Oscilloscopes For Modern Engineers? 337
Posted
by
kdawson
from the squiggly-lines dept.
from the squiggly-lines dept.
Every few years someone asks this community for advice on oscilloscopes. Reader dawning writes "I've just graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering (and did a Comp Sci one while I was at it) and I'm finding myself woefully under-equipped to do some great hardware projects. I'm in major need of a good oscilloscope. I'm willing to put down $2,000 for a decent one, but there are several options and they all seem so archaic and limited. I'm happy to use something that must be controlled through a PC if that gives me more measuring features. What would you, my esteemed Slashdot colleagues, get for yourself?"
Heathkit of course, bitch! (Score:3, Funny)
As for your question, who the fuck knows?
outsource it to india (Score:2, Funny)
have them take the measurements for you.
itll give you great experience in The Real World.
modern engineers solve problems. (Score:2, Funny)
Like: How am I going to stop some big mean mother hubbard from tearing me a structurally superfluous new behind?
You, sir, are no engineer.
What do you need it for? Frequency range (Score:4, Funny)
Without know what frequency range, voltage range, connectivity requirements (is computer connection USB or serial port?) I cannot help you in your selection.
OTOH you can give me the $2000 and I can give you my blessing.
Go pro....or go home... (Score:1, Funny)
Why go affordable when you can get an Agilent or Yokogawa scopecorder for like ten times your budget... really get some use out of it... and get killed by your wife in the process when you have to mortgage the house and sell the car to afford it!
Re:Heathkit of course, bitch! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:dumpster diving (Score:3, Funny)
its funny that electronics engineers throw out their broken electronics.
Re:An old Tektronix is fine for a modern engineer (Score:2, Funny)
"BUY" a scope?!?!? Is this a joke?!?!? (Score:1, Funny)
I almost impaled myself on my slide rule when I fell off of my bench stool after reading this! Just to make sure we are on the same page, you asked where you could BUY a scope? As in something someone else made? Son, a real engineer would BUILD his own scope! You didn't see Obi Wan Kenobi looking for shops that sold light sabers off the shelf, huh? So why should you? Four years of college and two degrees, and you can't even figure out how to make your most used tool? Why should I even hire you? A scope is personal, its like a woman. You have to mold it so that it fits you like a glove. Only you know it's unique frequency curves, and little idiosyncrasies. And only you know how to coax it to give you what you need. That sir, cannot be obtained with some common trollop of a scope you can buy at Grainger.
So start raiding the parts bins, and build that sucker. Don't even show your face around here until its made.
Re:Get a Digital Radio (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What do you need it for? Frequency range (Score:2, Funny)
Forget him!
I will give you my blessing for $1000.
Textronix Type 547 -- aka "the chick magnet" (Score:3, Funny)
The 547 is the Barry White of bench top instruments. Its muscular aluminum frame is massive, yet understated. Dual independent time bases tells the ladies you've got a light but agile touch on the trigger circuits.
Truly, this is a scope for a discerning bachelor geek. When you meet an interesting woman, casually mention you've got a type 547 back in your apartment and she's bound to fish for an invitation. Then if later she cannot, in an intimate moment, resist playing with the plug-in unit, propose marriage on the spot.