What is a Digital Storage Oscilloscope?

A digital Storage oscilloscope or DSO is a tool that is used to diagnose electrical problems that cannot normally be seen with a standard automotive multimeter. A DSO allows a technician to capture voltage readings over a period of time and view that information graphically. This allows the technician to get very detailed in their diagnostics and find issues that cannot normally be seen with a standard diagnostic tool. If you were to think of a normal handheld multimeter as a film camera that takes in a small amount of light to create a picture, then you can think of an Oscilloscope as a High definition video camera that lets you take detailed information over an extended period of time!