Rigol Function Generator and Oscilloscope Deal!!!

[bilalbajwa]

Guys i am looking to buy a new Oscilloscope and Function generator. I am a Electrical Engineering student and looking for something that will last long. I read a lot of good review about Rigol DS1052E; however, not much for DG1022. On student basis i am getting a combo deal for $700 and the seller is authorized US dealer (in US). Do you think its worth it? Or what you guys thing about the following Function Generator.

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-MHz-DDS-Function-Signal-Generator-SFG-2003-/360348062766?pt=BI_Signal_Sources&hash=item53e66b142e


I would highly appreciate your response.

[VIPR]

I have a DG1022 in my home lab and I really like it. For the money it is really hard to beat unless you buy higher end equipment used on Ebay or similar. That combo price looks pretty good if you figure the DS1052E normally sells for $399 or more at most places now. The DG1022 normally runs about $450 or better if I remember correctly. I have had mine for better than a year and use it quite regularly and have had zero problems or complaints. It certainly comes feature packed for such a reasonable price so I would give the combo package you mention a thumbs up.

[saturation]

That Quakko seems very much like the Instek SFG1003, you can search for it in this forum.
No one I know has one, but its sold by Acifica which is Mastech's name on eBay.

If you bought both it and the 1052E Rigol, it should cost ~ $450.

While the Quakko is a DDS FG, just how good the quality of those output waveforms is unknown.  I know the Instek live up to the specs sheet.  The Rigol FG is an arb generator too, but it has been reviewed here and it has a lot of quirks, maybe a firmware update has fixed issues with it, just search the forum archives.

For general purpose FG use with an arb and decent specs see a long review here on the Hantek 3x25 DDS, which sells typically for $150-180, up to 25 MHz, with useful output to 75 MHz.

[bilalbajwa]

Thanks for reply. Right now i am trying to stay away from computer based waveform generators.

[NiHaoMike]

Thanks for reply. Right now i am trying to stay away from computer based waveform generators.

I wouldn't recommend an analog function generator unless your needs are very basic and you can find one for really cheap.

[saturation]

While Dave has stated his preference against PC based instruments, big labs use full PC integration.  Its very much the operating principle of LabView, controlling even the usual knobs and screen instruments all together in one console making the hardware screen and knobs redundant. 

What really makes PC integrated instruments better is if you can get a touch screen on your PC so you wouldn't be limited to mouse or KB inputs only, it would make it like a 'Star Trek' console, and you can adjust with all your fingers instead of just one mouse pointer or worse, cursor keys!

However, for small labs I prefer as Dave, stand alone instruments, because its faster to adjust [ I can adjust 2 knobs together for example] and should something go wrong and the PC gets bricked, it could take all the instruments with it.   Many USB instruments aren't that much more cheaper than stand alone instruments, to simply recommend them over traditional instruments.  The Hantek 3x25 is more an exception in price performance, IMHO.

[EEVblog]

While Dave has stated his preference against PC based instruments, big labs use full PC integration.  Its very much the operating principle of LabView, controlling even the usual knobs and screen instruments all together in one console making the hardware screen and knobs redundant. 

I'm not against PC based instruments per se, I just like to remind people to remember that it's always horses for courses.

Dave.

[bilalbajwa]

Thanks for all you responses. I just bought Rigol Function Generator and the Rigol 50 MHz Oscilloscope. Waiting for it to arrive. I must emphasize the fact again that i am just an electrical engineering student in its final year. So, may be this equipment is an overkill for the jobs i am going to do with it. However, if i am spending the money and have a budget under or = 700 then why not to buy the Rigol instead of other cheap china substitutes. Many people mentioned that if you cant buy HP/agilent or tektronix that all cost >1000 The rigol is the only thing that will take me closer to it in quality and performance.

[saturation]

Great, can you review the function generator for us when it arrives?  We really need a detailed good one, even just for functionality.

Thanks for all you responses. I just bought Rigol Function Generator and the Rigol 50 MHz Oscilloscope. Waiting for it to arrive. I must emphasize the fact again that i am just an electrical engineering student in its final year. So, may be this equipment is an overkill for the jobs i am going to do with it. However, if i am spending the money and have a budget under or = 700 then why not to buy the Rigol instead of other cheap china substitutes. Many people mentioned that if you cant buy HP/agilent or tektronix that all cost >1000 The rigol is the only thing that will take me closer to it in quality and performance.

[alm]

While Dave has stated his preference against PC based instruments, big labs use full PC integration.  Its very much the operating principle of LabView, controlling even the usual knobs and screen instruments all together in one console making the hardware screen and knobs redundant. 

That's useful if you're doing repetitive measurements or complex procedures, not much fun in measuring all 2^bits possible levels of an ADC by turning a knob on a voltage source. Many of those instruments still have knobs and front panels, it's not like that $10k signal source will cost much less without the display and knobs.

However, for small labs I prefer as Dave, stand alone instruments, because its faster to adjust [ I can adjust 2 knobs together for example] and should something go wrong and the PC gets bricked, it could take all the instruments with it.   Many USB instruments aren't that much more cheaper than stand alone instruments, to simply recommend them over traditional instruments.

Agreed, plus you have more front panel estate. Example: change lab supply voltage, change function generator output frequency, change multimeter range and change scope horizontal sweep speed. It's fairly quick to press/turn a few buttons/knobs on stand-alone instruments, but will involve a lot of window switching and mouse clicks with PC-based instruments, especially since most of the cheap stuff uses its own proprietary software. Sure, you could spend some $$$ on Labview and automate it all (assuming it comes with a Labview driver), but that's only helpful if you're repeatedly executing the same procedure, which is not that common in small labs.

The Hantek 3x25 is more an exception in price performance, IMHO.

For Arb, probably, not much competition for that price. As a general-purpose function generator, I would definitely prefer stand-alone. Most modern stand-alone equipment can also be computer controlled, so losing the front panel is only an advantage if it actually saves money.

[bilalbajwa]

Guys i will have my equipment soon. I will do a review of it in detail. Thanks a lot for you discussions.

[maia]

Thanks for sharing the ebay link. I do not have such a device at home but I am also planning to buy one. Whenever I needed a generator until now I always used generator rentals. I can really recommend these kind of services but I think now it is definitely time to buy my own generator. I will definitely think about buying the device offered at ebay.

[Rufus]

Thanks for sharing the ebay link. I do not have such a device at home but I am also planning to buy one. Whenever I needed a generator until now I always used generator rentals. I can really recommend these kind of services but I think now it is definitely time to buy my own generator. I will definitely think about buying the device offered at ebay.

Idiot or more sophisticated that usual link spammer?

[DaveW]

Thanks for sharing the ebay link. I do not have such a device at home but I am also planning to buy one. Whenever I needed a generator until now I always used generator rentals. I can really recommend these kind of services but I think now it is definitely time to buy my own generator. I will definitely think about buying the device offered at ebay.

Idiot or more sophisticated that usual link spammer?

Maybe he just needs 50/60Hz...

[ivan747]

Thanks for sharing the ebay link. I do not have such a device at home but I am also planning to buy one. Whenever I needed a generator until now I always used generator rentals. I can really recommend these kind of services but I think now it is definitely time to buy my own generator. I will definitely think about buying the device offered at ebay.

Idiot or more sophisticated than usual link spammer?