Does anyone have any suggestions for a good entry level scope for a hobbyist?
I am not an EE student or professional. I am mostly a hobbyist. I have done professional work in the past as a repair tech and mechanic, but nothing that required a scope (edit: I only mention this to show my level of interest in owning a scope). I have never owned a scope, but I have wanted to get one for a number of years now. The price of them has kept me from getting one. The price for a "decent" scope is hard to justify for a hobby, but more and more I feel like I am being held back by not having one.
I have done internet searches quite a few times over the years, "best budget oscilloscope" or "best scope for a beginner" and so on. The results are usually the same, it comes down to a Rigol and a Siglent. Either of which is usually between $300-400.
Recently, I have been looking at a Hantek that is sub-$200: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y6SKTX6/
I have seen a few unboxing and overview videos on YouTube for the above Hantek, and it seems OK. Still, whenever I have searched for which budget scope to get, usually I see comments on forums and such that warn not to get anything cheaper than the Rigol or Siglent.
So here's my conundrum: I know first hand how cheap/budget items can actually hamper your ability to learn a new tool or thing, which gives me hesitation to get a questionable scope. On the other hand, I have been wanting to get a scope for years now and still do not have one due to the cost. So maybe any scope is better than having no scope at all? Still, I will mostly be learning as I go and I recognize that this might be needlessly difficult if I have a scope that is lacking features or isn't working correctly. Or something completely unknown to me at this time.
Right now, I'm heavily considering purchasing the Hantek scope. Would it be a mistake? I'm not too concerned with outgrowing it. I'm more concerned if there's any features it's lacking, that I'm currently too naive to realize are must haves. Or if low end scopes like this would be too problematic for a beginner.
I am not an EE student or professional. I am mostly a hobbyist. I have done professional work in the past as a repair tech and mechanic, but nothing that required a scope (edit: I only mention this to show my level of interest in owning a scope). I have never owned a scope, but I have wanted to get one for a number of years now. The price of them has kept me from getting one. The price for a "decent" scope is hard to justify for a hobby, but more and more I feel like I am being held back by not having one.
I have done internet searches quite a few times over the years, "best budget oscilloscope" or "best scope for a beginner" and so on. The results are usually the same, it comes down to a Rigol and a Siglent. Either of which is usually between $300-400.
Recently, I have been looking at a Hantek that is sub-$200: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y6SKTX6/
I have seen a few unboxing and overview videos on YouTube for the above Hantek, and it seems OK. Still, whenever I have searched for which budget scope to get, usually I see comments on forums and such that warn not to get anything cheaper than the Rigol or Siglent.
So here's my conundrum: I know first hand how cheap/budget items can actually hamper your ability to learn a new tool or thing, which gives me hesitation to get a questionable scope. On the other hand, I have been wanting to get a scope for years now and still do not have one due to the cost. So maybe any scope is better than having no scope at all? Still, I will mostly be learning as I go and I recognize that this might be needlessly difficult if I have a scope that is lacking features or isn't working correctly. Or something completely unknown to me at this time.
Right now, I'm heavily considering purchasing the Hantek scope. Would it be a mistake? I'm not too concerned with outgrowing it. I'm more concerned if there's any features it's lacking, that I'm currently too naive to realize are must haves. Or if low end scopes like this would be too problematic for a beginner.
Statistics: Posted by Ziggy587 — Tue Apr 30, 2024 2:10 pm — Replies 4 — Views 197