FNRSI DSO-TC3 Oscilloscope, with electronic component testing functions

[@z9ombi]

This by far is one of the best reviews i've seen your honesty is fantastic, i've just started my self getting into Micro smd soldering and my next step is to try and under stand and use oscilloscopes, i think this might be on my shopping list, thank you

[@CurryKitten]

Thanks for this - I am always worried that as a beginner myself, I can't speak with any sense of authority on whether something is good or bad. So I'm glad it was useful

[@marinehm]

I built a FNRSI oscilloscope last year just to say I built one. Works pretty well for what it is. I may have to get one of those.

[@CurryKitten]

If it was anything like my one, it was an interesting soldering challenge!

[@echobeefpv8530]

I'm a LITTLE farther along in my electronics knowledge, but not much. What a great bit of kit !! You will find this very useful, I think, and I might as well !! Thank you, from Canada !!

[@CurryKitten]

Thanks. I hope so, I seem to understand thing more when I can see more of a visualization of them - which is why I wanted to check out the scope

[@ched999uk]

For £36 it's a great little tool. Nice review, good explanations for people with little knowledge.

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty interesting device indeed, Wayne! 😃 Fantastic review as always! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@CurryKitten]

Cheers MC - I need to learn more about the best way of using it!

[@MCsCreations]

@@CurryKitten Oh, don't worry... I wouldn't know how to use it either! 😂

[@ReggieRailSystems]

This is beyond my understanding. Interestingly, back in the 1980s I built a heath kit oscilloscope and it was humongous. I took some instructions from my electronics teacher and got fairly used to understanding but throw in 40+ years and I don’t remember a single thing, because I really never used it in a practical method. However, this thing is such a low cost item it is something I probably will buy to have as something to relearn.

[@CurryKitten]

You had an electronics teacher - that makes you an expert! I hope I learn how to diagose and help me fix some problems using it

[@Asian_Connection]

Great video. Can this test capacitor ESR on board?

[@999wilf999]

The reason an oscilloscope usually has a signal generator is to self test the scope, by feeding in a known signal you can ensure your test equipment is working properly, and can trust the results you're getting from it. It would be rather frustrating to spend ages probing a circuit, only to find out your scope is broken, and your results are meaningless! The first step most professionals will use when using test equipment is to test that same equipment.

[@CurryKitten]

Well, that explains it. I just thought they might have some more real-wprld cases, but i guess that is meaningless if you don't know the scope is accurate

[@FlyingFun.]

I serviced tvs and video for decades and a scope was essential but only available in the workshop, to have had this would have been a game changer. But now everything is digital I dont think this would actually be much use apart from really basic stuff, just seeing a digital signal is not generally enough to know anything apart from there is a digital signal lol. I also built a capacitor tester which measured esr ( equivilent series resistance ) by making a signal that passed through the capacitor which was really useful. Some other VERY useful things for measuring electronincs is a simple amp meter but THE best thing I built was a REALLY sensitive ohms meter to find S/C on board with multiple devices connected to a data line, it could literally measure the resistance of a track a few centimeters long so by measuring the resistance to ground it was possible to identfy the s/c chip with out cutting traces or removing anything.

[@CurryKitten]

So good for analog, less good for digital. Someone else mentioned a logic analyser for digital signals, which I hadn't heard of before but they look very cool. It reminded me of a more complex version of what I used to use 30-odd years ago when looking at problems in dumb terminals we had little devices which understood 232/422 serial comms I could see what was happening and debug the issue. Although it serves little practical use in my day to day stuff, I'm weirdly excited by a logic analyser :)

[@Segphalt]

While this is great for what it is, consider a kingst logic analyzer for digital cases. The LA2016 is probbaly best value but the LA1016 can achieve alot and comes in cheaper.

[@CurryKitten]

Well, here's a new cool thing I wasn't aware of. Honestly, those look really cool - the fun that could be had in reverse engineering the most trivial of protocols. I want one!!

[@Segphalt]

@@CurryKitten It's a pretty handy tool to have in the electronics box. I'd argue in the modern era where most things are digital it's more useful than an oscilloscope. I don't love the probe clips it comes with and often opt for just soldering when reversing a board that doesn't have headers or "EZ-Hook" clips (or some really fine ones that just say "ICClamp" that I picked up at the Dayton Hamvention but can't otherwise find.) Also I just realized I listed the wrong name for the lower end model. LA1010 is the correct model.