Stocking Stuffer ($20 O'scope)

[sluckey]

One of the guys over on TAG just got one of these little o'scopes. I thought it was kinda neat. Price is right too.

If you are looking for something cheap to put in your wife's stocking, she might appreciate one of these. My wife is getting one! 

https://www.banggood.com/Orignal-JYE-Tech-DS0150-15001K-DSO-SHELL-DIY-Digital-Oscilloscope-Kit-With-Housing-p-1093865.html?cur_warehouse=USA

[shooter]

Kit form no less!!

Nice find, nice Idea, I'm pretty sure I might at least get an eye roll

[Toxophilite]

In my family we would call this a "Nagymana present'  nagymama - pronounced - nedgemama

Nagymana is what we called our Hungarian grandmother and it meant....grandmother\
so 'grandmother present'


The idea being that we would buy her candy or chocolates and then she would let us eat them!

[Auke Jolman]

Hi All,

I never used an oscilloscoop before, but this is to good to pass....

So I ordered me one. It comes so cheap I don't even have to ask permission 

[shooter]

Nagymana is what we called our Hungarian grandmother

I was the oldest grandchild so I got to "name" them;
one was 100lb wet, little gramma, the other 300lb dry, big gramma, it was before the PC days

[PRR]

Note:

They warn about supply voltage. They use a voltage converter chip, rated 10V, which I think is known in stompbox world to die at 10.01V. Be sure of your supply.

The "2K" kit requires soldering the SMD (too small) parts. The "1K" kit has the SMD parts already done, the remaining parts should not be too hard to manage.

Maximum input voltage is 50V peak. Don't be probing tube plates without rigging a divider. (1Meg+110K gets you to 500V, covers all preamp/driver plates; power-tube plates mostly should not be probed.)

For <50V and <200KHz, the gator-clip probes are IMHO more handy than a "proper" probe.

[lego4040]

I saw something similar and almost grabbed one

[sluckey]

Got mine put together. No surprises. Works as advertised.

There are some very tiny components involved and the boards are very delicate. Gonna require a tiny iron tip and a steady hand. I recommend liquid flux to speed up the soldering iron/board contact. Took me about 3 hours to put it together to the point of testing/calibration which only took about 15 minutes. You will need to check each resistor with a meter because it's almost impossible to read the color code even with a magnifying glass. Then another 30 minutes to assemble the case. I slightly reamed the four holes for the push button switches to make assembly easier.

I highly recommend spending an additional $10 to get a completely assembled unit. Wish I had seen that offer before I bought the kit version. Best $10 I NEVER spent! 

[John]

Hey, $3/hr used to be minimum wage.

[sluckey]

So was $1.15! That's where it was when I got my first real job.

[bnwitt]

My first job was at $0.75 per hour    Running a full service Mobil gas station and doing minor auto repairs while giving out Libby glasses and S&H green stamps with fill ups.  We had gas wars with the station across the street where gas would go down to 19.9 cents per gallon from the regular price of 26.9 cents.  I I watched Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon with a little black and white TV set I bought with my money at Kmart cuz I was stuck at the station.  Stupid Drive-In customers kept interrupting me.

[eldredjames]

Back to the scope.  I haven't used an o'scope since college where Physics 100 lab was 10 of us in a lab with 10 o'scopes and no clue as to why we were using o'scopes.  Will this thing be useful for me in amp building or is it just a novelty?

(Oh, btw, my first job packing disposable fuel tanks for jets over Viet Nam paid 1.65 hr. Min wage was 1.50)

[bnwitt]

I have two different O'Scopes and I almost never use them.  That is probably because one doesn't really need one for Tube amps.  Now that I am getting back into effects pedals and microphone building I might have to crank one up.  I'd be interested in hearing who in this forum uses them and for what.

[lego4040]

Im hoping Santa still comes through on my scope, or at least the funds to order one
Im looking at the Hantek 2 channel digital 70mhz or the Rigol version. I do pedals myself and Id like to repair a stereo reciever I have, Although I need a 200 mhz for reciever work

[sluckey]

I'd be interested in hearing who in this forum uses them and for what.

