Oscilloscope purchase – Advice needed.

Using Arduino General Electronics
#1

Hi all,

I ve had a Rigol DS1102E (100MHz, 2 Ch) oscilloscope for a few years now and, although very satisfied ,I am now looking for an upgrade. Basically I am looking for extra features like serial bus decoding as well as bigger screen.
I am trying to decide between the popular Rigol DS1000Z series (eg DS1054Z) with four channels, and the more expensive DS2000A series which has two channels, but has even bigger screen and greater sampling rate at 2GSa/s (as opposed to 1 GSa/s).
The price difference between the two series is considerable (on the basis of equal bandwidth eg 100MHz) and I was wondering if anyone has more experience with these models to offer some advice.
Obviously, I wouldn't want to have to look for a scope upgrade every 2-3 years. Therefore, I want to regard this as a one off purchase and hence looking for something that will serve me for many years.
Any advice is welcome. Other brands also under consideration.
Thanks

#2

I have a DS4034.
If you can make you own coffee for a few years I believe the scope is worth the price.

#3

Have you seen:

#4

I have a DS4034.
If you can make you own coffee for a few years I believe the scope is worth the price.

Looks good, but at 4K euros is well above my budget!

#5

Have you seen:
EEVblog #369 - Rigol DS2000 Oscilloscope Playing Around - YouTube

Yes I have.. It looks like Dave detected some more firmware bugs. Hopefully they are solved since then!

#6

This looks to be good value for money with the sort of spec you're looking for:

Russell.

#7

Is it really usuful to have 4 channels?

#8

Need 4 channels if you want to look at SPI activity.
But then a logic analyzer might be better.
I have GW Instek GDS-2204A, 4 channel 200 MHz. Made in Taiwan, not China.
8-inch 800 x 600 high-resolution TFT LCD display, 1mV/div to 10V/div vertical range and 1ns/div to 100s/div time base
http://www.gwinstek.com/en-global/products/Oscilloscopes/Digital_Storage_Oscilloscopes/GDS-2000A
Nice big screen. Can add logic analyzer function also. For now, I just use Saleae 8 channel analyzer with a laptop.

#9

example

There is some really good used stuff on ebay from time to time.

Unfortunatley tends to be older designs without modern functioality.

are there no aftermarket serial decoders at low cost out there ?

#10

I have GW Instek GDS-2204A, 4 channel 200 MHz. Made in Taiwan, not China.

Anyone know the European distributor / sales site?

#11

Ask them directly:

#12

I will, thanks.

Would you say that GW Instek is superior when compared to an equivalent Rigol model?

#13

It may be an idea a to set up a suitable search on ebay.

DSO come up fairly often but their notification can be troublesome.

You can get lots of notifications to wade through.

Dpends on knowing and setting the right search terms though.

I got lucky once and got an incredible bargain, 60£ scope that came with 4 X 1 GHz scope probes.
Dual channel scope as well.

#14

Would you say that GW Instek is superior when compared to an equivalent Rigol model?

Yes.

#15

It may be an idea a to set up a suitable search on ebay.

DSO come up fairly often but their notification can be troublesome.

Indeed of you try a search on eBay for DSO you even get things like homemade oscilloscope kits!

#16

I have purchased a Hantek 1008 series 8-CH digital device. Works quite well and was cheap.

#17