Tektronix MDO demo question - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 01:26:23 pm
content: On units that you see for sale if the license says "demo" does that expire or is it an enabled demo option that will stay enabled permanently?

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 02:30:58 pm
content: Quote from: alank2 on November 16, 2016, 01:26:23 pmI finally got rid of my MDO3k (Yeah!) but if I remember right "demo" is the trial mode where an option is enabled for a short period so that the owner can evaluate if it's worth spending money for a full license.

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 04:06:36 pm
content: Interesting, the guy selling it says it is enabled via a "permanent demo" option.You sound happy to have gotten rid of it - did you not like it?

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 06:03:32 pm
content: Quote from: alank2 on November 16, 2016, 04:06:36 pmMine was a "permanent demo" (it was used by Tek as a demo unit so all options were enabled) and all it said was "Enabled: yes" behind each individual option. Nowhere in the UI it said "demo", probably because these "permanent demos" are just standard licenses loaded at the factory.QuoteNo, not really, actually it was the worst scope I ever had (and I had a lot over the last 30 or so years). Slow like hell, do something demanding and the UI locks up. Awful user interface, designed by someone who hates humans. Plus a "Spectrum Analyzer" that is just the scope's FFT with a separate input with optionally higher BW (and the RF performance is pretty poor).But then it wasn't really suprising, as pretty much all Tek DSOs are that way (they never got around doing a DSO properly). Which is why their business has been in decline for a long time.If you want a Tek MDO because Tek made the best analog scopes, don't. They have lost their mojo a very long time ago. These days, depending on what you want, you're way better of with Keysight or LeCroy, or even R&S/Hameg.

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 06:54:39 pm
content: Thanks for the info - what did you replace it with?

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 07:18:31 pm
content: Quote from: alank2 on November 16, 2016, 06:54:39 pmI already have a few scopes, a 3Ghz LeCroy WavePro 7300A, a 600MHz Agilent Infiniium DSO8064A and a HP 54645D. The MDO was bought for a small project which didn't materialize. I then loaned it to a colleague who needed a scope but he brought it back because of how slow it was and the crude UI.As to a good replacement, well, it depends what you want to do. In general, there's the Keysight DSOX3000T Series which is a good general purpose scope with support for a pretty wide range of serial protocols. It's drawbacks are the small sample memory (4Mpts only, which depending on what you do can halve or quarter) and the high price (but you can often find a used one for more reasonable amounts of money). The other alternative is the LeCroy WaveSurfer 3000 Series, with larger screen, more sample memory (10Mpts), and a lower price tag than the Keysight. It's drawbacks are the lack of Peak Detect (if you need that, that is, I haven't for over a decade) and the smaller number of supported serial standard (UART, CAN, I2C).If you're looking for a used scope, there are also other alternatives like the Keysight/Agilent DSOX3000A (predecessor of the DSOX3kT), or the Rohde & Schwarz RTE1054, among others.All better scopes than the Tek MDO.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 07:23:14 pm
content: IMHO the Agilent DSO6000 and DSO7000 series are also nice and affordable on the 2nd hand market. At least these have double the memory compared to Keysight's current 3000/4000/6000 series.

author: focovario
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 07:29:02 pm
content: Wuerstchenhund Tek bashing is becoming tiresome.

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 07:46:44 pm
content: Quote from: focovario on November 16, 2016, 07:29:02 pmSeriously? Well thanks for your well thought-out point of viewHow about you try to contribute something intelligent for a change? Instead of whining you could for example tell us where you disagree, and what makes you disagree?

author: focovario
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 11:35:07 pm
content: You ask:Seriously?This is an honest opinion. How seriously it is considered is for the readers of the post.Well thanks for your well thought-out point of viewYou are welcome.How about you try to contribute something intelligent for a change?What change? Are you implying that my opinion is silly? Anyone following your posts can see that you very often attack Tektronix. Fact.Instead of whining you could for example tell us where you disagree.Whining: According to the dictionary it is a long, high pitched complaining cry. I am not doing that. Again, just expressing an opinion.I am a perfectly happy user of Tektronix products and particularly an MSO 3014 scope that has proved to be a reliable instrument. It performs as advertised within the envelope established on the data sheet and I can trust it with critical measurements. Day after day.I hasten to add that I do not have any affiliation whatsoever with Tektronix or its sales force. I make my purchases trough an agent, so no direct contact with them.I express my opinion as an invitation to whoever is considering acquiring an oscilloscope: Have a hands on experience. This advise is my contribution.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2016, 11:55:37 pm
content: If you don't know any better then a Tektronix scope may look good but as many others already have acknowledged on this forum their offerings aren't very good compared to what the competition offers. I have owned my fair share of Tektronix oscilloscopes but everything in their current portfolio just doesn't cut it. Sure some of the models have deep memory but if protocol decoding on a long trace takes almost a minute then it is not much use.

