ATTEN ADS1102CML oscilloscope - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: zetan
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 04, 2011, 10:11:22 pm
content: Hi,I just received my new ATTEN ADS1102CML. For 550$ Canadian dollars (dealexcel.com) I got a 100MHz, 1GSa/s, 2MSa of memory, 7 inch display oscilloscope. It comes with a complete, reasonably well written English manual, power cord, EasyScope 3.0 PC software, 100 MHz probes and instructions to calibrate them.The scope does not feel cheap for the price. Sturdy, nice finish and made of what looks like good plastic. The knobs turns flawlessly, the screen is bright. Wow! At school we have Tektronix brand new TDSxxx and they don't feel much better.The ADSxxxxCA and ADSxxxxCML are new models, an upgrade from the ADSxxxxC series (usual size display, weird input impedance and confusion over the memory spec. Those issues have been fixed on the CA and CML line). Like someone mentioned previously on another forum the LeCroy WaveAce series scopes are identical with the ADSxxxxC except for the overall plastic color. The ADSxxxxCA and ADSxxxxCML does not seem to have made their way in the LeCroy WaveAce series yet. They probably need to sell the old line first.Right now I don't have time and experience to make an in depth review of this scope. Nevertheless, I wanted to let you know that it is not a "scary" product as some people extrapolated here and there on internet. I probed 1 Hz, 100 Hz, 1 kHz and 1 MHz, square, sin and triangle functions from my BK Precision generator and the scope reacted quickly, without a glitch, and gave good measures of frequencies, offset and amplitudes.Hope to see more in depth reviews of this scope on internet in a near future. For those interested, you can take a look at this video. It's in Russianbut the image quality is very good.?? ATTEN ADS1202CMLSee you around,Olivier

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2011, 10:27:28 am
content: Thanks Zetan. It would be good to do more tests.There is something subtlety wrong with the test Russian video. Do you notice that the waveforms shown jerk around a little bit both in the X and Y axes? Either the scope needs a longer warm up period because the timebase is slightly off, the sampling rate is off, even the vertical amp is off or the Rigol arb generator used is off.Compared to a known good source, here at 100kHz, your waveform should be rock solid, if you're just looking at images without making detailed measurements. From this video we know the source is good, a Fluke calibrator. When the tester uses 100 MHz, you start to see the issues, but that's at the limit of the Rigol's capability.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2011, 10:45:08 am
content: it also show how flawed the rigol sincx is. i think for this repetetive signal, equ.sampling rate at 25GS/s + averaging will be helpfull to better see the signal.

author: zetan
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 05, 2011, 01:06:06 pm
content: At 125 kHz, a wave signal coming from my BK Precision 3010 function generator, I get a tiny horizontal bounce. Much smaller than what gets the Russian guy. I get no bounce at all on the vertical axis.At school they have much better HP signal generator and some TEKTRONIX TDSxxxx. I'll bring the ATTEN to compare. If a find a camera, I'll do a small movie.Thanks for the guidance in further testing,Olivier

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2011, 04:27:37 pm
content: You're welcome. Since the BK is an older analog FG, I think, it may not be a good source since the DSO are much more stable that it.Consider warming the scope and the signal source for at least 30 min before testing, then do its internal self-calibration before testing.If you a source that has a very fast rise time, that a single easy test, it should be 3nS or faster.If you aren't sure then send 1kHz to note the appearance, then 10 MHz square wave and compare the edges of the wave, it should be as sharp as the 1kHz. Make sure the probe used is compensated and or preferably use a 50 ohm terminated cable. 10 MHz is to include the 5ht-9th harmonic, so the test will qualitative show 50-90MHz too, well within the scope's bandwidth.The amplitude of the square wave should be the same. Ramp the source to 60 MHz and it edges should roll off, but the amplitude remain the same; then push it to 100 MHz and the amplitude should reduce.Enjoy. That's the first wide screen Atten I've seen on eevblog, so you'll be the first to test this scope on the forum.Quote from: zetan on June 05, 2011, 01:06:06 pm

