I'm looking to get a new digital Oscilloscope. I'm a hobbyist and currently have an HP54602b (4 channel 100 Mhz), but it's starting to go south and not experience enough yet to fix it myself and don't want to spend a lot of money having someone else fix it and re calibrate.

I'd like something around $300 range with 2 channels, 100 Mhz, and ability to scope video signals (NTSC).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

DS1054Z, a stretch around $ 375, but 4 channel and folks have been hacking it
to 100 Mhz. Possible there was a discount using eevblog coupon at one time,
do not know if its still valid.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/eevblog-members-discount-at-tequipment/


Regards, Dana.

 

I have the Siglent SDS 1020X-E 200 mhz version and love it.

But I think if you buy a recent model, stick to the main brands it is really tough to make a bad choice today.

And with today's scopes it is not much more expensive to go up a level in bandwidth unless you are on a really tight budget.

 

I have the Siglent SDS 1020X-E 200 mhz version and love it.

But I think if you buy a recent model, stick to the main brands it is really tough to make a bad choice today.

And with today's scopes it is not much more expensive to go up a level in bandwidth unless you are on a really tight budget.

Thanks for the input! As I'm just a beginner mostly repairing vintage computers and building basic projects, I feel 100 or 150Mhz should be enough. Do you think I should go higher?

 

A word from the experts might help.

https://www.mouser.com/pdfdocs/Tektronix12_things_to_consider1.pdf

 

I'm looking to get a new digital Oscilloscope. I'm a hobbyist and currently have an HP54602b (4 channel 100 Mhz), but it's starting to go south and not experience enough yet to fix it myself and don't want to spend a lot of money having someone else fix it and re calibrate.

I'd like something around $300 range with 2 channels, 100 Mhz, and ability to scope video signals (NTSC).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Simple: Rigol DS1054z or Siglent SDS1202X-E. The first one has 4 channels while the latter has two but offers better performance in many areas (like FFT).

Both are pretty much the best scopes in the lower entry level class.

A word from the experts might help.

https://www.mouser.com/pdfdocs/Tektronix12_things_to_consider1.pdf

This is actually a quite balanced document, which is surprising from the company that build some (if not most) of the worst DSOs ever made

 

I love the DS1054Z that I use at work, but I'm still running the factory-stock 50MHz, and it's the only digital scope I've worked with, so I can't compare it to anything else.

 

I love the DS1054Z that I use at work, but I'm still running the factory-stock 50MHz, and it's the only digital scope I've worked with, so I can't compare it to anything else.

In the entry-level class the difference between Rigol and Siglent isn't huge. The Siglent scopes use a faster SoC so they can offer better FFT and higher update rates, and have some additional features like Bode plot. However, at the end of the day it's not a world of difference. Either of them will serve fine for most of the common measurement tasks a scope of that class is adequate for, and will easily serve for 10 years and more. And if you learn how to operate one properly then you should be fine should you ever have to use a different DSO.

As to your DS1054z, you know you can unlock features of your DS1054z for free (*cough* Riglol *cough*)? I'd at least want the larger memory, the recording function, the additional triggers and the serial decode options. Be careful with the bandwidth upgrade, though, as after unlocking the 100MHz the scope has a real BW of closer to 150MHz, which in 4ch mode (where the sample rate drops to 250MSa/s) can result in aliasing if you're not careful.

 

I have a similar question. My current scope is an old Beckman 20 MHz dual-channel analog. It’s a great little scope, but it’s getting old and starting to fall apart (plastic parts getting brittle). The new digital scopes look so sexy with their color screens, measurement cursors, and other features, but I mainly work with audio signals and the occasional low-speed digital circuit (under a few megahertz), so I don’t think I really need large bandwidth, but rather resolution.

It seems most of these “affordable” digital scopes ($300-500) are designed for digital electronics and only use 8-bit A/D converters. I read in one of these many buying guides that audio signals need more resolution, like 12 bits or more (called precision scopes), in order to detect distortion levels down to a fraction of a percent, but I don’t think I’m using a scope like that. Mainly I use it just for signal tracing (making sure the circuit is working), not high-fidelity work (trying to create super low-distortion amplifiers or anything). So would an 8-bit scope be sufficient for my purposes? Also, having some built-in spectrum analysis would be great. So for you audio circuit builders out there, what do you use? Thanks.

 

I have a similar question. My current scope is an old Beckman 20 MHz dual-channel analog. It’s a great little scope, but it’s getting old and starting to fall apart (plastic parts getting brittle). The new digital scopes look so sexy with their color screens, measurement cursors, and other features, but I mainly work with audio signals and the occasional low-speed digital circuit (under a few megahertz), so I don’t think I really need large bandwidth, but rather resolution.

It seems most of these “affordable” digital scopes ($300-500) are designed for digital electronics and only use 8-bit A/D converters. I read in one of these many buying guides that audio signals need more resolution, like 12 bits or more (called precision scopes),

Actually, they are called High Definition Scopes

'Precision scopes' would imply that you get more precision from a HD scope, which isn't necessarily the case (higher resolution does not equal higher precision!).

in order to detect distortion levels down to a fraction of a percent, but I don’t think I’m using a scope like that. Mainly I use it just for signal tracing (making sure the circuit is working), not high-fidelity work (trying to create super low-distortion amplifiers or anything). So would an 8-bit scope be sufficient for my purposes? Also, having some built-in spectrum analysis would be great. So for you audio circuit builders out there, what do you use? Thanks.

For analyzing audio, even a 12bit scope doesn't really cut it, and there are a range of much better solutions out there like 'soundcard scopes' which use a PC's soundcard (which has a much higher resolution i.e. 24bit) or dedicated audio analyzers. A good sound card and one of the software solutions shouldn't break the bank, either, so that's what I'd use for audio analysis.

For everything else, be it analog or digital circuitry, you'll be just fine with an 8bit scope. Only very few applications really require or benefit the additional resolution of a HD scope, for which you'd also pay through the nose.

Which means either the Rigol DS1054z or the Siglent SDS1000X-E Series scopes will do just fine to replace your analog scope. Just be aware that there are things digital scopes do different and that some probing or glitch hunting techniques which are used with analog scopes aren't very effective on a digital scope, or even counterproductive. So there's some (re-)learning involved.

 

With coming, new year guys!
I am glad to see,'Wuerstchenhund' I would like to thank your writings in the field of visibility, and excellent experience.
guys, here I am new, how to write in 'PM' ?

 

With coming, new year guys!
I am glad to see,'Wuerstchenhund' I would like to thank your writings in the field of visibility, and excellent experience.

Thanks. If someone finds it useful well then it achieved something

guys, here I am new, how to write in 'PM' ?

It's a bit hidden, you click on the member name after which a window opens which shows a member's stats. There is also a link saying 'Start Conversation', which should send a PM to that member.

 

I believe new users have PM disabled until they post X regular posts.

 

I believe new users have PM disabled until they post X regular posts.

Most likely, what we talk about guys,
I have to increase my posts, can compare LeCroy opt. 'S' with LeCroy opt. 'XXL'