Oscilloscopes, how many channels do you need? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:25:03 am
content: How many channels do youneedin a 'scope?Sub-question: What do you use it for?

author: Solder_Junkie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:43:59 am
content: I sometimes struggled with two channels, then when I replaced my faulty analogue scope with a Rigol DS1054Z I had enough channels.Maybe my requirements are unusual, I am a radio amateur who likes to build transmitters and receivers. The 4 channels enable me to check keying input, receiver muting, RF envelope, DC power switching to intermediate stages, etc. Yes, it can be done a stage at a time with 2 channels, but it's easier with 4 and at the price of a DS1054Z it's a "no brainer" for what I use a scope for.

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:53:19 am
content: I voted four channels.However, imho it depends if you use the scope for repairing (general fault finding, adjusting) or for designing.For repairing, two channels are enough. For designing, four channels is a must.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:56:51 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 24, 2015, 08:25:03 amDepending on what you are using it for, there are three answers: 1, 2, or one more than you've got.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 09:16:39 am
content: Quote from: Karel on September 24, 2015, 08:53:19 am+1And either one will determine the quality of scope required.

author: JoeB83
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 09:32:11 am
content: Four channels.EDIT Sorry, I was kinda crabby the first time I answered. Four channels, without a doubt.After some thought, I'd really like to try out Yokogawa's 8 ch scope. Anyone here use one?

author: D3f1ant
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 09:44:26 am
content: Four.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 10:04:42 am
content: 2 might be only enough if it is an MSO. Otherwise 4 at least. 4 Ch + 16 MSO is still the best IMHO.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 10:31:19 am
content: Absolutely NEED: Two. No less.Extremely helpful: As many as possible (three being very useful, four being occasionally useful)

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:03:05 pm
content: The answers are all meaningless, unless use-cases are specified.For example, one of the thorniest design problems is ensuring good signal integrity under all conditions. Without good signal integrity, there is little point in doing any other fault-finding. Diagnosing the causes and then removing poor signal integrity is difficult. But it only needs one channel, optionally plus a separate external trigger.A common design problem is looking at the relative timing of signals, often clock vs data. Here two channels are necessary.Many problems that people claim need four channels are really debugging fourdigitalsignals - in which case you don'tneedfouranaloguechannels. It is better to use two channels to ensure signal integrity and timing constraints are met, then debug in the digital domain (logic analyser or printf statements).Low-speed differential signals can be debugged using two channels plus invert and add - provided everything is well balanced. High speed differential signals need differential probe feeding a single scope channel.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:18:27 pm
content: I'd vote for three. Clock, data and chip select, or trigger condition, stimulus and response.I sometimes connect a differential probe to my scope's 4th channel, so I can quickly switch to using it, but it's quite rare that I have all 4 analogue channels enabled together.If I need more than three, it's usually quite a few more, and then I'll use digital channels.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:20:09 pm
content: I voted for two channels,but I have four!A Tek 7613 with two vertical plug ins,each with two channels!I have done good work with a single channel 'scope,& in some cases,a two channel 'scope with one faulty channel,so I'm not really sure Ishouldsay I "need" two channels.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:21:08 pm
content: When you need 4 channel, you need 4 channels.Probably the majority of my scope usage is single channel.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:37:30 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 24, 2015, 12:21:08 pmSounds reasonable and sane.Can you give examples of when you've needed four analogue channels? Would five have helped?My example of when 4 analogue channels are highy desirable would be looking at complex power supply sequencing for advanced ICs, e.g. FPGAs. Such transients also require a storage scope.

author: KedasProbe
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 01:47:25 pm
content: Having digital channels also reduces the chance that you will need 4 analogue channels.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 02:32:29 pm
content: I'll repeat myself: once you have used a scope with 4 channels you'll never go back to a scope with 2 channels. Also note that many oscilloscopes only support the full samplerate when half the channels are on so a 2 channel scope basically becomes a 1 channel scope in such a situation.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 02:56:49 pm
content: 4 channels with the ability to do math (invert and add) on pairs of channels is nice, especially if the channels are able to operate at full speed when doing so. But then, even a single channel is very useful, and especially an isolated input, like on portable scopes. 4 Fully isolated channles would be the best though.