author: focovario
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2016, 12:25:27 am
content: nctnico says:If you don't know any better then a Tektronix scope may look good but as many others already have acknowledged on this forum their offerings aren't very good compared to what the competition offers. I have owned my fair share of Tektronix oscilloscopes but everything in their current portfolio just doesn't cut it. Sure some of the models have deep memory but if protocol decoding on a long trace takes almost a minute then it is not much use.Why you assume I do not know any better?Depending on the job I use different scopes. Just saying that instead of accepting authority arguments, whoever is in the market for an oscilloscope should have hands on experience with different brands. If your needs are not met by a particular unit, fine. Look somewhere else.The ferocious critic against Tek issued like clockwork moves me to my opinion. Again. This units work, and you can trust their measurements. In my experience they are also very reliable and hold calibration as far as I can judge.

author: amirm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2016, 01:47:17 am
content: Quote from: focovario on November 16, 2016, 07:29:02 pmHe needs to keep going in the odd chance that someone at Tek gets the message. Everything he said is right and then some. I don't know how in this day and age a company would be so in the dark about proper user interface. Two knobs whose function change depending on what menu you are in??? Screen that gets cluttered easily after a few keystrokes? Slow UI that can't escape out of? Have they not heard of interrupt driven keyboard input???If my Keysight scope had more storage, I would not ever touch my Tek. They live in stone ages when it comes to product usability.

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2016, 06:25:17 am
content: Quote from: focovario on November 16, 2016, 11:35:07 pmYes, it is. Youcouldhave argued your case like an adult, instead you resorted to a personal attack.If you continue this way then you will not last very long on this forum.QuoteYeah, right. And always supported with the reasons why I believe Tek is crap. And I'm not the only one who represents that opinion.And if you follow my posts then you should know that I have quite a bit of experience with what test gear is on the market, more so than the average EE.QuoteIf you're happy, great, and I'm sure if you just do very basic stuff or treat it like an analog scope then it's probably not that bad. That doesn't mean they aren't slow like wading through molasses or that the UI locks up if the slow processing in these scopes is busy doing stuff, or that Tek isn't years behind all other big brand manufacturers.And no-one doubted that the MDOs don't conform to their specs, which should be a given for pretty much any big brand instrument.QuoteWell, I have had contact with them on plenty of occasions, especially with their support, and it wasn't really great. Even warranty repairs can be a struggle.QuoteThat's fine. Personal attacks however aren't.Maybe next time you should also consider basic decency and courtesy before posting.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2016, 12:56:56 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 17, 2016, 02:04:56 amNo it is not just fine. More memory makes life a whole lot easier because segmented memory and triggers don't help to compress a long, single trace. In this day and age I wouldn't buy an oscilloscope which has less than 10Mpts per channel. Unfortunately much memory also means an oscilloscope needs to have a lot of processing power.

author: focovario
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2016, 03:44:19 pm
content: Wuerstchenhund,In you last post you manage to:Disqualify me:You could have argued your case like an adultBully me:If you continue this way then you will not last very long on this forum.Then make unsupported (and wrong) assumptions:I'm sure if you just do very basic stuff or treat it like an analog scopeAnd all that to agree with what I am saying all along:And no-one doubted that the MDOs don't conform to their specs, which should be a given for pretty much any big brand instrument.Conclusion: Per your own words Tektronix oscilloscopes conform to their published specifications. It is up to whoever is in the market for this kind of equipment to decide if they want to actually test drive the instrument and talk with his wallet.Oh, and please heed your own advise:Maybe next time you should also consider basic decency and courtesy before posting.