Introduction

The Sound Card Scope is a circuit that allows any maker to turn their microphone port on their computer or laptop into a low frequency oscilloscope that is capable of measuring frequencies between 50Hz and 18 kHz (this depends on the sound card being used). While microphone ports are primarily used to read analogue voltages from a microphone they can be used to plot the “volume level” that they are currently detecting on a graph and this is essentially what an oscilloscope does!

To use the Sound Card Scope you will need (none are included with the kit)

• BNC Probe
• 3.5mm male / male cable
• 9V Battery
• Windows 7 to 10
• Soundcard Oscilloscope Software (Free to download)
• Recommended Extra—Analog Explorer V1.0

Included in this kit

• 2 x LM358
• 1 x 555 Timer
• 3 x 8 DIP Socket
• 1 x 1nF Capacitor
• 6 x 100nF Capacitor
• 1 x 100uF Capacitor
• 1 x 470uF Capacitor
• 2 x 100 Resistor
• 4 x 1K Resistor
• 1 x 10K Resistor
• 2 x 100K Resistor
• 1 x Potentiometer
• 1 x 2N3904
• 1 x 2N3906
• 1 x 1N5817
• 2 x 5.1V Zener Diode
• 1 x 3mm LED
• 1 x 3.5mm Audio Socket
• 1 x BNC Connector
• 1 x PCB

What makes it special?

MitchElectronics kits are designed with education in mind and as such use high quality double sided PCBs. The through-hole plating of each pad means that even the most novice of builders will not be able to tear traces or break pads (unlike many other professional kits which only use single sided boards to save costs). These kits are also RoHS compliant which make them safe to use and no kits use non-RoHS components such as LDRs (which contain Cadmium).