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 03:41:37 pm
content: Heh...You _need_ one.You want two.Three would be nicer.You'd really like to have four.Four, plus an ext trigger, is just peachy.Four, ext trig, and a bunch of digital channels is ... more than I can afford.I use mine to make pretty squiggly colored lines, so that my housemate thinks I'm doing something productive with my time. The more squiggly colored lines, the more important she thinks my work is.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 05:12:54 pm
content: One channel is apparently all I need. I have a DS1052E that I use constantly, but I've only used channel one a few times. I also have a 4 channel Tektronix 2247A. However, it's only been turned on a couple of times since I got the Rigol.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 07:30:27 pm
content: In my engineering life I always used two channel oscilloscopes and sometimes I needed/wanted four.Because of these "sometimes" occurrences, I decided to buy a DS4k instead of a DS2k, therefore I voted four.If four channel scopes can be had for a moderate increase in price (or moderate decrease in features), I think suchtangiblefeature has a higher decision weight when compared to other features such as bandwidth, protocol decoding, etc. One cannot upgrade the number of channels but bandwidth and other features can be added later (especially with the modern trend of having everything upgradeable by code or firmware).

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:13:11 pm
content: I fully admit I have used all 4 channels on my current scope only once. And only two of the signals were analog; two signals were temporary debugging signals generated by a micro. I COULD have used a logic analyzer, +- some signal conditioning on the analog lines, or even sat down and calculated out my delays. But optimizing firmware and seeing the results in real time with a 4 channel scope saved a ton of mouse clicking, switching between windows, and scrolling around between each iteration while circumventing a lot of cumbersome math.Would a two channel MSO be better? I dunno. I have never used one.

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:19:10 pm
content: One is often sufficient for simple fault tracing, but two is better. Four usually allows tinkering on an analog circuit without moving the probes for a while.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:37:23 pm
content: Quote from: KedasProbe on September 24, 2015, 01:47:25 pmYep. Quite often some of my 4 channels are showing digital signals.2 Analog channels + some digital channels would probably be acceptable for me. Two analog plus four digital would be nice.OTOH I really hate those stupid little clippy cables you get with MSOs. Give me ordinary probes, please!4 analog channels works for me though, and I don't think the price of the DS1054Z can be matched by an MSO with equivalent analog capabilities.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:40:13 pm
content: As another poster stated, 2+16 on an MSO isn't a bad option, I'd rather have that or even 2+8 than 4+0 in most circumstances. The exception is when I'm doing switch mode power supplies when even 4 analogue channels can seem limiting.But it depends to a large extent what you do, if you don't do much digital then the digital channels will be largely superfluous.One further thing: remember that most 2 ch scopes have a trigger input too, which in some instances can be a reasonable compromise. A one channel scope without an external trigger offers little more than a 2.5 digit DVM for practical purposes.Edit: meant to say, two channels can do anything a four channel can do, just not at the same time. You just need to work a little harder. Remember that 4ch scopes have only become commonplace on the average bench in the past fifteen years or so.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:46:57 pm
content: Quote from: Howardlong on September 24, 2015, 08:40:13 pmIt seems like an awful lot to cram onto a screen.(I haven't tried it though so what do I know).I don't think I'd ever use 16 digital channels personally.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 08:49:02 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 24, 2015, 08:46:57 pmIt's very rare I do. Just that that's the "standard" config for MSOs. You can turn unused channels off, you know ;-)

author: MT
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 09:06:01 pm
content: MCU applications, 4 because you need 1 cha for the reference signal and 2ch's for the signals you emulate to display your functions.

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 09:12:48 pm
content: I have a single-channel scope that accepts 4 inputs, plus external trigger.It's the mighty Tek RM503 Precision Low-Frequency Oscilloscope .... which I use to make mad-scientist Lissajous displays with 4 oscillators, to help warm up my room in winter. I love its blue, long-persistence phosphor and its orange graticule illumination.The four inputs work when the scope is in X-Y mode; the horizontal and vertical amplifiers both have separate inverting and non-inverting inputs.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 09:35:59 pm
content: QuoteI wish this scope had been on the market a couple years earlier. $400? Fantastic.

