Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: oscilloscope for CNC

On Tue, 01 Jul 2003 01:01:40 -0000, you wrote:

>Thanks to Jack, Harvey, Jens, Alex, Vic, John, Vince, Charles, Dave,
>David, Lee, Stephan, Bernard, Jon, Joe, William, Jack, etc.
>
>Summary:
>
>PREFERABLE FEATURES:
>dual channel
>triggered sweep
>onscreen readout

( this adds money!) but I liked it.

>Minimum 50mHz bandwidth
>>=100mHz.
>2x frequency to be measured
>Digital
>period measurements
>counting
>frequency readout
>voltage measurements
>maths function
>printing
>input isolated and grounded
>wide voltage range
>storage
>accurate timebase
>scroll mode
>color
>
>
>BRAND:
>Tektronicx - good
>HP - good, odd logic
>Kenwood - good
>Telequipment - avoid
>Fluke - portable, rugged
>
>MODEL:
>Tek 545 (vacuum, lots of capability)

(yes, but vacuum tubes are hard to find, and tektronix used matched
pairs in that scope. Best you can get is a 2 or 4 channel plugin.
Old, relatively dependable, but a power hog and it needs a 4 hp gas
motor to move it from place to place.)

>Tektronix 2000+ portable
>Tektronix 7000+ mainframe, plugins,
>Tektronix 5000+ less money
>Tektronix 500+ stay clear, vacuum tube, space heater

(that's the 545 above. I like solid state better, but the newer, the
better, on that).

>Velleman: single channel, handheld, 10mHz, digital,
>Fluke 92B Scopemeter - big bucks, manual with examples
>
>POOR MAN'S:
>http://www.stud.fh-hannover.de/~heineman/freeware.htm
>http://racket.bitscope.net/
>
>RECCOMENDATION:
>buy used (if you happened to be in USA/Canada :-(
>
>Is there a 1 size fit them all?

like cars... nope.

I did a lot of stuff with a 50 mhz dual channel delayed sweep scope.
I found it difficult (read impossible) to see one shot events. A
storage scope or a digital scope (inherently storage) will fix that.
It will cost more money. On screen readout costs more money. More
bandwidth costs more money. A scope with plugins costs more money,
but then again, so does small and portable. Sorry to say this, but
there is NO one scope for everybody.

One thing I never did hear is how much money you want to spend.

Portability: extreme (battery) yes or no....

Channels: how many? 1, 2, 4, more?

Storage: Digital? Analog (the scope tube is a storage device, but
you can't read back from it).

Remote: Digital only, but it adds money.

Plugins: price the mainframe and the plugins together. Good for a
very versatile and elaborate setup, a bit expensive perhaps, depending
on market and model.

Answer these questions, and you've got a much better idea of what you
want. "I don't know" is sufficient, since it merely indicates a need
for more research.

Harvey