Turn your PC in oscilloscope

Some later post about requirement for reading live mic/line-in for SimulIDE, remind me on this project I have had in mind for a long time...

Since I have no oscilloscope of any kind, this is acceptable solution for me, as I'm work only with low voltages under 5V, MCU related circuits. USB scope may be alternative, but I really do not want to spend so much money on it...

Several existed projects:
https://www.analog.com/en/analog-dialogue/articles/turning-pc-sound-card-into-sampling-oscilloscope.html
https://www.build-electronic-circuits.com/sound-card-oscilloscope/
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Isolator-circuit-for-soundcard-protection_fig3_254933865

Anyway, I do not want to toast my PC sound chip, being an amateur in electronic, I need to make deeper research, before I actually make it. Steve Garratt even wrote a book about, called "Sound Card Oscilloscope"...

I need also to find proper cheap probes or even make it somehow...
If anyone have a though/suggestion/experience about all this, feel free to write a comment.

I am also looking for an oscilloscope solution. I'm playing with RC planes and some of the components generate PWM signals. There are also discussion about noise in power lines when the motor is running. I want to see the signals and noise, and then confirm if a capacitor cleans up the noise. Simple real life applications.

Here are what I've found so far.

1. ZaidaScope (Arduino-based)
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/projects/tags/oscilloscope
There are 21 projects here, but ZaidaScope is the only one that is displays on PC. Rudimentary and a bit of a struggle trying to get it to work properly.

The other 20 projects uses small 1" OLED displays which is silly. PC screens are way better.

2. Begoscopio (Arduino-based)
https://www.instructables.com/Oscilloscope-Arduino-Processing/
The PC software seems better written, but I don't know enough about oscilloscopes yet to get it to work properly. I need to revisit this again.

3. Hantek 6022BE ($60 USB solution)
Very promising. Seems to do what I need and reasonably good probes. Watch it in action here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ts5J09Y7Gc

Thank you for your reply.

I have give up from Arduino based scope for several reasons: 10-bit resolution ADC, requiring external display which is problematic for update rate or UART communication to PC which is quite slow, even using 1Mbps max., negative rail missing (if needed). In order to add/fix all that, additional 16-bit ADC is needed, etc, etc. which add extra cost really fast. Better to use other, more capable MCU or even ARM, however, that is another platform...

I have also looked at Hantek 6022BE. But, the problem is the noise if used on standard PC under main power. On Laptop under battery power only, that is not bad solution at all. However, in my country, I cannot get it under $120 which is the price I will not pay anyway.

I will try Steve Garrat simple solution, I have just got needed pots and found some probes in my junk box.

There are many solutions:
1) zeitnitz PC oscilloscope with and below is test performed on transistor amplifier, operational amplifiers etc, sending signal into the amplifier, op-amp and testing the output, displaying on PC oscilloscope, here are some tutorials:
https://www.ee-diary.com/2021/10/Build-BJT-amplifier-test-with-Soundcard-PC-Oscilloscope.html
https://www.ee-diary.com/2021/10/Testing-self-biased-BJT-amplifier-breadboard-with%20PC-oscilloscope.html
even co-simulation with other electronics software such as proteus or you may be simuliIDE:
https://www.ee-diary.com/2021/10/Real-Time-Simulation-BJT-amplifier-using-Proteus-PC-Soundcard.html
2) you can use matlab as oscilloscope for real signal as well:
https://www.ee-diary.com/2022/02/How-to-use-Matlab-Simulink-as-Oscilloscope.html
https://www.ee-diary.com/2022/02/lm358-op-amp-integrator-test-with.html
3) you can also use acoustic sound software, which can read signals and display them, they even have spectrum analyzer and filters, bode plot as well, but i forgot the name of that sweet software. they come in free and paid version but free ones are also good.

i hope this helps

Hi,

I haven't been here for a long, log time, I have had way too much busy with my own obligations...

For this, basic hardware is cheap to build, but some good oscilloscope software for Linux still missing. I though to make one, but I was way too busy...

In Amazon...

ERYUE Portable Oscilloscope 2,4" with battery... 49€. Very chip and useful