Oscilloscope for a Beginner

All - at the Phoenix, Arizona area Goodwill @ 67th Avenue and Peoria, there was an older-model oscilloscope for sale; today was half off day, so it was only $40.00 (marked @ $79.99). It looked to be something from the 1960s (I didn't get any detailed info on it), probably tube-based, with a smallish (4-5 inch) round CRT. Maybe 5 MHz or less, no leads. 2-channel, I believe. I don't know if it worked or not, but it looked like it was in immaculate condition given its age. I have no other information regarding this, so don't ask. I think it would make a great scope for a beginner, though.

What were the probe jacks BNC or banana plugs? It's frequency was probably in the audio to a few hundred khz range. Regardless of it's specs if it still functions at 40 dollars it's a good deal. Nowdays it's trivial to generate frequency/voltage standards that are good enough for a hobbyist. Shipping alone to me would likely be more than the price of it =)

Sceadwian said:

What were the probe jacks BNC or banana plugs? It's frequency was probably in the audio to a few hundred khz range. Regardless of it's specs if it still functions at 40 dollars it's a good deal. Nowdays it's trivial to generate frequency/voltage standards that are good enough for a hobbyist. Shipping alone to me would likely be more than the price of it =)

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I -think- it was BNC, but I seem to recall some banana jacks as well, so it may have been the latter; I didn't take a good look at it - I just noticed it quickly, looked over it with a "hmm" (as I already own a 60 MHz Tek 2213 and a 100 Mhz Fluke Combiscope, I don't need or have room for another scope; it was more a curiosity to me, seeing at how well "preserved" it was). I might swing by that Goodwill again today and snap a pic if it is still there; half-off day is over, though, so it would be back at its marked price of $80.00 if someone hasn't already snagged it.

I'd be curious for a picture just to see a well preserved scope =) Given my rough guesses so far though 80 bucks is probably pushing it for it's value outside of it being an antique.

I took a couple of pictures of this scope - it is still there as of today (3/31):

**broken link removed**

In short, it is a Lectrotech TO-50 vectorscope (otherwise it appears to be single channel?)...

Still going for $79.99...

Given the visual condition if it's functional it's probably worth it's listed price. For a second hand store cutting that in half might possibly make it sell. Even at 40 I'd still think about it.

Given the age and functionality, it is not worth $40 in my opinion.

I would not advise anyone to buy it at that price.

JimB

JimB said:

Given the age and functionality, it is not worth $40 in my opinion.

I would not advise anyone to buy it at that price.

JimB

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I suppose it would depend on your needs and wants. I thought this might be a good scope for a beginner, last week; but looking at it again - probably not (at least, not for that price). Given that you can easily get a simple single-channel 1 MHz scope kit for not much more (and it will fit in your pocket) - it probably isn't worth it.

However, if - for some reason - you needed the vectorscope capability, and didn't already have a dual-channel scope with x/y capability, or you wanted it for possible vintage reasons (maybe you're making an o-scope clock or something?), then it might be worth it (if it worked, of course).

However, at $80.00 and being a brand name I don't recognize as being "collectible" (then again, I'm not an o-scope collector - though my wife might disagree with me on that, seeing as I already own two older bench scopes, and a couple of Parallax USB scopes) - I wouldn't buy it at that price (and of course, I didn't).