author: WanaGo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 08:43:11 am
content: Hello,First post - woot.Very interested to see how you get on with the comparisons you are going to do. I have been looking at this scope, and have been googling to find reviews and opinions on it, and came across this wonderful site.This scope, here in NZ, is cheaper than what I can get a Rigol DS1052E for - which is interesting. I havent contacted that many local suppliers yet though, so the ones I have may be telling me porkies.I can get the Atten ADS1102CML for under $1000NZ (About $800US), which is probably still on the pricy side for US people. The Rigol DS1052E I was told would be over $1200NZ.Still alot of reading to do though, so very keen to hear how this one goes.I am an Automation Engineer by trade, did a Mechatronics Engineering degree 6 years ago and dabble in Electronics, Microcontrollers etc and want a decent scope to take me to the next level.Time for a good read around this site.RegardsJames

author: scrat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 02:24:13 pm
content: Quote from: WanaGo on June 08, 2011, 08:43:11 amAre you sure you want to buy such an oscilloscope from a local supplier, and not from a direct Chinese dealer, or other low-cost dealers?From my country Farnell site you can get an entry-level Tektronix for about 960$, I'd consider that instead of an Atten for 800$...

author: WanaGo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 07:00:52 pm
content: Quote from: scrat on June 08, 2011, 02:24:13 pmThe cheapest Tektronix here from Farnell (Element14) is $1192.21NZ, it is the TDS2001C.This is why I am interested to see how this Atten goes. I am not experienced with oscilloscopes at all, I have only ever used them while at University, so getting something perfect isnt the aim, but getting something semi decent is.

author: rf-loop
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 07:46:20 pm
content: TDS2001C50 MHz Bandwidth500 MS/s Sample Rate2.5k Record Length and that is all... hello... we live in year >2kDisplay 320x240pix poor tft.And what is "better", not any kind of real Tektronix "Beaverton" quality. Just most cheap (and old) chinese scope (who have made it... Siglent??.If compare to HanTekway game is 10-1 to Hantekway.Also Rigol DSO1000E model beat this "tektronix" grab.You can buy this plastic adhesive Tektronix name plate with ten cents...With example Hantek DSO5062B or 5102B can get lot of more value for money.Also even Rigol 50MHz outperorms this Tek toy totally.

author: WanaGo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 09:17:11 pm
content: For this ADS1102CML scope, from here (http://www.dealexcel.com/digital-storage-oscilloscope-atten-ads1102cml_p4124.html)with free shipping to me in NZ, comes out to be $672NZ delivered.So that is a 100Mhz scope with 1GSa/sOr the DS05102B from here (http://www.goodluckbuy.com/hantek-digital-storage-oscilloscope-dso5102b-100m-1gs-s-7-wide-screen.html) for $780NZ delivered, which looks to be of similar spec...?I need to do an excel spredsheet and compare all the scopes specs that I am looking at - but even then, I have no idea how they actually perform and reviews are hard to come by for alot of them.

author: tinhead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2011, 09:45:55 pm
content: oh that's simple, buy Hantek or TekwayTo be very honest ATTEN/Siglent looks inside like Rigol's (Sometimes i do not understand developers, sure a proved designcan be reused by different company, but is there a reason to copy even the design mistakes ?)The only difference is the display controller chip (which is necessary change because of screen resolution),bigger SRAM and of course the firmware.Everything else is more or less same (it might be that some caps/resistors are different, but from what i saw no diffs).Knowing that the components are the same it could be interesting to see the CML in action compared to Rigol DSxxxxE.Hantek/Tekway does have the same input stage, but then the rest is different - different ADCs (well actually the same but not 40MHz rated), different µC/CPLD and of course different firmware (Linux based and easy to hack).From a performance point of view they better than Rigol/ATTEN, but of course they costs a bit more.

author: WanaGo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2011, 12:09:00 am
content: I just got off the phone with a local supplier and he said to check out the Instek GDS-1062AJust a random supplier from google:http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/instek/oscilloscopes/gds-1062a.htm

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2011, 02:29:35 am
content: that ATTEN ADS1102CML looks cool, bigger screen, a vertical knob for each channel. maybe the OP or someone has it check if there is adjustable on/off FW filter in each channel instead of HW bandwidth limit alone?

author: RCMR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2011, 07:05:15 am
content: Quote from: WanaGo on June 08, 2011, 09:17:11 pmBased on my own experiences with DealExcel and GoodLuckBuy -- go with the latter. Far more professional, no mistakes, good communications. They've always sent my orders promptly and efficiently. DealExcel by comparison are a bunch of clowns.Pay the small premium and get the better service!