Scopes!!!!

[dsmnickk90]

As I said I my first post, apples and oranges...

You're comparing a handheld scope to a powerful PC based scope. Both are viable for automotive diagnostics, but which one is better depends on what type of diagnostics you're doing. Something like a waveform for an ABS sensor is completely different than looking at primary/secondary ignition patterns.

Quit looking purely at price and specs, and make an honest assessment of what you're going to be using the scope for, and go from there. If you're just getting into scope use you'll have different needs than someone who uses one daily (and knows what they need). As I said earlier, I still use my original Vantage for 90%+ of the scope use I do, and I do some fairly advanced stuff the other 10% of the time.

Somewhere in free parking is a how to on scope use I put together, and there are plenty other posts of mine about scope use there as well. You might want to check them out if this is something you're just getting into, there's lots of good info there.

So that Pico that is cheaper than any hand held you can get?
I'd like to get a scope mainly for setting gains on car audio amplifiers but would also use it for automotive sensor testing as well. I can't really throw down the money for a 4000 series will the pico 2205 take care of my needs?

 

[d_rock]

Ok Stick. After reading through all your scope threads i've decided that the vantage will do pretty much everything I need so that's the direction i will head. Thank you for your input.

 

[Stick]

Ok Stick. After reading through all your scope threads i've decided that the vantage will do pretty much everything I need so that's the direction i will head. Thank you for your input.

Just so I'm clear, most of the wave forms I put up were captured with my Vantage Pro, which is different from a "heritage" Vantage unit. I've got both of them in my diagnostic toolbox. The old Vantage units can be found for $200-400 pretty easily on ebay, and I've seen the Vantage Pros for as little as $800 there too.

The older style units do have some limitations (notably ignition waveforms, but there are work arounds), but for day to day use they are still useful. Also a bargain compared to the $1700 they wanted for them when they were new. If you do look for one, try to get version 5.0 or above, but don't pay a premium for v6.0 or v7.0, as they didn't add any features other than database updates.

 

[d_rock]

Just so I'm clear, most of the wave forms I put up were captured with my Vantage Pro, which is different from a "heritage" Vantage unit. I've got both of them in my diagnostic toolbox. The old Vantage units can be found for $200-400 pretty easily on ebay, and I've seen the Vantage Pros for as little as $800 there too.

The older style units do have some limitations (notably ignition waveforms, but there are work arounds), but for day to day use they are still useful. Also a bargain compared to the $1700 they wanted for them when they were new. If you do look for one, try to get version 5.0 or above, but don't pay a premium for v6.0 or v7.0, as they didn't add any features other than database updates.

Do you think it would be worth it to step up to a vantage pro? I've been a technician for 15 years but have limited scope use or training. I learn best by just playing with it, but I don't want something that will be obsolete in a few years. That is what turned me off from them in the first place was that snap on has discontinued it.

 

[richfinn]

Thats what I don't really know. I assume a probe is just a probe. but not sure if there specific for each unit or more "universal"

Yeah I use my probes with all 3 different scopes depending on what I,m doing they are all BNC type connectors or have 4mm banana plug connectors that fit a BNC adapter.

The Vantage Pro does looks really good but they are so expensive here in the UK compared to a PICO set up that I have never seen one in action.

I have an ancient MAC ET2020 as well as a PICO and a little Velleman HPS10.

 

[dsmnickk90]

Yeah I use my probes with all 3 different scopes depending on what I,m doing they are all BNC type connectors or have 4mm banana plug connectors that fit a BNC adapter.

The Vantage Pro does looks really good but they are so expensive here in the UK compared to a PICO set up that I have never seen one in action.

I have an ancient MAC ET2020 as well as a PICO and a little Velleman HPS10.

what pico do you use?

 

[richfinn]

what pico do you use?

Its an older 2 channel basic automotive kit that I got used, had to buy a few bits for it like a low amp probe that was missing and I made some break out leads myself but I find it easy to use (for a novice) and I like all the "how to" stuff on the site and you tube,

I would like to try a Vantage Pro, but I don,t know how useful the database would be for pin outs and stuff on UK vehicles so It would be hard to justify the cost.