When analyzing the Best Automotive Oscilloscope, you would like to understand more about these instruments. They are typically used to troubleshoot data sources, ignitions, and monitors. These are some of the things that are troublesome mostly in the automotive industry.
You will discover that in telecommunication, physics, and industrial engineering, oscilloscopes are vital for a deeper analysis. They are used to check electrical waves, especially when a gadget fails. Also referred to as CRO or O-scope, they are electronic test instruments built to display various forms of signal voltages.
Our review process in this article has handpicked some of the best automotive oscilloscopes for a better understanding. Don’t forget to go through the buyer’s guide, frequently asked questions and every detail reviewed. The information comes in handy when you have to make an informed decision.
Below are some 8 top-rated automotive oscilloscopes that we found worthy of your attention.
Our Favorite Best Automotive Oscilloscope
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Automotive Oscilloscope Review
1. Hantek 1008B 8 Channels Automotive Diagnostic Oscilloscope
Just as the name suggests, Hantek 1008B has many channels that are a good option for people looking for that feature. With such channels, the performance is at par. It also has 2 USB interface plug meaning no need for an extra power supply. On the other hand, it supports more than twenty types of automatic testing diagnostic. Oh, did I mention that it supports Windows 7, 8, 2000, and XP?
Notable features
Efficiency
It is an amazing channel oscilloscope that can be used for vehicle testing. With a sensor, camshaft, crankshaft, throttle position can all be identifiable.
Sampling rate
With 2.4MSa real-time sampling, you can’t complain. The vertical resolution is at 12bit. Interestingly, the programmable channel generator is able to comfortably analog signals of camshaft and crankshaft.
Cost
The cost is reasonable considering that the features are on par. When it comes to vehicle testing, it gives results in the first diagnosis. You can identify idle exhaustion ignition through the diagnosis, starting exhaust ignitions, to name a few.
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Easy to use
- High efficiency
- It has 8 channels
Cons
- The sampling rate is a bit low
2. Hantek 1008C+ 8CH Automotive Diagnostic PC Oscilloscope
The pc-based automotive oscilloscope is equipped with a programmable waveform generator, making it a fantastic choice for home automotive applications. On top of that it uses the updated technology that helps you in detecting any defects on your car. Amazingly, it has the live video option. What else can you ask for? With the video option, you can view live diagnostics issues.
Other notable features
Functionality
When you compare it with other automotive oscilloscopes, it is incomparable. It has a built-in FFT function plus 20 automatic measurements. How about the waveform generator? It has all these functions.
Cost
If you compare its functions and abilities, pricing will definitely not be an issue. The price is worth and reasonable for such an oscilloscope.
Speed
With 8 channels under its name, then speed is not negotiable. It has a real speed of around 2.4MSa/SEC and able to carry more than 20 tasks. The tasks include voltage measurements, time, cursors and other basic arithmetic.
Long lasting
The oscilloscope is built to capture the waveforms for long periods. It has forms of sensors like the lambda, crankshaft hate and throttle.
Pros
- It has 8 channels
- It has a programmable wave generator
- Its software is easy to install and use
- It has several sensors
- Variety of features
Cons
- The sample rate is very low
3. YEAPOOK Handheld Portable Mini Digital Oscilloscope
For those who love DIY automotive, then this is a fantastic option for you. With a superb well-done design, you can conclude that it is pretty impressive. In terms of portability, Yeapook Handheld Portable Mini Digital Oscilloscope is among the handheld available today.
Other features
Easy to use
Most DIY kind of hobbyists love something that is not complicated in terms of usage. This oscilloscope has an interface that is easy to navigate around. It is a kind of DIY that doesn’t need any professional advice to use.
Resolution
It has a high resolution making the waveforms readable. You might dismiss it for the size of the screen, but waveforms are well outlined. That means no reading issues have been reported.
Cost-effective
The price is not a wrong catch. If you can use it to diagnose most of your vehicle diagnostic problems, the price is reasonable. But when you need to analyze more complicated issues, then it is not a good option.
