Is DSCope (USB oscilloscope) a good first oscilloscope?  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: nufflee
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 03:12:31 am
content: Hi everyone,I'm looking to get my first oscilloscope but I am really not looking forward to spending hundreds of dollars on an actual DSO and this little USB scope seems like a good choice. Since I'm a beginner I don't really know what I'm looking for exactly but from what I've learned from a ton of EEVBlog videos I've watched it seems just fine but there may be some less obvious things about it and that's mostly what I'm asking for. There'ssurprisinglyvery little information on it on the internet so I hope someone here has used it and can tell me whether its a good choice but I'm pretty sure it is. I still haven't really got a single project/PCB finished and I change hobbies pretty often so I first want to make sure I want to do this and then I can get a better scope (like a 1054Z or something) but I'd also rather spend the money on a proper DMM and projects and that's why I'm looking for a cheap scope.It's a 50 MHz bandwidth/200 MSa/s 2 channel scope and should be way more then enough for me to fool around. There's more info on ithereand software can be obtained fromhere. The software has a demo mode where you can test all of the features of the scope.There are many other USB scopes, especially Owon's and Hantek's so I'm wondering if there's something else more worth getting or something but I'd still love to keep it <$200 (I can get a DScope for like $100).

author: george.b
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 06:01:53 am
content: Personally, I don't think I'd be happy with a USB scope. I want buttons I can push and knobs I can turn.I found this:https://blog.ja-ke.tech/2018/06/23/dscope-teardown.htmlThere is only one dual 100MSPS A/D there, so it will do 200MSa/s only in single-channel mode. 100MSa/s in dual channel mode is just enough to capture a 50MHz sine wave, and 200MSa/s still won't do much for capturing a 50MHz square wave, so keep that in mind.Have you considered looking for an used scope?

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 06:35:03 am
content: DSCope is just a toy, I have one. Don't waste the money on it.On the other hand, DS1054Z is a professional oscilloscope, I have one of this, too. Highly recommended. It comes as a 50 MHz with 4 probes (has 4 channels), and can be unlocked to 100 MHz analog bandwidth, 1 GHz sample rate, 24 million memory points, SCPI (can be controlled by a computer), logic decoders, full option (all for free if you search about RIGLOL tool).I don't think a beginner will work with high voltage (mains voltage) or with high precision measurements, so you won't need too much money on what you call a "proper DMM". Any ordinary $3...$15 DMM is more than needed as a beginner. The expensive ones are justified for professional use only, don't waste hundreds of dollars on a DMM. As a sad example, I have an $800 or so (when was new) Metrix MTX3283 and I consider it a waste of money. It is nice, but slow when it measures (because it can count to 100 000, and crappy visibility LCD. Usually I'm using various generic DMMs (none of each was more than $20).Rigol DS1054Z is exactly what a beginner will need. If necessary it can act as a DMM too, or as a logic analyser, and it's very, very cheap for it's build quality, and for what it can do.Whatever you decide,

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 09:42:39 am
content: Quote+1better than any usb scope, especially at low price. try to find a used ds1054 if a new one is too expensive for you.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 10:00:43 am
content: Actually, I have a DS1074Z that I think about selling because I don't use it at all..It was used very little, looks brand new, with original Rigol bag, and a set of good quality Testec probes..Shoot me PM and let me see if we can work out something....

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 03:09:26 pm
content: Quote from: nufflee on January 01, 2020, 03:12:31 amBecause of how forum works, before you have posted at least 5 times, your PM inbox doesn't work yet, but you cen send messages.So please send me your E-mail in PM so we can discuss it in detail trough E-mails..

