Choice of oscilliscope - Page 2

Salas · 9th February 2013, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syklab

Hi,
I am a newbie in this and trying select a scope as tool in helping with my DIY work, is this 100 MHz Rigol Oscilloscope Model DS1102E enoughg? Listed for US$399,

Thnks

More than enough. Had one and was very happy with it. Better gear have functions and benefits we should outgrow smaller series first to really know what to do with.

tvrgeek · 9th February 2013, 05:37 PM

I know I am a dinosaur, but my all time favorite scope is the Tek 465. As used, these 40 year scopes still cost too much. That should tell you something. I wound up with a Tek 2235 that works quite well. Besides having the BW for amp work, it has Tek's typical solid triggering, delayed sweep and 10x mag. These are needed for my old school "pulser" I use for true time alignment of drivers.

Now, this is not a storage scope. Pure analog. No "save" no "nutin" I use Zalescope on my PC when I have to. I really want a physically shallower scope ( tight workbench) and digital storage, but who knows when the budget will ever allow it. If Zalescope would let me use my 192K sound card, It would be far more versatile. I might even give up the real scope as I just don't do any digital or RF work any more.

Gyuri · 9th February 2013, 05:45 PM

Tektronix 2225 seems to me a very useful thing.
I have one.

Salas · 9th February 2013, 09:58 PM

Still got my Hameg just a meter away from the DSO. Adds 2 more channels and has no software to break, no fan to rev up, and I can fix it and align it myself. Only 20 MHZ though. The 2225 is one of the few that do 500uV also.

Jaimo · 01:52 AM

After unsuccessfully attempting to repair / re-calibrate a Tek 468, I decided that my time was better spent building Audio equipment that I could take pleasure in listening to. I broke down and picked up a Rigol DS1052E - no regrets after about 6 months of infrequent use.

I have very fond memories of the Tek 465B that I used to take into gold mines to do Test and Calibration work on ventilation fan vibration monitoring systems. The Tek was indestructible and never missed a beat - too bad it's way too deep to fit on my workbench.

Salas · 13th February 2013, 01:54 AM

Did you make it to DS1102E? There was an appreciable gain in fast edges and slight ringing analysis resolution when I took it to 2ns. Has a 135MHz -3dB quasi Gaussian Bode plot when the varicap is done.

Salas · 13th February 2013, 02:33 AM

Check the Rigol DS2000 out by the way when using advanced triggering (SPI in this case) to easily latch on a complex signal I designed on my arbitrary function generator. Beauty. I wonder if it gives the Agilent Infinivision 2000 X-Series a good run even.

Jaimo · 13th February 2013, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salas

Did you make it to DS1102E? There was an appreciable gain in fast edges and slight ringing analysis resolution when I took it to 2ns. Has a 135MHz -3dB quasi Gaussian Bode plot when the varicap is done.

I didn't do the firmware hack- it seemed risky and there were stories that Rigol may have plugged that option. Besides, since most of my work is analog, I wasn't sure that the benefit outweighed the risk. I will research my firmware version to see if the hack is still possible.

Please elaborate on the Varicap option.

Salas · 13th February 2013, 12:34 PM

Its what the firmware between those models simply does, i.e. sending another different control voltage to a varicap low pass filter located at the input amplifier. By lessening its capacitance that way, the bandwidth opens. It also unlocks an extra 2nS horizontal selection position. Exactly the same scopes, a hit on a button on a setting up PC during production, slapping another label on the front, and there you are, here is a pricing gamut based on BW. OEM gamut at least, not like when Agilent put their name & spark logo on the Rigol 1000 series and marketed them as their own with a hefty mark up.

pandy · 13th February 2013, 12:55 PM

O-scope is no very useful for audio (analog neither digital) - i mean it is OK to quick and visual verification but nothing more (thing that can be useful in DSO/DPO will be FFT spectrum analyzer - however dynamic is quite low and limited approx to 40 - 60dB max).
Buy decent audio card (Firewire/USB) which is able to sample signal with 192ksps or higher - this will be definitely more useful for HiFi and can be used side to normal oscilloscope.
I always impressed about people that use 8 bit (at best 10 bit) quality sinewave generators with analog/digital scopes that usually provide less than 50dB dynamics to evaluate their precious 24 bit design.

