[123CNC]

Looking for some guidance in acquiring a good general purpose Oscilloscope with enough capability for servo loop tuning.

Manufacturers, models, or specs to look for. This is for hobby use, so price is major concern. Very open to eBay avenue of getting a decent setup, even if its long in the tooth.

Recommendations?

[bobchiloquin]

As far a I am concerned, the best scope you can buy is Tektronix. They are available surplus for reasonable cost. I picked up a 465 for $85, only because it had a military part number and had been originally purchased for a Navy contract. And there was nothing wrong with it. It's a portable model, but I bought a Tektronix scope cart for it. Don't use it much, but sure is nice to have a good quality scope when I do.

Bob Hayes

[frankg521]

Hi .... as i am looking for a good scope also
Hey Bob do you have a link to were you bought the Tektronix.

Frank Gorman

[Lemo]

Make sure it is calibrated recently so you don't get some junk sitting in someones garage for a century. Consider more modern digital ones. And good scopes do cost money. Not as much as years ago, but you get hat you pay for.
My personal favorite would be a handy digital scope from fluke or similar.
Lemo

[Mcgyver]

this helped me when i was looking

http://reviews.ebay.com/Buying-an-Os...:-1:LISTINGS:5

don't get too hung up on price....imo ebay should be 1/4 the price you'd pay otherwise given you have limited recourse and are buying site unseen. I bought from a guy who inventories, repairs, calibrates, has been in business a long time, is an electronics guru, is local and gave a warranty - these things all have value.

ended up with the much recommended 465B with the Tek probes. very happy with it. get the Tek probes, they're expensive, but in use you'll sense how nice they are compared to the clumsier imitations

if this is your first one, hopefully you'll get as big a kick out of it as i did. It made learning electronics soooo much easier and a lot more enjoyable. in hind site, being a enginering at electronics and trying to learn by bumbling around blindfolded was more work than fun

[bobchiloquin]

Frank,

I bought mine at a surplus store in Lawndale, CA called Industrial Liquidators. They sell on ebay under the name "isellsurplus", but I go into the store when I'm in So. Cal. I used to work at Hughes Aircraft Co. and with very few exceptions all their scopes were Tektronix.

Bob Hayes