New Oscilloscope?

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I'm looking for a new oscilloscope. Mine is an ancient Tektronix Type 422 and the trace is getting super weak. It is to the point where I have to turn off all the lights in the room to use it. It's also showing some distortion on the faster trace speeds. I got it about 10 years ago for $10. So its had a good life before me and with me.

Anyway, I'm looking for something to replace it. I was looking at buying a new Tektronix TDS1001B since they are only $900. But, I really don't want to spend that much money.

Are there any good used O-Scopes (preferably newer) that are in the $300- $500 range?

Thanks
 
In your tektronix there should be a beam cutoff or sub-brightness pot or similar on one of the boards. With the brightness set to mid way turn this pot until the trrace gets bright enough to use again. Just about every pro scope I've ever worked on has this adjustment. It may be labeled something else and there's also a good chance you can download the manual for free of you google it on the internet.
 
Since you are coming from the analog scope world you might want to play with a digital scope before commit to it. Digital scope is very convenient in may ways but the budget ones do not show the z-axis. Also the aliasing will take effort to get use to.

For a DSO for your budget, I would vote for Rigol DS 1052E. Rigol tends to have better reputation on quality for the low end DSO market.
 
The manual is available through the "Boat Anchor Manual Archive".

Through Mark's suggestion you might be able to squeeze some more years out of it and use it as a secondary scope to supplement the new one. You can get new CRTs from some surplus places and from Ebay.

Judging by the units you've shown interest in, you could probably get by with an old Tek 465B if you can find one. They have a very good reputation. (it will probably outperform those 300-500$ ones you've linked to). Downside is that, being so old, it may need service immediately or soon after purchase.

- keantoken
 
I would second what keantoken has said about the Tek 465B. Really, there is no other brand of analog scope in my dictionary except Tektronix, not even H-P/Agilent! The 465B is still THE workhorse of the industry even after all these years. Clean 465B scopes can be had on E-bay for 150 or evehn less if you watch regularly. You don't wanbt the plain ole 465... get the B model because they use LEDs for all indicatoirs and dial illumination and there is much circuit improvement. I captured a like new 2465B scope with three Tektronix probes locally for just 100.00... thats a 350mhz scope!

Mark
 
You might want to check this out, http://cgi.ebay.com/OWON-EDU5022-Di...opes?hash=item19b6c0356d&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I'm not the seller but I think it's a pretty good deal.

I have seen this OWON oscilloscope, and must say that I am impressed. Sure the Tektronix will perform better, but at a totally different price. At this price range, it does ALL that you can expect, and even more. The one I tested had a bunch of mathematical functions as default, like FFT. This is often extra on the expensive models :rolleyes:
Only thing is, that it may react a little slow, when using controls.

For DIY use, I would choose the OWON. at $395 you will even get the battery version!! Go for it!
 
I would second what keantoken has said about the Tek 465B. Really, there is no other brand of analog scope in my dictionary except Tektronix, not even H-P/Agilent! The 465B is still THE workhorse of the industry even after all these years. Clean 465B scopes can be had on E-bay for 150 or evehn less if you watch regularly. You don't wanbt the plain ole 465... get the B model because they use LEDs for all indicatoirs and dial illumination and there is much circuit improvement. I captured a like new 2465B scope with three Tektronix probes locally for just 100.00... thats a 350mhz scope!

Mark

Second to your comments on the 465B -- I had one, but I now use the 2465B and a 3012B all the time, and a 5223 part of the time. The 5223 has the 5A22n differential plug in which is very nice for making noise measurements.

It used to be said that Tek couldn't make a decent spectrum analyzer, and that HP couldn't make a decent scope -- probably just a personality conflict with the users.

I have heard that the wave-runners are worth a real look...
 
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