The difference between a multimeter and an oscilloscope in measuring circuit parameters
Due to work needs, I have used both a multimeter and an oscilloscope when soldering circuit boards and debugging circuits. To be honest, I feel that I have more opportunities to use a multimeter than an oscilloscope in my daily work. Unless a problem cannot be solved with a multimeter, I use an oscilloscope to solve it. Generally, I have two multimeter types on hand, one is analog pointer type and the other is digital.
Pointer multimeter
The analog pointer multimeter is very awesome in some special occasions. For example, I often use the pointer multimeter to judge whether the unmarked triode is PNP type or NPN type. At this time, it is very convenient to use the pointer multimeter to judge the forward and reverse direction of the PN junction of the triode and the degree of the triode continuity; You can also use a pointer multimeter to determine the polarity and quality of the drain (D), source (S), and gate (G) of MOS transistors; We use a pointer multimeter.
Digital multimeter
A digital multimeter is known for its high accuracy, convenient reading of measurement values, and strong overload capacity. When measuring voltage, current, and resistance on a circuit board, I often use a digital multimeter. Due to the holding function of a digital multimeter when measuring voltage and current, it is very convenient for measuring readings. Therefore, when repairing and debugging circuit boards, they are often combined based on their respective "strengths".
The main function of an oscilloscope
Just now, we talked about the work that a multimeter can undertake. Now, let's talk about an oscilloscope. Let's give an inappropriate example, a multimeter is equivalent to a stethoscope that doctors often carry during their visits. It is convenient to carry but has limited functions, such as measuring voltage, current, resistance, transistor type, and so on; The oscilloscope, on the other hand, is equivalent to a CT machine in a hospital, with powerful functions that can be checked on any part of the human body, but it is expensive. So the oscilloscope used by our electronic maintenance technicians is similar to this instrument. In terms of oscilloscope types, there are generally two types, one is analog oscilloscope and the other is digital oscilloscope. Their common feature is that they can not only measure the voltage and current of the circuit, but also measure the waveform, phase, period, frequency, and many other parameters of the circuit board. From this perspective, the oscilloscope's "skills" are more versatile.
Especially in digital circuits, when capturing "fleeting" transient signals, the oscilloscope is a powerful assistant, with a "capture" time of up to milliseconds and a "capture" frequency of up to hundreds of megahertz.