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 04:10:29 pm
content: If you really just want to dip your toes then I'd get one of those $50-ish mini DSOs from Aliexpress.Otherwise safe up for something decent. Which starts at the Rigol DS1054Z indeed but I'd recommend to spend a bit more if you go this route because even though the firmware is mature the DS1054Z isn't great either.

author: george.b
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 10:29:41 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on January 01, 2020, 04:10:29 pmI would argue against that. That money would be better used saving towards a real oscilloscope, which those ~$50 ones are not - see:.At this point, might as well use a sound card...

author: GerryR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2020, 11:23:01 pm
content: I have a Virtins Technology DSO 2820, 80 Mhz analog bandwidth, 2 channels, external trigger and signal generator. I paid a little over $100.00 on ebay and the company provides good support. Documentation and firmware downloadable from their website. There are several add-on options that you can get, but at extra cost, of course. I think that USB scopes are a good good place to start for newcomers. There is not a large investment and you can do most anything abasicstand-alone scope can do.,Link Instruments DSO 8000 is another good choice; oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer; 100 MHz analog bandwidth, 250 MHz spectrum analyzer. Unfortunately the Link unit is harder to come by.I don't find the USB scopes inconvenient to use, just different, and like anything, once you learn to use it, you can move right along when troubleshooting or analyzing.If you remain interested in electronics, you will eventually get a stand-alone DSO, but a good USB scope is a good place to start. JMO.

author: nufflee
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 02, 2020, 02:12:24 am
content: Thank you so much everyone! I'm hopefully getting the 1074Z and the USB scope discussion is hopefully not relevant any more. I'd absolutely love to have a proper DSO and I didn't think getting a used one would really be possible since I doubted there were any here in Croatia (but turns out there were!) and postage and stuff would probably not be great if I got it shipped from somewhere.Also, @2N3055, I did actually receive your message and replied to it so I hope you got it. Let me know if something didn't work out!

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2020, 02:44:57 am
content: DS1054Z and DS1074Z are identical in hardware, they have exactly the same electronics inside, but 1074 is more expensive because of marketing. The only difference is the label sticker with the printed name.You can buy the cheapest version DS1054Z, then upgrade the firmware to turn it into a DS1104Z. Again, there is no difference between DS1054Z, DS1074Z and DS1104Z.They are all the same DS1104Z, except DS1054Z (or DS1074Z) is artificially limited in software, but these limitations can be removed for free, so buy the cheapest DS1054Z then remove the limitations.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2020, 02:51:47 am
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on January 02, 2020, 02:44:57 amYep, for example, had a chance put both DS-1054Z and DS1104Z-S (S suffix=signal generator) on my bench, tried both with a fast pulse generator with flat top to verify their bandwidth, the hacked DS-1054Z basically has identical bandwidth (rise time) with DS1104Z-S which is a genuine 100 MHz scope from factory.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2020, 07:54:46 am
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on January 02, 2020, 02:44:57 amThat is exactly correct. I simply state what is model number on a scope I have.But that is beside point in this case, because I gave him the same price as if were DS1054Z...And also very nice bag original Rigol bag, and 4 good quality Testec probes..But If you are buying new, there is no point to buy anything else than DS1054Z model...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2020, 03:10:49 pm
content: Quote from: george.b on January 01, 2020, 10:29:41 pmBut a decent oscilloscope starts at $400 - $600 (GW Instek, Micsig or Siglent). Anything below that price (including the Rigol DS1054Z) will have many of the limitations the ultra cheap $50 miniature DSOs also have (the one Dave showed isn't the only option out there). IMHO something has to be really cheap in order to be good value for money. Otherwise just save more money and buy something decent. There is no use in spending $300 on an oscilloscope and then finding out that spending $500 again to buy something better makes life a lot easier (and sell what is bought for $300 at a loss). The price versus / sensible to buy has a bath-tub shaped curve.

author: george.b
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2020, 06:27:22 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on January 04, 2020, 03:10:49 pmI disagree. A Rigol DS1054Z (especially when soft-modded to 1104Z specs), while not a perfect scope, ismuchless limited than those toy DSOs and would probably serve a hobbyist very well for a long time. Besides, one doesn't necessarily have to buy new, as apparently ended up being the case for nufflee.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2020, 07:17:42 pm
content: Quote from: george.b on January 04, 2020, 06:27:22 pmLess limited but the DS1054Z also costs much more. So much more that getting a significantly better oscilloscope is not much of a stretch either. A $50 DSO is basically a throw-away device; you can't lose money on that. A DS1054Z OTOH costs serious money. I looked at the DS1054Z myself to buy it but decided that in the long run it would be a waste of money. It still is too limited for the price. And since then the competition has become even better.