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

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…
  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps 11 months ago in reply to Jan Cumps

    I  created a driver with NI-VISA Driver Wizard, then looked up what the right URI format is, for raw USB.


    And based on the info in the wizard, and those instructions, I forged the URI:image

    Unfortunately, when I test it now, it doesn't connect. I hope I documented my work ...

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  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps 11 months ago in reply to Hattifnatten

    I found my instructions back: community.element14.com/.../first-impressions-software-control-of-multicomp-pro-handheld-oscilloscope---scpi

    It doesn't work anymore, though. Even though the device enumerates correctly, using NI-VISA's driver, I get no connection. 

    No clue ...

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  • Hattifnatten
    Hattifnatten 11 months ago in reply to Jan Cumps

    Hi Jan

    Thanks for reply, I know it is an older thread..

    I can make the driver with the NI driver tool but, it wont accept the certificate.

    I think it is some policy on Microsoft part that is more limited now.

    The example from the thread based on Python is working fine, but i have a vba macro that i use with other instruments, and would like to add the OWON HDS242S to the bunch.

    BR

    Jorgen

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  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps 11 months ago in reply to Hattifnatten

    there is a way to make windows accept a non-signed driver. It requires a one-time restart in a special boot mode:.

    This instruction works for win10. Will also work for W11, but things may be slightly different: https://support.viewsonic.com/en/support/solutions/articles/33000252416-how-to-install-unsigned-drivers-in-windows-10

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  • electronicbiker
    electronicbiker 11 months ago in reply to dougw

    Aaaaaaarrrrrrgh! I hate touch screens! In the case of a DMM the screen would be at the mercy of oily fingers, the oil possibly containing metallic microparticles. The fingers might be protected by surgical rubber gloves that have been worn several times previously, and maybe still have traces of solvents on them. And then theres the sawdust, getting wiped off with an oily rag. A rotary switch for me, with the control knob 'dished' so as to reduce the possibility of debris disappearing down the sides. I had a really cheap and not nasty analogue MM once upon a time - it had one 2mm (approx) socket marked with a minus sign, and several other 2mm sockets identified as +5mA, +10mA, +20vDC, etc, into which the user plugged the red probe. No moving parts, no switch to wear out, worked a treat. I've never seen one like that since.

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