Hi everyone,

I have a chance to purchase a used ADC 212/3 for half the cost of a new 3223. With the savings
I could purchase an autowyze probe, a pico 20:1 attenuator and a nerd cd. I work mostly on
VW's and would be using the ADC 212/3 for ignition coil diagnosis and using my firstlook sensor.
After reading posts on this forum and the pico forum it seems that the 3223 is many times
better than the ADC 212/3. Would I notice the difference for what I am using the scope for or would
a 3223 be the best way to go.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Tech,

You will probably want two attenuators with that 212/3.  Our kits have an attenuator for each channel because you will need them.  Kits from other sources do not.  Our kits also include our exclusive support and training system (normally $350 year)  

The 212/3 is a very capable scope and will outperform most automotive scopes on the market.  I can't tell you what to choose, but I can provide you with some information to help you make the choice.

• The 212/3 has an external trigger and signal generator feature that the 3000 series units do not have.  

• The 212/3 is a parallel unit, which is much slower at communication with the PC than the 3000 series USB models.

• The 3000 series can sample hundreds of times faster due to its 512K buffer (32K on the 212/3) and 20MHz ADC (3MHz in the 212/3)

• The 3000 series has thermal fuse protection to help guard against shorts through the scope common grounds.

• The new PicoScope 6 can run the 3000 series at sample rates thousands of times faster than the 212/3.

• The 3000 series has a +-50v range. The 212/3 +-20v.

• A minor thing, the 212/3 requires an external power supply while the 3000 series is USB powered.

In short, you will notice the difference.  Also if your PC does not have a parallel port or one that cannot be configured to work with the 212/3, you will need to purchase a $90 USB converter to make it work.  That's unusual though.  Most can be made to work by adjusting settings in the BIOS.  Usually that's not even an issue and it just works.

Feel free to call me if you want to discuss.  Toll free US/CA 877-628-4899

Tech,

Ron Brown is a good guy.  Last I knew he was a Pico distributor up there.  I try to refer my Canadian inquiries to him, but most still seem to purchase from Autonerdz anyway.  UPS Express to Canada usually runs $100-$130 USD. 

The 3000 series runs fine over USB 1.1 but in block mode the data transfer takes longer.  This just means slower screen updates and bigger spaces between screens not slower sample rates.  However, using PicoScope 6 streaming nearly a million samples per channel to PC memory, I found that there was no measurable difference between USB 1.1 and 2.0.  If you get a PCM/CIA card, make sure it can power USB devices adequately or you'll then need a powered USB hub.   

As for sample rates, you can compare the 212/3 and 3223 by using our sample rate calculator:

http://www.autonerdz.com/java/SampleRateCalculator.html

Divide buffer and ADC maximums by two for dual channel use on both units.