GW INSTEK GDS-820 DSO - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 05:07:34 pm
content: Hi i am new to electronics and am looking at the gw instek gds-820 150Mhz scope what do you guys think it is new old stock as it had been replaced with a new model the dealer is asking £300 what are your views on this scope and the price?http://www.gwinstek.com.tw/en/product/productdetail.aspx?pid=3&mid=7&id=51thanks in advancebill

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 05:18:36 pm
content: 100MS/s means about 10MHz bandwidth in single-shot mode (eg. many digital signals, or start-up behavior). The equivalent time sampling rate is mostly marketing (although I'm sure it will meet its 150MHz bandwidth spec with a nice, repetitive sine wave). GBP 300 does not seem that much cheaper than a current Instek or Rigol (not sure about the current price with shipping/duty/tax), which would be preferable in my opinion. 1GS, 50/60MHz and 1/2Mpoints is IMO preferable to 100MS/s, 150MHz and 125kpoints, but it depends on your applications (if you mostly look at repetitive signals around or beyond 50MHz, the GDS-820 may be a better buy).Thisrecent thread about the Instek GDS-840Cmay also be informative for you.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 05:21:18 pm
content: well i could not see the true sample rate but then i didn't read the whole page telling me about all the lovely software functions. if it is indeed 100MS/s it's not good value for money. The Rigols are 1GS/s

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 05:46:03 pm
content: thanks guys this scope still sales from cpc for around £500 i think i will take a wide birth and look for another scope the think is £300 is all i can spend at the moment i have a good soldering station, fluke 87 mk3 meter i have built a small function generator ( which works) to my suprise so just need a scope to see what i am doingbill

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 05:53:31 pm
content: get a 50MHz rigol and hack it to 100MHz, you won't be sorry, even with 50MHz you can do plenty

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 06:02:26 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on January 30, 2011, 05:53:31 pmcan't find a supplyer in the uk uk customs are hot on imports so will cost alot to bring one in i do see owen scopes on ebay what are they like?bill

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 06:06:41 pm
content: I got my Rigol off ebay from china with no problem but I think they have been withdrawn from ebay, you might like to see what prices MCS are doing at the moment, they are UK based and someone there is registered to this forum although I've never bought from them myself

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2011, 06:15:18 pm
content: Quote from: bill.rowland on January 30, 2011, 06:02:26 pmi'm having a bit trouble translating this and relocating the full stops. anyway, i concur with all the members posts above, buy well proven rigol, or you ended up with 10MHz scope.

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2011, 05:08:52 pm
content: I HAVE GIVEN THE GDS-820 A MISS SO WILL BE LOOKING FOR A NEW SCOPE I CAN NOT DECIDE BETWEEN THE RIGOL DS1102E FROM UK OR THE HANTEK DSO5102B FROM FRANCE?I DO NOT INTEND TO HACK THE SCOPE I JUST DO NOT HAVE THE EXPERIANCE AND DO NOT WANT TO BRICK IT.SORRY I HAVE A BROKEN KEYBOARD SO CAPLOCK IS ON ALL THE TIMEBILL

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 05, 2011, 07:28:28 pm
content: well hacking the rigol is real simple or was, I've never done this sort of thing and coped, it is literally a case of pugging it to a pc with a serail cable and typing a few commands in

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 05, 2011, 08:08:55 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on February 05, 2011, 07:28:28 pmI DID NOT THINK YOU STILL DO THE HACK ON THE NEW FIRMWERE + 3 YEARS WARRENTY OUT THE WINDOW IF IT GO'S WRONG NOT WORTH THE RISK IN MY EYES AS I WILL JUST GO FOR THE 100 MHZ VERSION SO NO HACK NEEDED BUT I STILL LIKE THE LOOK OF THE HANTEK WITH THE BIGGER SCREEN STILL HAVE NOT DECIDED FOR SHOREBILL

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 05, 2011, 08:44:40 pm
content: yea I think the hack is harder now and it was worth the risk on units bought from china where the warranty was not worth it. Just make sure that anything you buy takes at least 10 samples per "wave" ie multiply the analogue bandwidth by 10, you want at least that much sample rate, so 100MHz make sure it is 1GS/s or you might as well get an analogue scope and save the £££

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 06, 2011, 06:19:38 am
content: Quote from: Simon on February 05, 2011, 08:44:40 pmThanks Simonwill do so 1GS/s min on digital scope got itbill

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2011, 06:00:56 pm
content: ordered a rigol fro mcs will be delivered tus / wed next week hope i do not get any firmware problemsbill

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2011, 08:41:26 pm
content: Quote from: bill.rowland on February 11, 2011, 06:00:56 pmme too, coz i heard a 2.05 fw variant got a bug. if you come across it, then you have 2 choice:1) go to 1052e hack dummy guide thread to search for solution.2) ask rigol to fix that and wait for newer fw.either way, you are going to hack (upgrade) your scope firmware. only the former will void the warranty (if you tell rigol). good luck.

author: bill.rowland
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2011, 05:30:13 am
content: If it has a bug MCS will get it back this is why i bought from the uk. It is up to them to sort out for the first 3 yearsbill