Looking at either getting a DS1054Z or DS1202Z-E

[KitsuneMulder]

I have been looking into getting an oscilloscope for many years and finally decided to pull the trigger.

I have narrowed my search to these two models. I am unsure if higher bandwidth or more channels would be recommended. I plan on adjusting lasers and verifying/modifying audio/video voltages to match consumer spec equipment. I can't envision a situation in the near future where I would ever need more than 2 channels but since they are so close in cost I thought I would ask the group on recommendations.

Thank you.

[Adrian_Arg.]

Rigol DS1054z

[MarkF]

More channels.  No contest.

For a hobbyist, the extra bandwidth will not be of much benefit.  Unless you have a special use case?
On the other hand, the extra channels will be greatly appreciated if doing Arduino SPI and I2C projects or similar.

I have the DS1054Z, but you might also consider the Siglent SDS1104X-E.

[KitsuneMulder]

Appreciate the responses. I posted in several spots and the general consensus was either would be fine for my case but more channels would be better for RGBS analyzing.

Ordered the 1054Z. Thanks all.

[M0HZH]

Just as a note, there seems to be a confusion between the number if channels and the decode feature. You only need 2 channels to decode I2C or SPI and both oscilloscopes mentioned here can do it. The DS1202Z-E will only be able to  decode either SPI MISO or MOSI but not both at the same time because it has only 2 channels.

I was in the same position and chose the DS1202Z-E because I work on High Frequency stuff, but if you only look at signals under 5 MHz or so the DS1054Z will be enough.

[MarkF]

Just as a note, there seems to be a confusion between the number if channels and the decode feature. You only need 2 channels to decode I2C or SPI and both oscilloscopes mentioned here can do it. The DS1202Z-E will only be able to  decode either SPI MISO or MOSI but not both at the same time because it has only 2 channels.

I was in the same position and chose the DS1202Z-E because I work on High Frequency stuff, but if you only look at signals under 5 MHz or so the DS1054Z will be enough.

Not true.
If you want to decode the SPI clock, output data and received response, that's three channels by my count.
(Clock, MOSI and MISO).  Four channels of you also want chip select (CS).

And often if you have more than one device on the SPI bus, you will be glad for the four channels.
I've been there and won't go back.

[wizard69]

Considering today's low  cost electronics I don't like buying anythning less that 100MHz capability per channel.   It just makes for a long lasting scope with the ability to work well with high rise time signals.    Unfortunately more channels are also important which in a home shop can leave you in a compromised position.   Thus if I had to choose between bandwidth and more channels I'd probably go with more channels.   A lot of this is due to experience in industry where I could have used a multichannel scope many a time if they had existed at the tie at a reasonable price.   Even at home though a better option these days seems to be more channels.   Not just plain channels either but channels that support the widest array of decoding possible.

I have been looking into getting an oscilloscope for many years and finally decided to pull the trigger.

I have narrowed my search to these two models. I am unsure if higher bandwidth or more channels would be recommended. I plan on adjusting lasers and verifying/modifying audio/video voltages to match consumer spec equipment. I can't envision a situation in the near future where I would ever need more than 2 channels but since they are so close in cost I thought I would ask the group on recommendations.

Thank you.

Actually more that two channels is easy to imagine.   Sometimes you can get buy with the trigger input on a scope but on most scopes you don't get to "SEE" the trigger signal.    My work on lasers amounts to a couple of old CO2 lasers neither of which involved a lot of electronics.   Even so there are charge and discharge events that have to happen and if I even got to that level of debug I could easily see the value in multiple channels.

It is a tough call to be honest.   I'd probably end up looking for a 4 channel scope with 100MHz capability on all 4 channels, if buying new.   Of course predicting the future is a dangerous thing but such a scope would serve most users for decades.   Yes that means more $$$$$ but how much of an increase is that over two decades.   A couple of cents a day maybe.

[stafil]

DS1074Z-S Plus from eBay. These days they sell for $300-$400:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22312-Rigol-DS1074Z-S-Plus-70-MHz-Digital-Oscilloscope-4-Analog-Ch-2-Ch-Wave-Gen/233593219143

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RIGOL-DS1074Z-Plus-70MHz-Digital-Oscilloscope-4-analog-channels/254597065932

You get the 2 channel wave generator and option to upgrade to MSO later on.

[MarkF]

DS1074Z-S Plus from eBay. These days they sell for $300-$400:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22312-Rigol-DS1074Z-S-Plus-70-MHz-Digital-Oscilloscope-4-Analog-Ch-2-Ch-Wave-Gen/233593219143

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RIGOL-DS1074Z-Plus-70MHz-Digital-Oscilloscope-4-analog-channels/254597065932

You get the 2 channel wave generator and option to upgrade to MSO later on.

Heads up:  The Plus and MSO versions of the DS1054Z are harder to hack if that's what you had in mind.
As I remember, you have to take them apart and dump the memory in order to get the key.

[M0HZH]

Just as a note, there seems to be a confusion between the number if channels and the decode feature. You only need 2 channels to decode I2C or SPI and both oscilloscopes mentioned here can do it. The DS1202Z-E will only be able to  decode either SPI MISO or MOSI but not both at the same time because it has only 2 channels.

I was in the same position and chose the DS1202Z-E because I work on High Frequency stuff, but if you only look at signals under 5 MHz or so the DS1054Z will be enough.

Not true.
If you want to decode the SPI clock, output data and received response, that's three channels by my count.
(Clock, MOSI and MISO).  Four channels of you also want chip select (CS).

And often if you have more than one device on the SPI bus, you will be glad for the four channels.
I've been there and won't go back.

Of course it's true, see the image. SPI decoding on the DS1202Z-E where you can chose to decode MISO or MOSI (but not both at the same time).



I do agree it's not convenient (as you need to swap probes and do another reading if you want both MISO and MOSI) but it can do it.

[rstofer]

I do agree it's not convenient (as you need to swap probes and do another reading if you want both MISO and MOSI) but it can do it.

The entire reason for my buying a DS1054Z was to use CS' on a channel to trigger and the other 3 channels to decode an entire transaction, MOSI, MISO and Clock all on the same screen.  It was the driving force since I already had a two channel 350 MHz Tek 485.

Since, I have decided that the Single shot capture is a more important feature but it wasn't apparent when I made the decision to buy the Rigol.

If I were buying a new digital scope, I wouldn't consider anything that didn't have 4 channels.

I don't use 4 channels very often but if I didn't have them I couldn't use them at all!

There are two entry level scopes that come up all the time.  First, the older (more mature) Rigol DS1054Z and the newer Siglent SDS1104X-E.  I would give the nod to the Siglent because a) it purportedly has a more responsive user interface and b) it can be unlocked to 200 MHz and more bandwidth is good.

Before I settled on the Siglent, I would want to wander through the Test Equipment forum and review any open firmware issues.  It took Rigol several iterations to finally get it right and the Siglent is a lot newer to the market.  I haven't followed along so I don't know where this stands.

Not every firmware issue is a show-stopper.  If it is for an edge case where I'll never work, who cares?