Advice and recommendations for which digital scope to buy? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 08:42:58 pm
content: My scope experience is purely with analogue CRO's, of which I have a few, most recent of which is about 15 years old. However, I've decided to buy a digital scope and would appreciate advice and recommendations.My budget is around £1000, it would be for general purpose work, nothing really demanding. I'm ok with buying used and I'm located in the UK.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 08:44:54 pm
content: You need to provide more info. Channels? BW? Sample rate? Decoding? Do you care about noise? Heat? Large screen? Color screen?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 08:50:29 pm
content: Quote from: Ice-Tea on February 18, 2020, 08:44:54 pmExactly, plus touch display, mouse and keyboard support, I/O connectivity required, probe sense/active probe support and so on......

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 08:58:27 pm
content: Basically, there's tons of options. Any specifications you can give would help narrow it down.Siglent and Rigol have some good options in that pricerange, and I think Keysight's got a good one there too. I don't know if R&S has one quite in that price bracket, but they do have one just over which is nice. If you go the used route, you can probably get more bandwidth for your buck and maybe some nice software options - but honestly, this price bracket is pretty competitive, so unless you need high bandwidth, you're probably better off buying new or used of a current model because the value of the new and bundled features will be tough to beat.A bit of an aside: even if you say you only need two channels, I would get one with four - they come in handy in unexpected ways.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 09:22:24 pm
content: The problem is, I have 0 experience or knowledge of digital scopes, so I can't be more specific than I have been. I've never had more than dual beam and 100 Mhz on CRO's, and thats been adequate. From what I've seen of digital scopes on youtube vids, I like the idea of things like on screen display of voltage, frequency etc. Colour would be good I think. Noise, I have no idea where that would be an issue. Thats the reason I've asked the question here, I need the benefit of the experience of those that have bought and used these things.

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 10:41:18 pm
content: The on screen measurements should be present with virtually any digital scope, differentiating features around this price point could be:Serial decoding options (using your analog channels to monitor digital signals and decode the data and display it)Higher bandwidth - 100MHz should be no problem, but in this pricepoint 200/250MHz is doable and if you're looking at fast edges or high frequency stuff, it can be beneficial (like a 50MHz square wave, since more bandwidth would give you more harmonics and would let it look much squarer)Specific UI preferences - any one from a major manufacturer will be functional, but if you look at some videos of them in use, maybe one appeals particularly in look or organizationIndividual channel controls - some people really like four pairs of knobs for four channels, some don't mind pressing a button to switch between them and only using one setFFT depth - most modern scopes will do FFTs larger than you'd really ever bother with, but it's a valuable analysis function and some older models limit it to 1024 bins, for exampleMemory depth - if you want REALLY long single shot captures, this is important.... otherwise a few Mpoint is plenty for most users/applications, especially with display persistence onQuality of color/intensity grading - Every scope will probably offer it, not every one does it quite as well - in this price category I'm partial to Siglent's over Rigol's, for example, especially with color grading, but it's not something everyone uses and Rigol's is perfectly serviceableScreen size/resolution - bigger is nice, much of the time, but especially if you're going to be using it at a distance or have any trouble with eyesightMSO capability - you can get scopes with built in 16 channel logic analyzers at this pricepoint and if you think having that functionality on screen and time correlated to your analog channels is valuable to your work, it's certainly an option to consider.Built in function generator - a few of these pricerange scopes have a built in signal generator - usually with similar functionality to an inexpensive standalone unit and a slightly less functional UI (since it shares the screen/buttons), but it can be a great addition for testing, and some scopes will even include a frequency response plot mode for characterizing filters and such.And while I think it's out of your pricerange from these vendors (though there are others that offer it around here), you can look for more resolution in the ADCs - 10 or 12 bits usually over the 8 bits standard in most digital scopes. This is where the frontend noise figure really starts counting for more (unless you need a true 1mV/500uV range for very small signals), and this is sort of the current/next big thing in digital scopes. It hasn't really filled in the "entry level" budget segment yet, but the extra resolution means extra dynamic range and more detail on your signal.As a baseline from the vendors I'd mentioned, I'd take a look at:Siglent SDS1104X-E/SDS1204X-E, or the SDS2014X Plus (at least the 1000X-E series can be hacked through software to increase bandwidth)Rigol DS1054Z (or Plus variant with MSO) or MSO5074 (at least the 1054Z can be hacked to increase bandwidth)Keysight DSOX1204Rohde & Schwarz RTB2004 (probably over your budget, but nice all the same)And by looking into those, you'll have a good grasp on some of the major entries in the price segment and what each can offer. Honestly, any of them will probably suit your needs so far, but you may find something particularly useful in looking at them that would be a benefit.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 10:43:07 pm
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on February 18, 2020, 09:22:24 pmIn the low cost models many use shared vertical controls so you need to your head around if this might be an issue for you or not. They do take a little of getting used to and after a short time you have no issues when operation becomes second nature.Much more of the UI is in menus as there's not the front panel real estate to fit all the knobs and buttons so there is a learning curve to master in order to use DSO's to their potential although coming from CRO experience does help with getting your head around all this.Another suggestion is to get a more basic DSO in the $350-500 range initially and gain experience with it before outlaying more on something with the feature set you'd prefer more.Look at the offerings available and come back with more questions about each of their capabilities....and a big plus to what DaJMasta has just said.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2020, 10:59:36 pm
content: DaJMasta is making some excellent suggestions. Look at those models and you'll have the most interesting and common options.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 12:18:09 am
content: Quote from: DaJMasta on February 18, 2020, 10:41:18 pmExcellent, many thanksThis gives me something to dig into as a baseline. You mentioned the individual vertical controls, that is a significant issue for me, being used to that on CRO's, I wouldn't want to mess about with function buttons to set each beam so I would look for that on my short list. Good stuff, I'll start researching and comparing.