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 09:40:31 pm
content: Sure. I just wish that Rigol would straighten out the bugs in the 1054z. What is the use of a scope that does math like this:

author: lewis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 10:04:17 pm
content: 29 channels is the most I've needed. 8 analogue and 21 digital spread over two MSO scopes.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 04:41:36 am
content: Quote from: Howardlong on September 24, 2015, 08:40:13 pm"One further thing: remember that most 2 ch scopes have a trigger input too, which in some instances can be a reasonable compromise. A one channel scope without an external trigger offers little more than a 2.5 digit DVM for practical purposes."I've never encountered a single channel Osciiloscopewithoutan external trigger,even the cruddiest 10MHz analogs have them.--------not sure about the little "toy" pocket DSOs,though!On your other point,I've fixed equipment faults using a single channel BWD 'scope with a faulty trigger circuit,which were impossible to get a handle on using a DVM/DMM.A DMM will be sufficient for many jobs,but some really do need a 'scope.In those cases,any 'scope,is better than none.

author: motocoder
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 08:18:15 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 24, 2015, 08:25:03 am99% of the time, two is sufficient. However, for that 1% of the time when you need more, you'll really kick yourself for not having purchased a 4-channel scope. Example: troubleshooting a power supply rail sequencing error. THe project actually had 8 different rails, so in this case even 4 channels wasn't enough.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 08:19:50 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 24, 2015, 08:46:57 pmDepends on the size of the screen; it is where a USB LA + PC + HD screen are useful. IMNSHO low refresh rates for an LA are not a problem, whereas they are for a scope.I've used 32 channels, address, data, control lines on a Z80 but that was long ago!

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 08:24:01 am
content: Quote from: motocoder on September 25, 2015, 08:18:15 amMy opinion is that with scope channels the counting scheme is "one", "two", "one fewer than I need" !

author: Ivan7enych
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 09:44:36 am
content: Quote from: Howardlong on September 24, 2015, 08:40:13 pmThe same thing applies to me. I have in my lab 4 channels old Tek TDS744 and 2+16 MSO Rigol 2072a. Most of the time I turn on Rigol, not Tek.There was one time, when I really need 4 analog channels - to find a fault in an astronomy CCD camera, to look at 3 horizontal charge transfer signals + output signal...

author: JoeB83
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 09:55:11 am
content: If I were to guess, 75-80% of my work is analog.I've had a few MSO scopes and I found myself using the digital channels, at most, 15% of the time.I have 2 4-ch scopes and 3 2-ch scopes at home. I use the two with four channels almost all of the time. However, once in awhile, I wonder if I had more than four (analog) channels, would I be better off?With this in mind, has anyone seen, used, or had experience with Yokogawa's 8-channel scopes? I'm VERY curious.I'm not sure if there are others, but the model I'm interested in is the DLM4000.(As an aside-I don't think I've seen ANYTHING about Yokogawa. Any thoughts?)I suppose a link to the product page may be helpful.http://tmi.yokogawa.com/us/products/oscilloscopes/digital-and-mixed-signal-oscilloscopes/dlm4000-mso-series/

author: jrmymllr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 11:26:59 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 24, 2015, 08:25:03 amI need at least one channel, no less.Sorry couldn't resist.

author: motocoder
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 11:37:50 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on September 25, 2015, 08:24:01 amLOL, so true

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 12:12:39 pm
content: Quote from: JoeB83 on September 25, 2015, 09:55:11 amI recently bought a used Yokogawa DL1740 4 channel DSO. It has many neat features like being able to display both X-Y and Y-T for 4 channels. From the top of my head I don't know any scope which can show the Y-T (normal signals) and X-Y mode at the same time.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 12:13:38 pm
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on September 25, 2015, 04:41:36 amThat was almost what I was referring to. I have a Velleman HPS10 LCD scope from many years ago, single channel 10MHz, no trigger, almost useless. I think I ever used it other than to switch it on to see if it worked, I couldn't find a reason to use it. There are others, the UT-81B for example.QuoteI did say "A one channel scope without an external triggeroffers little morethan a 2.5 digit DVM for practical purposes", so I didn't completely discount it, but I still think it'd most likely end up in a drawer gathering dust unlike a DVM or certainly a DMM. :-)I think we agree in general, I was just trying to dissuade anyone from even considering a single channel scope without an external trigger on it.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 12:17:00 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 25, 2015, 12:12:39 pmFor better or for worse, the Rigol DS1000Z does this, in fact the only way to display X-Y is with Y-T at the same time, so the X-Y display is relegated to a small proportion of the screen.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 12:28:52 pm
content: Majority of the time, one. Frequently two. Rarely three. Once in a blue moon, four. When I have needed more than four, the BW has been low enough, I could use some sort of stand alone data acquisition system.There was an article I read many years ago (when there were no digital scopes) that talked about adding more channels to your scope. They basically had an external box with a mux, sample and hold, divers and some logic to scan several channels at a lower frequency and then over clock them to the scope on a single channel.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2015, 12:37:12 pm
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on September 25, 2015, 12:28:52 pmI think I made such a box when I was 16 or so.

