Is this a good price for a Tektronix 2465BDV 400mhz scope? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: shaha
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 11:30:16 am
content: HiI am buying a new oscilloscope, and I have come across a Tektronix 2465BDV 400mhz, at a price of $280 USDJust trying to decide if is a good price or not, before I order it.Also, does anyone have a digital copy of the service manual for this oscilloscope?Cheers.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 12:51:44 pm
content: $280 sounds reasonable to me if you're in the market for such a CRO, although I'm sure others might tell you to save up and buy a Rigol DS1054Z ;-)Typical failure modes on these are the NVRAM (serial numbers >=B050000) and the power supply caps. There is also some anecdotal evidence that the U800 chip overheats although on the three 2465B/67B scopes I've had I've not encountered that problem.Option 06 or 09 include the CTT and is quite useful. The word recogniser that comes with option 09 not so much these days!I'm not sure what value the integrated DMM is either, for me it would just be taking up lab room these days. The video trigger also would have no use for me, but I guess there might still be odd niche markets for that.http://www.atecorp.com/atecorp/media/pdfs/data-sheets/tektronix-2465b-2467b_manual.pdfhttp://exodus.poly.edu/~kurt/manuals/manuals/Tektronix/TEK%202465B%202467B%20Service.pdf

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 02:36:57 pm
content: If it works then that's a good price.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 03:04:42 pm
content: I think I've seen them go for that or more in "non working" condition too, so beware I guess.Tim

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2015, 04:17:36 pm
content: 1.6 MHz / EUR is a good exchange rate in that bandwidth region.

author: FireDragon
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 07:02:40 am
content: That is a pretty good price. I say that having just purchased a 2565BCT for 499. Mine was warranted to work. It failed shortly after I got it (but did work for a bit). I chose to keep it and the vendor refunded me 50 (unasked).For 280 you should assume that even if it works, it won't for long so you will need to refurbish it. The parts cost should be less than 100 depending on how much you choose to do to the scope (I have spent a bit more than 50 so far, but haven't bought everything). If you don't feel that you are capable of doing the work then you are better off getting one that has been rebuilt and calibrated.You should also be aware that most of these scopes come without a power cord, probes or front cover (the front cover is different for the versions with the multimeter option). While the cover is optional the first two will be an additional expense. Especially if you want probes that can handle 400Mhz.The main manuals are available for free online - check out TekWikihttp://proxy.w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/Main_Page.However, the schematics for the options are not available for free that I have found so far. I have found them for the 2465A but not the 2465B. Note that there are (at least) two service manuals for the main system. The 070-6863-00 and 070-6863-01. For the most part, the 070-6863-01 is sufficient. However, if you have an older model (49999 or before) some boards are only in the 070-6863-00 version of the manual. Also, the older models don't have SMD and so are easier to maintain. The newer models appear to have a lot of patches and changes while Tektronix worked out the newer technology. Since they have the same specifications, I don't know of any reason to prefer a newer model.

author: casinada
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 07:48:05 am
content: The Manuals for the Tek 2465B are available for free here:http://www.ko4bb.com/manuals/index.php?dir=Tektronix/Tektronix_-_2465B_OscilloscopeIt is a great scope.

author: shaha
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 10:29:25 am
content: Thanks everyone for your repliesI went to send my friend to purchase the 2465BDV today, however, the seller has just told me that they don't have it available anymore...Instead, they are offering a 2465B and a TDS340A Tektronix scopes for $300 US, both come with probes, the 2465B has 400mhz probes, and the scope is the 400mhz model.Judging by the prices on ebay and other sites, seems like a good deal to me...They sent a photo of the board on the side of the 2465B (A5 board? I can't remember the name). The say it was made in 1996, but I am not sure how to tell.Other photos of the interior of the 2465B show no corrosion that I can see.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 11:04:27 am
content: Quote from: shaha on December 24, 2015, 10:29:25 amAlthough the TDS340A is a DSO, I'd have almost no hesitation in recommending a 2465B over it. The UI on Tek DSOs of that era is just awful, very sluggish and finding anything in the menu system is a lesson in random button pushing. The only question is is whether or not you need single shot capability for example when probing digital stuff. If you already have a DSO then I'd have no problem in recommending the 2465B every time.As I mentioned earlier, even better if it has option 06 or 09 which gives you higher trigger frequency resolution.

author: shaha
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 11:16:06 am
content: Quote from: Howardlong on December 24, 2015, 11:04:27 amHi, Thanks for your reply.I haven't really heard many good things about the TDS340A, i think you are right, I will probably pass on the TDS340A.As I probably wouldn't use the TDS340A, I asked about what other oscilloscopes they had... what a surprise, they have many oscilloscopes, old and new.They have a Tektronix 7904A that appears to be in pretty good condition, and I am considering getting that instead of the TDS340A.The 7904A doesn't come with probes however, but it does come with 4 plug in options.They say it is uncalibrated, and they don't have maintenance history.They say it was made 1985 year.

