Nicest Modern GHz+ Oscilloscopes - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: ransonjd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 05:03:03 am
content: Any of you all have opinions on which modern GHz+ oscilloscopes are most pleasant to use? I'm thinking about things like having a fast user interface and intuitive controls, being lightweight and portable, having a quiet fan, etc. My experience with high end scopes has been that they're slow, overcomplicated, bulky and loud. I'm hoping that manufacturers have done better in recent years.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 05:26:21 am
content: It might help if we know application requirements and approx budget.Do you have any Active probe requirements ?

author: pdenisowski
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 10:12:38 am
content: You might want to take a look at the new Rohde & Schwarz MXO4 (or even MXO5). In addition to all the other things you asked about, it is very, very quiet (like "is it on?" quiet).Dave Jones even mentions this in his video review (at 14:30):https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/products/test-and-measurement/oscilloscopes/rs-mxo-4-oscilloscope_63493-1164992.html(I work for R&S and can probably answer any questions you might have about it)

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 10:37:32 am
content: Pretty much take the latest offering from the big manufacturers like Keysight, Tektronix, R&S, LeCroy..etcThe fast ASIC based scopes are commonly reaching to about 8GHz these days. Tho you better have deep pockets for those.However in my experience it is better to have multiple scopes rather than 1 scope that can do it all. For most day to day work you don't need a fancy scope, so it is good to have a simple, fast booting, quick to use scope in the 100 to 500 MHz range for that. Then for going into the serious GHz territory and complex analysis have a separate high performance loud boatanchor. Then for portability get yet another scope that is small, portable and battery operated (The chinese brands have some good offerings for those recently).Not only does this mean you can get a more specialized scope for the task at hand, but it is often cheaper, since you don't have to buy the latest and greatest models.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 11:32:55 am
content: Quote from: ransonjd on December 13, 2023, 05:03:03 amDoes it have to be purdy?Jokes aside, it would help to define both budget and specifications in more detail.Cursory look at stated requirements, GHz+ (2, 3, 4 10 GHz ?) and portable won't go together. What is portable for you?How sophisticated analysis options need to be?High sample rate (10, 20 GS/s) and lots of processing power is lots of, well, power.. That means bulk and heating. Hence big and loud...Best

author: ransonjd
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 12:58:17 pm
content: I'm a professional engineer doing mixed signal, power and analog design for industrial products. USB 2 high speed is my bandwidth minimum. (Yes, USB is mediocre for industrial work, but you can't get away from it.) I'll rent a scope if I need something faster. For space reasons, in my current lab, I would prefer to have one nice jack-of-all-trades scope on my bench over several specialist scopes. I have a number of nice high voltage passive probes and 50-ohm externally powered probes that I would like to continue to use. I will need active single-ended and differential probes. Eye diagrams would be nice.That said, I was sort of purposefully vague, because I'm interested in what other people have found nice.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 01:39:20 pm
content: I got to play with both Rohde and Schwarz MXO5 and RTO6 a few months ago and they were very snappy and easy to use, albeit not very portable. Naturally their cost is quite high.Tek's MDO3 and MDO4 were slow when I played them a few years ago, but MDO5 was much snappier.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 01:44:53 pm
content: Quote from: ransonjd on December 13, 2023, 12:58:17 pmFor USB2 HS you need a scope with BW >= 2GHz for real SI work. And high speed diff probe with sufficient BW.I'm most familiar with Siglent lineup lately so I can recommend something there.SDS6000A is 2GHz MSO design, 12" screen and eye diagram.SDS7000A is 4GHz MSO design, 15" screen, PC based, and full USB 2.0 compliance test, among other things. Very advanced scope.Both are Siglent's new touchscope platform. It is similar to LeCroy GUI concept.I personally like it and find it easy enough to use.You might not, it is personal.They are also not small and very silent, but much better than older scopes you are mentioning.You would need to see and hear them for you to make up your mind.I'm sure you could organize loaner scope for a test...Alternatives are LeCroy, R&S, Keysight.. I don't know much about new Tek scopes.LeCroy have lot of choices, Keysight have unusual choices in this range, and R&S have few new very nice scopes but some options are not released yet. They will be, but not yet.Make sure to ask if scopes have the options you need available.You would need to contact sales channel for all of them and ask for help.Let them earn your sale...