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 12:49:18 am
content: FWIW, I thought I would think it mattered a lot.... and then I didn't really mind using single knob set units. It comes in handy for moving things around in realtime, but I find my use case is usually setting up each channel and then making the measurement rather than actively adjusting all of them - having some measurements or cursors enabled helps a lot since it's easy to keep track of what level things are actually at. Most of the fewer knob implementations still have a dedicated button for each channel, rather than one to scroll through them, so it's a push and then adjust for any channel - not actually a huge increase in activity. This becomes even less of an issue with a touchscreen, where I find myself very rarely moving traces vertical or horizontal with gesture control (still using the knob), but where you can touch to select the trace, then move the knob, and since it's on different hands it feels almost no different from picking individual knobs per channel.Everyone's got their preference though, either scheme will usually work fine.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 01:16:11 am
content: I don't mind the single knob thing either, in the smaller scopes it would get unwieldy to have separate vertical controls for each channel. My Tek scopes have a button to select the channel that I'm working with then the controls are shared. You get the hang of it pretty quickly and it's not really an issue. In exchange for the slightly greater interface complexity relative to a CRO you get tremendously more functionality.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 11:26:57 am
content: If you want to spend 1000 quid on a DSO you're looking at:* Keysight DSOX1102* Rigol MSO5074The Keysight is solid and nice to use, the Rigol is less polished but is easy hackable for all options and has raw numbers that obliterate everything else in that price range.OTOH I'm not convinced you should spend that much. An entry-level DSO will be a big leap from an old green screen unit. The GW-Instek GDS1054B is nice to use, hackable for more features, and has separate channel controls.If you want something fancy and modern there's the Micsig TO1104. I haven't tried one myself but everybody who has is saying good things about them. It's compact and portable, too.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 11:45:06 am
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on February 18, 2020, 09:22:24 pmthose are $200-$400 price in todays DSO. but since you allocated £1000 for this, if its my money i just go to the real name, Keysight that is...https://www.keysight.com/en/pcx-x2015004/oscilloscopes?cc=US&lc=enghttps://www.keysight.com/en/pcx-2759552/infiniivision-1000-x-series-oscilloscopes?nid=-32110.0&cc=US&lc=enghttps://www.keysight.com/en/pcx-x205206/infiniivision-2000-x-series-oscilloscopes?nid=-32542.0&cc=US&lc=engrigol and siglent are newcomers in DSO, people will go to that brand if budget is tight and want to increase bang per buck. their after sale service is uncertain, at least from where i sit here. with Keysight, you can brag around and eye water the rest of us...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 11:50:33 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on February 19, 2020, 11:26:57 amAnd one step up from that is the GW Instek GDS-2204E which has more bandwidth.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 01:23:38 pm
content: If you're OK with hacking, then the Rigol DS1054Z is a cheap entry (I own one) that can easily be turned into a DS1104Z with all the serial stuff enabled, it lacks some of the features you listed and does not have per-channel Y controls. $300 ishI'm about to order a Rigol MSO5074 which can be hacked up to 350 MHz, comes with 4 x 350 MHz probes, has per-channel Y controls, 8 GspS max sample rate, can be hacked to give all serial decode stuff (but right now they are giving away that for free). It's right in your budget range too although there are a few software bugs to fix but I believe that it's very usable already.Whatever you get, get a 4 channel one, you don't think you need more than 2 channels until you do.Note that the 1054Z doesn't have the Logic Analyzer (LA) like the MSO1074 does but the LA probes are an expensive extra - there is a DIY thread here on the forum.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 04:19:28 pm
content: Quote from: Gandalf_Sr on February 19, 2020, 01:23:38 pmBut you can do much better if you have a 1000 GBP budget.Quote from: Gandalf_Sr on February 19, 2020, 01:23:38 pmMaybe you mean the MSO5074?Yes, they can be hacked up to some massive numbers.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 07:56:06 pm
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on February 19, 2020, 12:18:09 amOne that hasn't been mentioned with individual vertical controls is SDS1202X-E if you will be happy with just 2 channels. They're a 200 MHz DSO and all options are included so there's nothing to bother about needing to hack.A good first step into the DSO world as many of my customers will attest to.

