In the last year or so I spent significant amounts of time trying to figure out why this or that part of whatever elecrtonics project I’ve been tinkering with is not working properly. This convinced me that I really need to get an oscilloscope.  Several visits to my favorite electonics stores turned up two kind of oscilloscopes: (a) small and very expensive, and (b) cheap and very big. Since I am a stingy apartment dweller neither of these options worked for me.

So, I started digging through the Net, searching for oscilloscopes that are both relatively small and relatively inexpensive, checking out specifications and reading reviews and comments.  At the end I narrowed down the choice to the following three options:

DSO Nano (approx $90.00) DSO Nano A really cool-looking pocket-size osciloscope. 0-1MHz, max input voltage 80V, 320×240 color LCD, a number of trigger modes and bunch of extras like SD card support and test signal generator. Available from seeedstudio.com or sparkfun.com.

HPS10 (approx. $170) HPS10 Handheld Oscilloscope When compared to the DSO Nano the HPS10 may not look that cool, but it is nevertheless a very capable little scope for the price. 10MHz sampling rate, 0.1mV sensitivity, run, normal, once, roll, slope +/- trigger modes, 128×64 LCD display. Available from electronickits.com.

NKC DIY oscilloscope kit (approx. $50) DIY osciloscope kit from NKC Electronics The cheapest of the set coming at just below $50, this 1MHz DIY oscilloscope kit has 100mV/Div – 5V/Div sensitivity, a number of trigger modes, test signal generator and other nice features. So what if it comes without a box?! Available from nkcelectronics.com.

Today I ordered one of these scopes (I’m not telling which one!). When it arrives and when I get to play with it for a while I’ll write a short review. Stay posted for updates.

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