@ pan64 - Thank you for your response but I have to ask exactly what limitations and missed features I may experience in my use case? My use case, at least for such a device, is itself very limited. 20Hz-20,000Hz is fine. The only applicable limitations I have read about so far with any of the sub $200 software scopes is rise time and refresh rate. For at-a-glance signal tracing and bias adjustment I doubt that may be a serious problem although I may have to rethink using ARM and resort to one of my PCs, not a big deal.

I can't find new bitscope availability anywhere and though they do appear interesting, that is some cause for concern. I have noticed quite a few posts stating that the OpenHantek driver is substantially superior to the proprietary and I do take that with a grain of salt since I am well aware that some folks just hate proprietary on principle regardless of performance.

Your response and others here cause me some caution but since I have other options it still might be a fun and possibly useful experiment given the many positive reviews.

@ business_kid - It seems likely you don't work much with valves in audio as "decrepit" is hardly a factor. US and EU valves from before 1980 are rated at 20,000-30,000 hours MTBF. I have a nice stock of GE, Sylvania. Mullard, and even a few Genalex/GoldLion valves of either very low usage or NOS. Modern valves are of less quality but not decrepit. I have no need of "boosting". A simple variac-like setup (I have a variable power supply so only B+ is reduced and heaters are not starved) for new valves conditioning is quite sufficient for my use.

"Expected bias voltage ranges" is of little interest to me, especially in the cases of musical instrument amplification. I require actual in situ performance in specific circuitry. Class of operation in power stages is of particular interest to me and often under a variety of load impedance and feedback conditions. That must be seen and heard, not merely implied or expected.

Here is a more technical review - https://eevblog.com/forum/testgear/h...t-work-for-me/

Digital oscilloscopes have plummeted in price. Why not get a standalone unit? https://www.amazon.com/Rigol-DS1202Z.../dp/B07XSH2NR2

For audio work, you need an oscilloscope that can show spurious oscillations in the MHz range.

I would buy one of these if my ancient Heathkit stopped working.
Ed

I don't really want to go into details. I wanted to build a clap switch circuit so I bought a bitscope. Nothing more, just playing a bit with it. And this bitscope was really terrible, almost unusable (the software was also faulty). So do not expect too much. However, you may still find it useful.

I don't work - period. I've only one working arm. If your valve audio amps are newish and replacements abound, I'm happy for you.

The chief engineer in Pye insisted on valve only audio until he retired in the 1960s/early 70s. Every competitor was using transistors. They're still used in RF Generators, Plastic Welding, & Broadcasting applications, but they are virtually extinct this side of the pond. And my tv repair experience would pour cold water on your MTBF spec. But you'll do what you want and I understand the full load output thing. I was considering a component evaluation procedure, to isolate valves not matching the iA/Vg spec.

Thanks, Ed. That's a very reasonable question as well as a reasonably priced unit (pretty nice actually) and you are absolutely correct that detecting and identifying hi freq oscillation is important. My Tektronix is a Model 2430 which I bought new for over twice that. If I have reason to suspect oscillation, which does have effects that show up in many ways not requiring a scope (increased current draw, reduced gain, etc), I'd just break out Ol Trusty.

@business_kid - Maybe you've never heard any high end valve audio gear and only conclude that since SS is measurably better suited for scientific level instrumentation that it also applies to audio, but it doesn't. I'm not even talking about such monsters as the Silver 7, but amps in the class of Crimson 275s. For that matter I once was in the room to hear a comparison between a top of the line truly excellent David Hafler SS amp and an ancient Altec Lansing 1000v dual power triode amp and my jaw quite literally dropped in disbelief that the difference was like seeing a postcard of the Swiss Alps and standing at the base of the Matterhorn. The Altec had a 3 dimensional soundstage and the Hafler did not. I don't care what the specs say because I don't listen to music out of respect for specs. I listen for enjoyment and valves tend to deliver what SS does not.

In the realm of musical instrument gear, specs are generally of even less importance since some distortion is preferred for harmonic enhancement. Instrument amplifiers are not just reproduction devices. They are instead musical instruments in their own right.

BTW I sincerely feel for you regarding your arm and ability to work in your chosen profession. My left arm still works, sort of, but my whole left side is weak and clumsy after a stroke. This is one reason, among many, I'd like to explore smaller, lighter gear. I can lift my 2430 OK but it can be tiring and precarious.

If I do go through with this and "pull the trigger" on some software scope, I'll post a review here even though I'm beginning to see some concerns for use under ARM, at least for Raspberry Pi. If my RockPro64 is sufficient I will post that here as well.

The 2430 brings back a lot of memories and I would not mind owning one... It is a bit bulky as compared to more modern DSOs and understand why you want something smaller. I will be interested in seeing your reviews if you do purchase a USB model.

It could be that I've never met the gear you mentioned. Things are done on a much smaller scale in a much smaller country. I was never involved with audio much. The Witnesses used post-WW2 valve amps for powering our Conventions when their budget was basically $0. Stability was the greatest concern. What worked OK in the morning mightn't work all afternoon. But we have state of the art now, and have had for decades.

I miss the skills I had built up in my left side. But the days of component level repair are gone, except perhaps with valves. I had to drop Electronics 100%. I have a shorter list of things I can do, but I'm not needed as much either. My timing (of the stroke) was good in that respect.

Anyhow, you don't feel sorry for me, and I'll return the favour!

I don't want to venture off topic but dealing with dissolution and death are both difficult and important so I need to make it clear, business_kid, that I don't feel sorry for myself nor wish that upon you. It's just Life and it is indeed rare that things can be all good or all bad. In my case, had it not been for my stroke it would have apparently been more years than the decade plus I tried to discover what was wrong, only to require hospitalization to discover I had diabetes and a few other issues that I could have taken measures to mitigate. What's worse, is that had I actually considered that since my Father died from complications from diabetes, I might have had the cajones to consider I might have diabetes as well. I no more feel sorry for myself for having diabetes genes than not having genes for being over 6 feet tall with and possessing very long fingers and in my case, I'm partly to blame.

I'm still looking around for a smaller oscilloscope because even as drastically slower though I work, I find it lifts my spirits to work in electronics though I do miss the smell of rosin core solder. Yesterday I made room for my 2430 and it had been 5 years since I'd powered it up. I let it go through it's default self-test and all passed, so i left it on under no stress for roughly 12 hours to give electrolytics a chance to "rebuild". Then I ran all the extended tests. Perhaps it was the storage for those 5 years in a non climate controlled environment but it seems none of my 3 passive probes is functional so I had to order a replacement suitable for audio work. I took this opportunity/problem to order a 60MHz probe for cheap from Hantek to get a preview of their quality, both of the hardware and their representation of it.

I didn't imply that. We're both enjoying retirement, and I have the bonus that people are no longer hounding me to do stuff, as used to happen.