Products > Test Equipment
MSO5000 Bode Plot Capability: Is it Good Enough? [Many tips about a 1st scope]
balnazzar:
--- Quote from: jasonRF on October 09, 2022, 02:19:14 am ---Certainly there are differences. For example, the sds1104x-e has dual 1 GS/s ADCs while the Picoscopes have a single ADC.
[...]
both of my scopes are Picoscopes (2204a, 5244b)
--- End quote ---
But any 5000-series pico has 8 independent ADCs (I think that's why they can get to 16 bit resolution.. By stacking ADCs..)
balnazzar:
--- Quote from: JeremyC on October 09, 2022, 02:26:07 am ---balnazzar, I’m guessing you’re trying to get best what you can get in your budged,
but as of now you aren’t sure what you really need.
I would suggest to stay with the AD2, work with your projects, if you hit a limitation make a comment in your work log.
Review the log after some period of time (3 months?) and you will find what you really need. Otherwise you may end with wasting money.
--- End quote ---
That's a good advice. I will do so. If not out of wisdom, certainly out of necessity.
The 4-chs Picos are not currently manufactured (probably as a consequence of silicon supply chain shortages..), and are due to be delivered again to distributors not before the next summer (Farnell told me they expect them to be delivered june 2023).
I just hope I won't need >2chs too often, and the same goes for 30 MHz (which is like saying I'll be alble to oberve signals up to 5 MHz accurately...).
Fungus:
--- Quote from: 2N3055 on October 09, 2022, 09:58:43 am ---Nobody is going to make product more expensive for less than 1% of users, compromising sales to 99% users that are quite happy with both device and price. I'm not saying you're stupid for wishing better, but it simply doesn't work that way.
--- End quote ---
Now who's inventing numbers?
There are lots of threads on EEVBLOG with people trying to silence their oscilloscopes. Some of them are about Siglents.
Any mod may involve voiding the warranty though, it's up to the individual to make that decision.
Given that a "silent" oscilloscope is going to be much more expensive it might make sense to take the warrant-voiding leap and mod a cheap one. I'd use it a bit first to make sure it doesn't die an early death though. Maybe switch it on when you're not around to hear it.
--- Quote from: 2N3055 on October 09, 2022, 09:58:43 am ---And please will you refrain from statements like "The 2K HD is allegedly silent. Allegedly. ..". That is an example you making a statement that implies I'm lying... I know for fact it is true, not alleged fact.
--- End quote ---
Nothing with a fan will ever be truly silent.
balnazzar:
--- Quote from: 2N3055 on October 09, 2022, 09:13:19 am ---An observation.
Let me start with a fact I think Picoscopes are brilliant. I have 3.
But you forget that Picoscope contains only acquisition engine. No general purpose CPU for U/I, no screen no PSU. It is not good comparison. And they do have fan and make noise. Some do, higher specced ones. And you have to add in whatever noise your PC has. Which in your case will be rather quiet and maybe already on so there is a win.
Taking all in account I would say maybe that is best choice for you, but this all started with a budget and some requirement that steered away from it..
--- End quote ---
That's a good point. Although as for general purpose CPUs, consider that for example Apple managed to tuck the M1, one of the most powerful laptop processors in existence, inside a few millimetres thick case, along with a very power-hungry 11" display with very high resolution (displays do draw power as function of their resolution). It's all passively cooled, and it does not overheat.
Now imagine a pico 5000 with its 8 ADCs "stacked" upon an iPad pro.
That would be quite a scope. 11" retina display, blazing fast UI, 8 ADC, 16 bit and whatnot. And *passive*.
balnazzar:
--- Quote from: 2N3055 on October 09, 2022, 09:58:43 am ---
Purpose of a fan is to move air. Fact that some people put in fans that don't move enough air to make it silent will compromise thermal integrity of device. Or not, depending whether you're in tropics or Syberia. Manufacturer has to GUARANTEE it will work in full range promised in datasheet.
If you take effort to look at the numbers, very few people bother and think fan needs exchanging. Those that do are in a minority. Nobody is going to make product more expensive for less than 1% of users, compromising sales to 99% users that are quite happy with both device and price. I'm not saying you're stupid for wishing better, but it simply doesn't work that way.
--- End quote ---
I get your point, and there is truth in it. But I still have to read about just 1 person who swapped the fan and then reported that the scope has died due to overheating.
--- Quote from: 2N3055 on October 09, 2022, 09:58:43 am ---
And please will you refrain from statements like "The 2K HD is allegedly silent. Allegedly. ..". That is an example you making a statement that implies I'm lying... I know for fact it is true, not alleged fact.
--- End quote ---
NO. I'm not implying you are lying. I'm implying that this has been reported by just one person, who happens to be quite insensitive to acoustical noise by his own admission. If you automatically assume nasty intentions by your counterpart in a conversation, such a conversation would necessarily steer toward unpleasant.
--- Quote from: 2N3055 on October 09, 2022, 09:58:43 am ---
It would be nice for OP to share his final decision and rationale behind it here in a conclusion, so other users with similar budget and requirements (with emphasis on very acoustically quiet scopes) could benefit from all the effort OP and contributors invested in this.
--- End quote ---
Here is what I'll do:
I'll try and use just the AD2 for now. It's very good, apart from its limitations (2chs only, low frequency, etc..).
Then I'll buy a Pico (2000 series, 4ch, probably 70 MHz), hoping that they'll be available soon. If not, I'll go for a Pico 3000 as soon as I have the money.
I would recommend the 1104X-E to anyone who is *very* insensitive to acoustical disturbance, but want a good, cheap scope, with a very good price-quality ratio!
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