Rigol MHO2000 series oscilloscope - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 03:28:53 pm
content: Apparently it was announced today, saw it here:https://www.electro-meters.com/product-releases/introducing-the-rigol-mho2000-series-high-resolution-oscilloscopes-redefining-mixed-signal-testing/Official info:https://www.rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/mho2000/Mixed mode scope, 12 bit, 4 analog and 16 digital channels, 200 and 350 MHz BW, 2Gs, 500 Mpts, 2 channel AWG (option)

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 07:00:46 pm
content: Nothing new under the Rigol sun...Instead of providing proper support for previous models, one new model after another is being launched onto the market.Now this MHO2000, a smaller version of the MHO5000, which I was able to test for four weeks.You don't need to be a psychic to know that nothing will have changed in the software this time around.And the prices...€2,855 for 200 MHz, €3,926 for the 350 MHz model.(Batronix, final prices including VAT)I'd rather spend €80 more and get a significantly better scope (SDS3034X HD).But I didn't understand the pricing policy for the MHO5000 either. Maybe Rigol doesn't care whether they sell any or not.

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 07:28:59 pm
content: Quote from: Martin72 on May 09, 2025, 07:00:46 pmMaybe they are a Mossad branch...

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 07:43:40 pm
content: Quote from: Martin72 on May 09, 2025, 07:00:46 pmIf you add LA for feature parity, it's no longer €80, and it looks like builtin AWG is significantly better than SAG1021I contraption (higher Vpp, two channels vs one). Not to mention that nobody buys top-spec Rigols - that's what hacking is for

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 07:51:31 pm
content: That doesn't make it any better...

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 07:58:41 pm
content: Quote from: Martin72 on May 09, 2025, 07:51:31 pmActually it does - if you're on a hobby budget, you would typically go after most features for the money you have, and typically you can't really stretch them any more. For companies of course price matters much less - but that's the market where "A" brands rule because often badge matters more than price.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 08:07:58 pm
content: Quote from: asmi on May 09, 2025, 07:58:41 pmIt is a 4000 € scope. Hobby? Not in volume.Actually this is a pretty much 12 bit replacement for MSO5000.With 4x price..Rigol has made some very confusing products and lines lately.Also, they look good at first sight, but as you dig deeper there are problems and compromises.We are still waiting to see if Rigol finally starts to fix problems after 2 years, or they will churn out few more products on this platform, wait for 2 more years and then start pushing new platform...This was so far how they behaved. We hope it gets better.

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 08:12:33 pm
content: @asmi:OK, I'll say it straight: even the price for the smaller model, which you can then “hack up,” would be too much considering the performance offered.There are many good ideas, but they fall flat because of the software.FFT is poor and flawed, Bode is poor and flawed, the window displays are not well thought out, and the legendary Ultra Aquire Mode was quietly discontinued because Rigol probably realized itself that it was nonsense.And so on. I had the DHO800, DHO4000, and MHO5000, which are half-baked developments that are too expensive for the money, with the exception of the DHO800.Don't get me wrong, I like Rigol, and I'll always celebrate them for the DS1054Z and the MSO5000, which were milestones in affordable scopes.But somehow, they haven't really moved forward, and other brands have become more attractive for the same price or less.Edit:QuoteThe right LA probe (PLA3204)for the Rigol costs €213...each.You need four of them for 16 channels.

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 08:57:31 pm
content: Quote from: 2N3055 on May 09, 2025, 08:07:58 pm€2,855, not €4k. That is about where many hobbyists buy spectrum analyzers, so I wouldn't say it's completely unreasonable. People spend 1.5k$ for new phones all the time, so saving 4k$ for a scope which will be used for at least a decade (if not more) is totally reasonable.I'm actually now on a market for a new scope, as my old MSO2202A, which served me well for almost a decade, no longer meets my requirements. My budget is about $5k give-or-take, so I was looking at SDS3054X HD, but apparently it's unobtanium here in Canada. Also now there is a promo running on MSO8000 series, which makes MSO8074A a very attractive option for my budget, and it seems to be a class above 3000x HD (except for 8 bit vs 12 bit, it basically gives "more of everything").So fixed budget is a thing. I personally don't have any brand loyalty and would buy anything if it's the best for my situation, but this is a significant investment, so I'm not in a rush to make a decision.BTW looks like Siglent sales folks are not very good at math, as currently SDS3054X HD ($5290) + SDS3000HD-BW5TA ($1944) = $7234, which is less than the price of SDS3104X HD ($7579), so it's cheaper to buy 500 MHz model + 1GHz upgrade, then 1GHz model from the get-go, which doesn't make any sense.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 09:16:02 pm
content: Seems they liked the idea from this forum to use USBC for logic analyzer on the MSO5000.Quote from: 2N3055 on May 09, 2025, 08:07:58 pmI agree its expensive, and I have no interest in buying it, but its not a replacement for the MSO5000 as it has probe detect.All of the major brands segment their pricing with probe detect limited to higher tier stuff. So you could call it a replacement for the DHO4000 or a lower tier version, etc.Also you need to compare it to the 200MHz MSO5000, which retails for $1500 (and I think was around $2000 when introduced).

