Best oscilloscope right now under 500$

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
I feel left out here. I just purchased this one. I don't see a mention of it at all on this thread. It was recommended by an avionics engineer.
I'm no expert but this works for what I do.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011IFQUQ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
That's the GW Instek GDS-1054B. You're right, it's a nice scope, and it's even cheaper than the Rigol DS1054z.

However, it's only 50Mhz (yes, as is the DS1054z, but the Rigol can be unlocked to 100MHz for free), and it has no serial decode (yes, it's an option on the Rigol, but like the BW upgrade it can be unlocked for free, and for a while it's even included officially by Rigol on new purchases).

I don't think there is a BW hack for the GW Instek GDS-1000B Series, and while there is a way to hack serial decode functionality from the GDS-2000 Series into the GDS-1000B, GW Instek can (and at some point certainly will) put a stop into this with a new firmware version.

The GDS-1000B does have better FFT (1M vs 16kpts on the Rigol), and I believe 10Mpts on each channel which is more than the Rigol.

So it's not a bad scope, however the lack of BW and the question over the serial decode hack make it in my opinion less attractive than the Rigol DS1054z and the Siglent SDS1000X-E.
 

MB107

Joined Jul 24, 2016
345
Thanks for the replay.

I actually find that encouraging. I actually have no need at least at the moment for anything over 50MHz. Infact I really have no need for anything over 100KHz. Who knows what the future hold for me but everything I will be doing with this will be for vibration and sound analysis. Also FFT's are a huge plus for me. I purchased mine on amazon it was actually $20 more than the Rigol but there was not even an honorable mention of FFT's for the Rigol. The only thing that really caught me by surprise and I guess I should have expected it at the price was that these are 8 bit scopes. I wasn't aware 8 bit stuff still existed but I can deal with it.
 

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
I actually find that encouraging. I actually have no need at least at the moment for anything over 50MHz. Infact I really have no need for anything over 100KHz. Who knows what the future hold for me but everything I will be doing with this will be for vibration and sound analysis. Also FFT's are a huge plus for me.
As I'm sure will be the large memory.

For vibration analysis the GDS-1054B is probably the best choice in this price class.

I purchased mine on amazon it was actually $20 more than the Rigol but there was not even an honorable mention of FFT's for the Rigol. The only thing that really caught me by surprise and I guess I should have expected it at the price was that these are 8 bit scopes. I wasn't aware 8 bit stuff still existed but I can deal with it.
To be fair, the majority of scopes are 8bit scopes, not just in the entry-level but even in the high-end. Only in more recent years the number of 10bit and 12bit scopes has increased. Simply because it's not a real limitation for most common applications.
 

MB107

Joined Jul 24, 2016
345
Agree, I am making a poor mans dynamic signal Analyzer with it. Those are typically 16 bit but cost north of $20K. But my company buys those so I'm just not used to anything less than 16 bit. 8 bit will work fine as long as I am careful with the ranges I set. 16 bit really works nice in situations where you cant use auto range and don't know where the signal will peak at. With 16 bits you can always use the full available range and be guaranteed to have great resolution. Works great for capturing transient events.
 

cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,220
I've kept quiet so far in this thread so far because I'm truly naivé about the subject and don't want to disrupt the conversation with stupid questions. But I think the time has come to ask the stupid questions anyway because I don't want to stay stupid, if you know what I mean...

So here it goes: I've noticed that among the most reputable members in this place, there seems to be an consensus in that USB scopes suck ... so far, the only thing I've heard about them from those sources is that their only good attribute is that they're cheap (or inexpensive, if one's PC inclined).

Question, are the specs given on the the hantek scopes to be trusted? Specifically this one:

https://www.banggood.com/Hantek-620...-p-1376104.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

The performance of this model could even better than the performance of benchtop oscilloscope. It has 4 independent analog channels, 1GSa/s real-time sampling rate, 2mV-10V/DIV input sensitivity, and 200MHz bandwidth.
Pass/fail test, resourceful trigger function, dynamic cursor tracking, waveform record and re play function. The operation interface is similar to banchtop oscilloscope, easy to operate with high cost performance.
USB2.0 Interface, plug and play device.
Good mechanical design with small size which is easy for carrying. The outer case is made by the same material with iPad - Anodised aluminium. It has great heat resistance and abrasive resistance with beautiful appearance. The hardness of aluminium alloy surface is greatly improved.
Fit for the portable computers, table PC, and repairing/fixing of production line. Suitable for business trip use.
Software support: Windows10, Windows 8, Windows 7.
The waveform data could be output to EXCEL,BMP,JPG as time and voltage category.
More than 20 kinds of automatic measurement function, PASS/FAIL Check function, fit for engineering application.
Waveform averaging, afterglow, lightness control, reverse, add, subtract, multiply, divide, X-Y display.
FFT spectrum analyzer.
One computer could connect with multiple oscilloscopes, expand the channel number easily.
USBXI standard interface, easy to insert into USBXI case to constitute assembling instrument.
Provide secondary development library DLL; Provide LabviewVBVCQT developing examples
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,086
Outdated video but the basic points are still valid.

Having a totally self contained instrument with physical knobs and buttons is very important. Even if the front-end is fast the USB bottleneck to ultra fast data transfer for processing is still there.
 
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cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,220
Outdated video but the basic points are still valid.