I use a scope for troubleshooting bent waveforms, HF oscillations, power supply ripple/noise, etc. Not very often though. But if I was repairing amps I would use one regularly. Working in radar for over 40 years made the scope my goto test equipment. Radar is all visual, no audio. Using a scope just naturally carried over into my tube amp hobby. Here's an example of the last time I used a scope on an amp...

A while back a forum member was having trouble with distortion in his recent revibe build. Turns out his real problem was due to the hot signal coming from his active pickups on his guitar. (Leo never had to deal with that.) Using a scope pin pointed the problem pretty quickly and allowed me to see the problem corrected as I began slowly decreasing the gain of the circuit to accommodate the stronger input. Then when I had the distortion corrected, I also added a new front panel "Level" pot so the revibe could work with active or passive pickups. Here's a pdf showing the circuit fix and waveforms that led to my current revision on my revibe...

[DummyLoad]

https://www.banggood.com/search/original-jye-tech-dso-shell-dso150.html


40 cents more to assemble it yourself (2K kit)?? ah! i.c. - 33% off sale on the assembled model.  ;)


--pete

[lego4040]

Sluckey, for reference when looking at that pdf you uploaded. Where were you connecting your probes for this measurement and what were your scope settings? I dont have a scope so you dont have to worry about me blowing up a piece of equipment    Im still debating on should I get a respected analog or digital. I can get a analog with the 200+mhz Ill need totry and repair(tune) my stereo condensor tuner. Never Ever Never Ever spray tuner cleaner on a condensor capacitor 

[sluckey]

Scope vertical input connected to input jack or output jack
Vertical sensitivity .1v/div
Timebase .2mS/div but uncalibrated for viewing convenience to show three positive half cycles.
Trigger source set to EXT with trigger input connected to sig gen output.
Sig gen output also connected to input jack.
Other controls set for pleasant presentation. Intensity probably turned up a bit more for camera.

Now look at the pics closely. Most of this info is on the screen. See if you can figure it out.

[lego4040]

Thank you, Ive been trying to watch basic introduction stuff to scopes but Im hoping to find a school of sorts for basic electronics. Living in NYC does give me options but I am also thinking serious side of it with a degree at somepoint. In my field HVAC, 85% of my work is schematic and electrical, vfd drives etc. I’ll watch Mr. Carlsons Lab on Y.T. Then Ill have to watch Bob Ross to come back down to earth. 

[Ed_Chambley]

I have two different O'Scopes and I almost never use them.  That is probably because one doesn't really need one for Tube amps.  Now that I am getting back into effects pedals and microphone building I might have to crank one up.  I'd be interested in hearing who in this forum uses them and for what.

I use a scope to troubleshoot, look for distortion and even make distortion.  Check voltage gain, pi balance after tube selection.  Check caps for outer foil and also condition of old caps.  I can review frequency.


It is the first thing I generally will do.  I inject a sine wave and hook to the output.  I know I have in the past returned amps to guys with questionable resistors and maybe some caps too.  My ears tend to like some distortion, so I do not really hear it.  You can certainly see any distortion and since I began using one all the time, I have replaced parts I know I would have overlooked in the past.

[lego4040]

I see the specs on the pics Steve, Thanks, it helps if I wear, or these days don't wear my glasses. Now I need progressives. What kind of signal generator are you guys using these days? homemade? chinese cheapo's or old school tech?

[sluckey]

I have a couple HP 200CDs, a HP 204D, and a HP 3310B function generator.

[trobbins]

That looks neat indeed - hmmm, yes a late xmas pressy me thinks.

The supply current of 120mA is a bit much for 9V batt, but I think I would use the 12V 4-7Ah vrla I have a few of on the bench for non-mains powering my audio test equipment - just need a foolproof 9-9.5V sub-circuit.  Not requiring a mains plugpack minimises the chance of noise/hum artefacts being taken as real circuit signals.