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 09:20:08 pm
content: QuoteThis may be due to the customs dispute, which is causing some confusion.The situation is different HERE:SDS3034X HD 3380€SDS3104X HD 5980€Upgrade for 3034X HD to 3104X HD: 3380€

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2025, 09:43:22 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on May 09, 2025, 09:16:02 pmThat's correct, because the MSO5000 has neither probe detection nor internal 50 Ohm inputs, but that doesn't automatically mean that the MHO2000 isn't a replacement for it.It may also be that it is not a replacement for another model, but simply represents a “new” class of 12-bit MSOs.Above the DHO900 (whatever the reason for the non-MSO designation), but below the MHO5000.

author: jtl
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 10, 2025, 02:08:43 am
content: MHO2024 w/ set of LA probe is $2599 + $179*4 = 3315 USDSDS2204X HD w/ SPL2016 is $2759 + $546 = 3305 USDat least here in the US, they seem to be priced pretty comparably.The scope looks nice but sadly out of my budget as a student.

author: ptluis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2025, 09:02:06 am
content: Quote from: Martin72 on May 09, 2025, 07:00:46 pmFollowing Fnirsi business model

author: CosteC
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2025, 05:09:04 pm
content: To keep less topics than mode topics...I got HMO2034 for a week and got COVID the same week, which lets say, crippled my testing ability...REMARK: My unit was demo unit, so it made quite a lot of travel. It has 00.01.01 firmware, hardware 5.1.1.0.0.0 and very low serial number.I expect commercial units use different firmware.However...The Good News:First impressions:boot: 1.5 minute. Not bad for today's standard.Looks grade more pro than previous generations. Sceen is nice and crisp.LEDs behind buttons are on bright side when used in not-so-well lit lab.Stable, back feet are great, VESA - present, battery option - present.Sampling:Always 2 GSa/s always. Not direclty stated in datasheet. With huge memory its pretty neat.Noise is low:Measured with 50 Ohm terminator on input, one channel enabled.161 uVpp and 68.2 uVrms at 0.2 mV/DIV together with 20 MHz limit.210 uVpp and 46.3 uVrms at 0.5 mV/DIV at 20 MHz395 uVpp and 84.2 uVrms at 0.5 mV/DIV at 250 MHz as fast as it can go495 uVpp and 80.0 uVrms at 1 mV/DIV at 350 MHz266 uVpp and 42.0 uVrms at 1 mV/DIV at 20 MHzHi-res modeInteresting thing is you can get 16 bit resolution with 50 MHz bandwidth. DS1054Z but with 256 times higher resolution. Neat.Bandwidth in hi-res is affected by memory setting for some reason, but there is information about available bandwidth at given settings.DC accuracyWhen measured at +/- 3 DIV with Brymen BM817S the DC gain accuracy is within 0.5% margin.BandwidthBandwidth is pretty close to 350 MHz, 1.35 ns measured, 1.4 ns guaranteed. Maybe AA filters are strong? Certainly far stronger than MSO5000<1 ns risetime impulse was applied.Logic probes:PLA3204 are quite handy, with soft wires and small size. If 4 channels/probe are good for you and worth paying extra is entirely different story.AWGGenerator is better than one in DHO900S. 20 V, 50 Ohm and more options. Flexibility wise I would prefer DS1000Z however. Actually, I would prefer to be able to detect DS1000Z (and others) via Ethernet and have Bode Plot on ANY scope.The not so good News:- I was not able to get more then 416k/s acquisitions with 10 MHz input, RECORD mode. Maybe this was limiting factor. In normal mode 135-150k aquisitions in bursts is best I got.AC gainI observed some gain frequency dependency, but it might be effect of setup which was done with just coax and was not symmetrical. Unfortunately I haven't got chance to improve it and re-test.The Ugly:FanFan is noisy. In 25'C ambient. Annoyingly noisy, despite it has some form of speed control.Other:Autocalibration:50 minutes. Would give a lot to learn what is really happening.No dot mode.Maybe not really usable in 12 bit scope?No Ultra Aquire mode.Wonder whyFFTLooks like in DHO900. Peak detection is still somehow irritating to use, still no peak markings.I can put some screenshots if anybody is interested.

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2025, 06:20:47 pm
content: Hi,QuoteNot a single 12-bit Rigol model has dot mode.However, that doesn't mean you don't need it for 12-bit scopes (all other brands have at least two modes, vector and dot in any case); it probably means something else.