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Member's Forum Should Handheld multimeters have color LCD displays?
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Should Handheld multimeters have color LCD displays?

scottiebabe
scottiebabe over 2 years ago

As I am waiting for my OWON HDS242 to come in the mail, I thought I might ask other members how they feel about a handheld multimeter having a power hungry color LCD display.

The product webpage suggests a battery life of 3-6 hours. https://www.owon.com.hk/products_owon_hds200_series_digital_oscilloscope 

Even more interesting/exciting is the batteries can be recharged with a USB-C cable.

Based on Kerry Wong's teardown: http://www.kerrywong.com/2021/09/18/teardown-of-an-owon-hds272s-3-in-1-handheld-oscilloscope-dmm-awg-compared-with-hantek-2d72/ the multimeter functionality is galvanically isolated from the usb connector.

What do you think?

First time trying the poll feature, hopefully I didn't goof it!

Based on Kerry's notes the meter also has the bones of a real oscilloscope (ADC, FPGA, Sample memory, etc..) How performant is oscilloscope it? I don't know yet.... But I am intrigued!

Update: The scopemeter arrived!

Indoors the color LCD looks awesome! For me my multimeter ends up either sitting flat on my desk on in my lap and in both those cases the display is 10x easier to read than a segment LCD without a backlight.

Outdoors with direct sunlight the segment LCD is easier to read than the color LCD.

In the shade outdoors, I think both display technologies are equally legible.

image

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Top Replies

  • baldengineer
    baldengineer over 2 years ago +6
    So.... I'd say, "yes," but, I'd rather have a higher-quality monochrome than a lower-quality color. That said if I can slightly flex, a company called Kaitweets sent me one of their meters. These are…
  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps over 2 years ago +4
    I voted Yes! although I don't know why I'd need it yet. In other instruments, colour has often been a gimmick in the beginning. But then real good use was found for it. I put my money on this: "in a…
  • dang74
    dang74 over 2 years ago +4
    I voted yes, but it was in context to the additional information that was provided, namely that in this case it's perfectly acceptable because the product also doubles as an oscilloscope. Should all manufacturers…
Parents
  • scottiebabe
    scottiebabe over 2 years ago

    There is no denying I got a warm fuzzy feeling when I powered on the scopemeter for the first time! But who doesn’t like getting new shinny things, or better yet, new test gear!
    Ohh Scottie what frequencies does your induction cooktop switch at?
    Let me make a loop antenna with my scope probe and measure it with my OWON HDS242 scopemeter:

    image

    Between 19 kHz and 36 kHz. LOL


    I definitely love having a bright color display! Will I love the battery life that is the question!!

    image

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  • shabaz
    shabaz over 2 years ago in reply to scottiebabe

    I was wondering what looked weird in that photo (apart from seeing the waveform on a multimeter!), and then realized that it just looks strange not having any normal multimeter test leads connected to it : ) 

    It's a very much useful device than I originally thought.. I didn't realize it was dual channel.

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  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps over 2 years ago in reply to shabaz

    I saw it too.

    I think it's a lovely device. The first time I see a non-bench oscilloscope, and I think it's not a gimmick.

    My bench space is limited. When I need a scope, I have to get it and give it bench space.
    The Owon would be an excellent contender in a generic probing exercises.

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  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps over 2 years ago in reply to shabaz

    I saw it too.

    I think it's a lovely device. The first time I see a non-bench oscilloscope, and I think it's not a gimmick.

    My bench space is limited. When I need a scope, I have to get it and give it bench space.
    The Owon would be an excellent contender in a generic probing exercises.

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