Hi Guys,
The Nano Really Is Not That Crap! - I know, I was somewhat amazed as well.
I bought a Nano DSO (DS0201) for bit of a laugh, I travel quite a bit for work (Motorsport/automotive electroincs) and I always have my fluke meter for reliable basic readings in my field kit but sometimes a signal over time is just ideal.
If I need a reasonable field scope I will take either my Fluke196 or Agilent U1604A but most of the time its extra baggage that just increases flight costs.
So the super lightweight Nano in my field kit seemed a good idea for testing sensor outputs etc.. well first impressions were OK, and then went rapidly down hill... the layout painful, update cr*p etc. It did help more than once (even helped solve a problem on a half million pound supercar!) but if i lost it i would not buy it again.
However did a search for firmware upgrades and a guy called BENF has written some fantastic 3rd party firmware, dead easy to install using the DFUSE demo software from ST electonics and WOW, what a difference. Its like a different machine, I'm using the ver 3.62 firmware from BENF and the Nano is now an essential bit of super light field kit. Dont expect miracles, yeah this is still a hobby based bit of kit but for some basic tests it really is fantastic at the price!
Conclusion:
- Buy one and have a play, its dead cheap and ultra portable.
- Upgrade the firmware ASAP, I suggest the one by BENF.
- Use it within is designed scope of use and it should prove a useful tool for initial inspection.
- Don't expect it to replace your main field scope or bench scope.... it wont.
- If you can only afford to buy a single scope, save a bit more and get a reasonable low cost bench scope.
- But If you only need basic, low speed scope features this might just do the job.
Firmware link :
http://www.seeedstudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1793Upgrade tool from ST (DFUSE) :
http://www.st.com/stonline/stappl/resourceSelector/app?page=resourceSelector&doctype=SW_DEMO&ClassID=1734Just thought it was worth sharing, in case anyone was looking at getting (or has) one of them.
I'm now trawling the specs and looking at replacing my bench scope..... So which MSO, Aglient 2000 series or Tek MSO2014. Hmmm.. proper bench toys.
Laters, JD.