Planning to purchase my first DSO - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ben1066
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 02:22:21 pm
content: Hello,I've noticed these forums have a lot of advice about DSO's. I'm looking to buy a DSO, for around £300 (GBP) and the Rigol seems decent. The Rigol is however quite old and I wondered if there was anything better by now. Please bare in mind that if I have to import something I am subject to 20% VAT. Thanks.

author: sairon
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 03:17:55 pm
content: I had pretty same problem, read my topic and rf-loop's answers here, it could help:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=5728.0Finally I decided to buy Owon, the price was same as price of Rigol in my country (when bought from a local dealer with local warranty and VAT).

author: SoftwareSamurai
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 03:30:12 pm
content: I recommend that you don't go for the cheapest DSO, but rather choose one that's got the best value for the money. What that means is that you'll probably spend a lot more than you want right now for a decent DSO, but you'll be better off in the long run.As an example, recently my old 20 MHz scope died, and I went looking for a replacement hoping to spend less than $150 USD. Much to my surprise (and IMHO), anything less than $500 USD is just plain cheap. I ended up settling for the Tekway DST1102B for ~$640 USD. Now that's a 100 MHz DSO - far above what I needed. But with this better tool, I can do a lot more than before, which has paid off in that now I can work on higher-end electronics. (FYI: TheDST1102Bis even cheaper today.)

author: SoftwareSamurai
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 03:38:44 pm
content: Quote from: sairon on December 03, 2011, 03:17:55 pmYeah, after comparing theOwon SDS7102to the Tekway DST1102B, I have to say that today I'd probably go for the Owon, especially since their prices are about the same.(Then again, Ilovetohack my Tekway DSO!)

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 04:18:11 pm
content: I am in the same situation, with living area down sizing over a number of years to date, had to make some radical changes to my workshop area. With the demise of a CRO tube, frequency up to 50Mhz just, I decided to take a long look around the market on-line... to cut this story short; I focused on China and Europe who for the price, had a band-width to price, within my budget.ATTEN (note, not shouting), trade name in test equipment and oscilloscopes, is a Chinese manufacture... they had a 100 MHz ADS1102CML 7inch display, 3.5ns rise and 1GS/s, with 1-Mpts & 2-Mpts Memory depth, depending on Two or One Y-Channels running, and 2mV sens input per channel with frequency and amplitude measurements plus, other bells and whistles like FFT.My assumption from multiple searching on this scope range was, it's an end of line product ! and eBay UK has many Chinese suppliers willing to sell-off ATTEN range of these scopes; for the sum of US$525 = GBP £348.29 decided to purchase, and will await to see if have got a deal or not ?... to me this scope looks like the RIGOL in the small 5.7 inch display, it's possibly from ATTEN as the OEM manufacture, the controls and push buttons have similar layout, but here I am speculating.For those who might be interested see below...URL for E-Bay UK and scope #:http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Atten-ADS1102CML-100Mhz-Digital-Storage-Oscilloscope-7-LCD-/260894441196?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbe853eecRegards, vlf3.

author: ben1066
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 07:27:40 pm
content: Hm, the Atten scope seems nice, albeit more expensive than I want to pay, £335+VAT at least.I really would love to go with the Hantek/Tekway scope however my budget simply doesn't allow for it. I can't afford much more than £300 really. If I was in the US with no VAT, I might of been able to afford it but VAT in the UK kills

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 08:18:33 pm
content: Quote from: ben1066 on December 03, 2011, 07:27:40 pmIt is not very nice, but you can get it much cheaperhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150620675417£229.00+ whatever your government wants to have.

author: ben1066
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 08:30:36 pm
content: Thats a different model, afaik it has less sample memory?

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 11:15:46 pm
content: Yep that's the problem, you pay for the Memory Depth... by looking around the web, and if your not to bothered about the max end of it's band-width for true wave-form representation, then a lower Memory Depth will do, thus it's price drops.However, the smaller display 5.6 inch model: ATTEN ADS1102CA is 100 MHz, and same as the ADS1102CML display 7 inch but,total cost with shipping to UK US$363 = £232.68... see URL:http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATTEN-ADS1102CA-Storage-Digital-Oscilloscope-100MHz-1G-/250815305844?pt=BI_Oscilloscopes&hash=item3a65c1d874Just made a quick calculation based on UK £233 and UK VAT, rate totals £279.60

author: rf-loop
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2011, 07:33:53 am
content: And starting with GPB265 + your country import tax etc you can get Owon SDS7102(it was lowest eBay price what I find now and including shipping)It have 10M (and 2 channel use 10M + 10M) full speed capture memory.It means full realtime 1Gs/s from 500us/div to 2ns/div with single channel.With 2 channel it give 500Ms/s to both channels from 1ms/div to 2ns/div.It have not interleavaed ADC. (ADC quality is better)It have 800x600 TFTIf some have warranty time fail, just simply ask Owon RMA prosedure.It have best signal capturing quality what I have seen in this price class. I want see what name first beat it.Scope design is much more advanced than this what use Rigol, Atten, Siglent "old" pure FPGA scopes.Owon is not "copycat" manufacturer as most of this price class manufacturers.I have here Owon what is 100MHz but it can name 200MHz very clearly if look how others work.Atten +- 3dB (6dB) promise for 0-100MHz is just fun.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 04, 2011, 11:27:09 am
content: Interesting post rf-loop; until I receive the ATTEN ADS1102CML scope, and based on their primary web-site pdf spec down-load, this model looked good for the price. After days of searching around, the Chinese suppliers was the best deal, and found no advantage in the warranty period between Europe supplier and China... living in Jersey Channel Islands, we now have too pay GST a bit like UK VAT, so overall cost is an issue; however the Owon scope model ? would be interesting to look further into.I guess we all take a chance when buying new equipment, at least this forum has the required experience world-wide from other members like yourself, where any information is much appreciated.

author: ben1066
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 04, 2011, 11:38:33 am
content: The owon looks good on paper but the firmware looks, terrible. From what I've seen it's hard to use and unoptimised. Can anyone give any other views on this?