Electronics > Beginners

Rigol DS1054Z - Successor after ~5 years?

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rstofer:

--- Quote from: Rooster Cogburn on March 10, 2019, 08:54:38 pm ---I can study all time and still won't know what I'll need down the road :) The only thing that I truly worry about is how bad buying a five year old model really is. Nobody would buy a 5 years old computer or TV unless it was at a massive discount. Maybe scopes move slower, that's why I made this thread. If it wasn't for that concern, I would have bought the DS1054Z already. I know the Rigol is great for my immediate use cases and it's among the lowest cost models. The more expensive alternatives sure look 'cool', but don't really have anything that I truly need and I'd rather not spend more. I would happily wait a while longer if there was an updated model around the corner that would deliver more for the same price... Looks like that's either not the case or impossible to say.

--- End quote ---

You don't know your future use and neither do we.  And, trust me, there is always a better scope for a bunch more money.

It took 4 years to get the Rigol firmware fixed and, at this point, the DS1054Z is pretty well bug free.  Not design compromise free...  I haven't followed along with the Siglent but it's pretty much assured that no scope comes to market bug free.  Does that make older scopes better in the sense that the bugs have been ironed out?  Search the Test Equipment forum to see what the latest story is on Siglent.

Amazon prices (US)

DS1054X      $379 <= 4 channel can be unlocked to 100 MHz
SDS1202X-E $379 <= 2 channel 200 MHz
SDS1104X-E $499 <= 4 channel 100 MHz can be unlocked to 200 MHz
SDS1204X-E $759 <= 4 channel 200 MHz

Given the choices above, I would buy the SDS1104X-E with the intention of unlocking 200 MHz.  These days there is little point in buying a 2 channel scope because, among other things, debugging an SPI bus is easier with 4 channels (CS', CLK, MISO, MOSI).  That is precisely the reason I bought the DS1054Z - I wanted features and channels.  I already had bandwidth with my Tektronix 485 (350 MHz, 2 channel).

In any event, prices and budget will be the deciding issues.  I would like to buy the SDS1204X-E (so I don't have to play unlock games) but it is simply not in my future based simply on cost.  The extra 100 MHz is great over the DS1054Z but I don't have a need at the moment and when I do, maybe the 485 will deal with it.

bitseeker:
Unless you have specific requirements (or use cases that drive the requirements), since the well-known models in the budget scope market are somewhat in their own price bracket, it pretty much comes down to budget and how you feel about unlocking features. Pay more, get more (features, speed, etc.), as expected, but they'll all do the fundamentals (and some may argue that some of those fundamentals are still done better on an even older analog scope).

You are correct that the scope market doesn't move at the same speed as consumer electronics. The volumes are orders of magnitude lower, so it takes more time to recoup development costs.

Considering that resolving bugs in the firmware can takes months or years, there's something to be said for not buying the latest version right when it comes out, unless bug hunting is an enjoyable part of ownership for you (it is fun for some, as represented in the extensive bug threads here).

alsetalokin4017:
You could always buy a used Rigol DS1054Z, save some money and see if it fits your usage cases.  Then if it doesn't, sell it off. At least then you'll have a better idea of what you want/need.

If you can find a used one for sale, that is.    ;)

bitseeker:
There's one in the buy/sell/trade forum for $300 shipped. US-only, though.

Mortymore:

--- Quote from: bitseeker on March 11, 2019, 06:51:14 am ---There's one in the buy/sell/trade forum for $300 shipped. US-only, though.

--- End quote ---

On Batronix (DE) the DS1054Z costs €379.21 with VAT. New, and 3 years warranty.

Buying from US, will add when it arrive to EU, some income taxes and VAT. Those $300 may easily turn into something like €350...€370. Assuming that it's used, the warranty, if there's some, will be at least diminished. I don't know if it's the case with Rigol, but some companies won't assume the warranty if claimed on a country different from what it was originally bought.

Some 15 years ago I bought a TEK2445 for $300 on Ebay, from US. Payed €175 on taxes. VAT is higher on Portugal (23%) than it is on Germany (19%) though

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