Having a totally self contained instrument with physical knobs and buttons is very important. Even if the front-end is fast the USB bottleneck to ultra fast data transfer for processing is still there.
interesting ... so that would mean that in the best of cases (say, true USB3) the instrument would be "coughing up" data, instead of delivering a constant stream?
 

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
I've kept quiet so far in this thread so far because I'm truly naivé about the subject and don't want to disrupt the conversation with stupid questions.
In Germany we have the saying "There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers." ;)

So as long as it's in some way related to the topic of this thread then go ahead and ask.

But I think the time has come to ask the stupid questions anyway because I don't want to stay stupid, if you know what I mean...

So here it goes: I've noticed that among the most reputable members in this place, there seems to be an consensus in that USB scopes suck ... so far, the only thing I've heard about them from those sources is that their only good attribute is that they're cheap (or inexpensive, if one's PC inclined).

Question, are the specs given on the the hantek scopes to be trusted? Specifically this one:

https://www.banggood.com/Hantek-620...-p-1376104.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN
This is the one:

http://www.hantek.com/en/productdetail_2_9163.html

Just looking at the few specs listed on the product page I can right see that the sample memory is ridiculously small (64kpts), which means the sample rate will drop like a rock at longer time bases.

The trigger "suite" (if you can call it that) is very basic, as is math and FFT, and there are only a handful of measurements. The software is very basic, too.

Frankly, it's so poor it would be unfair to compare it to one of the cheap scopes discussed here (Rigol DS1054z, Siglent SDS1000X-E, GW Instek GDS-1000B) because the latter offer a performance that one would expect from something that isn't a toy.

And then there's the issue nsaspook has highlighted which is the lack of physical controls and the (especially wit these Hanteks) awfully slow USB connection.

If you really want an USB scope then look no further than to PicoScope. Their USB scopes are very good, and the software for them is really using the advantage of running on a full blown PC. But of course you pay for that.
 

rsjsouza

Joined Apr 21, 2014
383
Regarding USB scopes. I only have a very ancient USB oscilloscope/AWG/Logic Analyzer combo (elab080) that works well for very simple tasks. Its support is long dropped and the latest version of the software was designed for XP, but it still works very well on Windows 10.

Being ancient, the interface is very primitive and not intuitive at all, but to spinnaker's point: it is an invaluable tool when "no scope" is the alternative scenario.

Picoscope is known for having a good interface and, depending on the money, you can have quite good hardware as well.
 

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
But having a USB scope is better than having no scope at all. It can still be useful in a variety of projects for hobbyists.
At the end of the day any scope is better than no scope at all and if someone gives you one of these Hantek USB scopes for free then great, but just because no scope is worse than a bad scope doesn't mean it's worth paying for crap. Especially since only $50 more than what banggood.com wants for this Hantek USB scope already buys you something much better, like a Siglent SDS1102CML+ 100MHz scope:

https://www.siglentamerica.com/digi...1000cml-series-digital-storage-oscilloscopes/

And in the rare case you can't afford more than the $244 that crappy Hantek USB scope costs then there still are better alternatives like a 2nd hand Rigol DS1052E, a HP 54645A/D or an Agilent 54622A/D, all which can often be found below $200.

It should not be forgotten that, at the end of the day, a scope is a tool the user must be able to rely on, and while prices have dropped tremendously there is still a limit below which all you get is an unreliable toy.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
I wish these manufacturers would use the same terminology. I am trying to compare the pico to the Siglent 200mhz. Siglent has 14 Mpts while the pico has 512ms. What is the difference?
 

rsjsouza

Joined Apr 21, 2014
383

Wuerstchenhund

Joined Aug 31, 2017
189
I wish these manufacturers would use the same terminology. I am trying to compare the pico to the Siglent 200mhz. Siglent has 14 Mpts while the pico has 512ms. What is the difference?
Nothing, really. Picotech just omitted the "points" in the unit.

Sample memory can be expressed in various ways:

- In 'Points', for example 12kpts, 14Mpts, 1Gpts

- In 'Samples', for example 12kS, 14MS, 1GS

- In "each" (as the name "sample memory" already refers to that the unit of each is a sample point), for example 12k, 14M, 1G

- In bytes, for example on a 8bit scope this would be 12kB, 14MB, 1GB. Of course for a 12bit, the sample sizes of 12k/14M/1G would translate to 18kB, 21MB, 1.5GB.

- In "words", for example if a scope was using 16bit data words then this would be 24kWords, 28MWords, 2GWords.

The predominant methods to express sample memory are in 'points', in 'samples' and in 'each', and the units are interchangeable in any direction.
 
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LesJones

Joined Jan 8, 2017
4,174
After reading this thread I am thinking of buying a Siglent SDS1202X-E oscilloscope. I am thinking of buying from "Labtronix" in the UK. Have any members of the forum dealt with this company and if so did they have any problems with them ?

Les.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,079
After reading this thread I am thinking of buying a Siglent SDS1202X-E oscilloscope. I am thinking of buying from "Labtronix" in the UK. Have any members of the forum dealt with this company and if so did they have any problems with them ?

Les.
I can't help with the seller but I can tell you the SDS1204X-E I bought is turning out to be very good. I think you will be very happy with the scope.
 

StrongPenguin

Joined Jun 9, 2018
307
Regarding the Siglent SDS1202X-E; will I regret buying a scope with two channels? I see in various videos of pros doing stuff, that they also use (for the most part) two channel scopes, so I guess that would be good enough for a newbie like me, but I have no idea. Main interest is microcontrollers and general electronics.
 
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