(ask) about my oscilloscope i recently bought - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: e0ne199
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 12:41:17 pm
content: hello everyone..i have recently bought a siglent SDS1204X-E for my first oscilloscope after doing some crosschecks in this forum...but i am still wondering about the quality of this oscilloscope and what kind of project it is suitable for, since i am still new to this type of equipment and some people on the internet say that siglent is an oscilloscope aimed to those who are still beginner and not for professional projects unlike keysight, tektronix etc, and siglent is one of chinese brands which are well known for its bad quality products ...i really want to know the opinion from this forum anyway..

author: BillB
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 12:57:16 pm
content: You can search these forums for information, as there are several discussions about entry level scopes and differences between models/brands in this segment, including Siglent.I have a few SDS1104X-E scopes and they work fine for "professional" work where features of a $500 scope are sufficient. I'd say entry level scopes these days offer a lot of features and performance for the money.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 01:25:24 pm
content: Shouldn't you ask thatbeforeyou buy?

author: e0ne199
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 01:30:31 pm
content: Quote from: BillB on April 04, 2019, 12:57:16 pmyup i see that many chinese entry level oscilloscope offer more feature than those made in europe or USA... but what i really care the most is the quality of the measurement produced by those chinese products especially the oscilloscope i just bought..i also see hantek as another dirt cheap chinese oscilloscope (far cheaper than mine with higher bandwidth) especially the pc-based one but its features are not something to be underestimated...i wanted to buy that one but in the end i cancelled my mind because almost no one reviewed that oscilloscope in this forum...anyway is siglent's measurement quality as good as keysight or tektronix on the same spec?

author: extide
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 01:37:26 pm
content: The Siglent 1000x scopes are actually pretty highly regarded and considered one of the best buys in their price range. Price range, they are just above the Rigol DS1000Z scopes and just below the Keysight 1000x series.

author: TK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 01:48:48 pm
content: Still the best 4-channel scope (price vs features / performance) is the Rigol DS1054Z. The 4-channel Siglent is 50-100% more expensive.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 01:53:34 pm
content: Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 01:30:31 pm"Measurement quality" depends more on the user than on the oscilloscope.The Siglent will be OK with good technique. Start studying!

author: dkggpeters
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 02:24:32 pm
content: The question is what are you using it for.I work on my own cars as well and would love to own Snap Tools but for the price of a single socket set I can buy a complete tool set that gets the job done. If you are doing something professionally, then you wouldn't be asking the question that you asked.You can have a precision door stop but if your only goal is to keep the door open then a piece of scrap wood would work. You need to assess on what you are planning on measuring and I doubt you need precision at the level that you think you do.

author: Adrian_Arg.
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 02:38:29 pm
content: Quote from: extide on April 04, 2019, 01:37:26 pmcan not be without naming RIGOL DS1054Z, as it hurts that it is still the most bought of the Chinese. The siglent is more expensive by 50%, and I do not know if it is 50% better than the DS10 series of rigol

author: rf-loop
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 02:51:14 pm
content: Quote from: TK on April 04, 2019, 01:48:48 pmAnd with reasons!-2 ADC (4 channel use 500MSa/s when Rigol do 250MSa/s and full 1GSa/s when two channels in use where Rigol max is 500MSa/s) Even if do not look any other differences this is big difference.-full acquistion resolution measurements even with 14M length (it means 1ns time resolution with 1ms/div in measurements. (There is also old thread about this)-Waveform history buffer what Rigol do not have at all. (And with full after capture functions, decode, fft, math, measurements, mask test and also Sinx/linear/dots are fully post processed)and this is really useful in many cases but because there is not many stand alone scopes with this, there is also lack of knowledge and experience about it. (yes example R&S expensive RTO's have this but of course also higher performance)-Fast sequence (segmented memory acquistion)-Sweep frequency analyzing (SFRA aka BodePlot) At this time usable only if you have Siglent external generator)- Serial decoding "tiny bit better perhaps".Example I2C two simultaneous independent decoders what both can decode up to 1000 messages (up to 32000 bytes total) at once in one acquistion.But still, many things depends how user use his equipment and user personal needs.If need only things what are in Rigol 1kZ then it is also good entry level scope with its price and limits and also technically bit older technology what can see in lack of system processing power. Siglent have LOT of more brute force in system but of course it also use it lot of more. Many hobbyist do not need more than Rigol DS1kZ. But if need, then next higher performance level is Siglent 4 channel SDS1kX-E (and it can also see in price also)

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 02:55:13 pm
content: And... yet another thread descends into "Rigol-vs-Siglent", despite it being nothing to do with the question being asked.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 03:01:52 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on April 04, 2019, 01:25:24 pmBuyer‘s remorse?Dear OP, that scope is terrible. You should immediately sell it to me at half price (or less).

author: e0ne199
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 03:08:01 pm
content: Quote from: dkggpeters on April 04, 2019, 02:24:32 pmno, what i want to ask is about on what level my scope is compared with those from western countries, it is not about what i want to do with it...in your opinion is my scope a scrap wood, precision door stop or between them?

