[boznz]

RS232 is 12V, but a couple of resistors would sort that out.

If you're a beginner I would actually recommend the Saleae Logic Analyser over this scope, unless your routinely dealing with analog or voltages over 5.5V, the Saleae is much more useful, has serial (and other) decoders built in as opposed to having to pay extra on the Rigol, has better capture and triggers plus as a bonus it doesnt have that noisy fan going all the time.

[gh02t]

Yeah, in the article he uses a good old MAX3232, which is specifically for doing RS232 to TTL level shifting. Totally agree, the Saleae or one of the cheaper clones I linked is a better choice for most hobbyists. Scopes are indispensable for certain uses, but most Arduino/RasPi projects these days are all digital and you can do everything you need with a logic analyzer + a decent multimeter.

I use my scope just often enough that I'm glad I have it, but I sometimes also regret buying it because it's not that often that I actually need it.