Anyone have any insight on the Tektronix AFG Series of Arb/Function Generators?
One thing that looks attractive about the Tek AFGs is the Arb Express software. I have been thinking about a Rigol DG1062Z or 1032Z (both of which would save some $ over the Teks AFGs - roughly half the price or better), but the Rigol arb creating software just doesn't get very good reviews - although there aren't a lot reviews out there.
Anyway, back on the Tek AFGs, the 3000 series appears to be a little long in the tooth - maybe introduced around 2008? It looks like they went through the initial models, then a B version, and now a C version. Anyone know the differences between the three versions? Or how long until Tek is likely to introduce a new generation of AFGs?
Tek has an entry model 2021 which is featured as having been built on the experience gained with the 3000 series. It looks like it could be found new or used for about $1300 or less which starts to close the gap on the DG1062Z, and it includes the Arb Express software.
Or maybe it makes sense to consider the AFG3021C over the 2021? The 3021 goes to 25MHz for sine waves and has a larger 5.6" vs 3.5" display; the bigger display is nice, and the 3021 will do square waves and pulses at 25 MHz where the 2021 gets to 20MHz on sine waves but only 10MHz on square waves and pulses.* The front panel layout on the 3000 series looks a little better than on the 2000 series - but it might be a minor thing.
Then we get to the notion of the 3022C - which would provide a second channel, but it raises the price considerably. Anyone want to make the case that a second channel would be especially useful? (I can believe a 2nd channel is useful since almost everything else from DMMs to scopes to anything that gives you a way to compare and contrast is useful

)
The big thing for my interest is the ability to make and experiment with arbs. Initially I don't need complex arbs but I'd like an easy way to make various pulse combinations to represent ASCII characters - maybe hundreds to thousands of bytes per string which would be 8-10x as many bits (so memory and to some extent sampling is a consideration). I just want to easily/quickly shape the pulse strings with precise control over frequency, amplitude, duty cycle, etc. If Rigol had something like Arb Express this would be easy. I imagine this could probably be done in Python or some other language but I'd prefer off the shelf PC software.
So, between the Rigol 1062/1032 and the Tek 2021, 3021C and 3022C for making arbs - what do you think? Seems like you have to pay 2-3x to get good software - kind of hard to justify.
Thanks for any thoughts/advice. EF
* I saw specs that say the 3021C goes to 12.5MHz for arbs and half that for arbs in burst mode; the 2021 goes to 10MHz for arbs and half that for arbs in burst mode - so maybe for arbs there isn't much difference between the two models.