USB scopes namely hantek DSO2150

[dr pepper]

Being old I have a couple of crt scopes, which are now tired and not working correctly.
I need something that will go to around 50mc's, and was contemplating one of these new fangled pc based usb scopes, hantek do one DSO2150 which is claimed to go to 60mc's and has a sample rate of 150ms/s.
Has anyone got one of these or used one, are they any good, the last time I used a pc based scope was over 10 years ago and it was naff, but things have changed since then.
If I can find something on ebay with a crt and looks in good nick then I might just do that if these arent what they claim.

 

[tronitech]

I had one that worked wonderfully at first and then I blew it up so be careful! I still have it, a DSO-2090 that I keep meaning to attempt to repair.

The only explanation I can come up with is that whilst testing a computer power supply I connected the scope lead the wrong way round on a +12V rail and because all power supply 0V are connected to earth I effectively shorted a very high amp +12V rail through the scope/usb port to earth and it didn't like it! We live and learn. I now use a Fluke Scopemeter with an optical link that's far safer.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

The only explanation I can come up with is that whilst testing a computer power supply I connected the scope lead the wrong way round on a +12V rail and because all power supply 0V are connected to earth I effectively shorted a very high amp +12V rail through the scope/usb port to earth and it didn't like it! We live and learn. I now use a Fluke Scopemeter with an optical link that's far safer.

That's why service engineers commonly don't use earthed scopes, it's too dangerous

 

[Mr RB]

Check the prices of all new digital scopes. Have a good look around ebay. I've seen full-sized digital scopes with proper isolation etc, new for $300.

 

[dr pepper]

Tronitech, I did that with a big old power supply and a laptop, it was a 286 so it was a while back, I think it was some project that used rs232. anyway there was a big argument between the supply and laptop, the bench supply won.
I still use the power supply, only now the earth isnt connected to the mains.

I'm in lancashire too - near preston.

 

[dougy83]

I have a Hantek DSO2250 (100MHz 250MS/s). It works; i.e. it can display waveforms and is great to help troubleshoot circuits. The software is not good, the DSO has input offset voltage (even after auto "calibration"). There is also a lot of noise on the signals, sometimes 0.5V AC while I'm looking at a 3V3 signal - this may be due to the USB supply noise from my laptop (I really should try it with a linear supply). The scope also has severe aliasing in at least some modes.

It has an SDK available, which was a bit of surety when I purchased it, but AFAICT the SDK and the documentation is rubbish.

There is a review here: https://geoffg.net/DSO2250.html

A colleague bought a standalone scope around the same time for not much more, (I'm guessing Rigol, but can't remember) - it was a lower-end model, but with a firmware upgrade he was able to double the max sample rate (the two models use the same ADC modules, just one locks out the top sampling rate in firmware). It had a better display, less noise and more usable knobs/menus/options/etc. than my DSO (albeit lower sampling rate).

 

[tronitech]

Tronitech, I did that with a big old power supply and a laptop, it was a 286 so it was a while back, I think it was some project that used rs232. anyway there was a big argument between the supply and laptop, the bench supply won.
I still use the power supply, only now the earth isnt connected to the mains.

I'm in lancashire too - near preston.

I really should of know better because I am a Field Service Engineer! lol

I'm in Clitheroe, just down the road.

 

[dr pepper]

Thanks for that dougy, sounds like a bad move then, I thought they were too good to be true.
I'll continue looking for an analogue or storage scope on ebay then.

Troni, yes I go to thwe auctions sometimes at clitheroe, I collect vintage radios/telly's, you see these less and less there though.

 

[dr pepper]

Well I went to pick up my new scope from Warrington today, its a philips pm3070 100mhz scope with a load of fancy functions and an lcd, all for 90 quid.

And while I was walking round the equipment disposals centre I pulled out a 20mhz dartronic scope out of a skip, I was told thats for scrap mate, needless to say it was mine for the price of 2 beers, a quick squirt of switchclean and its fine.

I could spend a lot of cash in that place, the only thing dissapointing is they wanted me out, if I had an enthusiast walking round that kind of place I'd tempt them with all kinds of stuff, there was even a box of terminals in the bin I'dve parted with a couple of quid for.