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 08:55:12 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on February 19, 2020, 11:45:06 amI don't think this is fair to say anymore. Rigol had its first digital scope out in 1999, the same year HP's test and measurement division became Agilent. Siglent started in 2002. Neither has the history of Tek or HP, sure, but both have had several generations of products and a few generations that sold well globally. Both have also done the design and assembly of scopes as an OEM for other major manufacturers (Agilent and LeCroy, at least). Whether or not they can make something that's reliable for 10+ years is pretty well known, and in both cases it's yes.It will probably be a couple more decades before the bias towards more venerable non-Chinese test equipment manufacturers really goes away. While neither Rigol nor Siglent offers the same high end performance in their top line (and to some degree, at least if the company isn't using another OEM, this does trickle down to their cheaper product lines), both of them offer good functionality, reliability, and usability at a value proposition other large manufacturers simply don't match. Not always the right choice for a given application, but if you want cheap and functional, it's really hard to go wrong with either.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2020, 09:25:10 pm
content: FungusThanks, I did mean the MSO5074, I edited my post and I have ordered it today.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2020, 03:40:02 pm
content: Am trawling ebay for good buys and came across this :-https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TEKTRONIX-TDS3014B-100-MHZ-4-CHANNEL-DIGITAL-OSCILLOSCOPE-SPARES-OR-REPAIR/392686158369?hash=item5b6deb4221:g:zYoAAOSwEbheRrNASo the question is, how good is the scope and is the fault likely to be a simple fix?

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2020, 03:51:37 pm
content: Quote from: DaJMasta on February 19, 2020, 08:55:12 pmThis should be a sticky!