Pros
- It is cost-effective
- Easy to use
- It is easy to navigate through the interface
- It has the ability to record and playback the waveforms
Cons
- The sample memory is a bit low
- Some complained of the size of the screen (small)
4. Autel MaxiScope MP408
Autel MaxiScope is an oscilloscope that any vehicle owner should consider having. The beauty about it is that it is suitable for testing all your electrical concerns in modern vehicles. For industries that deal with electronic signals, consider this oscilloscope as a darling to your industries. Again, it comes with a free MPO8, and that is a fantastic feature.
Other notable features
Portable
It is effortless to use this system considering that you can carry it anywhere. For you to use it, you have to connect the USB to the PC. So using it everywhere is made possible by the fact that its power comes from the USB port. In that case, you don’t need any batteries or other sources of power.
Design
You can rule out the design, which can be described as an “Intuitive UI Design”. Through it, you can be able to do manual editing. Again, the point adjustments offer real-time scaling of info, giving you an easy way to capture signal details.
Display
It is possible to read all the electrical signals revolution waveform. This is because it is compatible with LIN as well as CAN.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Cost friendly
- Portable
Cons
- It doesn’t have a good recording function
5. Mrcartool Hantek 1008C 8Channel
When you read an eight-channel oscilloscope, you already have an idea of what the system can do. The system boasts of more than 80 types of automotive diagnostic functions. Some of the functions include; ignition, sensor, starter, bus detention, and charging circuits.
Other notable functions
Help function
What else can you ask for? With a video help function, you can watch the diagnostics online. After that, you can print the results or even take a screenshot. If you intend to do all this, push one key, and you will be directed to save. Saving can be done through text, CSV, RFC, or jpg.
Cost
While you may want to ignore the cost factor, you can’t. The system is well priced, considering it has so much to offer.
Easy to use
Using this oscilloscope is not complicated. The interface is the same as that of the bench oscilloscope. Again it has 20 types of automatic testing functions. That makes your diagnosis more manageable.
Pros
- Cost friendly
- Easy to use
- More testing functions
Cons
- Doesn’t come with enough probes
6. Handheld Oscilloscope Hantek 2D82AUTO
The black oscilloscope has stolen the lightweight concept that seems to be on the move lately. It has further added a new generation 4 in 1 multifunction tester that makes it more ideal. Also, you can’t ignore the fact that it has some automotive diagnostics built-in.
Other notable features
Automotive functions
It has many automotive functions worth noting. They include; air diagnostics, bus diagnostics, sensor diagnostics, charge diagnostics, to name a few.
Power
It has an ultra-low-power, type C charging interface. If you consider using it for a full day, you don’t have to worry about the battery.
Portable
Due to its lightweight nature, you can use it anywhere since it is portable.
Easy to use; the system has a very undetailed keyboard design that making the operation easy. Notable is also the color LCD screen displays which are clear and good quality. Generally, this product is 100 percent of high quality.
Pros
- Portable
- It has many functions in one device
- Includes a lot of accessories
- Built-in self-test
Cons
- We don’t know about its performance
7. Allsun Handheld Digital Oscilloscope
Allusun handheld scope is very good at performing the basic oscilloscope measurements. It is because it features a 50 MHz bandwidth and has a sampling rate of 200 MSa/s. The colored screen has a high resolution of 320 z 240 mm high. At a deeper analysis, the system is fitted with a 6000-count high-precision multimeter chip.
Other notable features
Quality
The Allusun handheld scope has a multimeter that is of high quality. It can perform many functions without tearing. Allsun Handheld scope can measure the voltage, capacitance, continuity, and resistance. As if that is not enough, you can perform diode tests and trace the screen’s multimeter readings using this system.
Rechargeable batteries
When traveling you don’t have to worry about power shortages. You can carry your battery and charge it as you proceed with your journey.
Portable
You can move with it from wherever you want.