author: Stephan_T
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 04:16:55 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 24, 2015, 08:25:03 amMy answer would be zero, ...Quote from: Fungus on September 24, 2015, 08:25:03 am... because as an entry level hobbyist i do not really need an oscilloscope. It is more like an expensive toy for me.By now I have only an analogue one which actually has 4 channels (two of them only 0.1 and 1 V/cm) but i did not use them. As tautech wrote in the Siglent thread:"Horses for courses"From a hobby point of view, the oscilloscope is not primarily a work horse. The question is not "do I reallyneedthis or that feature", but more like "how much fun is it to display things this or that way". And displaying many signals simultaneously is getting you prettier pictures. This is what makes a four channel coloured TV more enjoyable than some other banner specs.Edit: Oops, I forgot an important wordLissajous figures are also something you willnotreally need much of an oscilloscope today, but creating them on an analogue one is like a piece of art. I can very much enjoy to watch them.Quote from: Howardlong on September 25, 2015, 12:13:38 pmWell, not that I would want to recommend buying such a scope, but I would rather disagree on that statement. My DMM is the BM257 (the same as used by Dave in many of his videos) and although one of it's features is a Crest (Peak Hold) mode, it is not able measure ripple voltages of SMPSs:"CREST Mode Accuracy: Specified accuracy plus 150 digits for changes > 5ms in duration."and the AC Voltage is defined as "50Hz - 400Hz"

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 05:55:15 am
content: Not a super easy question to answer since it's so dependent on the situation. USUALLY not more than two, but when you NEED three or four, two won't cut it. I'm voting for four, simply because it's more versatile. I can use only two channels on a four channel scope, but haven't yet managed to use three or four on a two channel one.Sort of like a parachute in a plane or a life jacket in a boat - it's better to have it and not need it than the other way 'round.-Pat

author: FlyingHacker
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 06:00:17 am
content: I like to cascade multiple scopes together (all Tek analog scopes of course). You use the gate out on one to drive the ext trigger one the next. With two or three scopes you can get a lot of channels all triggered the same (assuming the first (triggering) scope has a good analog trigger, not some digital trigger that jitters due to sampling errors). It is really nice to visualize all those channels at once.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 06:16:01 am
content: If I had a 24 channel scope with a 4k 30" screen, I would use it. Most of what I do is is analog, power, and digital all mixed together with fairly complex relationships. Being able to visualize the timing behavior of the whole system would be really nice. At the moment, I have a 4ch and 2ch scope +16ch logic analyzer and have to focus on sub-sections of the circuit. It all works in the end, but if I had more channels, I could sort it all out faster.

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 06:43:56 am
content: Quote from: rx8pilot on September 26, 2015, 06:16:01 amWhy don't you get one an 8-channel scopes then?

author: rf-loop
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 07:47:00 am
content: In my use what Ineedandneedwas question.~95% I need 1 Ch~5% I need 2 Ch~<<0.1% I need 3 Ch (part of these cases can also do with 2Ch+Ext trig)~<<0.02% I need 4Ch or 4Ch + Ext trig (even these cases mostly can solve with 2 Ch+ext trig but need come from situation that most important part of need scope is working for money so in this case need is related to time what can use for work.)Other case is what is nice to have IF there is time for just playing for entertainment. Then it is perhaps nice to have more some times.THis is of course only what I use and need.If people ask from me what kind of scope he need then I need do lot of questions. This is mainly possible only in live interactive talking with perhaps also some live demonstrationsThen IF my final answer is 2 channel, then after 5 year he find situation where he need 4 channel. Can he call me and tell I give wrong recommend? No he can not.In this time his answers to my questions are different.If you know what you do and you have enough knowledge and experience, then you know what you need. And more important, you know what you do NOT need. Many peoples without enough experience do not know what they do not need.If you do not know what are you doing, then you do not know what you need. And mostly also what you do not need.In this case professionals who buy equipment for designed needs are in different wagon than hobbyist who do not yet even know what he is doing now. This is main reason why hobbyist then want buy things "what can do all" but is not good perhaps in any function.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 08:02:11 am
content: Quote from: Howardlong on September 25, 2015, 12:13:38 pmOut of interest,I Googled for Velleman HPS10,& found the linked pix.http://www.vellemanusa.com/images/products/0/hps10_f3.jpgOhh! The horror!I then had a look at a few Youtube reviews,& things didn't get much better!I also saw one for the UT-81B,At least,Uni-T had a pretty good shot at the DMM part,but the 'scope bit was still quite dismal.On the other hand,althoughthisthing*looks like it was designed to be operated by "Cabbage Patch Dolls",it is a real,usable test instrument,after you get past BNC connectors that become unscrewed,& knobs that fall off.*http://www.eham.net/data/classifieds/images/364574.jpgThe "10MHz" in the spec is the 3dB down point,but it will still display up to 27MHz or so--obviously without voltage accuracy------andit has an external trigger!

