noticeable background noise.
Sometimes I whip out the 2225 to verify reuslts on the 350 if I think I'm getting spurious results from things. Good for measurement redundancy therefore.
I use a Wavetek 75A arbitrary waveform generator which is fine, accurate and adequate for what I use it for if not the easiest to set up.
I do need to get it set up permanently on the bench somewhere at some point though...
a quieter fan, pilfered from an old busted PC power supply
Its' usual operating position, slides in and out from under the bench
and does Lissajous, for all that's worth
Azimuth bang-on for a CR3E. Triggers off ch1 which is why ch2 looks 'smoothed'.
Now to finesse the L/R amplitude...
I didn't. Should I?
It's a D5M. Sits on the bench as a daily driver. been exemplary for about 5 years now.
Have another mint/zero-hours one stashed away for when the DD kicks it. The one in the foreground. Literally hasn't got a single fingermark, scratch or spec of dust on it! Measures tip top. The only thing I needed to do is lube a spindle that's accessible via the rear panel and exercise it every now and again to keep the drive idler from indenting.
First time the covers had been off and rather than fishing out the old, decrepit foam I thought I would try to keep its' originality by just placing electrical tape over the foam bits before they disintegrated completely.
Not a fingerprint or mark on the entire case. Couldn't believe it when I scored it from a guy local to me who'd had it since new and never used it. I asked why...to which he opened a cupboard full of Nagras.
That moment of sweet realisation. 'Ohhhhh..... I get it'. lol
It's a D5M. Sits on the bench as a daily driver. been exemplary for about 5 years now.
Have another mint/zero-hours one stashed away for when the DD kicks it. The one in the foreground. Literally hasn't got a single fingermark, scratch or spec of dust on it! Measures tip top. The only thing I needed to do is lube a spindle that's accessible via the rear panel and exercise it every now and again to keep the drive idler from indenting.
First time the covers had been off and rather than fishing out the old, decrepit foam I thought I would try to keep its' originality by just placing electrical tape over the foam bits before they disintegrated completely.
Not a fingerprint or mark on the entire case. Couldn't believe it when I scored it from a guy local to me who'd had it since new and never used it. I asked why...to which he opened a cupboard full of Nagras.
That moment of sweet realisation. 'Ohhhhh..... I get it'. lol
On the capstan spindle there is a felt washer impregnated with oil. It turns to dust and then the capstan end float goes up to like 1.5mm
No chance to get the felt washer as Sony scrapped all their cassette parts in the 90’s.
But I sourced an oil impregnated plastic washer that drops in. You still have to set end float propperly but it’s a permanent solution.
If your deck sits flat in a table you won’t notice the issue. If you record while moving the deck you for sure will as the ape skews across the head.
No chance to get the felt washer as Sony scrapped all their cassette parts in the 90’s.
But I sourced an oil impregnated plastic washer that drops in. You still have to set end float propperly but it’s a permanent solution.
If your deck sits flat in a table you won’t notice the issue. If you record while moving the deck you for sure will as the ape skews across the head.