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 11:22:19 am
content: The 7000 series are capable scopes, but they are full of specialty parts that are often basically impossible acquire (although many parts are available NOS just consider that basically all mechanical parts, pots and switches are specialty, and that the faster 7000 scopes easily contain a dozen or more specialty ICs just in the mainframe), which often means re-engineering circuits, if possible, or slaughtering another scope for parts. So this endeavor tends to become costly quickly.The quasi-resonant SMPS used are not particularly easy to service. The 7904A has no HV in the main transformer (reliability plus over 7904).

author: shaha
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 11:26:03 am
content: Quote from: dom0 on December 24, 2015, 11:22:19 amI would be getting it in addition to the 2465B.Wasn't planning on using it often, unlike the 2465B, but, I thought it would be rather interesting to have. Besides, I think the price is a bargain, compared to the prices of these scopes on ebay..

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 11:28:37 am
content: Whether the price is a bargain (you didn't say a number though) depends on(a) whether the scope works(b) what plugins are includedAlso be aware that these things are large (_deep_) and quite heavy, even for a CRO.

author: shaha
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 11:31:10 am
content: Quote from: dom0 on December 24, 2015, 11:28:37 amSorry, forgot to mention the price. it is $215 USD.It does work4 plugins are included, although I am not sure of the modelsI know the dimensions and weight.

author: dan3460
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 03:07:51 pm
content: One of the most common problems on this type of scopes are the power supply. I got a 2465 almost for free, because it was not working, took me a while to get the gremlins out of it, changed virtually every lytic on the power supply. This are wonderful machines, I use it often (I'm working a problem on channel 2, I think that was the reason that was sent aside for many years and when they tried to fire it back up a cap failed) it can see more that my cheap Owon.

author: electrongeek
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 05:55:12 pm
content: The real problem with 2465b scopes (s/n above 50000) are the caps on the A5 logic board, which fail, leak, and damage the board. If the caps on the A5 board are OK, you should plan on replacing them unless someone has already done it. The power supply caps may or may not be OK still, depending on hours on the scope.You will want to replace the battery backup to the the NVRAM, unless it has the NVRAM with built-in battery - then you are screwed unless you can read it and copy to a fresh one.Best bet is to stick with 2465b with s/n less than 50000, or pick up a 2465a. Then you only need to worry about replacing the separate NVRAM battery, which is easy (with a backup power source) and maybe the power supply caps. The power supply caps replacement isn't too hard, and you'll only spend about $30 or so. Check on the Tekscopes Yahoo group. I also have a Mouser parts list for this that I could send you.