author: jemangedeslolos
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2020, 04:24:05 pm
content: I don't know if you are interessted or not, but in the next few days, I will sell my Rigol MSO5074 bought in April 2019, so it has less than 1 year.It is in perfect condition with all probes, accessories, original box and I bought the plastic cover too.I will sell it because I bought his big brother.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2020, 05:39:08 pm
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on February 20, 2020, 03:40:02 pmI wouldn't buy that if I were you. It's old and not very good i.e. 1.25 GspS - I don't know how simple the fix will be, my crystal ball is out of calibration.Either buy a Rigol DS1054Z or an MSO5074 then hack them up to full functionality.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2020, 08:16:04 pm
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on February 20, 2020, 03:40:02 pmProbably just a loose connection but you may need to take the display itself apart. I'd offer 80 pounds and see where it goes. For the asking price you can buy a much nicer new DSO.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2020, 08:52:25 pm
content: Quote from: DaJMasta on February 19, 2020, 08:55:12 pmThe main difference between the Chinese options mentioned and their more established competitors is consistency and support. If you can repeatedly make decent to good devices, fix your mistakes whenever that doesn't quite pan out and reliably support your customers and equipment you'll eventually become an established and respected brand. Rigol and Siglent are definitely on to a good thing but so far have not been consistent enough and cut too many corners to really shake their initial reputation.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2020, 09:29:33 pm
content: Quote from: jemangedeslolos on February 20, 2020, 04:24:05 pmPossibly, it would depend on the price and shipping cost,as I notice you are in France. Although I am looking at the many options available, as this thread has shown.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 05:02:52 pm
content: So, at the moment there is a LeCroy LT344L for sale on this very site which is tempting me, although it is an old scope, made in 1999, it is 500Mhz and 4 beam. Would appreciate advice, commnets and reactions please.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 05:31:02 pm
content: For what price? Still I don't recommend to buy the LT344L as a general purpose oscilloscope. It has no peak-detect mode. Peak-detect is necessary to prevent showing an aliased (false) waveform or skipping narrow pulses on low samplerates. Since the LT344L only has 1Mpts this is likely to happen quickly. It is also loud due to the fans. You'll be better served buying something more modern & new.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 08:46:01 pm
content: If it's the one I'm thinking of, it's very clean, has been gone through and upgraded with a much quieter fan and the price struck me as very fair for a 500MHz scope. It's in the wrong part of the world for me to be tempted by it but if it were local I might pick it up, I've heard of good things about LeCroy scopes and been curious to try one out.1999 is newer than any scope I've ever owned too.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 09:12:58 pm
content: It would be the newer than anything I have too! I'm concerned about the issue mentioned above though, it's alot to spend if it has basic issues.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 09:23:52 pm
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on February 18, 2020, 08:42:58 pmFor undemanding general purpose work your existing scopes are adequate.If you have other reasons for getting a digitising scope, then let us know what they are. "Because I want to find out what I can do with them" is an acceptable answer. In that case you might buy anything simple and cheap, andwrite it offsell it once you've figured out what you actuallyneed.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 09:35:03 pm
content: Finding out what they can do is part of it but as I don't know what they can do it is difficult for me to specify what I need. I can say that all of my work is repair, no product development. On a range of equipment from vintage to contemporary. The contemporary aspect is my motivation for going digital as modern stuff is becoming increasingly difficult to work on with my vintage gear. So I guess I'm looking for the biggest bang for my buck.

author: blacksheeplogic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 09:47:43 pm
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on March 15, 2020, 09:35:03 pmThis makes no sense.What a given instrument can/cannot do does not in any way change work requirements. If you can't identify a set of requirements which are not being meet by your existing equipment you have everything you need already.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 09:54:51 pm
content: Quote from: blacksheeplogic on March 15, 2020, 09:47:43 pmI have to disagree. In the end you don't know what you don't know. If you realise that then you also understand that new tools may make your work easier. Just how much easier and in what way is unknown. Which leads to the question what is the return on investment. The latter can only found out by trying. I can imagine that things like frequency counting, automatic measurements (RMS value, peak value, etc) can be handy during a repair.@unknownparticle: I'd start with something low end from GW Instek, MicSig, Rigol or Siglent in the US$350 to US$450 range and go from there. Maybe even order one of each, put them next to eachother and keep the one you like best.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 10:09:47 pm
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on March 15, 2020, 09:35:03 pmThere are three things that a modern digitising scope can do better than an analogue scope:capture a single-shot event (analogue storage scopes always were a pain in the backside)numerical post processing, e.g. an FFT, but then you have to be very aware of the effect of the ENOB specificationdump a trace to a computer for printingThey can also be a pain in the backside, especially with controls buried deep inside menus, and with low-end scopes some surprising, um, artefacts.Have a look at the digilent analog discovery. It is a capable scope within its bandwidth, also has an AWG and software to turn it into a spectrum analyser and network analyser, a pattern generator and simple logic analyser. But it is a USB scope with all that implies w.r.t. high voltages.

