Rigol DS1074Z or DS1102E + which power supply for inverter design?  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: sean0118
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 03:37:07 am
content: Hi everyone,I know there are already a bunch of threads about these two, but I need some more specific information. This year at uni I will (hopefully) be designing and building a resonant inverter. Hence why I am now in the market for a new oscilloscope and power supply. I don't know much about inventor design yet so I am finding it hard to decide on a scope.Basically I like the 4 channels and enhanced display of the Rigol DS1074Z. But I'm not sure if the bandwidth will be enough for me at 70MHz? I know even high frequency inverters don't switch super fast, but what about control circuitry, harmonics etc?The other option I am considering is the DS1102E. From what I can tell it's worse in almost every way, except for it's 100MHz bandwidth. But I am not sure if that's going to be much benefit for me over 70MHz? (Also, feel free to suggest other makes of oscilloscopes that you feel are suitable.)I haven't done much research on the power supply front yet. I was considering the Rigol DP832 until I saw Dave's video on the 'ridiculously' hot regulator. I know the design has been fixed now, but still thinking it's best to steer clear. Also to be honest, I would prefer to get something cheaper, but I don't really know what features or wattage I should be looking for?Anyway, thanks for your help, I know many of the answers are probably 'how long is a piece of string?'. But I would value your input.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 04:56:36 am
content: Then buy the DS1104Z or hack the 1074Z.

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 12:08:57 pm
content: Just hack the ds1074z it's so useful and you may find that you need the features in the future

author: sean0118
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 12:27:27 pm
content: Thanks for the replies. The DS1104Z would be great, but it's a bit out of my price range. If I do get the DS1074Z I won't hack it (anytime soon), can't risk bricking it and needing to buy another one. But I do have access to higher powered scopes at uni, so all is not lost if I occasionally require a larger bandwidth.

author: echen1024
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 26, 2014, 04:39:35 pm
content: Quote from: sean0118 on January 26, 2014, 12:27:27 pmAbsolutely not! There is no risk in hacking it, as you would simply generate an option code that you type into the options menu. The DS1000Z is light years ahead in terms of both features and performance. On the power supply front, I have done a teardown on the Agilent supply. You may watch the Rigol teardown, but only if you want your eyes to pop out of their sockets.

author: sean0118
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2014, 12:18:06 pm
content: Thank and nice video, but I realised i probably need two or three outputs. I'm still not big on the Rigol supply and have started to consider the GW Instek GPS-3303. But both that and the Rigol DS1074Z are getting up to $1200AU. Which is getting kind of... eh... expensive, especially because I'm not too sure what features I need.Can anyone recommend a power supply brand that sells for a good price second hand? ebay just seems to be flooded with cheap no name brands atm.

author: matkar
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2014, 07:55:12 pm
content: I have both scopes. I bought DS1052E some years ago and moded it to 100MHz. I bought DS1074Z recently. There is no comparison. I always thought I can do everything with two channels by swapping the probes. Almost true, but its way much easier having four channels. And presentation of data is much better. This new ultravision feature mimics analog scope display very well. Don't let me start with the myriad of other features the old model hasn't even heard about. I probably won't need them all but its nice to have them. Plus consider you are probably not buying a scope for just this gig.Oh, and I have DP832 which I bought with DS1074Z as well. I love it. It has the new silver heatsink. I use the old Chinese crappy power supply I used before to charge motorcycle accu now.

author: PA4TIM
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 09:06:59 am
content: I used to own a DS1101E, I hated that piece of crap.I have three 4 channel scopes, two of them also have 2 timebases. But I can not even remember the last time I used more then 2 channels. everything depends on your need, only you will know that. I often use several multimeters at the same time, for most people 1 is enough.I have several power supplys. If you are on a budget, buy a used one from a good brand. You will not have the fancy color display an many options you will probably never use, but you get a good regulation respons, clean output , good current regulation and safety.Over here you can buy a used Delta or Philips for next to nothing (if you are not in the "I must have it yesterday" mode.And you can build your own PSU too. Lots of schematics around and it will outperform most of the Chinese junk.My first PSU was a rebuild battery charger that I modified to do 0-15V. but no current regulation. Now I have a whole bunch of lab-psu's. From ancient HP's to a digital Philips, Some DIY psu's. 0-15V upto 0-1600V, 300 mA ones upto >100A.Only thing I miss now and then is a current limmited AC PSU. I now use a variac and isolation transformer but that has no current regulation. That will be a future project.I often use 3 or more PSU's at the same time. Also often more as 30V. But others only need one or two 5V psu's. The only one who knows what you need is you.2 years or so ago I was given a DIY self build PSU with very nice high quality analog meters and a nice cabinet. It did not work but turned out to be, one that was build in the 70's, using a Elector pcb. I repaired it and did some minor modifications and since then I use it a lot. It has two very accurate analog meters and does 2A and 0-34V.I bought a modern supply a few years ago because I needed a bipolar one and did not want to build one. I was not even a real budget one costing over 300 euro. But the nice looking digital meters are just indicators and far from lineair. The voltage and current set pots suck, it switches over just befor the most used Voltage and it has a button to decouple the output. That is nice but in that case the meters show zero so I only can set it with nothing connected and it starts up in that mode. That is realy not handy. Still must modify that. Output is not realy clean and regulation is but so-so. (relative speaking, it is still decent and more then usable, buit gets outperformed on regulation and clean signal from an over 50 years HP PSU and 40 years old DIY PSU)

author: ninjastrike
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 06:54:05 pm
content: Quote from: echen1024 on January 26, 2014, 04:56:36 amHow do you hack the 1074z ? Could you send me a link ?Thanks!

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 10:18:46 pm
content: 70 MHz will be plenty fast for any except the most exotic inverter or switching power stage.I would buy or use an analog oscilloscope before the DS1102E series.

author: andrewwong2000
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2014, 03:13:12 am
content: I've got a as new hacked ds1074s for sale with au warranty. Let me know if interested

author: DanielS
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2014, 12:34:50 pm
content: I have been looking at affordable scopes for power troubleshooting uses and the Rigol 1047Z is so far beyond anything else in its price range that I have looked at it is not funny.The 30-40X higher waveform trigger rate compared to older-generation 1xxx Rigols will easily seal the deal for most people who can afford it on its own.

author: sean0118
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2014, 02:14:19 am
content: Quote from: andrewwong2000 on August 17, 2014, 03:13:12 amThanks, but this is a pretty old thread, I already bought the Rigol DS1074z from Emona.