Almost all measurements with oscilloscopes cannot be performed with a sound card. However, if your application meets these...
Your signal is intrinsically AC coupled
Nothing you're interested in is outside the audio band (50Hz to 5kHz or so)
Up to a second delay for the screen update latency (depending on sound card) is ok
Your circuit is floating, so you can tie its ground to the computer's ground
16 bit digitization (or worse) is enough
No hardware triggering (all done in software)
When dual channel, both have the same settings
Input resistance is unimportant
You need to take a really careful look at what you're trying to do... it is usually better to buy an oscilloscope or a PCI 'scope card. However, if you want to make measurements in the field and keep costs down, that's a lot of extra stuff to carry around.
Corrosion measurements on aircraft is an application where a sound card is appropriate, because it meets those limitations and carrying extra equipment around the aircraft is a real pain.
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You need to take a really careful look at what you're trying to do ... it is usually better to buy an oscilloscope or a PCI 'scope card. However, if you want to make measurements in the field and keep costs down, that's a lot of extra stuff to carry around.
Corrosion measurements on aircraft is an application where a sound card is appropriate, because it meets those limitations and carrying extra equipment around the aircraft is a real pain.