As a young mechanical engineer I had to use an oscilloscope to monitor LVDTs to measure valve motion on an engine. It was a Tek scope with a memory screen that would freeze the waveform on the screen in a very rudimentary way. I had no idea what I was doing. One day another older engineer came by and asked what I was doing and he immediately picked up on my state of confusion. I don't remember the guy's name, but in about 15 minutes he explained to me what I have now known for 35 years. It made sense and it stuck with me.
That's the nice thing about scopes. When someone clearly explains what they do, it all makes perfect sense. They can be sophisticated in their operation, but everything makes perfect sense.
I'm a self-taught tech. I started learning when I was a small child and was working part time in a TV/radio repair-shop by the time I was 12. But after working full-time for 10 years in the industrial electronics industry I took one job because the company offered to pay college tuition, and I figured I could at least get an associates degree in electronics at a nearby tech school by working at that company. After answering a couple of questions posed in class by my prof the first day he stopped me after class and asked me what I was doing taking the class since I already knew the material. I explained to him that I needed the piece of paper that said that. So he told me that if I answered questions for the students during the labs he'd give me an A for the class, something I was going to get anyway. I agreed because I actually like answering questions and explaining things so they make sense. I did that for both DC and AC fundamentals labs' classes. One of my favorite labs was teaching the use of the o'scope. I had learned it the way you did, by turning knobs and seeing what everything did. But learning to use one is really easy when it's taught properly. BTW, I never did get my associates degree, because the company I worked for kept sending me out on troubleshooting jobs around the country and I missed more than half the classes I signed up for, so I gave up. Catch 22.
I took a very similar path to you. Theres a lot of us self-taught techies out there. :) I started playing about with record players and reel to reels in the 70's,, (I was about 5-6), I worked in a valve radio repair shop through the 80's and breezed through my City & Guilds in 93. I never worked again as the C&G certs were'nt recognised by firms I applied to LOL. I'm on disability now anyway due to bad health. I still have projects on the go, but I don't seem to finish them any more. Ha ha.
This is really a good video for starting with oscilloscopes. I recommend a scope such as these to learn on. Sometimes you find them very cheap or even free. These are much better than the cheap "digital" scopes on certain auction sites. The only thing that already has been touched on is don't turn the intensity up to high to keep from burning a trace on the screen. Matter fact I will turn it all the way down if I'm going to be gone for a while. Also don't cover the vents. Heat is a big enemy of all electronic test equipment.
This is a great intro. I love how you start with things that confuse new users, like why they don’t see anything on the screen. Also, please sell me your IMSAI 8080 :)
Great introduction of oscilloscopes, but missed the XY-mode, the amazing lissajous curves. May this will be shown in the more advanced video? Can’t wait for it 👍🏼😎. Thanks a lot for your great entertaining and informative videos .
I learnt in college - it seemed pretty basic. I guess most secondary students these days learn the basics of how to use an oscilloscope. There are many setups beyond the basics to learn from there.
Your intro was good but you seemed to have missed the point of how to (simply) use it to measure simple things. So how about another video about how to do simple things.
As a young mechanical engineer I had to use an oscilloscope to monitor LVDTs to measure valve motion on an engine. It was a Tek scope with a memory screen that would freeze the waveform on the screen in a very rudimentary way. I had no idea what I was doing. One day another older engineer came by and asked what I was doing and he immediately picked up on my state of confusion. I don't remember the guy's name, but in about 15 minutes he explained to me what I have now known for 35 years. It made sense and it stuck with me.
That's the nice thing about scopes. When someone clearly explains what they do, it all makes perfect sense. They can be sophisticated in their operation, but everything makes perfect sense.
I'm a self-taught tech. I started learning when I was a small child and was working part time in a TV/radio repair-shop by the time I was 12. But after working full-time for 10 years in the industrial electronics industry I took one job because the company offered to pay college tuition, and I figured I could at least get an associates degree in electronics at a nearby tech school by working at that company. After answering a couple of questions posed in class by my prof the first day he stopped me after class and asked me what I was doing taking the class since I already knew the material. I explained to him that I needed the piece of paper that said that. So he told me that if I answered questions for the students during the labs he'd give me an A for the class, something I was going to get anyway. I agreed because I actually like answering questions and explaining things so they make sense. I did that for both DC and AC fundamentals labs' classes. One of my favorite labs was teaching the use of the o'scope. I had learned it the way you did, by turning knobs and seeing what everything did. But learning to use one is really easy when it's taught properly.
BTW, I never did get my associates degree, because the company I worked for kept sending me out on troubleshooting jobs around the country and I missed more than half the classes I signed up for, so I gave up. Catch 22.
Often times, knowledge is more important than a formal education verified by a piece of paper.
I took a very similar path to you. Theres a lot of us self-taught techies out there. :)
I started playing about with record players and reel to reels in the 70's,, (I was about 5-6), I worked in a valve radio repair shop through the 80's and breezed through my City & Guilds in 93. I never worked again as the C&G certs were'nt recognised by firms I applied to LOL. I'm on disability now anyway due to bad health. I still have projects on the go, but I don't seem to finish them any more. Ha ha.
Etch-a-sketch analogy. Great start!
That's an interesting scope. I can see why you invested the time in restoring it.
This is really a good video for starting with oscilloscopes. I recommend a scope such as these to learn on. Sometimes you find them very cheap or even free. These are much better than the cheap "digital" scopes on certain auction sites. The only thing that already has been touched on is don't turn the intensity up to high to keep from burning a trace on the screen. Matter fact I will turn it all the way down if I'm going to be gone for a while. Also don't cover the vents. Heat is a big enemy of all electronic test equipment.
This is a great intro. I love how you start with things that confuse new users, like why they don’t see anything on the screen. Also, please sell me your IMSAI 8080 :)
I already sold it
Excellent!! Thank you!
Very useful. Thanks.
Perhaps I'm too stupid to be allowed to drive an oscilloscope, but this is the first time I've understood ground reference setting. Thank you.
Good explanation of the basics. If you shake the scope does the display erase? Ho, ho.
Great introduction of oscilloscopes, but missed the XY-mode, the amazing lissajous curves. May this will be shown in the more advanced video? Can’t wait for it 👍🏼😎. Thanks a lot for your great entertaining and informative videos .
XYZ mode?
Nice, scope beginners tutorials are really hard to do and I think the digital scope basics would be useful too...cheers.
Even though it may be a very long video, perhaps split into a 10-part season, but would love to see a tutorial on digital scopes
Nobody taught me how to use one. You just learn by trying. Even if you blow the probe channel because of not being isolated, you learn.
I learnt in college - it seemed pretty basic. I guess most secondary students these days learn the basics of how to use an oscilloscope. There are many setups beyond the basics to learn from there.
Your intro was good but you seemed to have missed the point of how to (simply) use it to measure simple things. So how about another video about how to do simple things.
Yes indeed, a vid showing how to read and measure the output(s) from various devices, i.e. NE555 timer, etc. would be very informative.