I've had good performance out of the cheap cloned 10:1 probes on ebay.  They sometimes require a tweak to the compensation capacitor to get flat bandwidth with my USB soundcards, so it will interesting to see if any tweaking is needed for this oscilloscope input as no capacitance spec seems to be provided (although the input circuit is shown in the FAQ).  Has anyone tried a typical 10:1 to see if it could be compensated adequately?  I loved the trimmer cap solution they showed (days of yore radio trimmer).

The BNC connector looks a bit suspect for long-term ruggedness without a little extra support added.

[shooter]

What kind of signal generator

I've moved to a software sig-gen, my bench gen needs serious attention so for tube work, the computer one works fine.

I need a 200 mhz

one of my systems operated at 128mhz, with a digital scope you want a sample rate at least 1G, 2G preferable for "accurate" measurement.  simple repairs, especially in this world, simple n inexpensive works just fine

[bnwitt]

I've got an old Tenma 72-320

[sluckey]

The BNC connector looks a bit suspect for long-term ruggedness without a little extra support added.

It's surprisingly sturdy after the case is assembled. That BNC looks like a rock compared to the rest of the gadget. It'll be around long after that scope makes it's last trace! 

[Ed_Chambley]

Sluckey, did you really give the wife one of these you romantic devil you?


I guess if you grow the veggies and clean the pool and make low country boil, it's ok.


I passed on this, but did see the $10 assembly.  I have a small one already.


Take a look at the Christmas Present I got.  This would be a Fluke 28II and is WAY MORE that I need, but I will scrape by with it.

[bnwitt]

That is a very nice meter Ed.  And Dummyload thanks for the Google research on the assembled O'scope at Banggood.  I ordered one.

[kagliostro]

Cool Meter Ed 


Franco

[sluckey]

Sluckey, did you really give the wife one of these you romantic devil you?

Absolutely! And she quickly told me what to do with it. 

Very nice meter. You in the deep end of the pool now.

Oh, BTW... Show bnwitt a pic of your digital breadboard.

[Ed_Chambley]

Sluckey, did you really give the wife one of these you romantic devil you?

Absolutely! And she quickly told me what to do with it. 

Very nice meter. You in the deep end of the pool now.

Oh, BTW... Show bnwitt a pic of your digital breadboard.

Which Breadboard?  The one made of wood, the one made on corian?  I guess you are referring to the one that has the anode and cathode hookups?  I am at work, I will get a photo.


Right now I have a HiFi amp and preamp with RIAA phono stage on the tube board.  On the "digital" board I am working on that idea I mentioned to you about using Germanium Transistors and Diodes along with tube circuits.  I seem to be getting a lot of repair lately so I have not had enough time to tinker.


Yep, it is funny.  My brother asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said I can always use another meter.  Thinking he would get something like a $40 meter, but he messed up and went to Grainger and they helped him...........and me.

[sluckey]

I guess you are referring to the one that has the anode and cathode hookups?

That's the one. You know it good for more than just digital. It's perfect for breadboarding pedal stuff too. Barry was asking about one in the "Effects" forum. That may be a better place to post your pics. I thought I still had a pic but looks like I did a purge.

[Ed_Chambley]

I guess you are referring to the one that has the anode and cathode hookups?

That's the one. You know it good for more than just digital. It's perfect for breadboarding pedal stuff too. Barry was asking about one in the "Effects" forum. That may be a better place to post your pics. I thought I still had a pic but looks like I did a purge.

Ok, I will post mine later.  I now have the wooden one along with 2 others.  I also have one I leave a pedal preamp on all the time.  The little boards are too cheap not to have a few around.  BTW, I have a couple of very nice power supplies that are quiet as a church mouse running these.  I got a good deal on the power supplies.


I have the wooden one paired with my big board which I have been playing around with.  I have SS loop on it right now with a little diode overdrive circuit that switches to a Tonebender or effects off and it is a simply a SS loop.  My next build is going to be a Stereo SE Guitar Amp and I am actually thinking of making a combo, which I rarely do.  I found some Hammond Tone Cabinet iron perfect for this task.

[jojokeo]

I guess you are referring to the one that has the anode and cathode hookups?

