FLUKE 199C/003S

by Fluke

Product Features

•  SW90W FlukeView ScopeMeter Software
• Dual input 200 MHz bandwidth
• High resolution Color display
• 27,500 points per input record length using the ScopeRecord mode
• Fast display update rate for viewing dynamic behavior instantaneously

Product Details

• Item Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• ASIN: B0000YHOIW
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #132,908 in Industrial & Scientific (See Top 100 in Industrial & Scientific)

Product Description

Discontinued

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fluke 199C, February 7, 2009

By 

Ryan E. North "99thpercentile" (Vicksburg, MS United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: FLUKE 199C/003S

I like everything about this item except for the batteries. They don't last very long and can't be changed without voiding the calibration. I used a Tektronix unit in graduate school that had easily replaceable batteries that used an external charger. I think that system might have been a better idea. I have spoken with Fluke technical support to determine the most effective way to charge this item: one representative said that I can leave it plugged in all the time and it will be fine. Another representative said I should put it on a timer so it would only charge occasionally when I wasn't using it. I'm frustrated with $200 battery changes every year. Other than that I like it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Fluke 19X Series Are Best In Class, October 26, 2010

By 

EmbeddedFlyer (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: FLUKE 199C/003S

First of all, to the other reviwer's comment, yes the battery is the weak spot in this instrument. The good news is you can buy 3rd party batteries for about $60 and it's a 5 minute job to replace (the instructions are in the service manual on the Fluke website). Most people seem to get at least a few years out of a battery, and after a year, the calibration warranty is void anyway so opening it up isn't a big deal. You don't have to disturb anything inside to replace the battery, you just take the back off and there it is ready to unplug.

With that out of the way, this 190 series is a huge step up from Fluke's previous and smaller models. The screen updates are faster, the controls work a lot better, the triggering is better, etc. It's finally a *real* scope that happens to be relatively portable! It has most of the triggering, display, and other options you'll find on a typical benchtop digital scope in this price range.

And this scope has an often overlooked or unknown feature that can be HUGE. The inputs are isolated not only from ground but *from each other*. And that's a really rare and usually expensive feature. Nearly all scopes have the inputs connected to a common ground. So you can do things with the Fluke that would destroy most any other scope--like put a current shunt into a 240 VAC power circuit and display the current waveform across it while using the other channel to record the voltage.

Even the PC interface is fully isolated with an optical coupling. So the computer ground isn't connected to the scope's ground via the USB cable--another common problem with most scopes that support PC software. So you don't get nasty ground loops interfering with your measurements. The PC software, however, is rather crude. Don't expect it to behave like a USB-based scope. It basically just lets you run the scope remotely, save screens, etc. It doesn't have a live display of the scope's display.

The only other reasonably priced scope I know of with fully isolated inputs is the TEK TPS2000 series that starts at well over $3000 for the cheapest TPS2012. And the Tek has a really crummy 320x240 small low res display that would look more at home on something made by Hasbro or Mattel. And, on a scope, the display is *important*! So, yeah, the TPS2000 series has removable batteries, but it costs more and has an inferior display.

If you're considering one of these, you have to decide what your priorities are. If you need just basic field waveform measurements at lower frequencies there are lots of cheaper options. If you need a real full feature scope with a high bandwidth, sampling rate, large display, etc. and you want it to run from batteries, the 190 series is a strong contender. If you need fully isolated inputs, it's a no brainer unless you have a huge budget.

The Fluke 199C loses a star for the battery life issues, the limited optional software, and although it doesn't seem to have any vent openings, it *does* have an internal fan that's fairly quiet but still makes a bit of noise and will probably wear out someday.