Accurate
Don’t underestimate how accurate this oscilloscope is in terms of fault detection. It can detect the faults of a circuit test and give you great analysis making your work easier.
Pros
- Portable making it a good scope for field work
- Accurate
- Quality is good
Cons
- The English translation can be annoying
Best Automotive Oscilloscope Buying guide
When buying an oscilloscope, put in mind the contents of a good oscilloscope. The one that can give clear details on the time and strength of the signal is ideal. The noise component, signal voltage, signals changes at any particular time should also not be ignored.
As we take a tour of the automotive oscilloscope review, let’s learn more about what to look for while buying an oscilloscope.
Sampling rate
It refers to the number of times an oscilloscope can pick a circuit per second. When it comes to the automotive oscilloscope, the most suitable sampling is real-time. Consider picking an oscilloscope with a higher sampling rate for all your diagnostic needs.
Memory depth
It is the place that the processed information is stored. An oscilloscope with deep memory helps the consumers to get a high sampling rate. Sample rates are normally situated far from each other. That means if the depth memory is small, it can prevent the scope from having the correct waveform. The larger one is also not good. So choose the one with at least 8 bits.
Channels
It is equally important to consider this factor. The more channels the oscilloscope has, the better the signal strength. Whether you are looking for an automotive oscilloscope for sale or your use, take the one with more. 2 in channels are good for crankshaft and camshaft, whereas the 4 channel is an excellent choice for the normal crank.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth should be five times than the signal frequency. This is for a better description of waveforms. So when shopping for your best automotive oscilloscope, emphasize on this feature.
Probes
You cannot test the current signals or ignitions with the absence of probes. These are used to expand the input range found in your oscilloscope.
There is so much to look for when shopping. But the above will give you an idea of what to look for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I really need an automotive oscilloscope?
A: Yes you do. Follow these steps to choose a good oscilloscope.
- Don’t have an oscilloscope and scan in the same unit.
- Don’t take the oscilloscopes targeted for industrial and scientific applications.
- Consider taking an oscilloscope with essential features like bandwidth, sampling, channels, memory depth, etc.
- Make an informed decision on handheld and pc based oscilloscopes. Do a research to know what fits your needs.
- Consider the probes available.
- Don’t ignore the recommendations
Q: What is the best oscilloscope for automotive?
A: We have a variety that you can choose. They include;
- Hantek 1008B
- Hantek 1008C+ 8CH
- YEAPOOK Handheld Portable
- Autel MaxiScope MP408
- Mrcartool Hantek 1008C 8Channel
- Handheld Oscilloscope Hantek 2D82AUTO
- Allsun Handheld Digital Oscilloscope
Q: What are the two kinds of automotive oscilloscopes?
A: Below are the two types of oscilloscopes available in the market today.
- Analog Oscilloscopes – This kind of oscilloscope is normally used to locate the signal in real-time. They work hand in hand with the magnitude signals.
- Digital Oscilloscopes – This converts the analog to digital and presents them in graphic form. Suitable for one-time signal.
Q: What is an automotive oscilloscope?
A: Automotive oscilloscope is an electric diagnostic tool that is used to identify electrical problems in a vehicle. While using this device, you can easily analyze different voltages and test a variety of electrical components.
Q: What are the limitations of automotive oscilloscopes?
A: We will look at the limitation of both the analog and digital.
Analog oscilloscope
- It is hard to use
- Not a good tool to analyze high frequency.
- Does not have extra features found on digital oscilloscopes.
- It is costly and this depends on the features and models.
- For measurement it requires ADC
Final Thoughts
Now that we have a guide to help us identify the best automotive oscilloscopes, the ball lies on our side. The myth of “it is how much money you spend” that you will get a better one may or may not apply. As you have seen, we have taken time to review the best there is in the market today. All you have to do is put in your needs first and identify what suits your budget. All the above are good but study their features, pros, and cons carefully to understand better. “As always, happy shopping.”
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