Low-Cost USB Hobby Oscilloscope

salesmonster · 19th November 2008, 04:50 AM

Recently the guys over at the Make Magazine website pointed to a low-cost oscilloscope. The address is www.pdamusician.com/lcscope.

Has anyone else looked into building this? I ordered one of his PC boards, and my parts are arriving over the next few days. I'm hoping to put it together this weekend.

One thing that has always left me feeling a bit handicapped in DIY Audio is not having an oscilloscope, and this looks better than the retail USB scopes.

Dave

Limhes · 19th November 2008, 04:24 PM

For less money you'd probably get a decent second hand analogue scope. Why not try that? Or do you want it to be USB?

cbdb · 19th November 2008, 04:30 PM

the 150 khz bandwidth is kinda low even for audio, RF can still be a problem in audio designs.

scott wurcer · 19th November 2008, 04:38 PM

"Visual Analyser" is a free download and turns a decent soundcard into enough of a scope/signal generator to get you started.

salesmonster · 19th November 2008, 04:46 PM

Thanks for the replies!

Limhes, my concerns/benefits were:

1) The storage of waveforms
2) The size of the older analog scopes
3) The cost of purchase are quickly offset by the shipping costs of one of the old "lugables"
4) The pride of ownership, akin to the building of one's own audio components
5) Being open-source, I can tweek it if I ever get the courage to

cbdb: I agree, but this is a constraint I am willing to live with until (if?) I can justify the added cost of additional bandwidth

jacco vermeulen · 19th November 2008, 05:28 PM

Yer Sexyness,

why not look for a smaller foreign scope ?
I lifted an Hitachi analog/digital storage scope from the web for $60, even had a fairly recent calibration sticker.
Found both the RS232 software, to hook the scope up to a PC, and a +10Mb complete service manual for the DSO on the internet within two weeks time.

speakerguy79 · 19th November 2008, 06:17 PM

Suck it up and buy a good scope. They hold their value.

-proud owner of a Tek DPO3k.

h_a · 20th November 2008, 08:51 AM

Hi Scott, thanks for the link!

From all the PC-based software I know, this seems to be the most promising!

Have fun, Hannes

19th November 2008, 04:50 AM	#1
salesmonster diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2007	Low-Cost USB Hobby Oscilloscope Recently the guys over at the Make Magazine website pointed to a low-cost oscilloscope. The address is www.pdamusician.com/lcscope. Has anyone else looked into building this? I ordered one of his PC boards, and my parts are arriving over the next few days. I'm hoping to put it together this weekend. One thing that has always left me feeling a bit handicapped in DIY Audio is not having an oscilloscope, and this looks better than the retail USB scopes. Dave

19th November 2008, 04:38 PM	#4
scott wurcer diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: cambridge ma	"Visual Analyser" is a free download and turns a decent soundcard into enough of a scope/signal generator to get you started. __________________ 2012, our time is running out.

19th November 2008, 05:28 PM	#6
jacco vermeulen diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: At the sea front, just under Rotterdam	Yer Sexyness, why not look for a smaller foreign scope ? I lifted an Hitachi analog/digital storage scope from the web for $60, even had a fairly recent calibration sticker. Found both the RS232 software, to hook the scope up to a PC, and a +10Mb complete service manual for the DSO on the internet within two weeks time. __________________ Looks like Sponge Bob has killed another thread.

20th November 2008, 08:51 AM	#8
h_a diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Graz, Austria	Hi Scott, thanks for the link! From all the PC-based software I know, this seems to be the most promising! Have fun, Hannes __________________ fresh matched IRFP240/IRFP9240 fets \|\| AlephJ/JX-kits F5 transistor kits \|\| Burning Amp BA-1/2/3 transistor kits

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

19th November 2008, 04:24 PM	#2
Limhes diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nijmegen!	For less money you'd probably get a decent second hand analogue scope. Why not try that? Or do you want it to be USB?

19th November 2008, 04:30 PM	#3
cbdb diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver	the 150 khz bandwidth is kinda low even for audio, RF can still be a problem in audio designs.

19th November 2008, 04:46 PM	#5
salesmonster diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2007	Thanks for the replies! Limhes, my concerns/benefits were: 1) The storage of waveforms 2) The size of the older analog scopes 3) The cost of purchase are quickly offset by the shipping costs of one of the old "lugables" 4) The pride of ownership, akin to the building of one's own audio components 5) Being open-source, I can tweek it if I ever get the courage to cbdb: I agree, but this is a constraint I am willing to live with until (if?) I can justify the added cost of additional bandwidth

19th November 2008, 06:17 PM	#7
speakerguy79 diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006	Suck it up and buy a good scope. They hold their value. -proud owner of a Tek DPO3k.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Low cost LCD oscilloscope and DIY kit	ray0812	Vendor's Bazaar	21	5th January 2011 06:59 PM
Lcs-1m Diy Hobby Scope	veiloctane	Parts	1	4th March 2009 09:57 PM
Updated my hobby website	smallangryboy	Multi-Way	14	13th September 2007 07:27 PM
Am I obsessed with my hobby?	drummer_Dave	Everything Else	11	28th October 2006 11:03 PM
Put away the summer hobby!	chipco3434	Everything Else	0	2nd November 2005 02:24 AM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read