That's the one. You know it good for more than just digital. It's perfect for breadboarding pedal stuff too. Barry was asking about one in the "Effects" forum. That may be a better place to post your pics. I thought I still had a pic but looks like I did a purge.

I've used this one for decades, it's even got vintage yellowing like my Les Paul.

As for my wife's X-mas stocking, Santa got her a nice Peak Atlas Pro. And yes, she told me what I could do with it too! However, See's chocolate and peanut brittle always smooths things out nicely. 

[sluckey]

Then Ill have to watch Bob Ross to come back down to earth.

I'm a big fan of Bob Ross. I've even watched the PBS beg-a-thon marathon.    I just got this coffee mug for Christmas. Add hot coffee and a nicely painted nature scene appears. It's magic!

     https://www.amazon.com/Bob-Ross-Self-Painting-Coffee-Mug/dp/B071G3LL38

[shooter]

I'm a big fan of Bob Ross

[pompeiisneaks]

LOL nice!


For the thread part, I've used my scope a decent amount in troubleshooting new builds, and in fixing existing ones.  I also used it to balance my PI on the tweedle dee deluxe, if you look in the videos section I posted that and you could see a good use for it there as well.

Sluckey once helped me sort out what was wrong with my AC30/4 build on the tremolo channel using it as well to see where the signal was fading out/dying. 

They're not daily use type things, but when you need one, they're invaluable.

~Phil

[bnwitt]

Well it took three weeks but I received my little scope yesterday.  Now to play with it.  I'm just now realizing it requires and external 9V DC power supply to operate.  No battery compartment?

[bnwitt]

Cranked it up with a multi voltage wall watt adapter I have the first thing I noticed is there is no polarity marking on the DC power input jack of course I tried it one way first that didn't work and the second time it worked. You'd think they'd mark the polarity on the jack

[sluckey]

Did you read the user manual?

[bnwitt]

My manual doesn't look like that.  I bought the assemled one.  Most of mine is in Chinese.

[sluckey]

Here's the user manual. Pages 1, 2, and 3 contain assembly instructions (which you don't need), testing, and calibration procedure. Page 4 contains user info. This is the same manual that comes with the kit version, but the print is way too small to be useful to me. 

     http://www.jyetech.com/Products/LcdScope/UserManual_Shell_new.pdf
 

[bnwitt]

Steve,
Thank you sir.  That is a real eye opener.  By the way, there is a Youtube video and online side which adds a USB chargeable internal battery for two hours of operation.

[sluckey]

An internal battery would be a nice feature. My eyes were pretty much burned out by the time I had mine assembled. I may pursue an internal battery now that I've healed.   

I've probably seen the video you mentioned. There are several videos that may interest you. Links near the bottom of this page...

https://www.banggood.com/Orignal-JYE-Tech-DS0150-15001K-DSO-SHELL-DIY-Digital-Oscilloscope-Kit-With-Housing-p-1093865.html?cur_warehouse=USA

[bnwitt]

Thanks again Steve

[davidwpack]

Just received one of these....and a signal generator. Anyone know or recommend any good quick-start tutorials for oscilloscoping as it applies to tube amps? Or even a book for purchase? I'll figure it out eventually but I'm almost finished building an amp now and would like to use it concurrently. Thank you for answers?

[shooter]

set your sig-gen to 1khz ~ 1Vpp, connect it to the scope, play with the scope til the signal is stationary on the screen, and "understand" how the vertical and horizontal gradicules "represent" period time (freq) and amplitude (voltage), then change freq and signal level and understand how those changes are represented, walla

use AC coupling for measuring since big DC volts might exceed scope specs

[davidwpack]

Doesn't sound too overwhelming. Thank you Shooter!

[shooter]

your horizontal scale represents the period time, which is freq, displayed over time, so freq (1khz for example) is equal to 1/PT (period time).  so if each hor. square = 1mSec 1/.001 = 1000hz.  once you get that, you're 90% there, the rest is for when you become a scope geek 

[davidwpack]

Ok thanks! Sounds like EKG interpretation kinda. Maybe easier than I thought.