Author Topic: Is the Rigol DS1054Z still the best entry level digital scope for the price?  (Read 55489 times)

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Offline radcom123Topic starter

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I've ordered the DS1054Z and will be getting it tomorrow all thing being well  ;D
 

Offline stj

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is that the supplier that gives you a free DMM with every order over £200?  ;D
 

Offline ebclr

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Offline radcom123Topic starter

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I did get it on Friday and its fantastic it works a treat (just need to learn how to use it properly now). Ordering it was great, ordered it on Thursday morning got it Friday morning as expected, and the folks at rigol-uk.co.uk were nice and very helpful when I phoned them to ask a few questions.

Thank you to everyone who replied with advice and suggestions it helped a lot.
 

Offline KNSSoftware

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radcom123

Thanks for sharing your purchase journey.  After a few months of playing with your new toy, are you still happy?  I am so close to giving in to temptation.  I know it sounds bad, but my only small reservation, is that it has been stuck at nearly £400 forever. inc vat in UK  Other tech has been depreciating in price, as the new stuff has superseded it, but this sucker is digging its heels in hard.  I just feel after a few years that sods will kick in, and I will go for it, and I will soon be holding what is a still a nice piece if kit, but not the bad boy deal with all the bells, that it once was...
 

Offline bd139

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The price has actually just gone up from £348 to £369. That's what happens when you hang around :)

Another Rigol-uk.co.uk satisfied customer here. Bought a DS1054Z and a DG1022Z in separate transactions a few weeks back. Very happy with purchase and service. They send via DPD next day so you can stalk the delivery driver all day when you get an SMS message in the morning ;)

4 channels has worked out pretty nicely. I've used all 4 a couple of times.  Zero complaints.
 

Offline majki

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Current offer from www.rigolna.com:

All 1000Z Series Oscilloscopes now come with a free bundle of options. Serial decode, deep memory, record mode, and advanced triggering options are all free for a limited time. This provides an additional value of $250 on any of RIGOL's popular 1000Z Series oscilloscopes. Additionally, the DS1054Z now has a reduced price of just $349.
Valid Through 3/31/18

So 367$ with shipping for the scope and serial decode, deep memory, record mode, and advanced triggering options is fine. (only in USA)

The same offer (free options) is valid also for Europe (www.rigol.eu), but you need to put it into the RFQ cart first to see the offer and the price is a bit higher: €421.26 including VAT and shipping.

Batronix end year offer is €379 including VAT and free shipping within EU but they do not mention the free options.
 

Offline bd139

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All the options are free  :-DD
 

Offline danadak

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Love Cypress PSOC, ATTiny, Bit Slice, OpAmps, Oscilloscopes, and Analog Gurus like Pease, Miller, Widlar, Dobkin, obsessed with being an engineer
 

Offline majki

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Batronix will also include the free options bundle, but only if you order after December 31st.
 

Offline flowbee64

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I picked one up a few months ago from the local Big Box tech store.  I recently ...er,  "upgraded" it to an 1104z.   ;D  It an amazing scope for the money - especially when it's your money.  .  I'm so happy with Rigol leaving it "open" that I'm going to throw a bunch more money at them soon.

I'm constantly amazed how cheap stuff is today compared to 20 years ago.

 

Offline BravoV

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I'm constantly amazed how cheap stuff is today compared to 20 years ago.

Yep, 20 years ago, an electronic hobbyist buying a brand "new oscilloscope" even its the lowest end model was rarely happened, unless he had a rich-bone.  >:D

Offline james_s

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Yeah I remember lusting after oscilloscopes when I was a kid but even the cheap ones were far out of my reach. Eventually I managed to score an ancient Tek 531A at a garage sale for $40 which is probably $100+ in today's money. My current TDS78C originally cost almost $40k, it's better spec-wise than the Rigol but not 100 times better. It's crazy how cheap everything is now, of course because of that you can't earn much money making stuff anymore.
 

Offline blaze1024

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I'm constantly amazed how cheap stuff is today compared to 20 years ago.

