EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: ekeppel on August 22, 2015, 12:37:02 am
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Hi Folks!
I recently came across the newly released GDS-1000B series DSOs from Instek, but am finding that there seems to be a lack of info out there on them. They are available now from TEquipment - for example the 4-channel 50MHz version here:
http://www.tequipment.net/Instek/GDS-1054B/Digital-Oscilloscopes/?v=7401 (http://www.tequipment.net/Instek/GDS-1054B/Digital-Oscilloscopes/?v=7401)
From what I can see of the specs and the very poor quality videos that Instek themselves provide on youtube, this may be a strong competitor to the Rigol DS-1054Z at a similar price-point, but until I see some decent HD video reviews and a teardown, I really can't tell. The advertised 256-color intensity graded display is certainly intriguing, but it's not shown off with a nice modulated signal in any of the videos I've seen yet. Seems like a poor way to market something! :-/
Anyhow, does anyone out there in EEVblog-land own one of these and would be willing to do a quick review and/or teardown for us? Dave, have you had one of these find its way into your lab yet? :-D
I am trying to decide between this and the Rigol, so it would be great to see what this scope has to offer in comparison.
Thanks!
Eric
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Not trying to provoke a scope war but folks here are partial to Rigol but does this constitute a review?
http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=1034.0 (http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=1034.0)
Blogger may still be an eevblog member. :)
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It seems Kiriakos didn't like it here,so he set up his own EEVBlog clone! ;D
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Thanks, singapol.
Yes, I should have mentioned that I did find that *one* review from Kiriakos, but the video is the same low-quality one from Instek. I'm looking for a decent HD review / demo with some common test signals so I can see how quickly the controls react and what we can expect for performance from this thing.
I'm definitely not trying to start a flame war with Rigol fans. I was poised to buy the Rigol when I saw this one, so I'm just wanting to see if the Instek is worthy of consideration. It may be a step up, down, or sideways in performance in relation to the Rigol, but with the meager info Instek has provided thus far, it's very hard to tell!
Eric
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I end up getting a GDS-1102B from Tequipment.net this week. I haven't had much chance to check it out yet though.
Here are some quick things I have noticed so far:
- The FFT and math functions are very fast compaired the Rigol.
- Like the Rigol DS1000Z, the 1GS sampling rate is shared by all channels.
- The rotary encoder for the variable knob has no detents, but at least the select button is separate.
- The intensity grading isn't quite right. It works when viewing a complex waveform, but looks to be doing nothing when viewing a modulated waveform envelope.
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Thanks, akimmet. Good info, and thanks for the first impressions, especially the last comment on the display. The Rigol has a very nice display that looks anti-aliased to me, so waveforms appear quite smooth and the intesity grading also looks smooth. This Instek appears aliased and rather pixellated in the videos I have seen so far. Of course actual performance is what really counts, but it doesn't hurt to have a great looking display.
Let us know what you think after you get it broken in! :-)
Eric
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I provided some remarks about the new GW-Instek GDS-2000E series here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-gw-instek-2000-series-digiscope-gds-2202e/msg725592/#msg725592 (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-gw-instek-2000-series-digiscope-gds-2202e/msg725592/#msg725592)
Most remarks are also relevant for the new GDS-1000B series.
As you can see, many negative things :)
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akimmet anyway you can write a review on our site? It helps so the rest of the world can see it.
Thanks
Evan Cirelli
VP Tequipment.NET
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No fine vertical or horizontal scale control on GDS-1000B. No built-in signal generator. No serial decoding. The bus, search and arrow buttons seem to have no function, probably.
Rigol DS1000Z-S is more feature rich, that's for sure.
But as a competitor for Tektronix TBS1000B, the GDS-1000B can be OK.
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It seems Kiriakos didn't like it here,so he set up his own EEVBlog clone! ;D
Kiriakos was the top poster on this forum (besides me) before he got banned after countless complaints for being, well, too confrontational.
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GW Instek have just offered me one of these for review.
Probably worth a look.
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Is the intensity grading algorithm that Rigol uses developed by themselves or licensed from a company?
How come it seems so difficult to implement by the other manufacturers?
Doesn't seem like rocket science, still many manufacturers can't get it right.
I was under the impression that most competing manufacturers actually buy and own Rigol stuff to compare with their own products under development. An easy 5 minute comparison already reveals that their intensity grading algorithm underperforms. And still they launch their product? Why don't they get their act together first, before an actual product release?
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Is the intensity grading algorithm that Rigol uses developed by themselves or licensed from a company?
Rigol got quite a few Tektronix engineers who were jack of the Danaher Business System.
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FYI, I have one on the courier truck right now.
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Nice, I am looking forward to the review.
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I think it will be interesting to see how far they progressed from the older models.