First hobbyist oscilloscope.

[backd00r]

Hi, I am buying my first oscilloscope as a senior EE , I have a very limited student budget and I recently got a gift card for newegg that I want to use toward the scope. I was actually thinking about buying the siglent SDS1072CML but the one from the following manufacturer listed below on newegg is directly from china so I am holding off from now because I dont trust the companies that are strictly based in china. Also I checked their seller page on newegg and it doesn't say anything about after service warranty from siglent which is another concern of mine(maybe they are not authorized sellers). I might go with the siglent SDS1052DL eventhough it is very low end but might be just what I need to start my small workshop at home for now, and this one is sold by Tequipment on newegg and I know they stand behind their products. please advise.
thanks

[tautech]

Welcome to the forum.

Please place your country flag in your profile for local advice.

This very recent thread maybe will answer some of your questions:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/sds1102cnl-vs-sds1102cml-(100mhz)/

Tequipment offer a discount for EEVblog members, contact them.

[FrankenPC]

Budget? 

The absolute best bang for the budget is this: 
http://www.tequipment.net/Rigol/DS1054Z/Digital-Oscilloscopes/
Rigol DS1054Z.  Unbelievably good value for the money at ~400USD.

[nanofrog]

Another vote for the Rigol DS1054Z. 

For a few bucks more, you get 4 channels, and it can be hacked to 100MHz and enable all of it's software options. 

PM sent (makes it less than $400).

[backd00r]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I thought about this for a long time and came to the conclusion that I cannot afford the extra 100 dollars for the rigol for now. As I need to buy a power supply, a soldering station(a good one about 130 dollars hakko) and some other small equipment to start the work. This all piles up to a hefty price for a college student. I think I will wait a little then invest on the rigol or just buy the siglent which might be more than what I need for now. I dont use the scope a lot I just need one handy at home because sometimes it is nice to take a look at the output when dealing with AC signals and PWM. thanks for your time and for the coupon. =)

PS. I really like this blog I wish I found out about this years ago!

[nanofrog]

I cannot afford the extra 100 dollars for the rigol for now.

Where are you getting a $100 price difference? 

• Best price I've seen on the Siglent SDS1052DL was $329 shipped on eBay.
• Rigol DS1054Z can be had for $375.06 shipped.

From the above prices, the cost difference is only $46.06.  Bit easier to tolerate. 
 

[Fungus]

I cannot afford the extra 100 dollars for the rigol for now.

Then wait a few more weeks/months, you definitely won't regret it. Nothing else comes close to the DS1054Z  in terms of value for money (see EEVBLOG videos - Dave made a whole series on the DS1054Z because it was so amazing).

Or ... learn to beg/borrow!

[backd00r]

Ok guys you pursued me to buy the rigol I will wait a couple more weeks and buy it. Tequipement told me they will have it on Newegg in a week or so. Also I saw that rigol has a couple of scopes that have built in wavegenerators are they better value at ($800). Thanks for your input on this.

[backd00r]

Also This is my list of things that I will be buying with the scop let me know if you have better tools in mind withing this price range:

-Hakko FX888D soldering station

- Dr.Meter Single-Output DC Power Supply HY3003D  ($64 with shipping)

-Mastech AC/DC Auto/Manual Range Digital Multimeter, MS8268 ($28)

Thanks

[nanofrog]

Ok guys you pursued me to buy the rigol I will wait a couple more weeks and buy it. Tequipement told me they will have it on Newegg in a week or so. Also I saw that rigol has a couple of scopes that have built in wavegenerators are they better value at ($800). Thanks for your input on this.

Buy it directly from TEquipment's own site to be sure you get the discount.  They also sell the Hakko FX-888D you're after, as well as tips. Free shipping in the US for orders over $99 if you want to split these up.

Slightly cheaper to get the DS1074Z-S than the DS1054Z + DG1022A, but only by $75.20. And if you can compromise on the AFG a bit (i.e. the DG1022, which is 20MHz instead of 25MHz), you can actually get separate units for less money than the DS1074Z-S.

PM sent.

[backd00r]

TEquipment have awsome costumer servise they posted the rigol on Newegg I pulled the trigger on it. The only thing that I am wondering is this a good power supply?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1PK0JM2371

[skyjumper]

So are you thinking about after you graduate? I would think that there are labs you can use at school, or electronics clubs with their own labs...

[oldway]

Buy a good quality used analog oscilloscope unless you devote solely to digital electronics.

Much can be done in analog and power electronics with an analog oscilloscope.

No need for a dso.

On this forum, many believe that a sophisticated measuring device is essential.

This is wrong .... it does not replace the intelligence nor the knowledge nor the experience.

[rolycat]

Buy a good quality used analog oscilloscope unless you devote solely to digital electronics.

Much can be done in analog and power electronics with an analog oscilloscope.

No need for a dso.

This is nonsense. A modern scope like the DS1054Z is far more useful for practically any type of electronics work. If you don't trust the advice on the forum, read this:

Analog scopes are easy to use, but they are seriously limiting in what you can do. For example, (a) it's hard to see a "single-shot" event; (b) you can't store a trace, or compare a live trace with an earlier trace; (c) you can't extract a trace for measurement or illustration; and (d) you can't look back in time to see what happened before the triggering event.

Digital scopes effortlessly provide these and many other capabilities ...

That's fairly unequivocal, wouldn't you agree?

On this forum, many believe that a sophisticated measuring device is essential.

This is wrong ....

It's not essential; you can do a lot with a soldering iron and a multimeter. But a DSO gives vastly more information about what is going on, and that is invaluable when learning.

it does not replace the intelligence nor the knowledge nor the experience.