VNA's seem to be an exception. You can buy hobbyist VNA like the MINIVNA but they are really a compromise.

Even used VNA's aren't cheap, I got lucky and managed to pick up a near mint condition HP8953C with an S-parameter box and a full set of HP N Calibration standards along with 10 HP N attenuators 2 each 3db 6db 10db 20db and 30db oh and I forgot a set of HP APC high precision calibration/verification standards with the HP dial indicator depth gauge all in a very nice Pelican case that had been custom fitted with pink anti-static foam. He even threw in another pelican case full of Agilent /HP APC and N connector adapters.

The kid had been trying to sell this stuff for over a year at local ham swaps with no takers, ham radio nowadays is really nothing like it used to be, Its deteriorated into nothing more than glorified CB. Most hams nowadays can't even use a DVM and just don't know what or how to use that type of gear.

Heck I heard a ham on a local repeater about a month ago ask what a VFO was he was reading an article that mentioned one and he didn't know what it was and he was a newly minted extra  |O  But hey throw out a cheap Chinese antenna analyzer and they will fall over themselves trying to buy it.   

Anyhow, I ended up trading a DJ phantom 3 drone for it that at most was worth probably $500, I told him that the equipment I was getting was worth much more but he didn't care he was just happy it was going to someone who could use it.

The Calibration standards alone where worth twice what the drone was worth. The kid had inherited it from his dad and had no idea what to do with it. I knew who his dad was and know that he used to own an HP certified calibration and repair facility. This was his personal VNA that he had custom built from hand selected components. HE spent years cherry-picking parts out of donor boxes to build it. Even the S-parameter box is built from hand selected parts.

It's in absloutly mint shape and was quite the find.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 04:48:14 pm by blaze1024 »
 

Offline blaze1024

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On a separate note. I have both the Rigol 1054z and the Siglent 1202x-e in my cart over at Amazon. Been trying to figure out which one I am going to buy. I like the 200Mhz and the increased color depth of the Siglent but I really do like the 4 channels and logic decoding of the Rigol not to mention what seems like more polished software.

It's a tough choice. I'm kinda waiting around to see if I can get that discount coupon for EEVBlog members. I think that might be enough to push me over the edge for the Rigol. It will give me enough bargaining power to keep me out of the dog house when the CFO  (MY wife)  :rant:  :blah: :rant:  finds out that I bought more test gear.         
 

Offline tautech

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On a separate note. I have both the Rigol 1054z and the Siglent 1202x-e in my cart over at Amazon. Been trying to figure out which one I am going to buy. I like the 200Mhz and the increased color depth of the Siglent but I really do like the 4 channels and logic decoding of the Rigol not to mention what seems like more polished software.

It's a tough choice. I'm kinda waiting around to see if I can get that discount coupon for EEVBlog members. I think that might be enough to push me over the edge for the Rigol. It will give me enough bargaining power to keep me out of the dog house when the CFO  (MY wife)  :rant:  :blah: :rant:  finds out that I bought more test gear.       
Have a good look at the new 4ch X-E first.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds1204x-e-released-for-domestic-markets-in-china/

There's a discount thread to get Siglent equipment from Saelig, ask for the code there.
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Siglent Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SiglentVideo/videos
 

Offline blaze1024

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On a separate note. I have both the Rigol 1054z and the Siglent 1202x-e in my cart over at Amazon. Been trying to figure out which one I am going to buy. I like the 200Mhz and the increased color depth of the Siglent but I really do like the 4 channels and logic decoding of the Rigol not to mention what seems like more polished software.

It's a tough choice. I'm kinda waiting around to see if I can get that discount coupon for EEVBlog members. I think that might be enough to push me over the edge for the Rigol. It will give me enough bargaining power to keep me out of the dog house when the CFO  (MY wife)  :rant:  :blah: :rant:  finds out that I bought more test gear.       
Have a good look at the new 4ch X-E first.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds1204x-e-released-for-domestic-markets-in-china/

There's a discount thread to get Siglent equipment from Saelig, ask for the code there.

