Should I keep my current DSO? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2012, 10:44:58 pm
content: Hi all, newbie here.The question might seem stupid but bear with me.I have an older (90s) Gould oscilloscope with 100 MHz bandwidth and 200 megasamples/s. It's somewhat of a limited edition since I cannot find any info on it, but I have on its lower end brothers. Lower end means limited in analog bandwidth, but functionally identical. I think it has about 1k capture size, not sure though. It does basic math (peak to peak, rms, rise/fall time, etc) but triggering is the most basic you can get.On the upside it has pretty good accuracy on both the vertical and horizontal scale. Calibration signal is ok for various stuff. Oh, and it has an integrated plotter and CRT display.I can get a new scope (but preferably under 400E) that I can declare as an expense on my company. This means it would essentially be one third cheaper or so. I could probably sell the old one for around 150-200E, but I might get also stuck with it. The reason for this is that I would like to make this decision by the end of the year, tax season is coming.To summarize the question: should I keep my old scope or buy a newer (Chinese) model and hope to sell the old one?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 01:03:30 am
content: A modern low end DSO will be a decent step up.Deep memory, FFT, advanced trigger, colour screen, smaller form factor etc.I can't see what use you'd have for this one if you get a new modern DSO.Dave.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 01:24:28 am
content: Will 400 euro buy a DSO with a high-res screen? Still I'd keep the old scope as a backup. I always have two scopes. One to take with me to customers and the other one for regular use. A scope is too important to only have one.

author: poodyp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 04:03:50 am
content: The Owon SDS7102 has a 8" VGA screen, 100MHz bandwidth, 1GS/s, and 10Mpt memory.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 06:16:28 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 06, 2012, 01:24:28 amOr one to fix the new one with if it croaks!

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 12:13:51 pm
content: Thanks everyone for your replies. While I can afford to spend more on a scope it is hard for me to justify huge investments in this when What I'm really lacking is knowledge not tools.I have come down to a choice between 1052e for 269E and a (rebranded) hantek dso5062b for 285E.I can use the rest of the money for a nice siggen or a nicer PSU. I am mainly using the dso for basic debugging of my <10Mhz designs, basic filters and light repairs. I already have a bus pirate for digital debugging. So I am not sure what other new (not SH) stuff I should buy.I also bought an old but calibrated keithley bench multimeter, a fluke is way beyond what I'm willing to spend and pretty expensive in the EU. Maybe UT61E?

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2012, 01:51:38 pm
content: Nothing wrong with a UT61E if you can get it for the right price, basically anything less than 50 euro is reasonable.

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2013, 01:50:22 am
content: Just as an update, I bought the DSO5062B [copy/rebranded] and couldn't be more happy. It has the nice missing triggering features (including Swap), math and FFT out of the box, USB, decent performance and a nice hacking community. Well, actually tinhead is doing most of the workOh, the nicest thing the one thing I could not live without anymore is the hi-res screen. I can never look at the crappy QVGA resolution of the Rigol DS1102E again or even Tektronix 21xx.I haven't decided on a meter yet, but I do know I'm missing sub-ohm and micro-amp resolution. Spent five days in Singapore and visited the Sim Lim Square (or Tower?) but except some untouchable Flukes and some overly expensive Mastech there was nothing of importance there. Still hunting and maybe I'll try to exchange the old DSO with some Tek 485/2465/2467.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2013, 12:15:14 am
content: Quote from: brainwash on November 05, 2012, 10:44:58 pmWell, keep your old scope... It might work for 5 years, or so. Then in 2018 you can buy even better scope than today.Anyway,youmust know if it is comfortable to use your current Gould scope.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2013, 12:21:31 am
content: Quote from: poodyp on November 06, 2012, 04:03:50 amAnd only 33 waveforms per second, well, it is OK, if you use single shot most time... Then it has no tools to manage the huge 10Mpts memory... Even no delayed timebase.http://www.silcon.cz/img/DSO5062B_front.jpg

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2013, 06:51:36 am
content: Quote from: brainwash on February 11, 2013, 01:50:22 amUpstairs there's a shop called "silicon" in sim lim tower something that sells brymen meters but in any case to try and buy anything is an attempt to rip you off, the 1st floor of sim lim square sells UNI-T and Fluke together but they are also ... quite expensive.Just get a UT61E from franky, "iloveelectronics"

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2013, 06:55:45 am
content: Quote from: Hydrawerk on February 12, 2013, 12:21:31 amIt's not 33wfrms.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2013, 05:11:54 pm
content: OK, it might be less. What wfrms/s value did you measure?

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2013, 05:22:30 pm
content: Quote from: Hydrawerk on February 16, 2013, 05:11:54 pmThere is a video on the 7102 that shows the 7102 being faster than the Hantek by quite a lot, and it's not slow at all.Definitely not 33wfrms

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2013, 03:51:09 pm
content: Quote from: T4P on February 16, 2013, 06:51:36 amThanks for the comments, it was only for a short visit in Singapore and I'll probably not go this year again. Yep, I saw a nice car/bike pocket multimeter there: BM25 for a cool 25 SGD or so. It's definitely not precision or high-energy work but would have been the only thing to fit into my baggage and not worry about warranty.Downstairs at the Uni-Trend rep they had a lot of models, including UT61x, but they were charging at least 20-30% extra from what I remember. Taking into account also the Sim Lim 'reputation', virtually nonexistent international warranty and the fact that I can write off equipment purchased here - it does not make much sense to buy overseas. It has to be a margin of 40-50% on the price and decent warranty support.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2013, 03:59:31 pm
content: Quote from: T4P on February 16, 2013, 05:22:30 pmOkay, the acquisition speed is revealed herehttp://youtu.be/eqcEi6ru4ZM?t=26m40s

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2013, 12:15:09 pm
content: Quote from: brainwash on February 20, 2013, 03:51:09 pmThey told me 150 bucks, i was like in my head "ARE YOU NUTZ? 150 BUCKS?!"Seriously

author: AndrejaKo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2013, 12:52:00 am
content: I don't have my 7102 available at the moment so I can't test, but I think that the video isn't representative of current situation with newest firmware. I remember that using the "trick" from that video, I got higher results. I don't remember the value, but 30ish sounds close to what I got.Also sorry for off-topicness.