Do any of you know a good source (good=inexpensive) for the DVM, or oscilloscope module for a PDA? Or a scope set that will work through my laptop?

I did a google, and my head is spinning now

I don't know of anything with decent bandwidth. Why not find a good used Tektronix scope like a 465 or 475, or maybe one of these?

I saw all those scopes on Ebay, Id rather just have an add on to my laptop, or pda, rather than a dedicated scope.. I always have my laptop at the track, and the scope would just be another tool in the quiver

It depends on what you want it for. "Decent bandwidth" for just about any automotive related task is under 1MHz, which even the worst of the super-cheap PC scopes will do.

Look at this osziFox

It's small, very portable, cheap (under $150), and hooks up to a PC for more functions. It's bandwidth will be plenty adequate for looking at any automotive signals. They're available from several sources, not just this one. You'd have some trouble if you wanted to do a deep dive into the guts of a digital ECU, but it would work with an analog D-Jet or L-Jet ECU.

Hi
I have an oszifox. I used it to checkout the sensors on my
3.2l. It really is a crude tool. There are oscilloscope modules that go with your laptop, but they are really pricey, like 1000$. A used portable scope off ebay will be a usefull tool in many circumstances and can be had in the 100$ range.

best Mark

If you decide you want a real oscilloscope, I have a good one I'd be willing to part with.

Tim,
I haven't used either of these, but they are rather prominently
advertised in the mags I get. Both are USB connected

www.bitscope.com $295, 100MHz

StingRay www.saelig.com $199, 1MHz

That Stingray looks sweet! Before I do another PEFI retrofit on ANYTHING else, I want one of those. It's a little box to keep your sanity in (so you don't lose it).

-Ben M.

I'd go for the low-end Bitscope over the Stingray. The bottom end model is only $50 more, and it's got MUCH higher specs. 1Ms/s is actually pretty low. Even the "crude" osziFox does better than that, and it's much more portable and can be used in a pinch with no PC at all.

edit: my mistake, they raised the price since I last looked. The BS50U is now $300, so it's $100 more. 100Mhz analog bandwidth, variable sampling rates up to 40Ms/s.

found something

http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/OTC-3961P.html

Pelican sells it also, but without the included pda

http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/shopcart...CAT447_pg50.htm

What, exactly, are you going to use this 'scope for, Tim? The Palm doodad you just pointed to has a max. sampling rate of only 200kHz. This is adequate if all you'll be doing is looking at things on a car, the fastest of which would be a VR signal from a Motronic flywheel sensor. However, for that price, you can do quite a bit better. Metex and Velleman both make low-end hand-held scopes for $200-400 that have better resolution and don't require a separate box, a mess of cables, and a Palm:

Metex at Jameco

There are 20Mhz bench scopes for about the same price as that Palm thing, too.

I just got a Tec. brand 100Mhz scope with the 1x/10x cables for $300....you can find them cheaper on eBay sometimes, but I know and trust the guy I bought mine from