GW Instek GDS-1000B Series Oscilloscopes - Where can I find decent reviews? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: ekeppel
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 12:37:02 am
content: Hi Folks!I recently came across the newly released GDS-1000B series DSOs from Instek, but am finding that there seems to be a lack of info out there on them. They are available now from TEquipment - for example the 4-channel 50MHz version here:http://www.tequipment.net/Instek/GDS-1054B/Digital-Oscilloscopes/?v=7401From what I can see of the specs and the very poor quality videos that Instek themselves provide on youtube, this may be a strong competitor to the Rigol DS-1054Z at a similar price-point, but until I see some decent HD video reviews and a teardown, I really can't tell. The advertised 256-color intensity graded display is certainly intriguing, but it's not shown off with a nice modulated signal in any of the videos I've seen yet. Seems like a poor way to market something! :-/Anyhow, does anyone out there in EEVblog-land own one of these and would be willing to do a quick review and/or teardown for us? Dave, have you had one of these find its way into your lab yet? :-DI am trying to decide between this and the Rigol, so it would be great to see what this scope has to offer in comparison.Thanks!Eric

author: singapol
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 06:07:51 am
content: Not trying to provoke a scope war but folks here are partial to Rigol but does this constitute a review?http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=1034.0Blogger may still be an eevblog member.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 07:24:15 am
content: It seems Kiriakos didn't like it here,so he set up his own EEVBlog clone!

author: ekeppel
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 10:38:49 am
content: Thanks, singapol.Yes, I should have mentioned that I did find that *one* review from Kiriakos, but the video is the same low-quality one from Instek. I'm looking for a decent HD review / demo with some common test signals so I can see how quickly the controls react and what we can expect for performance from this thing.I'm definitely not trying to start a flame war with Rigol fans. I was poised to buy the Rigol when I saw this one, so I'm just wanting to see if the Instek is worthy of consideration. It may be a step up, down, or sideways in performance in relation to the Rigol, but with the meager info Instek has provided thus far, it's very hard to tell!Eric

author: akimmet
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2015, 03:28:00 pm
content: I end up getting a GDS-1102B from Tequipment.net this week. I haven't had much chance to check it out yet though.Here are some quick things I have noticed so far:The FFT and math functions are very fast compaired the Rigol.Like the Rigol DS1000Z, the 1GS sampling rate is shared by all channels.The rotary encoder for the variable knob has no detents, but at least the select button is separate.The intensity grading isn't quite right. It works when viewing a complex waveform, but looks to be doing nothing when viewing a modulated waveform envelope.

author: ekeppel
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 11:20:21 am
content: Thanks, akimmet. Good info, and thanks for the first impressions, especially the last comment on the display. The Rigol has a very nice display that looks anti-aliased to me, so waveforms appear quite smooth and the intesity grading also looks smooth. This Instek appears aliased and rather pixellated in the videos I have seen so far. Of course actual performance is what really counts, but it doesn't hurt to have a great looking display.Let us know what you think after you get it broken in! :-)Eric

author: pascal_sweden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 11:50:38 am
content: I provided some remarks about the new GW-Instek GDS-2000E series here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-gw-instek-2000-series-digiscope-gds-2202e/msg725592/#msg725592Most remarks are also relevant for the new GDS-1000B series.As you can see, many negative things

author: tequipment
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 08:08:23 pm
content: akimmet anyway you can write a review on our site? It helps so the rest of the world can see it.ThanksEvan CirelliVP Tequipment.NET

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2015, 08:24:00 pm
content: No fine vertical or horizontal scale control on GDS-1000B. No built-in signal generator. No serial decoding. The bus, search and arrow buttons seem to have no function, probably.Rigol DS1000Z-S is more feature rich, that's for sure.But as a competitor for Tektronix TBS1000B, the GDS-1000B can be OK.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 29, 2015, 08:29:23 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on August 22, 2015, 07:24:15 amKiriakos was the top poster on this forum (besides me) before he got banned after countless complaints for being, well, too confrontational.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 29, 2015, 08:31:56 am
content: GW Instek have just offered me one of these for review.Probably worth a look.

author: pascal_sweden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2015, 09:09:58 am
content: Is the intensity grading algorithm that Rigol uses developed by themselves or licensed from a company?How come it seems so difficult to implement by the other manufacturers?Doesn't seem like rocket science, still many manufacturers can't get it right.I was under the impression that most competing manufacturers actually buy and own Rigol stuff to compare with their own products under development. An easy 5 minute comparison already reveals that their intensity grading algorithm underperforms. And still they launch their product? Why don't they get their act together first, before an actual product release?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 29, 2015, 10:16:15 am
content: Quote from: pascal_sweden on October 29, 2015, 09:09:58 amRigol got quite a few Tektronix engineers who were jack of the Danaher Business System.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 24, 2015, 11:45:25 pm
content: FYI, I have one on the courier truck right now.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2015, 01:47:06 am
content: Nice, I am looking forward to the review.

author: BloodyCactus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 25, 2015, 02:40:36 pm
content: I think it will be interesting to see how far they progressed from the older models.