Siglent SDS2K+ Vs. Rigol MSO5000 - The Features

[Martin72]

Hi at all,

This thread should be not a better/worser/ how long is your dick thing, it only compares the features the two scopes got, with focus of the software-features.
So rigol could equalize it by adding the missing feature in a future firmware and of course also siglent.
That´s the main intention of the thread, hoping rigol and siglent take notice about it.....

I´ve started with the trigger/decode/math functionality, more to come in the next days.
Suggestions/corrections are highly welcome.
Pics will be uploaded as thumbnail as the software is still sucking.

Martin

[Vestom]

Interesting idea. What about the AWG? It seems Rigol has a couple of interesting features the Siglent miss. From the Rigol data sheet:

• Advanced modulation, sweep, and burst signal output supported
  

[Martin72]

Will also come - I try to catch all features which could be realized in software upgrades.
The AWG thing should be "no problem", except the 2nd channel of course.
FFT, the rigol got 1Mpts, the siglent 2Mpts - Don´t know if it´s hardware and couldn´t be changed, but will list it.
And so on...

Martin

[jnz]

My needs for a scope fall JUST OUTSIDE of Fisher Price My First Oscilloscope territory... so... obscure features aside, just hand in hand, which do you think is the better buy as is and hacked?

[Martin72]

Hi,

My Intention here was to keep this thread free from questions like this, as it only should show the differences between the both in a neutral way.
You could start a topic like "which should I buy?" and in there, I´ll answer my opinion as I got them BOTH, former the rigol for more than a year, actually the siglent.

[tautech]

My needs for a scope fall JUST OUTSIDE of Fisher Price My First Oscilloscope territory... so... obscure features aside, just hand in hand, which do you think is the better buy as is and hacked?

Don't go off Martin's tables as there's some errors which I've already given him the heads up on via PM however he hasn't come back to correct them yet.

[Martin72]

The reason for it is simple:
You don´t tell me the "errors" so far..

The tables are the results of comparing the specsheets.
If there are errors in my tables, then there are errors in the specsheets and should be corrected.

[Performa01]

Feature comparisons require a lot of work and can be difficult at times. This is especially true for the trigger suites:

Siglent Pattern trigger is more powerful and contains a time condition for the duration. Hence easily replaces the Rigol Duration trigger.
Likewise, Siglent Interval trigger (not even mentioned in the table) can replace the Rigol Delay trigger.

Siglent provides not only holdoff by time, but also holdoff by event (an unique LeCroy feature), which can not only replace the Nth edge trigger, but also implicitly provides Nth pulse, Nth slope, Nth pattern/duration, Nth interval/delay. All these can be extremely handy and aren't available on competing instruments.

So the only trigger that is currently missing is the Setup/Hold trigger – but this has already been added for the SDS5000X with the 0.9.1 firmware, together with a genuine Nth edge trigger and an explicit Delay trigger. So it is only a matter of time when it will be available for the SDS2000X+ as well.


Decoders: The Siglent decoders are full duplex, i.e. can handle protocols that use individual lines for RX/TX. So you can decode an UART and SPI connection at the same time, which means four data channels have to be processed in parallel. You cannot decode four I2C connections simultaneously though.

Parallel decoding is of course available, just not on analog channels. With the MSO option you get parallel decoding as a part of the MSO, not the decoding suite.


Math:
A high number of math operators might look impressive, yet the question remains whether they are really needed or even useful.
Siglent is aware that there are some operators missing, as they have a team of beta testers and consultants, from standard industries up to the high end industry. And in these professional fields, the requirements (and priorities) look a bit different. For instance I'm not aware of any request for Boolean algebra in the math menu.

Once again, the SDS5000X with current firmware can be used as a hint on the possible future improvements for the SDS2000X:
Sign, Abs, Exp, Log, Identity and Negate.
You don't absolutely need Ax + B as long as you've got a formula editor.
But yes, this is about all what engineers have been expecting even from a midrange DSO like the SDS5000X.

Mind you that in the formula editor, the Sign function can of course be "abused" to do Boolean algebra – should you really need it.

A filter package is under development for the SDS5000X – I have no clue if this will become available for the DS2000X+ as well. And this is not because Siglent wants to cripple the lower end model, but there might be insufficient hardware (read: FPGA) resources left – let's wait and see…

[Martin72]

A filter package is under development for the SDS5000X – I have no clue if this will become available for the DS2000X+ as well. And this is not because Siglent wants to cripple the lower end model, but there might be insufficient hardware (read: FPGA) resources left – let's wait and see…

Even the entry-model ds1000z from rigol got filterfunctions in math, let´s hope siglent do it for the sds2000x+ also...

On the other hand, the siglent salesmanager wrote me once, to keep the sds5000x still attractive, not all of the possible features will be implemented in the sds2000x+ too.
My answer was, the hardware difference between the two models keeps the sds5000x still attractive (5GSa/s, "pro bus" inputs, etc..), the sds2000x+ should get all the features which are possible, at least the same the rigol 5000 got.

Mind you that in the formula editor, the Sign function can of course be "abused" to do Boolean algebra – should you really need it.

Formular editor....The manual´s comment to this is very short, but it seems, you can do more with it, as I saw it a few weeks ago in the sds2000x+ thread.
Are there further informations for this avaible, a "white" paper perhaps ?

Martin

[Elasia]

Formular editor....The manual´s comment to this is very short, but it seems, you can do more with it, as I saw it a few weeks ago in the sds2000x+ thread.
Are there further informations for this avaible, a "white" paper perhaps ?

Martin

Not that I am aware of, but if you know calculus its easy to use.. the biggest thing is.. knowing calculus In that regard yeah you can do a good bit with it, but i wouldnt peg it as a feature for the basic hobbyist looking at an all in one

[Performa01]

Even the entry-model ds1000z from rigol got filterfunctions in math, let´s hope siglent do it for the sds2000x+ also...

Well, it is a lot easier on instruments that only post process the screen data (<1000 Points) or just a small secondary buffer (64k) for math and measurements, instead of the original record data or at least a huge secondary buffer (Megapoints). Because of this, even the Rigol 1052E as well as the corresponding bottom of the barrel Siglent scopes (CML etc.) provide filters.

On the other hand, the siglent salesmanager wrote me once, to keep the sds5000x still attractive, not all of the possible features will be implemented in the sds2000x+ too.
My answer was, the hardware difference between the two models keeps the sds5000x still attractive (5GSa/s, "pro bus" inputs, etc..), the sds2000x+ should get all the features which are possible, at least the same the rigol 5000 got.

The truth is, that the SDS2000X+ has less harware ressources than the SDS5000X, which might prevent Siglent from implementing everything on the lower platform. One example is the (unnecessary if you ask me) DVM.

I for one have been baffled when I first saw the preliminary (back then) spec. sheet. Really not that much difference in terms of firmware features! There are very few features that might have been left out on purpose, such as the Qualified Trigger.

On the other hand, the SDS2000X+ was the first to have new features like 10 bit acquisition and vertical zoom, which are yet to be introduced in the 5000X series.