looking to buy an oscilloscope

**PeteS in CA** · 05-26-2012, 11:26 PM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Not sure of your budget, but if you can afford it, the Tektronix TDS 3014 (100MHz, 4 channels, LCD display) is a great instrument. or the 2-channel model, the TDS 3012. The TDS 2000 series is quite decent as well, less expensive, and I think there is a TDS 1000 series that is even less, though I haven't used one in that series. The TDS 3000 series is a best seller for Tek; I first saw one in 1999, and they are now on the "C" rev.

**tom66** · 05-27-2012, 03:33 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

For most TV repair, 20 MHz analog is perfect - I picked one up for £60 here from a local test equipment surplus store.

For more advanced uses I have an ancient 100 MHz digitising scope (older than me.)

The Rigol DS1052E is $329 and DS1102E is $399 - 50 and 100 MHz bandwidth, the 100 MHz is probably worth the extra $70.

**multimeter** · 05-27-2012, 03:53 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by tom66

For most TV repair, 20 MHz analog is perfect - I picked one up for £60 here from a local test equipment surplus store.

For more advanced uses I have an ancient 100 MHz digitising scope (older than me.)

The Rigol DS1052E is $329 and DS1102E is $399 - 50 and 100 MHz bandwidth, the 100 MHz is probably worth the extra $70.

20mhz?,would that still be happy testing the waveforms on ,say, the cpu crystals on tv main boards?,some ive seen are like 24.0000 mhz

**tom66** · 05-27-2012, 08:32 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by multimeter

20mhz?,would that still be happy testing the waveforms on ,say, the cpu crystals on tv main boards?,some ive seen are like 24.0000 mhz

A 20 meg scope will have response up to 60 meg but amplitude won't be accurate. I haven't seen a crystal fail yet. Almost all crystals though are <50 MHz.

**multimeter** · 05-27-2012, 10:36 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by tom66

A 20 meg scope will have response up to 60 meg but amplitude won't be accurate. I haven't seen a crystal fail yet. Almost all crystals though are <50 MHz.

ok that sounds cool,scope would be handy i think,was fixing a sharp aquos 47" couple of months ago,thing just wouldnt fire up,board led lights flashing everywhere,psu voltages where fine apart from one,tracing it back,took me to the main cpu on mainboard,something like a 148 pin ic,guess what no voltage going to vcc of the main chip hence wasnt sending a signal to the rest of the psu to turn on,had to be the crystal,but no way of testing it,direct replacement of the crystal got the set up and running again,so i suppose they do fail from time to time,they are really fragile ,maybee this one took a knock,havent seen one that electrically failed yet though

**tom66** · 05-27-2012, 11:43 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Give these guys a call http://www.stewart-of-reading.co.uk/ I've bought a lot of my equipment from there.

**multimeter** · 05-27-2012, 01:18 PM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

cheers for the link tom,lots of interesting stuff there

**LLLlllou** · 05-28-2012, 08:17 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by tom66

local test equipment surplus store.

WTF? I have only one store within 40 miles that sells ANY kind of electronic components/test equiptment (not counting Rat Shack, which I don't), and you have a "local test equipment surplus store", I feels so unloved . . .

**tom66** · 05-28-2012, 08:55 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by LLLlllou

WTF? I have only one store within 40 miles that sells ANY kind of electronic components/test equiptment (not counting Rat Shack, which I don't), and you have a "local test equipment surplus store", I feels so unloved . . .

Dunno if it's just luck, my dad found them when I was looking for the 100 meg scope. They sell mostly ex-MOD and ex-R&D department stuff.

**tibimakai** · 07-05-2012, 12:22 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

I'm new too and I have purchased from Rigol the 1052, upgraded the firmware and now I have the 100MHZ version for $314 shipped.

Now I have to learn how to used it.

**Rob Northen** · 07-05-2012, 02:09 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

I bought a Agilent DSO-X 2012A about a month ago. Its a really nice scope with a nice big screen and good quality. It even got a build-in function generator. I can only recommend this scope.

**Kiriakos GR** · 07-05-2012, 04:43 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Well if some one lives in Europe, the used HAMEG could be a great deal, mostly because there is some availability of spare parts.

**retiredcaps** · 07-05-2012, 11:58 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by tibimakai

Now I have to learn how to used it.

My fellow Canadian, afrotechmods, makes excellent videos including a tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIfo_-d82Co

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUIgAu3QQWQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_KuGEh0PyA

**Kiriakos GR** · 07-06-2012, 05:11 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by Rob Northen

I bought a Agilent DSO-X 2012A about a month ago. Its a really nice scope with a nice big screen and good quality. It even got a build-in function generator. I can only recommend this scope.

I got excited with the latest RIGOL DS2000, mostly with the pricing close to 900$ for what it does, plus screen & resolution.

From today I am making serious thoughts about getting one.

http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=48.0

**Rob Northen** · 07-06-2012, 06:57 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by Kiriakos GR

I got excited with the latest RIGOL DS2000, mostly with the pricing close to 900$ for what it does, plus screen & resolution.

From today I am making serious thoughts about getting one.

http://www.ittsb.eu/forum/index.php?topic=48.0

I've got the Rigol DS1052E before getting the Agilent. It was a nice, but no doubt the Agilent is way better, but so is the price.
The Rigol seemed to have an ok buildt quality with original/quality parts, (got Nichicon caps & brand name chips) but why did they choose to overclock it ?
Its like the chinese just have to cut corners in one or the other way.

Its also a real pleasure using quality equipment, the project you works on, just feels better. (maybe just me)

**Kiriakos GR** · 07-06-2012, 07:49 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by Rob Northen

but why did they choose to overclock it ?

Those was cheap marketing tricks, so RIGOL to become known.
It was made to look like an opportunity .. Buy for cheep a fast car. LOL

About Agilent they always overestimate the pricing about their scopes.
Yea I know I am not alone here.

**multimeter** · 07-23-2012, 06:07 AM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

ok ,im thinking of getting the Rigol DS1052E 50mhz,and upgrading with the hack to 100mhz.
i can get this one for £269 ,anyone have this one ,and how well it performs?

it does look like a nice scope

**retiredcaps** · 07-23-2012, 02:06 PM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Originally posted by multimeter

ok ,im thinking of getting the Rigol DS1052E 50mhz,and upgrading with the hack to 100mhz.
i can get this one for £269 ,anyone have this one ,and how well it performs?

it does look like a nice scope

There are tons of info including reviews, teardowns, etc on this scope over at eevblog.com.

I don't own a scope and have no plans to buy one, but I thought Rigol introduced a new one in the same price range with 100Mhz so people didn't have to hack the DS1052E? If I'm right, it will be over at eevblog as well.

**tom66** · 07-23-2012, 02:37 PM

Re: looking to buy an oscilloscope

Yeah, the DS1102E is £315 shipped from Germany from Batronix. In my opinion it's worth the extra £50 because you could easily brick your scope if Rigol have changed the upgrade procedure (I believe they have.)

looking to buy an oscilloscope

looking to buy an oscilloscope

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