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 10:43:24 am
content: Sometimes I use 4 scopes at the same time and all 4 channels on each scope

author: BillyD
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 11:02:50 am
content: Quote from: alsetalokin4017 on September 24, 2015, 03:41:37 pmHah that's very true! The same applies if you're going to take some cool pics or video of your bench - and don't forget to switch on some power supplies and soldering stat to get a few glowing led displays in there...Going back to the original question, I've recently been using all 4 channels for some digital projects. As someone else said, a logic analyzer would probably have sufficed but it's a pain in the ass to set it up whereas the scope is always at hand and also gives you a better idea as to the integrity of the signals.I think for analog work, 1 or 2 channels would suffice a lot of the time.And as someone else said, I couldn't go back to 2 channels after having 4.

author: Rupunzell
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 04:22:08 pm
content: Really, really depends on what is being worked on.Two channels is plenty for most analog stuff. Four or more is some times required with no options.My own preference is to use a Tek 7000 with one dual trace plug in and another dual trace plug in with a Current probe and Differential probe.This gives two single ended inputs, one current channel and one differential channel. If the specific measurement requires a different set up, it gets configured as required. Key here is knowing precisely what information-data is needed and how to achieve that goal with minimal measurement error and affect of circuit or system behavior.More channels is not always better as each node probe-item of instrumentation added can and often does affect how the circuit is operating. Before adding more probes -item of instrumentation of any kind, fully understand the effects of each probe-instrumentation added. This applies for anything from a DVM-VOM to O'scope to SA to DSA to Generator or any other item of instrumentation.Bernice

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 26, 2015, 05:48:41 pm
content: Great point Bernice. Loading the circuit and injecting noise can have you chasing your tail til the end of time.I feel like I have spent more time learning how to measure circuits than I have spent learning to design them.Sent from mobile device.... Keeping it short and mis-spelled

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2015, 01:18:25 am
content: Article for a 4:1 channel expanderhttp://www.eeweb.com/blog/extreme_circuits/four-channel-oscilloscope-adaptor1

author: nbritton
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2015, 02:24:32 am
content: So to restate the question for my own purposes, would you rather have a Siglent SDS1304CFL (4 channel 300 MHz) for $1,339 or a Rigol DS2072A (2 channel 300 MHz) for $839? Are two more channels worth $500 to you, and the frustration of using a crappy siglent scope?The DS1054Z doesn't have enough bandwidth for me, so I think the crux of the issue, at least for me, is whether 4 channels is worth an additional $1,461 to get the Rigol DS4014 at $2300. I think the answer to that is a resounding no, because you could buy one DS2072A + three DS1054Z for that price and you would get a combined total of 14 channels and still save $264 over the DS4014! I think the sweet spot for me is the Rigol MSO2072A with 2 analog and 16 digital channels.

author: Stephan_T
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 27, 2015, 02:31:13 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on September 27, 2015, 01:18:25 amWow, that's the betteriser of oscilloscopes:Use four of them on a Rigol 1000Z and you get a total of 16 channels which is 800% of the SiglentJokes aside, the premiss of most posts here is to regard the oscilloscope as an analytical tool, but you can also see it as a presentation/demonstration device. The didactic value of a 4 channel scope is much much higher than a 2 channel one.Take for example Jery Ellsworth's video aboutMagnetic Logic - Forgotten Technologyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7SkE5pERtA&feature=youtu.be&t=14m50If you know what goes on there, you may also be able to analyse all the phenomena using just two channels, but for a presentation and to teach (others or your self), four channels draw a much better picture and spare you a thousand words.I think, that's one of the major reasons why Dave also prefers a 4 channel scope for many of his videos.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2015, 05:00:33 pm
content: The results are in, and: There's about a 2:1 preference for four channels here on EEVBLOG.Make of it what you will.