author: e0ne199
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 03:14:25 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on April 04, 2019, 03:01:52 pmlol that is too cheapi also ask this question partly because i want to know why several people here don't want to accept the quality of chinese oscilloscope even if it is full of features comparable with its western counterparts...

author: maginnovision
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 03:28:17 pm
content: Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 03:08:01 pmIt's just a scope like all the rest. I would trust it as much as any of my own scopes. You're usually looking at features(decodes, measurements, memory, acq modes, etc), speed(bandwidth, sample rate, UI), and bugs. If it has the things you need don't worry about the brand. Bugs exist everywhere but they only matter if you run into them. If at some point you outgrow it and need more you can buy another

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 03:43:12 pm
content: Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 03:08:01 pmIt's really nothing to do with China vs. "West".A voltage is a voltage, that's science.Your question is really about how much money you spent and what you got in return. Keysights cost more than Siglents, they ought to be better.The Siglent does OK on bang/buck if you buy a SDS1104X-E and unlock it to be a SDS1204X-E. The Rigol DS1054Z mentioned earlier is also overpriced but everybody unlocks them to 100Mhz so that makes them OK.The full retail price for SDS1204X-E is too much, IMHO. If you're spending that much money on a scope today you should probably get a Rigol MSO5074 instead and unlock it to full features.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 03:44:28 pm
content: Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 03:14:25 pmLots of people here own Chinese oscilloscopes, just not Owons or Hanteks.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 03:45:46 pm
content: Quote from: TK on April 04, 2019, 01:48:48 pmfor a few of us now, not anymore... its LeCroy $1-2 / MHz or $50-100 / GSps (want to add a name to the game)although i still consider DS1054Z (modded to DS1104Z) as my main workhorse

author: NoisyBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 04:10:39 pm
content: If you consider the more expensive scope could go up to well over $250,000 USD, and consider how much you paid for yours, and apply the rule that "relatively" you get what you paid for, then you should get an idea of what you got if you want to apply an "absolute" scale to scope quality. It is an entry level scope, no more.At this price point, I doubt brand name makes much of a difference, as long as it is not a brand nobody heard of.As many other have stated, buy a scope that mirrors your skill and use case. You can always upgrade when you need changes and skill matures, owning an Infiniium Z series will not give you better result if you don't know what you are doing. I always laugh at the Youtube videos where wealthy, but inexperienced idiots crash their fast cars because they want to show off.Enjoy your scope, learn from it, and upgrade when you need it. Many people on the forum enjoy using it as an entry level scope, and use the savings to add other test equipment to their bench. I for one, will not be concern with the Siglent as a starter.Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 03:08:01 pm

author: kcbrown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 04:42:56 pm
content: Quote from: Adrian_Arg. on April 04, 2019, 02:38:29 pmIt is rare to see a linear increase in capability relative to price. For most things, it's something approximating a logarithmic relationship. So no, the Siglent won't be "50% more scope for 50% more money". Not unless it's an outlier in the performance/price landscape.

author: kcbrown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 04:56:49 pm
content: Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 03:08:01 pmWell, that will clearly depend on which scopes you're comparing it against. Do you have any specific ones in mind? Certainly, one can expect the $100K+ Keysight scopes to be much more thoroughly specified and to meet those specifications. But I have a suspicion that a $100K Keysight isn't exactly what you have in mind for the comparison you seek.But that said, in the end the only thing that matters is whether or not the scope you have does what you need it to do in a way that pleases you. That latter shouldn't be underestimated. You might have a scope that has all the features you could ever want, but if you find it difficult or annoying to use, you'll be less inclined to use it and probably won't get the most out of it.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 05:00:49 pm
content: Bottom line: Stop worrying and learn to use it effectively.

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 05:20:47 pm
content: I'm thinking in creating a thread titled: "I'm currently doing a measurement with my Siglent/Rigol's. Is this trustable or would I be better off with a non-chinese scope?"What do you think?

author: NoisyBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 05:21:37 pm
content: X2Quote from: Fungus on April 04, 2019, 05:00:49 pm

author: dkggpeters
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 07:39:59 pm
content: Quote from: NoisyBoy on April 04, 2019, 05:21:37 pmI have an SDS1104X-E and have no complaints. This does everything and a lot more than I need and anticipate on needing for a while.

author: blacksheeplogic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 08:06:37 pm
content: Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 12:41:17 pmSo what amazing and innovate project are you working on where this scope's inadequate? OR are you more concerned about how your mantle shelf looks when friends come along?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 08:51:04 pm
content: Quote from: e0ne199 on April 04, 2019, 12:41:17 pmIf you want the 'real oil' look here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds1104x-e-in-depth-review/

author: e0ne199
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 09:18:26 pm
content: lol thanks for all of the suggestions here...last question, is there anyone here in this forum that uses hantek scope as their main rig?some people say it is bad but i don't know how bad it is anyway...

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 04, 2019, 09:19:34 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on April 04, 2019, 03:44:28 pmThe Owons and the Hanteks are the ones to be avoided. Rigol and Siglent come next but they take long (years) to fix the firmware so don't buy their newly introduced gear. Another step up from are GW Instek and Micsig who do more testing and fix bugs quickly. Beyond that you end up in the A-brands.