Need your opinions on my first DSO purchase.

[kbeist]

I am betwixt and between 2 DSO's that I am considdering to purchase. I have never owned an O-scope, so this will be my first. The last time I used an O-scope was when I was in USN-BERT and Radioman 'A' school 20 some years ago. I am finally able to get what I have wanted. I welcome anyones input as to which one I should considder purchasing. They are both currently comparable in price. Both are 2Ch and both have about the same functionality. However, since this will be my first and possibly only DSO purchase, I would like help muddling through what markable differences there are between the two. I did notice the Tektronix comes with a disk with howto's.
Other than BW capability, is there more that I should be aware of?
I welcome advice/knowledge from our DIYAudio community.

DSO #1 is a Tektronix TDS2001C with 50MHz BW
Data Sheet: TDS2000 Digital Storage Oscilloscopes | Tektronix

DSO #2 is B&K Precision 2542B with 100MHz BW
Data Sheet: http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/43/254xB_GEN_datasheet-13737.pdf

 

[PChi]

The reviews by Dave Jones at EEVblog of some of the low cost contenders are well worth a look.

 

[kbeist]

Thanks for the excelent reminder. I am a fan of Dave. However, I did not locate a lowend O-Silly Shootout. There are a few scope reviews there but thoes reviews seem to point to scopes either out of my price range or as Dave would put it, "Just crapy rubbish". These 2 that I have listed are my minimalist/maximum intentions at this time. I might also add that electronics is a hobby for me, not a business. I do not have $2, $3, or even $4K at my disposal. It would be nice to have that there $8K unit on Newark, but alas I am not in the market for calibrating/repairing GSM, 4G, RFID, SATCOM, etc, euipment. I also do not want to purchase something this important from sleez-bay that may or maynot operate up to spec and possibly in need of a 2nd scope for repair/calibration of said broken/out of whack scope. Sofar my hobby as remained in the small arena. The largest circuit design that I have done todate has been a complete CNC controller with 16Chan opto breakout. Features included are: Spindle start/stop with manual speed control, 3 standard Axis control, 4th and 7th axis control as well as Home, End & E-stop. All without uProc. 98% of which with NOS components scavenged from other peoples rubbish. And yes it works nicely.
Current and future projects are dictating that a O-Silly is needed.
Which is the main reason for me starting this thread. I was able to narrow the field down these 2 scopes from Mouser and I really need someone with much scope experience to help me with some of the pros and cons between the two.
Again I thank you for the EEVblog reminder.

 

[PChi]

I was too lazy to write a detailed answer so I suggested the EEVblog.
I don't have experience of either particular model but my comments based on the specifications are:-

The Record length of the Tektronix TDS2000 is a major limitation. I think that it means that if the horizontal display is set to 5 us the full 2500 points are used. If the time base is reduced the effective displayed sample rate drops below 500 MS/s. The Rigol DS1052 has caused confusion where I work because of alliasing due to the effective displayed sampling rate at lower time base speed settings.
The other limitation is the QVGA display which is similar to the Rigol. The number of vertical pixels are less than the number of bits available from the Analog to Digital Converter, OK at the Rigol price, less so at the Tektronix price.

The B&K Precision appears to rely on a PC for the claimed memory depth. I am worried that the performance will depend on the speed and latency of the interface. Also the display resolution is only 320 x 234.

My view is that either option have limitations that are likely to be annoying.

 

[kbeist]

Thanks PChi. I too am prone to the "easy" button on occasion. Although I was able to force myself into clicking on one of the EEVB side adds. (I never add click. IMHO sales gimmicks an such is a darn waste of time.)
I was able to see that Mouser is not the only place to purchase at a decent price.
On summation; Do I understand correctly that both the Tektronix and Rigol may have display annoyances, while the B&K would have a data storage annoyance? I think I can deal with a small screen size better than discarded/non-displayed bits that would make a signal appear to have glitching/false triggering/noise issues, or even worse displaying an incomplete signal giving me an "ideal" and not so "real" clarity.
Am I on track with this assumption?

 

[PChi]

Thanks PChi. I too am prone to the "easy" button on occasion. Although I was able to force myself into clicking on one of the EEVB side adds. (I never add click. IMHO sales gimmicks an such is a darn waste of time.)
I was able to see that Mouser is not the only place to purchase at a decent price.
On summation; Do I understand correctly that both the Tektronix and Rigol may have display annoyances,

Yes you understand correctly though the limited memory depth/record point length is the major issue.

while the B&K would have a data storage annoyance?
Yes, it appears that the internal memory depth is only 16 k points, about the same as the Tektronics and the cheap Rigol 1052 . The PC interface has to be used for the larger memory depth. My guess is that it would be OK for slow speed aquisition but would struggle at higher timebase speed so it to may also have alliasing issues. Or could loose data if the PC interface can't keep up with the Analog to Digital Converter data output. I am used to using scopes with much greater internal memory depth.

I think I can deal with a small screen size better than discarded/non-displayed bits that would make a signal appear to have glitching/false triggering/noise issues, or even worse displaying an incomplete signal giving me an "ideal" and not so "real" clarity.
Am I on track with this assumption?

I fear for discarded/non-displayed bits when using the PC with the B&K but have no experience of their Oscilloscopes.
Dave Jones gave a favourable review of the Rigol 2000 model family. At a cursory glance I would prefer it over the Tek TDS2000 or the B&K but don't have experience of it (only the 1052E which at £237 plus tax is good within it's limitations).

 

[kbeist]

PChi, thank you for the excellent info. Upon reviewing the datasheets of all three, I see now exactly what you were referring to. I just might switch gears a bit and do a harsher comparasion between the Rigol and B&K. Seeing as how most of my hobby is well within the lower realms of electronics, I am heavily considdering the Saelig offering of the DS1102E combined with the DG1022 Function Generator for $50 less than the B&K Mouser offering. Thus allowing me to "kill 2 birdies with 1 stone". Albiet the Rigol might be more finniky, it would more than double me-own functionality. I will be taking my time compairing the data. .
In the meantime I still welcome more insight for considdration on any of these scopes.

I might as well froth about the mouth for the Rigol DS1102D 2+16 MSO on sale for $100 less. I suppose bells and whistles have their place.