Rigol DS2000 Series Oscilloscopes vs OWON - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: prenato
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2012, 10:00:52 pm
content: Hi,I'm planning on buying a new DSO and I'm seriously considering the new DS2000 series from Rigol, specifically the 100 MHz model: DS2102. Does anyone in the forum have first-hand experience with these scopes? I haven't found a review yet despite searching the web for one.The scope is about $1100 which is a bit steep. Do you think the new features (500 uv/div sensitivity, large memory and fast sample rate, advanced math operations etc) justify the premium over say, a OWON SDS8202 scope, 200MHz (twice the bandwidth!), 2GS/s, 10Mpt memory, which goes for about $780 only? I've been impressed with recent teardowns of the Rigol equipment as it seems they have good quality hardware/design. However, I've never owned a Rigol nor a OWON so not sure how they compare in quality. Your feedback would be appreciated.Thanks,Paulo

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2012, 03:02:26 am
content: 10M memory BUT only till 1GSPSRigol's acquisition rate and such is more of a comparison between it and the DSOX2000 ... plus the 14MB (can be 56MB with a upgrade)And of course, Rigol's very good at higher end equipment ... look at dave's "unboxing" and mike's DG4062 teardown

author: prenato
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2012, 03:51:41 am
content: Hi T4P,Yes, I saw both of those videos. I was especially impressed by Mike's tear-down of the Rigol Arbitrary Waveform Generator. The quality of the construction and internal design seemed top-notch. I just haven't seen a review (let alone a tear-down) of the DS2000 series of scopes so I don't know if the same quality extends to this series of products (though I suspect it does)...Paulo

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2012, 04:01:11 am
content: Quote from: prenato on August 05, 2012, 03:51:41 amI'd be very surprised if it doesn't. But I've yet to see a teardown of the DS2000At least one person on the forum has one and has posted some concern about the noise floor.Dave.

author: prenato
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 06, 2012, 05:13:47 pm
content: Thanks Dave. Didn't realize someone in the Forum owned A DS2000 seies. Would be very interested in hearing his/her impressions.Paulo

author: JimmySte
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2012, 06:41:03 am
content: Quote from: prenato on August 06, 2012, 05:13:47 pmHi PauloI own a DS2072 and I love it...When I was researching scopes I was looking at the DS1052, knowing about the mod Dave did to hisAnd the DS2072, I went for the DS2072 because of the larger screen and nicer interface.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 07, 2012, 06:50:38 am
content: BTW, one of my advertisers, Emona have prices up (and availability of) the DS2000 series:https://secure1.ozhosting.com/emona/shop/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=69Dave.

author: prenato
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2012, 07:42:42 pm
content: Hi Jimmy,Great... Please tell us more!:) What are the pros/cons you see? How does it compare to other scopes you have used?Paulo

author: kingjay1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 08, 2012, 06:03:35 am
content: I used both their scope,and the OWON's scope is throwed into the trash by me.no equal sample,no small setps of voltage,no split screen function,no,no,no...I can't use the 10M memory,because the trigger is terrible.Just like when I use 10M memory and put the timebase to 20ns/div or 50ns/div,the waveform can't stable at all,like a girl is dancing.

author: HPerez
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 08, 2012, 09:11:45 am
content: In the Rigol DS2000 the Runt trigger is standard or an option to purchase separately?I've seen a screenshot where the trigger Runt appeared as Trial Version... is correct?

author: aghp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2012, 10:05:55 am
content: Quote from: kingjay1 on August 08, 2012, 06:03:35 amThis is very strange. Owon have many lack in features but all what I have tested in lab have been with very good signal capturing quality and very stable trigger (exept external trig, what is very limited due to its different signal pathway)What is advantage for equal time sampling mode?If oscilloscope sampling speed is 1GSa/s real time and analog BW is (example 100MHz) what more can see with equal time sampling. Just exatly (nearly) nothing but get very slow result and usable only for full time repetitive signals without nearly any improvement. Only small improvement is (if it is made well) is if measure small time differencies between two repetitive signals becouse it can naturally give more time resolution.If analog channel is wide related to realtime samplerate then it give lot of advantages and this was original reason for implement it old times to digital scopes. They reeally need this "repetitive" sampling. Of course if 100MHz oscilloscope have 10MSa/s realtime. There is important this "equ-time" ans lot of important (and hyped) old times when memory and samplerates was very limited.Of course then today it have high advantages in special equipments and highly usable "in right place".10M memory make possible 1GSa/s up to 500us/div.If your normal main channel trig have been so bad you tell your oscilloscope propably have been broken. 0.2ns is typical. If is is 2 or 4ns class it is exactly fail exept if you have hidden not visible noise on signal what disturb trigger pathway. But normally it can also see in capture becouse from input to end amplifier output (parallel output) signal pathway is exactly same.For example SDS7102 model I have real documented lab data so much that if someone tell that it have typically lot of trig jitter I want see data and documents about it and also documents about signal used for testing.If I find one single unit what main channel trig position jitter is "like dancing girl" I classify this single unit "fail" (back to factory or warranty repair/change)I know one very old manufature lot of SDS8xxx what really have this fail in trigger. These factory have refunded (probably HW problem becouse no any help after factory first try some FW patches). These are now in garbage collection in my lab waiting possible return to factory or waiting use as spare part source for displays or front panels or power supply etc... )But it have pros and cons.But good question is: is is apple to apple compare if take Rigol 2000 series and Owon SDS. My answer is not.Slidded (windowed) mode. It is nice but some scopes seems work so that it use same sampling rate in zoomed part. Pity.

author: prenato
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2012, 02:44:35 pm
content: Quote from: aghp on August 08, 2012, 10:05:55 amHi aghp,That's a fair point that these are quite different product lines (if we are talking about the complete series of products). However, If you have say a $800 to $1000 budget, then some products start overlapping. The OWON SDS8202 (200MHz, 2GS/s, 10Mpt memory) and the DS2072 (70 MHz, 2Gs/s, 14Mpt memory) for example, are in the same $800 price range roughly. Of course, to your point, these are different technical "apples" (Owon has better bandwidth versus Rigol,s better memory and vertical resolution). For a hobbyist/generalist like me (I don't have a single particular single application in mind), this is a tough choice, thus the original request for user impressions.Thanks for your perspective on the topic (and the other users before you as well).Paulo

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2012, 03:05:48 pm
content: but the rigol has much better refresh rate as well as better firmware

author: flolic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2012, 06:42:31 am
content: Quote from: T4P on August 08, 2012, 03:05:48 pmAnd that's the main reason that my next scope will again be Rigol. Yes, I am biased because I own DS1102E, but I have zero (0) troubles with it. And firmware is stable and without (at least known to me) bugs...I just don't like half baked products.

author: jjgr
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 21, 2012, 01:23:40 pm
content: I bought the Owon SDS8102 and when I received it, one of the probes was intermittent. After 3 months, the fan became noisy. I returned it. Because I don't need the extra bandwidth, I bought a Rigol DS2072. I can tell you that the extra features and quality of the Riqol more than justify the difference in price.The user interface of the Rigol is more complete and well thought out. The build is clearly more solid. The higher sensitivity and lower noise really help to make this scope more usable when working with lower level signals. In general, it is in a higher class than the Owon.

author: tlu
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2012, 03:56:01 pm
content: Quote from: jjgr on October 21, 2012, 01:23:40 pmHow is it on finding glitches or detecting runt pulses? I'm very interested in that aspect of the scope. Does the UI allows dropping of markers when viewing signal in dual window mode? Much appreciated if you can answer some of these questions.tlu