author: marcus h
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 10:17:07 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on March 15, 2020, 09:54:51 pmThe world-renowned oscilloscope expert Donald Rumsfeld giving his 2 cents on what you can know:

author: blacksheeplogic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 10:59:49 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on March 15, 2020, 09:54:51 pmYou don't have to disagree, but I see that you do.However, requirements (i.e. needs) won't necessarily be meet (or be best meet) by random purchasing decisions. The vagueness tends to suggest no real purpose other that to play around in which case a entry level DSO is probably good advice.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2020, 11:49:14 pm
content: Don't be tempted to buy averyold DSO with what looks like really good specs.They will almost certainly reduce the sampling rate when operated at long time/div settings to little more than audio rate.This is because they have very small memories, which cannot contain the very large number of samples that would be necessary if the "headline" sample rate was retained.Complex signals like analog video dissolve into a forest of aliasing, making them useless.Modern "standalone" bench type DSOs don't have this problem, but it is still common with the cheaper USB 'scopes.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 12:19:21 am
content: Even a very old DSO can do many things that an analog scope can't, or can't do easily. A few years ago I set a friend of mine up with a TDS320 because he'd never had a DSO before, didn't take him long to put the analog scope away in the closet and he's been getting by with this thing.Whether an old scope is a good deal depends on whether it will do the things you need it to do. It doesn't matter if it's not as capable as something newer if it's what you can afford, when you're on a hobbyist budget you get by with what you can afford to get your hands on. Old scopes are just as useful now as they were when they were new.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 12:28:44 am
content: True but an old DSO has to be really cheap in order to be a better buy compared to getting a new 'low end' DSO. Say in the US$100 to US$150 ballpark. And chances are it will need repairs at some point.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 12:36:07 am
content: I agree up to 100, maybe 200 MHz, beyond that new scopes get very expensive. You're not gonna get a new 500MHz scope for under $1,000 as far as I know, likely several times that. If you want a 100MHz scope the $349 Rigol offers a lot of bang for the buck, but if your budget is only $150 then it doesn't matter how much more scope you can get for more than double that. People who use a scope professionally to earn a living are going to have a different outlook than someone for whom a scope is essentially a toy.

