https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/342199468/openscope-instrumentation-for-everyone
What about this thing? It is less than $1000
Will,
Very interesting, more of a hobbyist item (only a 2MHz bandwidth). Super cool if you don’t need higher bandwidth or low noise.
These items are starting to crop up. The newer version of the Logic can do analog along with digital but it doesn’t do the output part.
https://www.saleae.com/
I have one of the Nano oscilloscopes, pretty cool but very limited.
The ones we are looking at are much more capable and made for more accurate voltage/time measurements.
I’ve started a Google Sheet with a few of the scopes with features and prices.
Feel free to add more models and whatever info you like. We can use this for comparison.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UEhSiJG1LadHWRtjBFLTVblPP7XdlBmEzPXdbYa2_1A/edit?usp=sharing
I haven’t added the big names (Tek, Agilent, Keysight) yet.
I’ve been using my Rigol 2channel (hacked to 100mhz) for years and couldn’t be happier with it and it was well under $500… I think it was only $300 if I remember correctly.
My vote would be for two of these… which gives us 4 channels if needed… and then a simple logic analyzer. That would give us the ability to do it all and I’m pretty sure it will all be well under $1000.
Bill
Of course, for big jobs, I still have my HP 4channel 1ghz beast… I’m pretty sure Jon hates me because of how I got it. (Nice dumpster dive… let’s just say.)
By the Rigol 1052 is the model I have… they’re easy to hack to 100mhz.
There was some discussion on another thread about why we need a new oscilloscope and I wanted to address it here, not hijack that thread.
The oscilloscopes that we have left at the Hive are literally from the 1950’s 1960’s. They are vintage analogue scopes that are useful for particular things but not useful for work with microcontrollers or newer digital circuits.
The ones I’m looking at are modern digital storage oscilloscopes (DSO) that can capture a waveform in memory and then be examined at your leisure. When these came out initially there were many tens of thousands of dollars. Now you can get a nice two channel DSO for around $400.
I wanted to look into what some more capability would cost and I’m leaning toward the Rigol 4 channel with logic analyzer and signal generator for ~$1400.
I’m open to different setups and want the best bang for the buck for the Hive.
I have recently run into some limitations working with a HD motor where three channels would have been nice to have instead of the two I have at home.
By having an all-in-one unit all the signals are synchronized with no effort.
We can layout two Rigol 2 channel units, signal generator and logic analyzer as separate items but I’m guessing it would approach the $1400 with the complexity of having four different pieces of equipment.
I’d be happy to tweak the vote down to $1500 as I get a better feel for what is available.
Good times.
But aside from the issues of it being limited, having low bandwidth, and not even existing yet; are there any REAL issues?
I think they are filled with arsenic. 
Bill has a good point. Rigol is not known for their logic analyzers (read some threads). 4 channels makes sense.
I think we’ll do better with scope and separate analyzer. Any good scope can be sync’d with logic and other benchy things
From: Brad Walsh
Sent: Thursday, March 2, 2017 11:36 AM
To: cincihackerspace@googlegroups.com
Reply To: cincihackerspace@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [CHP] Re: Vote to get oscilloscope for lab
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There was some discussion on another thread about why we need a new oscilloscope and I wanted to address it here, not hijack that thread.
The oscilloscopes that we have left at the Hive are literally from the 1950’s 1960’s. They are vintage analogue scopes that are useful for particular things but not useful for work with microcontrollers or newer digital circuits.
The ones I’m looking at are modern digital storage oscilloscopes (DSO) that can capture a waveform in memory and then be examined at your leisure. When these came out initially there were many tens of thousands of dollars. Now you can get a nice two channel DSO for around $400.
I wanted to look into what some more capability would cost and I’m leaning toward the Rigol 4 channel with logic analyzer and signal generator for ~$1400.
I’m open to different setups and want the best bang for the buck for the Hive.
I have recently run into some limitations working with a HD motor where three channels would have been nice to have instead of the two I have at home.
By having an all-in-one unit all the signals are synchronized with no effort.
We can layout two Rigol 2 channel units, signal generator and logic analyzer as separate items but I’m guessing it would approach the $1400 with the complexity of having four different pieces of equipment.
I’d be happy to tweak the vote down to $1500 as I get a better feel for what is available.
Good times.
Cool, thanks for the input.
I’ll look into a 4 channel without the logic analyzer.
Even the signal generator can be done separately, I can’t think of a real advantage other than less gear on the bench. I don’t think the signal is synced to the input.
I’ll update the spreadsheet with other models.
For the logic analyzer I really like the Saleae logig I have at home. The software is very easy to use. Just need a computer. I’ll list them also as a separate item. Perhaps we can do a different vote or fold this into it.
I updated the spreadsheet to have separate items for oscilloscope, signal generator, logic analyzer.
I’m thinking this should become an electronics area upgrade vote instead of just an oscilloscope, or we keep it just for an oscilloscope and work on the function generator and logic analyzer separately.
Looks like the signal generator is a wash unless you go with the open source one for $50. (I like this but I don’t want to own the project to make it usable).
The logic analyzers that I found are computer based. We would have to setup some kind of computer for the electronics area.
Don’t we have one already? Or at least there’s a two monitor computer next to the green table/MAME cabinet/fire cabinet.
Yes there is on on the end of the work area. I think that is called the 3D modeling station.
It could certainly be used for the logic analyzer, it is close enough.
The software is not licensed so anyone could bring their laptop and just plug in the analyzer if they wanted to.
Seems like many people get the 1052 or 1054 and hack the software to make it 100Mhz. Haven’t looked into that, but $400 for a 1054… I could live with that.
Could we go used on the function generator, or do we need something special? Tons of used HPs out there that make waves.
I don’t really use logic analyzers, so I don’t have any good ideas there.
Now that the thrill of the chase has worn off, a rigol 1054Z would be pretty good for hive, with or without the notorious hack (preferably with).
Looks to be the best buy it now price on ebay atm, although I don't recall if we were looking for new or used and the above is used. $350 after you add the shipping.
Is effectively pirating something a thing we want to encourage? I mean I borrow media all the time at home, but this isn’t home, and at home I’m the only one who gets in trouble.
@TimG, nice find, but your seller has zero rep because they just started today.
I’ll do some digging around for some other models.
I think an eBay signal generator would be fine.
I seem to remember that the Rigols that were flash upgradable were the older versions.
Brad
I thought these days ebay guaranteed that you weren’t being ripped off by your buyer maybe I’m wrong but I thought I remember reading about it and how all the sellers hated it because they were getting scammed hard core.
I think it is way better than the “old” days.
Sometimes you can start an email conversation with the seller to get a feel for their story.
The vote won’t happen for at least two weeks so this deal will probably be gone anyway.
Just trying to get a low start for what we can hope for at least.