Of course it doesn't. But a beginner by definition lacks knowledge and experience. The best way to acquire them is with decent tools.

[oldway]

Non sense is what you write.
Beginners need a dso for learning how a basic transistor amplifier or a NE555 works ?

We have studied and worked for decades with analog oscilloscopes and it does not prevent us to be engineers whose expertise is recognized and admired.

You are the kind of people who need a 200 HP car to drive in town at 40 km / h.

Try using as best as possible the measuring instruments that you have (and that you can pay !), it's already learn a lot and to be smart and creative.

This is also part of the formation of a good electronician: learn to do a lot with little.

For a beginner, there are other priorities than expensive and sophisticated measurement instruments, for example, tools and parts.

[rolycat]

Non sense is what you write.

And Horowitz and Hill, they write nonsense as well, huh?

Beginners need a dso for learning how a basic transistor amplifier or a NE555 works ?

You think a senior EE student doesn't already know how those work?

We have studied and worked for decades with analog oscilloscopes and it does not prevent us to be engineers whose expertise is recognized and admired.

That's very admirable, I'm sure, but if you close your mind to advances in technology then the admiration is not going to endure.

You are the kind of people who need a 200 HP car to drive in town at 40 km / h.

You are the kind of person who tries to ride a penny-farthing bicycle on a modern motorway. 
(It's easy to hurl juvenile insults, but not very productive.)

Try using as best as possible the measuring instruments that you have (and that you can pay !), it's already learn a lot and to be smart and creative.

This is also part of the formation of a good electronician: learn to do a lot with little.

For a beginner, there are other priorities than expensive and sophisticated measurement instruments, for example, tools and parts.

This beginner is a senior electronics engineering student and has already stated that he can afford a DSO.

[oldway]

It's obvious, an hobbyist absolutely need a dso, with an analog oscilloscope, we can not do anything !
Look at the scopes of Jim Williams 

[backd00r]

Guys I worked with digital scops for years now I am not going analog. I already bought the rigol  and I think it is a very good scop for the money. I have been getting emails saying oh you should buy analog bla bla. I don't know why so many people in this forum have personal agendas toward analog scopes lol. Also away idea on the power supply is it any good or do you advise else?

[rolycat]

Guys I worked with digital scops for years now I am not going analog. I already bought the rigol  and I think it is a very good scop for the money. I have been getting emails saying oh you should buy analog bla bla. I don't know why so many people in this forum have personal agendas toward analog scopes lol.

Also away idea on the power supply is it any good or do you advise else?

If it's a genuine Mastech supply then it's probably a cut above the shoddy identical-looking clones, but it's still very basic. Many people here would prefer a good quality second-hand supply for that sort of money. There are many threads on the forum discussing such supplies, and good ones are readily available in the States. Power Designs PSUs are inexpensive and very well thought of, for example.

[backd00r]

Guys I worked with digital scops for years now I am not going analog. I already bought the rigol  and I think it is a very good scop for the money. I have been getting emails saying oh you should buy analog bla bla. I don't know why so many people in this forum have personal agendas toward analog scopes lol.

Also away idea on the power supply is it any good or do you advise else?

Power Designs PSUs are inexpensive and very well thought of, for example.

Ok thank you I will do some ebay search on these.

[rdl]

That power supply is probably the most cloned/copied power supply on eBay. You can find it or one of the variations cheaper there and with free shipping. Surely you can find one with a better brand label than "Dr. Meter". 

[backd00r]

That power supply is probably the most cloned/copied power supply on eBay. You can find it or one of the variations cheaper there and with free shipping. Surely you can find one with a better brand label than "Dr. Meter". 

any cheap DYI power supplies you might suggest to start with? I also want to learn a little in the process not just the price. Thanks.

[Rupunzell]

Analog time domain instruments (O'scopes) can do stuff DSO's cannot.
Maybe in time you'll discover and learn about this fact... depending on what you're working on.


Bernice

Guys I worked with digital scops for years now I am not going analog. I already bought the rigol  and I think it is a very good scop for the money. I have been getting emails saying oh you should buy analog bla bla. I don't know why so many people in this forum have personal agendas toward analog scopes lol. Also away idea on the power supply is it any good or do you advise else?

[rdl]

any cheap DYI power supplies you might suggest to start with? I also want to learn a little in the process not just the price. Thanks.

There really isn't. I think the only people still making diy educational type power supplies are Elenco. They're not bad, but more expensive than the cheap stuff on eBay and relatively lacking in features. A possible decent inexpensive power supply would be one of the Korad programmables. They got a bad rep because Dave had one of the early version break during his review, but Korad seems to have fixed the problem.

[frizz]

Another vote for the Rigol DS1054Z. 

For a few bucks more, you get 4 channels, and it can be hacked to 100MHz and enable all of it's software options. 

PM sent (makes it less than $400).

I'm a new hobbyist, and just getting started. As an example, I am still trying to fully understand the 555, and I thought I was hot stuff when I controlled the brightness on an LED with a pot-controlled transistor. Total noob.

I am thinking about buying a Rigol DS1054Z. Is there still a way to get it for less than $399 on TEquipment's site?

Also, Amazon has the Siglent SDS1052DL for $279 shipped from Amazon or TEquipment. Very tempting! However, I may just go cheap and get the tiny, open-source DSO Nano Oscilloscope v3 by Seeed Studio for under $100 and upgrade later. (http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/DSO-Nano-v3-p-1358.html)

Any comments about these three options & getting a discount on the Rigol?