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 24, 2015, 09:17:41 pm
content: Quote from: shaha on December 24, 2015, 11:26:03 amWelcome to the EEVblog Test Equipment Forum.As part of the welcome wagon please be advised that this forum has conducted a recent survey that indicates once you have one oscilloscope you might be headed toward acquiring 20 oscilloscopes.This is documented but unproven.So what you decide regarding oscilloscope purchasing should be somewhat informed, of course, by your budget. Most (or at least many) people here will say if you can only afford one scope, keep saving until you can purchase a Rigol 1054. Therefore the reasoning will go, if you can afford a 246X and a Tek 7000 series scope with plugins you very likely can afford the 1054.Further, since 20 scopes could be in your future you might as well consider what your first 3 scopes could be.It would seem that if you can come up with a 246X and a Tek 7000 with plugins in good condition for under $300 each you should be able to round out those two scopes with a Rigol 1054 for just about $1k total. Some people here would say that for $1k you should have a different scope (not sure what but I'm sure someone will be happy to suggest what to do with your $1k) but I think you would very much enjoy using the three scopes under consideration. My guess is that the Rigol will get the most use of the three but not all the use. There is something intrinsically very desirable about using the 246X and 7000 series scopes. And having more than one scope often comes in handy when you are trying to sort things out; 3 is a little harder to justify than 2 - but it's not like trying to justify 20.Having said all that, the only downsides of the Tek analog scopes (beside the $600, the bench space, and the relative lack of digital features) is that they might need some maintenance due to their age. So, if the budget is tight I think you should ask yourself how you will feel if you only get X years of useful life out of them. If they make it a year or less, 3 years, 5 years, 7 years, 10 years - what does that do to your budget? Will you have the ability to find the parts and make repairs or will it be a write-off at that point? Most electronics probably don't have a useful life of forever so after some point it's not a huge deal but it's a consideration. These scopes made it decades and some will go for another decade or more - it's just somewhat hard to predict. I tend to agree with an earlier post that said something to the effect of one year in an industrial setting might be comparable to 8 years of relatively gentle use in a home lab. And there are enough units floating around that you can probably find parts for many years to come - you just need the skill and time (and maybe some other test equipment) to do the work. On the other hand, just because you can make one of these scopes last another 20 years doesn't mean that in 20 years it will be super useful. We can make a Nikon film camera work perfectly but it's so far behind the times that a digital phone camera will generally be much more useful. However, this is not a real good analogy and I tend to think Tek analog scopes are much more useful than film cameras - but photographers who don't use scopes would probably see it very differently.Net, net: if you can find a Tek 246X and a Tek 7000 in good enough condition to give you confidence that they will deliver several years or more of good operations then those two scopes are legends that you might seriously enjoy. If, on the other hand, the prospect that they could break the budget now or in the not too distant future is a concern go with the Rigol or something else that meets your needs. Either way, be ready for 3 going on 20.Seriously, think about your plan and budget for the future - it will help you decide what to do now.Net, net, net: If you come up with a Tek 246X and a Tek 7000 and a Rigol 1054 all at once it will be like Christmas!Speaking of which - Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays to all EEVers!!!

author: K6TR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2015, 01:03:31 am
content: Shaha the 2465BDV sold for 10,000 USD when they were new. There are no pluggins for this Scope. The 2465 had many factory installed options available. The BDV version has them all including a television triggering option. Five years ago I located a Low Time Unit that had less than 300 Hours on it. (It's not uncommon for mature units to have 10,000 to 20,000 hours on them) And purchased it for 1000 USD. Prices of CROs tumbled in the late 90s before leveling off and have tumbled again in the last few years. I really can't say if your seller is on the level but even if he is you would be foolish to expect trouble-free performance out of an old age high time unit. And as others have implied these units are not cheap to work on even when you can find a qualified repair shop. I have one locally and this factor figured in to my decision to purchase my unit. The question is how much additional money are you prepared to spend to clean up the bugs and keep the unit going in the coming years. Your purchase of the unit is just the First Payment.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2015, 01:12:02 am
content: I agree. I have owned my fair share of old boat anchors and at some point even the most reliable equipment becomes a flaky piece of junk. If your hobby is going to be repairing old CRT oscilloscopes it probably is a good buy but otherwise I'd get a recent DSO.

author: shaha
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 25, 2015, 02:32:04 am
content: Quote from: Electro Fan on December 24, 2015, 09:17:41 pmHey, thanks for your reply.I've had a look and I don't think that I could get the Rigol 1054. it seems quite hard to find. They mainly have Tektronix oscilloscopes, new and old.I would prefer to get a used oscilloscope, they seem to be much better value.I don't really have a budget to spend on this, and I really enjoy restoring and repairing older CRO oscilloscopes, I can get a lot of parts for them, I even can get a brand new A5 board for 2465B if I needed it.Although, I see the point in having a newer DSO rather than just a 2465B.At this point it looks like i'm going to end up with a 2465B, a 7000 series and a newer Tektronix DSO.If you think having 20 oscilloscopes is a lot you should see this shop, they have a room, filled from floor to ceiling with oscilloscopes (mainly CRO).. I'll ask if I can get some pictures

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2015, 04:06:58 am
content: Quote from: shaha on December 25, 2015, 02:32:04 amPM me, I'll be in Welly sometime in Jan, I might have something that suits your needs.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2015, 05:29:26 am
content: Quote from: shaha on December 25, 2015, 02:32:04 amGoing by your PM reply and info in this thread it would seem you are overseas ATM on a CRO shopping trip.Where?I'm jealous. haha

author: shaha
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 25, 2015, 06:06:11 am
content: Quote from: tautech on December 25, 2015, 05:29:26 amI am in China/Hong Kong, will be back in NZ soon