HP 54601a or Tektronix tds 210 ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: little_carlos
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2018, 02:38:03 pm
content: Hi, I've found both scopes here in México for 120 USD (Scopes are way more expensive here than in the states or europe).Since I need a digital scope, those 2 took my interest. The HP is 4 channel 100Mhz and the tek is 2 channel 60 Mhz.Which one should I buy? Space isnt really a problem since I have a way bigger analog scope in my desk. And even crappy OWON's are for like 300 USD here.

author: sarel.wagner
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 22, 2018, 02:47:05 pm
content: If it was me, I would go for the HP oscope here. More channels more BW...

author: capt bullshot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2018, 08:48:12 am
content: Just checked the facts of the HP 54601A -there's a big contra on this one: it's maximum sampling rate is 20MS/s, so you'd run it in ETS (equivalent time sampling) for nearly every signal. This works with repetive signals only, and gives you quite slowish display response with higher frequency signals.The Tek is a quite simple scope, but has a 1GS/s rate and can do single shot captures up to the maximum bandwidth. For general purpose use, this would be the better choice. The Tek's user interface is pretty simple and intuitive to use, don't know about the HP.Both have about the same sample memory (2k Samples for single shot), so there's no advantage for the HP here.Edit: the third and fourth channel of the HP have very restricted input amplitude range, not as useful as the first two. So it isn't a real 4 channel scope, it can display only two traces at once - no advantage over the Tek.So my recommendation would clearly be the Tek.

author: xavier60
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2018, 01:28:07 pm
content: A friend of mine bought a Tektronix DSO a while back, possibly that model.He claims that the default trigger point is fixed to center screen. If true, I would find it totally unbearable. He said that Tektronix refused to correct the problem.I'll try to confirm the model number.

author: xavier60
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2018, 11:51:19 pm
content: It is the TDS2012 model that has the trigger position problem.I have owned the HP 54600A model from new. I still use it occasionally. It has become troublesome over the last few years with failed power supply capacitors and shorting tantalum capacitors on the mainboard.I have since bought two HP 54645A models off ebay. The 200MS/s makes them much more useful. I have had minor trouble with both, fail power supply resistors and EPROMs

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2018, 02:23:16 am
content: Quote from: capt bullshot on February 23, 2018, 08:48:12 amThey are both quite old Oscilloscopes, with the very small sample memory common to that time.I, & many of my contemporaries were put off early DSOs because the sample rate reduced so radically with the time/div setting.Trying to look at one field of a PAL video waveform became an exercise in futility as the video waveform contained frequencies well in excess of the reduced sampling rate.The resulting aliasing gave a display that looked more like my overgrown back yard than the waveform we were expecting.As long as you bear this limitation in mind, you can probably get good use out of either, but don't ditch the analog--- you may need it to check if your DSO is lying to you.I like HP, but my preference for 'scopes has always been Tektronics, so, if you have to have one of them, I'dgo for the "tedious 210".