Nice looking scope but it's out of my budget at nearly twice the price
 

Offline tautech

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On a separate note. I have both the Rigol 1054z and the Siglent 1202x-e in my cart over at Amazon. Been trying to figure out which one I am going to buy. I like the 200Mhz and the increased color depth of the Siglent but I really do like the 4 channels and logic decoding of the Rigol not to mention what seems like more polished software.

It's a tough choice. I'm kinda waiting around to see if I can get that discount coupon for EEVBlog members. I think that might be enough to push me over the edge for the Rigol. It will give me enough bargaining power to keep me out of the dog house when the CFO  (MY wife)  :rant:  :blah: :rant:  finds out that I bought more test gear.       
Have a good look at the new 4ch X-E first.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds1204x-e-released-for-domestic-markets-in-china/

There's a discount thread to get Siglent equipment from Saelig, ask for the code there.

Nice looking scope but it's out of my budget at nearly twice the price
The SDS1104X-E 100 MHz version isn't twice the price though.
Check the specs to see what you get for the money.  ;)
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Offline Sudochop

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On a separate note. I have both the Rigol 1054z and the Siglent 1202x-e in my cart over at Amazon. Been trying to figure out which one I am going to buy. I like the 200Mhz and the increased color depth of the Siglent but I really do like the 4 channels and logic decoding of the Rigol not to mention what seems like more polished software.

It's a tough choice. I'm kinda waiting around to see if I can get that discount coupon for EEVBlog members. I think that might be enough to push me over the edge for the Rigol. It will give me enough bargaining power to keep me out of the dog house when the CFO  (MY wife)  :rant:  :blah: :rant:  finds out that I bought more test gear.       

I'm in the EXACT same situation. I've had both in my cart for over a week and I'm completely torn! Have you come to a decision yet?
 

Offline rhb

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A lot have people have bought the Rigol and hacked the license key.  However, there is very little evidence that the "hacked" scope actually has the BW.

I bought an NOS (new, old stock) Instek GDS-2072E from Amazon for $222 + tax when  they were dumping old inventory which is around 150 MHz out of the box, no "hack", even though factory spec is 70 MHz.  I am very skeptical that a "hacked" 50 MHz Rigol actually has 100 MHz BW.  The only way to be sure is to feed it a fast rise time pulse such as Leo Bodnar's 40 pS pulse generator.  My 200 MHz MSO-2204EA comes in at 204 MHz with a better step response.

Yes, R&S, Keysight & Tektronix sell software crippled scopes to compete with Chinese prices.  But that does not imply that Chinese low end kit meets the high end specs in the same product line.  At  the bottom price tier, test and label to spec makes a lot of sense.  High sped scope front ends are *very* fiddly.

Also , no lab  will calibrate a hacked DS1054Z as a DS1104Z.  So unless you invest in your own cal gear, you have no idea what you have.
 

Offline BravoV

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A lot have people have bought the Rigol and hacked the license key.  However, there is very little evidence that the "hacked" scope actually has the BW.

 :palm:

Online xrunner

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A lot have people have bought the Rigol and hacked the license key.  However, there is very little evidence that the "hacked" scope actually has the BW.

Incorrect. I have personally measured the hacked bandwidth with my own instruments and found it to have been indeed increased. The evidence is in my post history - not to mention all the other members who have verified this.  :-//
I told my friends I could teach them to be funny, but they all just laughed at me.
 

Offline Sudochop

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A lot have people have bought the Rigol and hacked the license key.  However, there is very little evidence that the "hacked" scope actually has the BW.

I'm very confused by this as the hack is simply a generated license key. You'd be suggesting they're scamming non-hacked licensed customers as well, no?
 

Offline bd139

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I tested my hacked one with a pulse generator and it came back st around 122MHz so that’s clearly a load of bollocks.
 

Offline borjam

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The problem with Siglent is a surreal warranty policy. What is still worse, they they haven’t recalled a defective series of the SDS1202X-E from the sales channel.

So, I’m afraid it’s not an alternative unless they change their ways a lot. Sending a diy kit of capacitors to correct a design / manufacturing flaw is not acceptable.
 


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