Many people who enjoy electronics as a hobby or in education (where budgets are always tight) don't always need a super-high-end oscilloscope but instead rather require something that is very affordable yet highly usable in practice.

The PCB-scope is just that - simple to use, yet with a full feature set as you will find on professional instruments. The Windows software is free of charge and the PCB-scope connects via a standard micro-USB cable (as used by most cameras, mobile phones and e-readers, not included).

PCB-scope grew out of the earlier DPScope project to see how a PCB based scope design could be simplified yet still give the functionality, look and feel of a real oscilloscope. It is primarily geared towards education and beginners and is ideal for use within PICAXE microcontroller projects.

PCB-scope highlights:

Oscilloscope, logic analyzer and datalogger in one instrument.
Two analogue input channels (for scope and datalogger modes) - many of the low-end scopes on the market only have a single channel which makes them very limited as you often need to display one signal with respect to another (e.g. clock vs. data), or trigger on a signal different to the one you want to look at.
Four digital input channels (for logic analyzer and datalogger modes)
Triggering on CH1, a dedicated trigger channel, or free running. (Logic analyzer can trigger on any of the digital channels).
Trigger on rising or falling edge (selectable), or free running.
Covers the typical applications in a hobby/PICAXE environment: Analogue signals like audio (0 - 20 kHz), ultrasound, infrared sensors (38 kHz), servo motor control (a few kHz). Logic signals like e.g. RS-232, CAN, I2C, SPI, one-wire. Slow changing signals like temperature sensors etc.
Spectrum analyzer functionality (real-time Fast Fourier Transformation) so one can look at things like 50 (or 60) Hz interference, distortion in an audio amplifier or look for oscillations in a power supply.
Fast and smooth acquisition - shows the signals "as they happen", with a screen update rate up to 20 frames/sec.
Wide input range - from millivolts to > 20V (> 200V with an optional 1:10 scope probe)
Very low-cost
Small and easy to use so even a user without much experience with oscilloscope gets a quick start, and compact so it doesn't use much desk space.
Uses standard micro USB to connect to a computer as well as for power supply
Dual connectors (supplied) for easy breadboard connection.

Specification:

Number of analogue (scope) channels : 2 signal channels + external trigger input
Number of digital (logic analyzer) channels : 4
Analogue bandwidth (scope channels) : > 300 kHz
Input impedance : Scope channels : 1 Mohm || 15 pF Ext. trigger: high impedance Logic analyzer: high impedance
Signal connection : Scope: 0.1" jumper posts Logic analyzer: 0.1" jumper posts.
Vertical sensitivity (analog channels) : 50 mV/div to 2 V/div (1:1 probe)
Logic threshold (logic analyzer channels) : TTL (also works for 5V / 3.3V / 2.5V CMOS, RS-232)
Vertical resolution : 8 bits (scope mode) 10 bits (datalogger mode)
Vertical offset : +/-6 divisions
Maximum voltage range : Scope inputs: -24V ... 24V (1:1 probe) External trigger input: -1 ... +6V
Offset adjustment : Yes
Max. sample rate (single shot) : Scope: 50 kSample/sec Logic analyzer: 1 MSamples/sec
Max. sample rate (repetitive signals) : 2 MSamples/sec (scope mode only)
Timebase settings : Scope: 5 usec/div ... 1 sec/div Logic analyzer: 10 usec/div ... 1 sec/div Datalogger: 0.5 sec/div ... 1 hr/div
FFT (frequency spectrum) frequency range : Up to 25 kHz
Trigger source : Scope mode: CH1, external, auto (free run)Logic analyzer: any of the 4 digital channels
Trigger polarity : Rising edge,falling edge
Max. trigger rate : Scope: ~60 kHz Logic analyzer: > 1 MHz
Record length (normal mode) : Scope mode: 200 points/channel FFT (frequency spectrum): 400 points/channel Logic Analyzer: 850 points/channel Datalogger (roll) model: unlimited
Max. screen refresh rate : Up to 20+ frames/sec (both channels on) (sufficiently fast PC required)
Datalogger mode (roll mode) : Yes (data can be logged to file in real time)
Real-time FFT : Yes
FFT filters : Rectangular, Hanning, Hamming, Blackman
Averaging : Yes (1 / 2 / 5 / 10 / 20 / 50 / 100)
Display styles (can be combined) : Points, Vectors (Lines), Infinite Persistence
Fully automated measurements : Level: low, high, mid level, amplitude,DC average, AC RMS Time: period, frequency,duty cycle, pos. width, neg. width, rise time, fall time
Waveform cursors : Yes (horizontal and vertical pairs)
Waveform export (e.g. to Excel) : Yes (CSV format)
Save/restore of scope set ups : Yes
PC connection : USB (HID device), no special driver needed
PC software : Windows 2000, XP (SP3), Vista, 7, 8
Minimum screen size : 1024 x 768 pixel
Power supply : Through USB (5V / 70mA)
Microcontroller and USB interface : Fully pre-programmed; no programming required