This can be nice place to start to read about pros and cons for various offered o-scopes nowadays.
Test Equipment - Page 1

9th February 2013, 05:45 PM	#13
Gyuri diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Budapest	Tektronix 2225 seems to me a very useful thing. I have one. __________________ Those who would have deserved the life they are all dead already. "Oh, my dead dears!" - Captain Cat

13th February 2013, 01:44 AM	#15
Jaimo diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	Rigol DS1052E After unsuccessfully attempting to repair / re-calibrate a Tek 468, I decided that my time was better spent building Audio equipment that I could take pleasure in listening to. I broke down and picked up a Rigol DS1052E - no regrets after about 6 months of infrequent use. I have very fond memories of the Tek 465B that I used to take into gold mines to do Test and Calibration work on ventilation fan vibration monitoring systems. The Tek was indestructible and never missed a beat - too bad it's way too deep to fit on my workbench. Last edited by Jaimo; 13th February 2013 at 01:52 AM.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Fundamental Oscilliscope Usage	ITPhoenix	Analog Line Level	28	26th May 2012 01:10 PM
Oscium Oscilliscope	planet10	Equipment & Tools	19	9th April 2011 07:35 AM
any recomendations for learning how to use oscilliscope	blakktalon	Equipment & Tools	7	26th October 2010 12:42 AM
Buying first Oscilliscope	pjpoes	Parts	7	9th May 2008 12:56 PM
Oscilliscope reading 1/2 voltage	mabie	Parts	7	17th February 2008 05:30 PM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

9th February 2013, 05:37 PM	#12
tvrgeek diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Md	I know I am a dinosaur, but my all time favorite scope is the Tek 465. As used, these 40 year scopes still cost too much. That should tell you something. I wound up with a Tek 2235 that works quite well. Besides having the BW for amp work, it has Tek's typical solid triggering, delayed sweep and 10x mag. These are needed for my old school "pulser" I use for true time alignment of drivers. Now, this is not a storage scope. Pure analog. No "save" no "nutin" I use Zalescope on my PC when I have to. I really want a physically shallower scope ( tight workbench) and digital storage, but who knows when the budget will ever allow it. If Zalescope would let me use my 192K sound card, It would be far more versatile. I might even give up the real scope as I just don't do any digital or RF work any more.

9th February 2013, 09:58 PM	#14
Salas diyAudio Chief Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Athens-Greece	Still got my Hameg just a meter away from the DSO. Adds 2 more channels and has no software to break, no fan to rev up, and I can fix it and align it myself. Only 20 MHZ though. The 2225 is one of the few that do 500uV also.

13th February 2013, 01:54 AM	#16
Salas diyAudio Chief Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Athens-Greece	Did you make it to DS1102E? There was an appreciable gain in fast edges and slight ringing analysis resolution when I took it to 2ns. Has a 135MHz -3dB quasi Gaussian Bode plot when the varicap is done.

13th February 2013, 12:34 PM	#19
Salas diyAudio Chief Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Athens-Greece	Its what the firmware between those models simply does, i.e. sending another different control voltage to a varicap low pass filter located at the input amplifier. By lessening its capacitance that way, the bandwidth opens. It also unlocks an extra 2nS horizontal selection position. Exactly the same scopes, a hit on a button on a setting up PC during production, slapping another label on the front, and there you are, here is a pricing gamut based on BW. OEM gamut at least, not like when Agilent put their name & spark logo on the Rigol 1000 series and marketed them as their own with a hefty mark up.

13th February 2013, 12:55 PM	#20
pandy diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004	O-scope is no very useful for audio (analog neither digital) - i mean it is OK to quick and visual verification but nothing more (thing that can be useful in DSO/DPO will be FFT spectrum analyzer - however dynamic is quite low and limited approx to 40 - 60dB max). Buy decent audio card (Firewire/USB) which is able to sample signal with 192ksps or higher - this will be definitely more useful for HiFi and can be used side to normal oscilloscope. I always impressed about people that use 8 bit (at best 10 bit) quality sinewave generators with analog/digital scopes that usually provide less than 50dB dynamics to evaluate their precious 24 bit design. This can be nice place to start to read about pros and cons for various offered o-scopes nowadays. Test Equipment - Page 1