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Laptop vs Bench top Oscilloscopes

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The best tool that you should have on your bench is a good scope. Having said that, the fluke scopemeters are very nice and the portable TDS series tektronix are very nice. Both are portable, digital, and expensive. You can get much more bandwidth at a reasonable price from an analog scope like a Tek 465B or something similar. Generally for digital electronics, you usually need a scope with much higher bandwidth than the expected bit rate. For example, a 10MHz square signal has many frequency components at multiples of the fundamental. Using a scope with too little bandwidth prevents you from seeing the edges (which sometimes have overshoot) and measuring parameters like the slew rate.

I like the TDS series Teks and the fluke scopemeter, and they both could handle your system. I am not familiar with any laptop type scopes at those frequencies. I think you will have the best results with perhaps a 100MHz BW analog scope in terms of price/performance. If storage capability is important, a digital scope is probably the best choice.
 
thanx for the input. I agree that a bench top is far better when it comes to taking measurments. The reason i want a laptop scope is for when im working in the field. i have to drag around my bulky laptop and my bulky toolbag and i thought it may save a little space using a laptop scope. pcmcia or usb. I really only need to see if im getting a signal out of my system. It doesnt really matter TO ME what the measurment is as long as it looks about right and i can read the peak to peak values. the wave im viewing is a very simple PCM wave. Price is not really an issue since the goverment is buying it for me but i have to be able to convince them that is worth the money. so 1,500 dollars is more reasonable than 3,000 dollars

again thanx for your input
 
Check out www.bitscope.com
It is a very nicely designed, feature rich and low cost PC scope. Its compact too. Analog bandwidth is around 50MHz.

Even Tektronix Bench-Top TDS series DSOs are very good and portable.
 
I have been intrigued by the bitscope, but never seen/used one. However, as a portable scope and perhaps in the 1500 range, I like the Tek TDS210 or 220.
 
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