Does Anyone Actually Use an Oscilloscope In Data Recovery?

[Jared]

Watching the advertising videos from a lot of other data recovery companies, I'm always seeing an oscilloscope with a sine wave on it. I'm well aware of what an oscilloscope is and what it does, I just can't see any reason to need one for most types of data recovery.

Do any of you actually use an oscilloscope, and if so what for?

My assumption has always been that they were just put there to look high tech, and serve pretty much no other function.

 

[LarrySabo]

I used to use one all the time for repairing computer monitors, but sold it because I rarely used it after the monitor repair market became unprofitable. Swapping PCBs and ROM (contents) kind of makes repairing them pointless. Maybe the flash repair guys use them, but I'd be surprised.

 

[lcoughey]

I had hired a guy with a PhD in MicroElectronics once who said it would be useful, so I bought him one. I don't think he knew how to use it. We've used it a few times since for testing thumb drive crystals, I do believe.

 

[michael chiklis]

I think some DR technician do use oscilloscope to debug MCU output when is needed to rebuild lost ROM adaptives, IMHO.
However is not difficult to use oscilloscope, i even used it in electronic lab at school.