buying a 2204a

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Neil;'#
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buying a 2204a

Post by Neil;'# »

Hello I am Neil I work at a college in the motor vehicle department and I am thinking of Buying A Picoscope 2204A myself, to see what it is like, will this work on a motor vehicle, and give me an option to add the automotive software or is this only for the 4000 series,

Steve Smith
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Re: buying a 2204a

Post by Steve Smith »

Hello Neil and thanks for the enquiry. Yes the scope will work on a motor vehicle or any electrical circuit within the safe working limits of the scope. Unfortunately the scope is designed only to work with the "Test and Measurement" software and not the automotive software. This would leave you without the pre-set facility in the automotive tab and without all the relevant automotive pre set probes installed under your channel options icon. Bandwidth, vertical resolution and buffer memory also suffer in comparison to the 4000 series automotive scope. This becomes a real issue when looking at high frequency signals when analysing them for glitches etc. To be fair, as an educational and research tool it is a fantastic piece of kit in a college environment used by trained individual (a real pocket rocket). However in a workshop environment I would have to stand by the 4000 series with the relevant protection and accessories that are designed and built for purpose.

I hope this helps.....Take care......Steve

Neil;'#
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Re: buying a 2204a

Post by Neil;'# »

Thank you for your reply, Its as I expected, I think I will get a 2204a for my self and use at the college and see how it goes, and then try and and get the college to buy a 4000 with the automotive kit.

AMScope
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Re: buying a 2204a

Post by AMScope »

Neil, how did you go with the 2204a for automotive.
I'm thinking of buying one too for automotive. ... other than not having presets and having to manually set, any problems?
cheers
Alex

PicoMike
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Re: buying a 2204a

Post by PicoMike »

Please note the 2204A has an overvoltage range of 100 V. In addition the scope is also only 8-bit, samples at just 100 MS/s (one channel in use, or 50 MS/s 2 channels in use), and an 8 kS buffer memory.

To give something as reference, our latest automotive scope has:

400 MS/s (one channel in use, 200 MS/s 2 channels and 100 MS/s for 3/4 channels in use).
12-bit resolution
250 M samples buffer memory
250 V Overvoltage protection
+ of course it also works with PicoScope Automotive software (which includes all the Guided Tests and access to the Waveform Library).
Please also note the automotive software also references safety information regarding when attenuation should be used for measuring voltages on a vehicle (based on the scopes the software supports).

I understand there is a cost difference, but I wanted to highlight the above for anyone who comes across this thread.
Mike Valentine
Online BDM: Pico Technology

AMScope
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Re: buying a 2204a

Post by AMScope »

Thanks Mike, I would love the latest automotive scope. In fact, I'd like a couple and I really want a Pico.
Just can't afford that outlay

I use a 20:1 attenuator for direct primary scoping and a X10,000 inductive probe for secondary.I suppose just for general probing there is a risk of spikes from relays etc.

What could I do to maximise the protection of a 2204A?

Use 20:1 for all direct probing?

Use a computer protector type capacitor across +ive of probe to body ground?

Aftermarket diodes built into a BNC connector? (if they exist?

I would really like to have the pico if I can possibly make it reasonably safe

Really need your advice
cheers
a

PicoMike
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Re: buying a 2204a

Post by PicoMike »

Hi Alex,

What you describe seems like a workaround, and while that may improve safety it still misses out on a large proportion of our features.

I'll email you if that's OK, to discuss this further.


Regards,
Mike Valentine
Online BDM: Pico Technology

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