Is there any reason buying this oscilloscope wouldn't be a good idea? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: elroy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 03:07:26 am
content: First, I apologize if this post should have gone in the beginners' forum, but since it is specifically about oscilloscopes I thought it might be more appropriate here.Someone I know has offered me a great deal to buy a very lightly used Siglent 1102X oscilloscope from him. Now, I'm pretty low on the knowledge/experience scale, currently studying for a Technician amateur license, but I know that learning how to use the scope is something I'd find very enjoyable. This is a piece of test equipment I've always wanted to own.So here is my question. I hear this particular scope model is well-regarded, but is there anything I eventually might want to do with it in general electronics hobby and ham work that I wouldn't be able to? As I gain more knowledge, is there any reason I might have buyer's remorse?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 03:57:32 am
content: Welcome to the forum.Good reliable well featured first scope.Depending how old it is, it might not have Decode enabled as a permanent option as only later it was added for free.Look up Siglent USA (Ohio) and contact them to see if you can get a Decode enable code to enable the option permanently after the trial usages expire.Ask for a copy of the original proof of purchase as the warranty (3 years) is transferrable to another owner.

author: kcbrown
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 04:26:28 am
content: What kind of price would you be getting it for? Considering the price (about $380) of a new Siglent SDS-1202X-E, which is a 200MHz scope with serial decoding and everything, it would have to be a very good price indeed for it to be worth it, since you'd be getting half the bandwidth and possibly fewer options.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 04:55:58 am
content: Quote from: kcbrown on October 15, 2017, 04:26:28 amYep price is the key however the older X has an 8" display and 50 ohm inputs both of which aren't in the X-E. All later X's come with Decode so it might have it, he'll have to check.... just giving the OP the heads up for things to check.The X-E beats the X on a few things, particularly FFT and png screenshots but they can be worked around with the X when you know how.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 06:10:10 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on October 15, 2017, 05:00:40 amEasy fix:http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-P7001-50Ohm-38-5mm-Insert-Type-BNC-Copper-Adapter-Feed-Through-Terminator-/232494694440

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 10:00:04 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on October 15, 2017, 05:00:40 amNonsense. A current shunt has an extremely low output impedance so having a 50 Ohm or 1M Ohm input doesn't matter at all. For anything else a 50 Ohm feed-through or a 50 Ohm terminator and a BNC T will do just fine at those frequencies.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 02:30:21 pm
content: Quote from: elroy on October 15, 2017, 03:07:26 amImpossible to say without knowing the price or what you intend to use it on.

author: elroy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 03:25:19 pm
content: Thanks to all for the comments, very helpful.The price my friend is asking for the Siglent SDS1102X is somewhat lower than the price of a new SDS1202X-E, but they're close enough that I wouldn't make that the driver for the decision -- it's more important to me that I get something I can be happy with for some time. So I'll check out the specs further, but am leaning toward the newer model.As for my intended usages, at this point I have to be honest and say I don't know what all they will be. But, as noted in my original post, I'd describe my plans as "general electronics hobby and ham work."Hopefully the scope will be an instrument I can grow into.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 07:06:41 pm
content: Quote from: elroy on October 15, 2017, 03:25:19 pmAs soon as you say "ham" I think of FFTs.I'd go for the newer one.