Product ReviewsTektronix 2230 Digital Oscilloscope

Amazing....all the way from the States and still working :)

I just received this wonderful piece of instrumentation for my workshop.

It had been under way just about a week, and I was very ancious to test it out. The instrument was packed up really good, so it had a good chance of withstanding the long tour, and as it turned out, it did withstand it. Everything worked, at least as far as I have tested until now.

If I should give some critisism, it would only relate to the cleaning of the instrument itself, or rather lack of. Less than 10 minutes with a damp cloth would have done wonders to the overall appearance. The front with all the buttons was OK clean though, but the rest....I say no more. This is so far the only reason I give 4 stars (good) rather than 5 stars (excellent)

In any case I am now a very happy owner of the Tektronix 2230 - 2 channel 100Mhz storrage scope with delayed sweep, at a very affordable price. Thank you very much.

best regards SteenRead full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: xbluemoneyx

Cursor Circuit Not So Reliable

The cursor circuit failed on startup and did not work. Research found it is a common problem with this model, and not readily repairable due to scarcity of parts. It maybe attributed to a design issue. The cursor problem also effects the digital storage functionality and general use of the scope when trying to get accurate measurements.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: everythingautop...

Tektronix 2230 review

The scope is pretty advanced and it takes a bit of practice to set it up. It is easy to put it in x/y mode (channel 1 controlling the x axis and channel 2 controlling the y axis) and when it is in that mode you tend to wonder what is going on. Newer scopes have an Auto button, this one is all manual. I recommend to look up the 200 page manual and download before using.
Other than that: Lots of cool storage features, measurement cursors, all the bells and whistles.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: mikesmith34482011

Excellent scope available at good prices from great sellers

I use both virtual and physical instruments in the work I do, but I really like the tactile feel of a physical scope. Tek makes some of the best (and most expensive) scopes available and their products hold up extremely well over time. The cost effective LCD digital scopes available today from Rigol and a host of other manufacturers are good instruments, but they just don't have the "built to last" feel to them that the Tek, HP, or recent B&K scopes have.

The TEK 2230 is one of those solid and reliable instruments. Built and sold in the 80s, the majority of these scopes are still working and in good condition. The 2230 is a hybrid Analog and Digital scope with a front panel button that selects the desired mode.

In the Analog mode, it does everything you would expect a 100Mhz dual channel scope to do and everything Tek is famous for: Bright, sharp, and robust display that can take normal lab abuse over and over without failing. Rigid metal enclosures, strong handles, and front panel controls that don't break off after years of pushing, flipping, or turning. Independent triggering for A or B channel. Calibrated or continuously variable vertical/horizontal settings. Sweep time magnification. A, B, or A&B display with alternating or chopped sweep. Variable sweep trigger delay. Probe test. And more.

But the 2230 adds a digital assist feature that writes the vertical and horizontal settings on the screen which is perfect for photos or plain old readability when setting up the scope and taking measurements. You can adjust the brightness of this feature or turn it off when you don't need it.

The digital mode makes the 2230 a digitizing scope capable of on-screen horizontal and vertical measurements. Two selectable cursors allow taking independent or delta measurements from the waveform displayed on the screen. You can save the waveform to on-board memory and recall it later. And even store waveforms to a computer over a serial port. These were rocket science features back in the 80s but still hold up very well against modern fully digital scopes.

The Tek 2230 even includes an on-screen menu feature for selecting instrument options and self-tests.

After more than 30 years, the Tek 2230 is still a great instrument. And good ones are available from quality sellers at great prices. I have purchased several scopes on eBay with great success. Just be sure to become an informed buyer before you bid. I purchase only from equipment houses with a good reputation, but a knowledgeable independent seller can offer a good scope too. Be sure to ask questions and if the offer says "powers up but I don't know enough about this..." then just assume it's broken and bid accordingly. Or better yet, encourage sellers to become more informed about their offer by NOT bidding. "I don't know enough about this to test it", indeed.

After working with a good used Tek scope, the new LCD digital ones just won't seem as cool. The 2230 is a great product for the home lab. A quality used 2230 has many more years left in it. Look closely, pick a good seller, and I think you'll be as happy with yours as I am with mine.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: esssurplus

Tektronix 2230 Oscilloscope

The Tektronix 2230 oscilloscope is a great scope. I added it to my workbench after not working on electronics for many years. The first thing I did was hooked up a signal generator and checked the display and many of the functions. Also checked to see if the calibration for volts/div and time/div were close to being accurate. Impressed that it seems to be right on the money. The calibration tag on the scope is dated 2015. The scope is overall in very good condition. Very pleased with the purchase.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: blackstarscience

Fantastic Scope

This really is a fantastic oscilloscope. Nice bright, crisp display, plenty of features, and you can use it analog or as a storage scope. Definitely get one with a manual unless you're very familiar with using a scope loaded with all the goodies this one has.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Sold by: alltest_surplus

Tek 2230 is a great easy to use first scope

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: liquidationamer...

Great scope - like new - everything works and works well.

Speedy deliver - good price. Great scope - like new - everything works and works well. Thanks

Bob - W6OPO

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: shockcore

Great oscilloxope

Working well. Only needed some minor adjustments.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Sold by: testgearnation

Great old school oscilloscope

Perfect for helping me repair my pile of old 70s transistor guitar amps that need some refurbishing.

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: shorewa8