These PicoScopes look pretty cool :] As it happens I am just now trying to free up some garage space to get an electronics bench together. But it's coming up on 20 years since I last soldered and it's a whole different world with scopes now. So thanks for this thread!
Also if anybody knows good resources for refurbishing old receivers and speakers please point me in that direction. E On Wed, Mar 8, 2017 at 8:21 PM, Andrew Simper <a...@cytomic.com> wrote: > Hi Remy, > > I use the signal generator all the time to calibrate the pot on the > probes when in x10 mode using the square wave output. Note that the > scope runs off USB power so you can't generate very hot signals, it's > +- 2V (USB is 5V), you'll need to make your own external booster > circuit for general use. The 5000 has a proper analog signal generator > from what I can tell, and the 5000B adds a 14-bit sample based > arbitrary waveform generator that runs at 200MHz, so absolutely fine > for any audio applications, but for us audio guys we have soundcards > to play back waveforms, so it's not that much use. > > I wish they made this scope when I bought my first one, I bought the > 12bit 4226 model, which still works great, but I would love this new > one! > > Cheers, > > Andy > > On 9 March 2017 at 07:19, Remy Muller <muller.r...@gmail.com> wrote: > > hi, > > > > AudioPrecision looks nice but it's way over my budget considering that it > > won't be used on a daily basis. > > > > Looking at the specs, the QuantAsylum audio card only seems to have AC > > coupling (down to 1.6Hz) and their oscillosccope page is a bit short on > > details. > > > > Hacking a soundcard as an oscilloscope could be very convenient since it > > benefits from all the standard audio softwares and can easily get beyong > the > > 2/4 channels, but it's limited to AC coupling, unless there are > soundcards > > that have DC coupled inputs? AFAIK most only provide DC outputs. > > Furthermore having to do homemade matched probes and attenuators is not > very > > 'plug and play'. > > > > Since bitscope seems to only provide 8-bit ADC, Picoscope is thus very > high > > on my list, in particular the 5000 series. I'm wondering whether their > > Arbitrary Waveform Generator option is really worth it though. > > > > @Andrew I just found a python wrapper based on ctypes > > https://github.com/colinoflynn/pico-python > > > > Thanks for all the feedback! > > > > > > On 08/03/17 12:16, Roshan Wijetunge wrote: > > > > Depending on how cheap and improvised you want to go, and how handy you > are > > with basic electronics, you can easily adapt your soundcard to work as an > > oscilloscope. There are a number of guides on the internet on how to do > > this, such as: > > > > http://makezine.com/projects/sound-card-oscilloscope/ > > > > I have used the following variation with good results: > > > > - Probe via resistor to mic input of mixer > > - Mixer line out to line of USB soundcard > > - Schwa Schope plugin running in any DAW host (e.g. Reaper) > > > > I used this setup as it utilised components I already had available, and > it > > has proved very useful for debugging audio hardware, being able to trace > > signals through a circuit as well as biasing amplifier stages in > pre-amps. > > Using the mixer gave me control over input signal range though clearly > you > > have to be careful with gain staging so as not to introduce distortion to > > the signal. > > > > I also improvised a signal generator using a Electro Harmonix Tube Zipper > > guitar effects pedal. It's an auto-wah type pedal, but you can set the > > resonance to maximum, sensitivity to zero and it generates a nice clean > > stable sine wave. > > > > Best Regards > > Roshan > > > > > > > > On 8 March 2017 at 09:57, Andrew Simper <a...@cytomic.com> wrote: > >> > >> Picoscope make the cheapest 16-bit scopes around (USD 1000), the > >> 16-bit stuff from Tektronix is a lot more expensive (USD 31000 - > >> that's right I didn't accidentally add an extra zero, it's x30 the > >> price). I would recommend using the Picoscope and use Python's easy c > >> bindings to call the Picoscope library functions to do what you want. > >> > >> Cheers, > >> > >> Andy > >> > >> On 7 March 2017 at 22:59, Remy Muller <muller.r...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > Hi, > >> > > >> > I'd like to invest into an USB oscilloscope. > >> > > >> > The main purpose is in analog data acquisition and instrumentation. > >> > Since > >> > the main purpose is audio, bandwidth is not really an issue, most > models > >> > seem to provide 20MHz or much more and I'm mostly interested in analog > >> > inputs, not logical ones. > >> > > >> > Ideally I'd like to have > >> > > >> > - Mac, Windows and Linux support > >> > > >> > - 4 channels or more > >> > > >> > - 16-bit ADC > >> > > >> > - up to 20V > >> > > >> > - general purpose output generator* > >> > > >> > - a scripting API (python preferred) > >> > > >> > * I have been told that most oscilloscopes have either no or limited > >> > output, > >> > and that I'd rather use a soundcard for generating dedicated test > audio > >> > signals, synchronizing the oscilloscope acquisition using the > >> > soundcard's > >> > word-clock. However not having to deal with multiple drivers and clock > >> > synchronization would be more than welcome. > >> > > >> > A friend of mine recommended using Picoscope which seems well > supported, > >> > has > >> > a strong user community but no official support for python AFAIK. > >> > > >> > > >> > https://www.picotech.com/oscilloscope/5000/flexible- > resolution-oscilloscope > >> > > >> > I also found about bitscope http://www.bitscope.com which looks more > >> > oriented toward the casual hacker/maker, seems more open-ended and has > >> > python support, much cheaper too. > >> > > >> > What about the traditional oscilloscope companies like Tektronix, > Rigol > >> > ? > >> > > >> > Has anyone experience with any of those? or any other reference to > >> > recommend? > >> > > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> > dupswapdrop: music-dsp mailing list > >> > music-dsp@music.columbia.edu > >> > https://lists.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/music-dsp > >> > > >> _______________________________________________ > >> dupswapdrop: music-dsp mailing list > >> music-dsp@music.columbia.edu > >> https://lists.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/music-dsp > >> > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > dupswapdrop: music-dsp mailing list > > music-dsp@music.columbia.edu > > https://lists.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/music-dsp > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > dupswapdrop: music-dsp mailing list > > music-dsp@music.columbia.edu > > https://lists.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/music-dsp > _______________________________________________ > dupswapdrop: music-dsp mailing list > music-dsp@music.columbia.edu > https://lists.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/music-dsp > >
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