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Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: sampler1 on March 28, 2021, 11:10:07 pm

Title: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: sampler1 on March 28, 2021, 11:10:07 pm
Hi guys,
I have two digital scopes and to be honest I hate them both Tektronix TDS745A and A Siglent.. Well, i am about to adventure into an Analog time warp as I want to buy an analog scope. I do like Tektronix and I do want on screen information.
What would you all suggest to look for???
400Mhz min. two channel with on screen information.
I was looking at a Tektronix 2465B ?

Any help would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: mawyatt on March 28, 2021, 11:22:12 pm
Have a pair of the Tektronix 2465s, both repaired, recaped and fully working now. Superb instruments from an older era, and if you like analog scopes these are some of the best IMO.

Best
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: james_s on March 28, 2021, 11:42:33 pm
Tektronix was king of analog scopes, IMHO nothing else could touch them. 400MHz minimum narrows things down quite a lot, an analog scope with that much bandwidth is a specialty item.

As much as I love my old Tek 465, I almost never use it anymore since getting a TDS700 and can't imagine ever going back for day to day use. I'm curious what it is you hate about the DSO and wondering if it's a case of needing to learn how to use it properly. Aside from XY mode I struggle to think of anything an analog scope can do that a DSO can't, and quite a few things the DSO can do that the analog can't.
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: TimFox on March 28, 2021, 11:53:45 pm
Personally, I prefer an analog CRO when I don't know what I'm looking at yet, or for X-Y mode.  However, I prefer a DSO when I know what I have and want to measure it, or when I need to freeze a single sweep.
One technology for which I have no nostalgia is the analog storage scope.
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: Electro Fan on March 29, 2021, 12:53:05 am
Hi guys,
I have two digital scopes and to be honest I hate them both Tektronix TDS745A and A Siglent.. Well, i am about to adventure into an Analog time warp as I want to buy an analog scope. I do like Tektronix and I do want on screen information.
What would you all suggest to look for???
400Mhz min. two channel with on screen information.
I was looking at a Tektronix 2465B ?

Any help would be appreciated.

If your mind is made up the 2465B is going to be pretty hard to beat for 400MHz with on screen information.  But just to clarify, which Siglent do you have?  What don't you like about your digital scopes?  What are you going to use the new scope for?

Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side but then you need a lawn mower.  Maybe you already have a couple lawn mowers. :)
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: nctnico on March 29, 2021, 07:52:01 am
Don't rule out Iwatsu 7840 / Lecroy LA314 . This is a more modern design and not crazy expensive.
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: sampler1 on April 04, 2021, 03:11:35 am
Thanks everyone picking up the 2465B on Monday.. Fair price and in great condition.

Big Thanks!

Ps: keeping the Siglent for my Digital scope and The perfect condition TDS-754A  is on the Bay. Great Buy.
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: tautech on April 04, 2021, 04:10:52 am
Which model Siglent have you ?
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: bdunham7 on April 04, 2021, 04:21:26 am
Any help would be appreciated.

What do you typically do with your scope?
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: Electro Fan on April 04, 2021, 04:29:15 am
Thanks everyone picking up the 2465B on Monday.. Fair price and in great condition.

Big Thanks!

Ps: keeping the Siglent for my Digital scope and The perfect condition TDS-754A  is on the Bay. Great Buy.

Congrats on the 2465B!  It is a beautiful classic scope.  I think it would be very useful to lots of readers - especially others currently or who might be visiting the forum the future - who are thinking about the tradeoffs between analog and digital scopes to hear your impressions after you've used the 2465B for awhile.  So if you can, plz let us know your thinking after you've had a few weeks with the new scope.
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: sampler1 on May 06, 2021, 03:43:28 am
Thanks everyone picking up the 2465B on Monday.. Fair price and in great condition.

Big Thanks!

Ps: keeping the Siglent for my Digital scope and The perfect condition TDS-754A  is on the Bay. Great Buy.

Congrats on the 2465B!  It is a beautiful classic scope.  I think it would be very useful to lots of readers - especially others currently or who might be visiting the forum the future - who are thinking about the tradeoffs between analog and digital scopes to hear your impressions after you've used the 2465B for awhile.  So if you can, plz let us know your thinking after you've had a few weeks with the new scope.

========================================================================
In my opinion the 2465B is just better in every way. No menus ! Just strait forward and does everything well that I could possibly want. Especially XY.
To all the Digital lovers, to each his own.
Cheers
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: tggzzz on May 06, 2021, 08:24:16 am
Thanks everyone picking up the 2465B on Monday.. Fair price and in great condition.

Enjoy it!

Be aware of the issues with the calibration data in battery backed RAM, and battery failure. At the very least it would be prudent to use the test routines to keep a copy of the data in case you need to re-create it in a new RAM.

Some will argue that after so many decades the cal data probably won't be completely accurate, and that a full recalibration (after losing the data and replacing the RAM) would be beneficial.
Title: Re: Some analog Oscilloscope advise
Post by: mawyatt on May 06, 2021, 01:19:38 pm
Thanks everyone picking up the 2465B on Monday.. Fair price and in great condition.

Big Thanks!

Ps: keeping the Siglent for my Digital scope and The perfect condition TDS-754A  is on the Bay. Great Buy.

Congrats on the 2465B!  It is a beautiful classic scope.  I think it would be very useful to lots of readers - especially others currently or who might be visiting the forum the future - who are thinking about the tradeoffs between analog and digital scopes to hear your impressions after you've used the 2465B for awhile.  So if you can, plz let us know your thinking after you've had a few weeks with the new scope.

========================================================================
In my opinion the 2465B is just better in every way. No menus ! Just strait forward and does everything well that I could possibly want. Especially XY.
To all the Digital lovers, to each his own.
Cheers

Good choice!! Be sure to recap the scope, they have a reputation for various capacitors leaking and failing. The RIFA types are famous for exploding and splattering stuff all over the power supply area.

Best,