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which 500 MHz scope to get?

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ErnieEngineer:
I have the opportunity to buy either a used DSOX3052A (4 chan, MSO) or a new MSO6054A (2 chan, no MSO) for the same price (about 5 grand). The DSOX3052A  is from 2005 and passes all self tests but no recent calibration is included. I like that the older DSOX3052A has a logic analyzer that samples at 2 gig samples per sec where as the available logic analyzer for 3000 series samples at 1 gig sample / sec (if i were to upgrade later). I think its a bummer that the 3000 series logic analyzer is half as fast, whats up with that??

If u were me which scope would you get?

Are there any disadvantages to buying a scope that 6 years old and not calibrated ?

Has anybody used the Agilent Xilinx probe (option only for 6000 series MSO) and how useful is it? Is significantly more useful than just using ChipScope Pro? I do do some Xilinx FPGA stuff and plan on doing more.

Finally which model could i sell for more money if i were to do so a few years down the road?

mikeselectricstuff:
I Think you got the model numbers swapped...

Depends a lot on what you typically do, but I'd say 4 analogue channels is very worth having, often more so than MSO.

Feature-wise, the 6000 series isn't hugely different to the new DSOX3000 which replaces it.

In terms of age I don't think it's a big deal - look more about what functionality you get. Bearing in mind that it appears the DSOX may have significant hack potential.

In terms of resale value, after the initial new/used drop, test gear holds its value very well.

Personally I'd go for a used 4-chan+MSO over a new 2-chan any day.

ErnieEngineer:
Thanks. I am leaning toward the older scope with more channels now. Your advice helped me alot. Yes I switched the two model numbers by mistake. So what is an application where you use more than two channels? The last time I used more than 2 channels was when I was looking at a brush-less dc motor signal with 3 wires. Also I used more than 3 chans when I am looking at digital signals. 

Psi:
More channels is extremely useful when you need them, but ya really don't need more than 2 very often. (or at least i don't).

But if there isn't much difference definitely go for 4 channels.

Hypernova:
If your question was between 4ch vs ch2-MSO I would have gave it a moment to think about.

4ch+MSO no contest.

As for the slower LA most of the time you wouldn't need it anywhere that fast anyway. The fastest bus you would debug is probably SPI which is plenty with even cheap USB LA's.

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