Products > Test Equipment
Oscilloscope Dilemma
BassClef:
Big thanks to all who chimed in. The "analysis paralysis" didn't last long. I was strongly leaning towards the Siglent SDS 1202X-E. You folks gave me the nudge over the cliff... er, edge. I pulled the (pardon the pun) trigger this evening.
432 MHz wasn't really a priority, as all I do there is local FM or DMR stuff. My main thing is HF. Followed by using the scope as a tool to fix a few things as the need arises, and learn more about what's going on in those wires. Back when I was a kid, I was aligning and adjusting radios with nothing more than a VOM and a 100 kHz crystal calibrator. So this is going to feel like the electronic equivalent of a luxury hotel.
--Peter
nctnico:
--- Quote from: markone on December 05, 2022, 01:47:24 am ---
--- Quote from: nctnico on December 04, 2022, 10:22:00 pm ---Agreed. Tektronix still knows how to make good oscilloscopes. And they are not the only ones who have been milking old architectures.
--- End quote ---
They are still milking, it's enough to see how many active 8bit DSO they do have (shamlessy) in catalog with 20kpts @ over 1K USD/EURO.
--- End quote ---
More likely they keep these for customers replacing / extending their existing equipment in places where it is too expensive to rewrite manuals / modify automated test setups / train people.
baldurn:
--- Quote from: Andy2 on December 05, 2022, 08:48:27 am ---
--- Quote from: baldurn on December 04, 2022, 04:43:13 pm ---
I am not sure what you are doing wrong, but my DSO has no trouble at all displaying a typical AM signal. Here is a photo of a 29 MHz (10 meters) signal modulated by 1 kHz at 50%:
--- End quote ---
That's interesting, Baldurn. How many points is the trace memory? As I said, things improve with more memory. My Rigol has 14 M points, which was a decent amount when I bought it, but these days scopes tend to have a lot more.
--- End quote ---
That was actually on the picture, but unfortunately too blurry to read. The scope is an Siglent SDS 2304X which is an older version of the scope the original poster is considering. The scope has memory for 140 Mpts but is only using 14 Mpts at 2 GS/s in the picture.
However, someone please correct me if I am wrong, I do believe it is actually the sample rate at viewed timebase that is important here. Because we want to see a 1 kHz amplitude overlay waveform, we need the timebase to be in the range of 1 ms per division. I had 0.5 ms per division in the picture. At the same time we need to capture the RF signal at 29 MHz which means at least 58 MS/s. My scope has 14 divisions and so would need 14 ms of data at 58 MS/s. That calculates to a little less than 1 Mpts.
The scope is doing much more than 1 Mpts and 58 MS/s which just means it has data so I can zoom or I could go much higher up in frequency without trouble.
rstofer:
--- Quote from: themadhippy on December 05, 2022, 02:29:53 am ---
--- Quote ---Skip the X-U series, they have been designed down to a price point.
--- End quote ---
for the price its still a very capable scope,for some of us the budget is very limited.
--- End quote ---
Then make a spreadsheet of features on both series -E and -U. Then compare what you can't do with the -U now or forever into the future and see if the savings are worthwhile.
When you can get a nice 2 channel 200 MHz scope with an abundance of features for $399, it's pretty hard to complain about the price. SDS1202X-E - Remember, we got along with 2 channel scopes for a very long time.
The SDS1104X-U matches the price at $399; you give up 200 MHz for 100 MHz but gain 2 more channels.
It would cost another $100 over the -U to get the SDS1104X-E which is only 100 MHz but can be unlocked to 200 MHz (details elsewhere, check them out, don't rely on my memory). This is the way I would go but that's just me. I want 4 channels above everything else. 200 MHz would be nice but I still have that old 350 MHz Tek 485 for the higher BW requirements.
It gets to be a bit confusing...
tautech:
--- Quote from: rstofer on December 05, 2022, 07:19:11 pm ---
--- Quote from: themadhippy on December 05, 2022, 02:29:53 am ---
--- Quote ---Skip the X-U series, they have been designed down to a price point.
--- End quote ---
for the price its still a very capable scope,for some of us the budget is very limited.
--- End quote ---
Then make a spreadsheet of features on both series -E and -U. Then compare what you can't do with the -U now or forever into the future and see if the savings are worthwhile.
When you can get a nice 2 channel 200 MHz scope with an abundance of features for $399, it's pretty hard to complain about the price. SDS1202X-E - Remember, we got along with 2 channel scopes for a very long time.
The SDS1104X-U matches the price at $399; you give up 200 MHz for 100 MHz but gain 2 more channels.
It would cost another $100 over the -U to get the SDS1104X-E which is only 100 MHz but can be unlocked to 200 MHz (details elsewhere, check them out, don't rely on my memory). This is the way I would go but that's just me. I want 4 channels above everything else. 200 MHz would be nice but I still have that old 350 MHz Tek 485 for the higher BW requirements.
It gets to be a bit confusing...
--- End quote ---
Until you have this image as attached, prepared by rf-loop.
Still there are some differences in capability and features between SDS1202X-E, SDS11/1204X-E and SDS1104X-U but it's all in their datasheets and if not in user manuals.
4ch X-E's are the premium range in these 3 and to get close the 2ch 2 GSa SDS2000X-E range shares some features with the 4ch X-E's but also has 1M/50 Ohm inputs none of these 1000 series models have.
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