Looking for O-scope suggestions / reviews

[Byte_Butcher]

Bob,
Yes, the B&K is supposed to be able to display to a computer screen also. And I believe you can control it from the computer. There was some a software disk from "COMSOFT" for that purpose. I never got that far in my testing. It's boxed up now and ready to go away.

I DID use the "print" button a few times, which worked good. It prints a BMP screen shot to a USB storage device. That worked great, but I didn't get around to trying a direct 'scope to computer connection.

Walter, I'm glad you got the USB working on the Owon. It's getting more tempting all the time.

steve

[WOZZY-2010]

Just for the record....I can't seem to get the USB working on Ole Brutus either:




Bob

[boroko]

I loved seeing the old Tek. I just recently had the chance to put my old single channel Tek scope back into useful service. I know a couple of guys that are into tube guitar amps. They are learning to change old capacitors and test tubes and things like that and are eager to learn because of their beloved hobby. I find myself answering questions for them and am excited to be passing little bits of the torch. The audio spectrum fit nicely into the scope's range and gave someone a chance to see into a new world.

Bo

[rmteo]

No USB here either.

[WOZZY-2010]

That old Tek 502 was given to me for by an aquaintance.
It was stored in a humidity free clean room for nearly 35 years.
It was installed in a custom instrument rack that was never actually used.
When I got it about 15 years ago, it was basically brand new and still shiny.
Even the fan filter was shiny.
The beam is extremly fine and shows a lot of detail.

Takes a good 30 to 45 minutes to warm up but once it does it performs very nicely. Sometimes I need to work the switches back and forth a few times but it never fails me.

I also love that old Hp oscillator.....Especially the humm that it sings along at whatever frequency it's outputting

Bob

[Byte_Butcher]

OMG!

My very first scope was a 502 Dual beam scope JUST like that one!

Mine wasn't nearly so pretty. It was kind of banged up and had a hard life, but it worked just fine. The calibration wasn't even too bad once it had warmed up for an hour...

I paid $20 for it, very used at Mike Quinn Electronics back in about 1975-76.

The dual beam CRT is a neat thing. It's got 2 electron guns and it can display both traces without any need to "alternate" or "chop".

Yours is in beautiful condition!


steve

[WOZZY-2010]

Of course the downside is that it's 3 feet deep and weighs over 50 lbs.

It has two suitcase handles on top to be able to lift it.

I really do take pride in owning it, but unfortunately my garage is not nearly as as good of an environment, as the instrumentation storeroom at the Ford Rouge River plant.

It was to be a part of a split film anemometry system for measuring the minute high frequency dynamic fluctuations in aerodynamic flow around automobiles.

Shortly after it was designed, a company named TSI began to manufacture off the shelf laboratory multi-axis split film anemometry systems, that were far better than Ford's home brew system. So they purchased one of the TSI systems and that's how this scope became the store room queen.

I think I've found a new home here at PB Forums, because most people I know just think that it's old junk.

Bob

[Byte_Butcher]

I think I've found a new home here at PB Forums, because most people I know just think that it's old junk.

No. not junk! It's a beautiful old piece of equipment, designed and built with pride to last a lifetime. With good care that thing will last longer than any of us.

Remember the VW in the Woody Allen film "Sleeper"?
Someone will dig that thing up 5000 years from now, plug it in and it'll still work fine after it's warmed up for 20 minutes. They just don't make them like that any more.

If I could buy a new scope with all the "modern day features" (USB and all) and it was built to the same level of quality and durability that your 502 is... I'd buy it. And I wouldn't care if it was 3 feet deep and weighed 50 lbs.

Take good care of that one. It's a beauty. And the signal generator too.


steve