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 08:46:23 am
content: Quote from: unknownparticle on February 18, 2020, 08:42:58 pmIs there any specific task you want to buy a DSO or is it just to learn/move on to something newer? What I gather from reading this thread is it's probably more a case of the latter.QuoteThere are a few things to consider when shopping for a scope in 2020. First, a lot has changed since analog scopes were still a thing. For example Tektronix, which made some of the best and most advanced analog scopes, hasn't had a lot of luck with digital scopes (lots of lackluster scopes with little actual innovation), and is now the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the traditional big brands. HP's test and measurement division has re-branded twice (Agilent, now Keysight) and is the to-go A brand if you want a general purpose scope. LeCroy, which is credited with inventing the DSO, is for DSOs what Tektronix was for analog scopes, and makes some of the most advanced scopes in existence. Then there is Rohde & Schwarz, which has bought the entry-level scope maker Hameg, and which is now offering various scopes from the entry level to the low high-end.Then there are the Chinese B-brands like Rigol, Siglent, GW Instek (which is from Taiwan), OWON, Hantek and others. Of these brands, the first three have been on the market for a very long time and are slowly but steadily moving towards becoming a big brand. However, the same can't necessarily be said of Hantek, OWON and the rest. Rigol, Siglent and GWI produce hardware at a comparable quality level to the big brands, and their devices should have a useful service life exceeding that of most analog scopes. The issue with B-brands has been mostly in the software areas (firmware), where new instruments were put on the market with major bugs. But all three made serious improvements over the years, and especially GWI and Siglent fix remaining bugs quickly. As far as support is concerned, the B brands can be a bit hit and miss, but all have service centers in the major regions and on recent years service has improved a lot. The other thing is that buying a big brand doesn't guarantee good service (Keysight and R&S support is top as is LeCroy in the US, while LeCroy support in Europe has been declining to some extend and Tek support is consistently horrible).Now, the first thing you should decide is what you are looking for. If you don't have a specific problem which you want to address with the new scope then you should think about what you want to get out from your new scope. All newer DSOs offer common features which makes them so versatile compared to analog scopes, like single shot recordings, zoom, measurements, so no matter what you buy you'll get them. But especially when you are considering 2nd hand scopes as well then there is an increasing choice of deep analysis scopes available, which are scopes offering advanced measurements and analysis tools including advanced FFT (>1Mpts) for spectrum analysis. Entry-level scopes are often designed to offer high update rates to resemble analog scopes and allow you to use some of the techniques from analog scopes (i.e. glitch hunting through persistence mode) but generally have limited analysis, measurement and trigger capabilities. Deep Analysis scopes on the other side have often low update rates as they capture events through sophisticated trigger suites and analysis tools, and can give you a wide range of waveform parameters.Pretty much all new scopes within your price range fall into the entry-level category, however the Siglent SDS2000X+ seems to offer many features normally available in more advanced scopes.As to 2nd hand scopes, there are several options in your budget. I would advise against the LeCroy LT344L which is a first generation WaveRunner, mostly because of its low sample rate (500MSa/s) and its small memory. If you want an analysis scope then a WaveRunner2 LT, LC600 Series or maybe even a WavePro 940 should fit your budget. With some luck you may even be able to get a WaveRunner 6000 Series scope. All can be optioned out for free (the LC600 officially, the others through hacking).But if all you want is a simple DSO then going 2nd hand doesn't make much sense as the prices for new entry-level scopes have fallen so much. And if you're unsure what you want or need then I'd get a cheap Rigol DS1054z 4ch scope (around £300-350 new) and save the rest of the budget for when you know what you need/want and when the DS1054z will no longer be enough.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 02:04:57 pm
content: Quote from: Wuerstchenhund on March 16, 2020, 08:46:23 amI fully agree with this statement. I have a DS1054Z which I picked up for just under $300 as an open box item from Tequipment.net, it does 99% of what I need it to do and has caused me to sell one of my higher end Agilent scopes (in these difficult times). I replaced the high end one with a Rigol MSO5074 which is a great scope but still has a few firmware bugs to iron out; to be honest there's not a huge diffierence btween the $1,000 MSO5000 and the DS1054Z except:- Logic analyzer- Slightly higher bandwidth capability- Individual channel controls- Two channel AWG- A bit bigger screen (my eyes are old and tired)OK, that's a fair bit of difference...The real point though is that buying a 5 year old scope doesn't make sense when things have advanced so quickly that you can buy a scope that used to cost $10,000 ten years ago for $400 today.

author: unknownparticle
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 02:12:37 pm
content: Quote from: Wuerstchenhund on March 16, 2020, 08:46:23 amThankyou so much for your reply, this is exactly what I needed to know!! My search now becomes more focused and I can make a more informed choice.I won't bother with the LeCroy, even though it is the sort of build quality that I really like, but I may go for a more recent model.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 02:49:36 pm
content: Quote from: Gandalf_Sr on March 16, 2020, 02:04:57 pmYou forgot the touch screen, the 400Mb memory and the 8GS/Sec sample rate.PS: "Slightly" higher bandwidth? Going from 100Mhz to 350Mhz is a big leap.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 03:19:48 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on March 16, 2020, 02:49:36 pmSounds like the Monty Python Life of Brian scene where they say...QuoteSo, apart from the Logic Analyzer, 250 MHz more bandwidth, individual channel controls, 2 channel AWG, bit bigger screen, and touch screen, what does the MSO5000 have that the DS1054Z doesn't?

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 03:34:13 pm
content: Just a heads up, I got an email from Newark saying that they were offering 17% off this week using code 'Patty2020', the discount appears to apply to Keysight stuff and they have the DSOX1204A for $1,053 which should be $874 + whatever taxes you'd pay.I suspect that the Covid-19 slump is going to cause a lot of such great discounts to appear.

author: marcus h
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2020, 06:04:21 pm
content: Quote from: Gandalf_Sr on March 16, 2020, 03:19:48 pmHigher energy usage?