What is everyone using as their handed portable O Scope? I'm just starting to look around at what's available and curious what you guys are using?
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What is everyone using as their handed portable O Scope? I'm just starting to look around at what's available and curious what you guys are using?
We have one of these at the shop and it's really nice. Maybe too nice for a non-professional. I certainly wouldn't buy one for myself. Actually, I'm not sure why I'm suggesting it. It does come with a full set of DMM stuff though too so that's good.
https://www.testproductsintl.com/digital-multimeters-dmms/440-true-rms-digital-multimeter/
Attachment 11087
Copied and pasted from the other thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cutaway
I've got the 1.0 version of thisQuote:
Originally Posted by Cutaway
https://m.liumytools.com/LIUMY-Oscil...ight-p-28.html
It's not good for much other than detecting clipping and basic multimeter functions, but I didn't expect any more than that.
Thank you both, those are great options but i think this one is more reasonably priced for my needsQuote:
Originally Posted by ckirocz28
I also have the Liumy (2nd version, which honestly, isn't quite as good as the first version, from what I've heard). I believe the screen resolution is a little lower with the 2nd version, so it makes it a little harder to interpret an ever-so-slightly clipped signal from a clean signal - but you can still tell.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cutaway
Besides the o-scope function, it also makes a good general-purpose multimeter (the 2nd version does have some improvements in the backlighting and display, other than resolution).
Which one are you looking at (didn't see a link or pic when you mentioned the "this one" in the post above)?
Look into USB scopes. My guys use Pico scopes at their desks for simple stuff. You can get a decent scope and lead for under $200
Ge0
https://m.liumytools.com/LIUMY-Oscil...ight-p-28.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by jtrosky
I was referring to the one that @ckirocz28 had posted...
@Ge0 - I was just wondering about these this morning on the drive into work. I wasnt sure if USB versions where a thing and if they were, are they reliable...Quote:
Originally Posted by Ge0
All of the feedback has been great, thank you
We have several Pico Scopes in my department. They have been very reliable. When my personal Tektronix hand held dies this is what I intend to use at home.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cutaway
Ge0
One of these guys, had it for something like a decade and it's still going strong.
https://www.parts-express.com/vellem...scope--320-290
It's only a single channel, which is fine for most things, but there are times I'd love to overlay signals. For the price though, no complaints. I think I paid $250 and that was unheard of for an O scope back then. I think this is now under $200 and there's a bunch of other handhelds.
Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk
Still paying for a device with an ultra cheap built In display. Check out Pico Scope and utilize a laptops superior display.
Ge0
Going to be ordering a pico this week... Thanks for informing me about theseQuote:
Originally Posted by Ge0
Just remember you don't need a high bandwidth scope for audio. You can get by with the cheaper options. Anything over 100MHz is overkill.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cutaway
It definitely has a pixelated LCD display, but the scale is easy to set. Not too tough to work around that, for gain setting and signal analysis using sine waves.
What has a pixelated display?Quote:
Originally Posted by geolemon
Ge0
My little handheld single-channel Velleman.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ge0
I still love it because back then, I'd have never justified spending $1500 on a real Oscilloscope. $250 was like a "holy shit!" opportunity to jump on before they figured out they should charge more. Still can't believe it's even cheaper today.
Is that pico a dual channel? I wouldn't mind a dual-channel option, but honesty my Velleman has been good for what I do- I'm (sadly) not internally scoping amp guts. :wink:
I actually was starting to look for one that also did all the DMM stuff too, but definitely want one with a continuity buzzer... my current DMM is just "OK", I'd pick up an upgrade if there was this rad added feature... like an O-Scope.
I stand behind Pico Scopes because they work well for me and my team in an industrial environment. Your handheld is convenient but you are killing yourself on the display. A 2 channel Pico Scope for $115 blows it out of the water. Why pay for a display when your laptop already has a pretty good one? You can buy Pico Scopes from anywhere from $100 to $1000. It all depends on your needs. If you are just measuring audio signals then the 10MHz cheapo 2 channel model is perfect for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by geolemon
I need to measure power supply and amp output switching frequencies. i spec a device that has 100x bandwidth and maybe 4 channels. Anyone here that does not need to operate on amps does not need this. So save yourself some money and enjoy the love.
At work I have one or two scopes that can sample a 5GHz over 4 channels and decode comm buss signals like Flex-RaY, MOST, CAN, and LIN. These cost $20k each. A hobbyist does not need to spend this type of money anymore.
Ge0
Just wanted to say thank you for the suggestion, I ordered a pico and decided to also get a SMD DD-1+... Even thought the PICO will easily show me a clipped signal (along with other cool functions) i would still like to know when distortion (at least up to 1%) is present at which device is throwing it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ge0
Good choice. I know some folks like to judge clipping by watching a sine wave distort on a scope. But, by the time you see distortion you are well into the 10% and above range.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cutaway
Ge0
Ok, so trying to understand here & forgetting their cost for the moment, with the SMD DD1 or DD1+, do you really even need the scope based on your comment about distortion already being high by the time you see the clipped signals?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ge0
Besides setting gains, any other real or common benefit to using a scope in car audio?
Check voltage levels. Look for noise. See if your amp is clipping. Look at pretty sign waves. Etc...Quote:
Originally Posted by MegaG
Ge0
When you use an "idiot light" device like a DD1, you have no idea what it's really doing. You have no idea if it's accurate... and from more than one review, they seem suspect. All you know is "I spent more money than a single channel o-scope" and "a light comes on at some point".Quote:
Originally Posted by MegaG
You have to TRUST that it comes on with 1% distortion, but without an O-scope you can't verify that. There's a very real chance that you use it to set up your system, and your system never reaches its full potential.
With an O-scope, you can actually see the waveform change. You can combine that with your ears to set your gains how you like. Maybe that's turning it back to 0% distortion. Or maybe it's 0% distortion on your tweeter amp, 3% distortion on your midbass amp, 10% distortion on your sub amp.
Even the pixellated screens of the OG Velleman like I still have - it's plenty good enough. You can change the range and scale, but auto-range makes it quite simple to use. ...and there's no more pixellation possible than a single pixel idiot light on a DD1, right? [emoji6]
Gain setting isn't idiot-light simple. The O-scope is the way to go.
Plus, in addition to what Geo said, you can even run frequency sweeps on your amp and see if it's actually flat at all frequencies. Same with any other components in your system.
An overpriced idiot light is a single purpose thing, can't help you with the rest of your system, even if you do trust it.
Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk
You can also build your own for cheap -
Here's one from RF's engineers just to show you how overpriced the DD1 is (it's a PDF)
https://rockfordfosgate.com/rnt/rnw/...rtionmeter.pdf
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Thanks for the feedback, I have a Pico scope that I can return up until 1/31, I hadn't opened yet but I think I will play around with it some over the next couple of weekends...