Should I go for Keysight 1204 A or G?

[Porama6400]

After thinking back and forth for forever, I finally decided to go for Keysight 1204A/G.

However I am not sure if the function generator feature worth it. From the datasheet it seems pretty anemic for an extra 300 USD.

Would it be better for me to go for 'A' variant and get a dedicated wavegen? I'd need bode plot later on, but perhaps I could just use good ol' Excel?

Thank you in advance ~

[rvalente]

Do you really need 2gsa? If not, none of them, get a Siglent SDS1204X-E and a proper wave gen.

For bode plot, I'm sure you could write your own tool in python or labview

[2N3055]

Writing a fully featured Bode plot app that would be comparable to a well made implementation like the in Keysight and Siglent scopes is far from trivial..
In addition, why would you spend time reinventing the wheel?

If you know you will need (as in: you will use it on regular basis) it, then you get a scope with Bode Plot. Or one that you can add that functionality later..

Only thing you need to decide if you are going to buy Keysight with a generator or Siglent (or similar) that works with internal (if the model has it) or external AWG from Siglent.

As a comparison, Siglent SDS2104X Plus costs as much as base DSOX1204G, also has built in Siggen, has larger bandwidth, much larger screen and many other characteristics Keysight doesn't have.. It is slightly different kind of scope but an valid alternative..

Bottom line, if it has to be DSOX1204* (for whatever reason) and if you will ever need Bode plot, you need to buy a DSOX1204G. Unlike Siglent, you cannot later buy AWG and enable it later...

[Someone]

Writing a fully featured Bode plot app that would be comparable to a well made implementation like the in Keysight and Siglent scopes is far from trivial..

Dunno, seems to be on the trivial end of complexity to me:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/faster-fra-from-scope-by-external-control-over-visa/
So now it should be pretty trivial for anyone! Also opens the option to have an external source/function generator.

[Porama6400]

I would not mind coding my own bode plot

As a comparison, Siglent SDS2104X Plus costs as much as base DSOX1204G, also has built in Siggen, has larger bandwidth, much larger screen and many other characteristics Keysight doesn't have.. It is slightly different kind of scope but an valid alternative..

I've thought about that. unfortunately, there's no Siglent distributor in my country.
I am open to importing if it's significantly better though.

it would be around 1350 USD to import SDS2104X Plus
DSOX1204A is about 1150 USD

[2N3055]

Writing a fully featured Bode plot app that would be comparable to a well made implementation like the in Keysight and Siglent scopes is far from trivial..

Dunno, seems to be on the trivial end of complexity to me:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/faster-fra-from-scope-by-external-control-over-visa/
So now it should be pretty trivial for anyone! Also opens the option to have an external source/function generator.

Well, first, you are at quite advanced knowledge level.. What might seem simple to you might not be actually that simple to everyone...

And I did say "comparable to implementation..".. Both Keysight and Siglent have averaging, adaptive stimulus, level shaping, cursors and automatic measurements, graph and data table view, data export...... Siglent also can do multi channel simultaneous measurements....
Those details are what takes much more time to implement..

My actual benchmark for this is FRA for Picoscope by Hexamer... It is not rocket surgery, but still took few years to get where it is now.. And it is not as sophisticated as Keysight or Siglent implementation in some regards..

[2N3055]

I would not mind coding my own bode plot

As a comparison, Siglent SDS2104X Plus costs as much as base DSOX1204G, also has built in Siggen, has larger bandwidth, much larger screen and many other characteristics Keysight doesn't have.. It is slightly different kind of scope but an valid alternative..

I've thought about that. unfortunately, there's no Siglent distributor in my country.
I am open to importing if it's significantly better though.

it would be around 1350 USD to import SDS2104X Plus
DSOX1204A is about 1150 USD

I'm quite aware not every country is the same, from import/export to financial status of people...
That  is why I said "as a comparison".

To me, I would choose SDS2104X Plus over DSOX1204G, but that is me and for my reason. It's feature set suits me more than Keysight. But that is me.
DSOX1204G has it's own set of good things going on for it... Some people want small fast responding scope that will be similar to old CRT scopes they are used to operate.. DSOX1204G works well for that.

Only you know what you need.. If you have some questions and doubts, post them, somebody might have some answers...

[adam4521]

Just a watch it -- with the Siglent I understand you need a function generator license if you want to use it other than for FRA. This could be bundled in a promotion, or acquired through a keygen if you are happy to do that. The official signal generator license is not Siglent's keenest pricing -- it makes the Keysight 'G' hardware+software increment look quite reasonable in comparison! For whatever reason the Siglent standalone generators have better price/performance.

[Bud]

Beside waveforms Keysight G scopes can generate (simulate) digital communication signals of various types, e.g. I2C, CAN, RS232, SPI, etc. Which can be handy for development/debugging.