EEVblog #926 - Introduction To The Oscilloscope

What is an oscilloscope?
What is it useful for?
How is it used?
What is the difference between an old school analog and a modern digital storage oscilloscope?

How not to blow up your oscilloscope:
Vertical Confusion:
AC Trigger Coupling

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[RRak]

I started watching EEVBlog by searching basic tutorials on Youtube years ago. Now I do electronics for a living (partially at least). More fundamentals! :)

[jordanjohnson]

Thanks for being an inspiration, Dave. You're a great teacher. I'm learning about electronics and you're a big help!

[stevetobias]

I just spent $400 for my first oscilloscope and I am loving learning how to use properly. Looking forward to your next video

[BLundahlMusic]

You are hands down the best teacher for electronics on this platform. Thank you for giving the world access to your knowledge! You also keep viewers interested and the information is easy to follow.

[Tukhmemurgh]

0:20 the moldy meter. It measures the mold of a circuit.

[jonvannatto]

I don't often comment but thank you for making this video. Very informative for the new player. Thanks for keeping it real and demoing a hobbyist scope over a professional one.

[zodberg]

1:10 - Upvoted just for the post-it note flipbook! Brilliant! :)

[Hightyde]

You should totally sell kitchen appliances on those 30min tv commercials

[RobeenaShepherd]

It's therapeutic watching this, reminds me of when I got my first scope (an Owon) a few years ago now, and knew so little. Your how-not-to-blow-up-your-scope video was how I discovered your channel!

I still know so little now, but I know way more than I did back then. ;)

Sorry for breaking internet protocol and not moaning about how your video wasn't exactly what I personally wanted you to make for me...

[oscodains]

Your videos actually helped get me interested into electronics, planning on taking some classes to get the basics of electronics while in college.

[YUHJKT]

once again you have carefully and energetically explained something so that the layman can understand. So I subscribed. Thank you.

[smckix]

I was looking for something for my second semester physics students to get a good introduction to oscilloscopes. This is perfect. Thanks.

[archstanton]

I haven't used an oscilloscope in years and I have a job interview tomorrow where I'll be asked to use one. This is a great refresher. Cheers!

[leandrolaporta]

You have a fantastic, clear, an concise way to explain things, i enjoy your videos very much, I use scopes since 1990 and have a couple of digital ones, but still enjoy your presentation, please keep at it, you are very good.

[maciejprzepiorka]

Thank you Dave. This is one of the most valuable channels on YouTube. Great work!

[rotaryconvert]

Hi Dave,

I'm happy to see the Oscilloscope tutorial. I spent two years in college as an EE major before switching to and graduating as a Comp Sci major. I still pursue electronics as a hobby and would love to see more of these basics videos.

best,

James

[Smmmile]

Hi Dave, great video and hopefully you'll follow up and make it a great series. I just thought I'd add some points in from the point of view of a beginner like myself:

1) When a scope mentions bandwidth (Mhz), I used to think of it as the fastest frequency signal that it could display correctly. It's the fastest signal it can monitor while being 3dB down. In most cases the scopes bandwidth is a little higher. So anyone buying a 50Mhz scope looking to monitor max 50mhz signals won't get a 1:1 reproduction. Maybe this is common knowledge, but as a newbie I thought it was good to know.

2) Since the Digital scopes sample the input, as a newbie I thought that sample rate was going to be the same no matter what time base you use or how many channels you have on. But of course the sample rate is a function of both of those (and maybe other things?). Again I was surprised at this and just shows how little I really know about these majestic devices.

Do you know of any other newbie traps like this? Perhaps you can incorporate them into your next videos and give us newbies a chance to catch up and buy something decent for a first scope, thanks!

[Uuuuuuurrgggggghhhhh]

Yep. I also bought a DS1054Z after watching your reviews. Just as a Brymen 869s multimeter. Thanks for all your cool video's, really enjoying it!

[iamjimgroth]

The hard part is figuring out which oscilloscope to save up for.

[phillipbartlett]

I know this is a older video but I wanted to thank you Dave for your channel. I bought a Rigol 2072a after watching all you o-scope stuff. Was looking at a owon all in one thing but your advice was to buy individual gear. So I have my Rigol scope a fluke 8050 bench meter, a owon handheld (till I get yours) and a cheap power supply. I love most of it but adding as I go. Thanks again for all your work to keep us informed.