Explain Oscilloscope To Me Please

[HHR Ed]

thanks guys i think i understand o-scope like 85% i wont know it all the way through till i own one lol i cant belive they cost that much i thought like 40 bucks tops

$40.00 whoaa, no way. good ones are $9000.00 or so. cheap ones are like $2000.00

thats also why I keep mentioning the TermLab. It will do everything you need it too and can get one for $600 and a cheap computer for like $300

[alvitae]

I think it was S. Meade that posted a link to an affordable hand held o-scope some time ago. I know I saved it as I save every bit of audio related info I get so it would take forever to find it probably.

Ahaa, Found it. Easier than I thought. It was under my favorites in o-scope folder lol.

Handheld o-scope

Edited December 10, 2008 by alvitae

[GORILLAslap]

I think it was S. Meade that posted a link to an affordable hand held o-scope some time ago. I know I saved it as I save every bit of audio related info I get so it would take forever to find it probably.

yea im definetly gettin the termlab and a cheap lap top but lets get this build started 1st then see if i can get some money up

[Megalomaniac]

I got a tip from Mark Elderedge last Saturday. He had a little seminar. If all you are trying to do is set your gains, you do not have to own an o-scope. You can buy a mini amplifer from Radioshack. It has a built in speaker and an amp. He demo'd it for us. What this unit does is it detects clipping. I am quickly going to tell you this next part is just to check clipping on your source, there is a 2nd part actually for setting your gains, but it requires a voltage divider, I will type that up later on.

Why do I need to know when my source clips?

If you do not know when your source clips and you are clipping you will amplify that clipped sound. By knowing where your deck starts to clip you can set your gains appropriately and get the fullest out of your equipment cleanly. It will sound better too and yes you can hear the difference.

What will I need?

-

-Radioshack Mini Amplifier

- 1/8 to RCA converter

- fresh 9v battery

- CD with test tones, you will need a 1000hz test tone at 0db and a 500 hz test tone at -10db and 0db(try to buy the test tones on a CD, do not just download from the internet in a mediocre quality)

- RCA extension cable if your source does not have a remote

Getting Started

- Unplug all your RCAs from your amplifier.

- Plug 1 channel of your RCAs into the Radioshack-mini-Amp(I will call it an RSMA for the rest of this post)

- Put the test tone cd in your source, for your mids and tweeters use the 1000hz test tone and for your sub use 500hz * if you are active processing put all your xovers to fullrange

- turn your RSMA on and turn the volume up to wear it just turns on, you should barely be able to hear the speaker if you put it up to your ear. If you turn the volume up on it you can hear a clipped signal when you send audio through. That volume knob is a gain setting for that device. So keep it low.

- Now gradually start turning the volume up on the source as soon as you hear it clip on that little speaker you know that is your max volume for that preout. You can do this for every preout but its not necessary. some higher end units wont clip at all, the Alpine 9887 wont clip at full volume I know that for sure.

I will post 2nd half of tutorial later on the actual gain settings for the amp. I will even post up a voltage divider schematic that you can make on your own. End result looks like this:

[Godsmack]

$40.00 whoaa, no way. good ones are $9000.00 or so. cheap ones are like $2000.00

thats also why I keep mentioning the TermLab. It will do everything you need it too and can get one for $600 and a cheap computer for like $300

Look for local high school, college and business' to have sales of old equipment. My step father put in a 100 dollar bid on one from the local college and got it. I mean the thing is like 20 but it works flawlessly.

J

[Noobtastic14]

mines pretty classic as well- but works awesome!!!

-Drew

[duct_tape123]

You the same megalo that got teh hamma? That's a nice little tutorial you got there. I'll have to try this on my upcoming build. $20 is a lot better than $200!

[HHR Ed]

Look for local high school, college and business' to have sales of old equipment. My step father put in a 100 dollar bid on one from the local college and got it. I mean the thing is like 20 but it works flawlessly.

J

yeah, I got my O-scope for free on my last day of Senior year of my electronics class. It was 15 years old when I got it, but hey, it works for me.

[may03LT]

I use a velleman, got it for under $200, it gets the job done

[Megalomaniac]

You the same megalo that got teh hamma? That's a nice little tutorial you got there. I'll have to try this on my upcoming build. $20 is a lot better than $200!

Si

edit: If you have a RadioShack outlet you can find it half off.

Edited December 11, 2008 by Megalomaniac