Show me your "cheap" digital storage oscilloscopes

[mmagliaro]

So.... I'm about ready to retire my old "bruiser" analog Tektronix oscilloscope.   I got it reasonably cheap off eBay years ago.   It works, but there are things it cannot do, obviously, like trigger on an "event" and store the waveform that occurred around that event.  It is also big, unwieldy, and so on.
Looking at what I would consider to be "cheap" hobbyist grade oscillosopes by companies like Rigol, Hantek, Siglent, ... (others?) that are, say, $350 or less, what do folks here own, and what are your opinions of these?

My requirements are relatively low for this.  It doesn't have to have a lot of bandwidth, because I have never in my life cared about any circuit that has anything higher than low frequency AC in it.  So the "low bandwidth" models at 50 MHz, are still plenty high enough.  I don't care about having more than 2 channels.

Simplicity, reliabilility, intuitive controls.  Those are the keys for me.

Part B:  Should I hoard my chips, and go outside this realm to something much more expensive because these are junk?  That would be good to know too.

[peteski]

I discussed some real inexpensive options in https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=53980.msg740750#msg740750

But if you want a "real" standalone digital storage scope then you will have to spend some more bucks.  Probably about 10 years ago I bought a Rigol scope.  Two analog channels with 16 channel logic analyzer.  That model has been discontinued and the new rigol scopes have lots more "bells and whistles" for about the same money.

I bought mine from www.tequipment.net but there are other dealers too. https://www.rigolna.com/sales/

[wvgca]

i have an older tektronix, bought used on ebay for under 100 us shipped ... only drawback is that it uses 3 1/2 diskettes for removeable media ..

[peteski]

i have an older tektronix, bought used on ebay for under 100 us shipped ... only drawback is that it uses 3 1/2 diskettes for removeable media ..

I also have old Tektronix 465B. Max has (IMO) a nice scope. I think it is a Tektronix 2465. Has on-screen display for measuring the waveform.  Seems that he wants to upgrade to something more modern.

[Rasputen]

I use a Tektronix TDS 1002 B two channel 60 Mhz scope.  I bought it off of that auction site and I'm quite sure it was less than $ 350.00,  It is light weight and easy to transport.
I remember I had to send a trace to a friend of mine during the lock down and it was easy to figure out what to do.  We found you can get a >300 volt sine wave back off of a Tortoise switch machine when you reverse its polarity. 

[mmagliaro]

I also have old Tektronix 465B. Max has (IMO) a nice scope. I think it is a Tektronix 2465. Has on-screen display for measuring the waveform.  Seems that he wants to upgrade to something more modern.

It's a 2336, and I'm sure it cost thousands of dollars in its day.  I bought if off eBay for something like $125 as I recall.   The extra LCD display in the flip-out hard-shell lid does not work.  I don't know of any function for measuring the waveform (other than just eyeballing the volts per div lines and time/div lines).    Peteski captures the essence of it, "something more modern".  The thing about this old analog scopes is that they are not really serviceable unless you are willing to really get involved in them internally.  Calibration and adjustment is a complicated affair (if you read through the adjustment and calibration procedure, it's not an easy task).  And it is heavy, large, and not easy to move around.

[peteski]

It's a 2336, and I'm sure it cost thousands of dollars in its day.  I bought if off eBay for something like $125 as I recall.   The extra LCD display in the flip-out hard-shell lid does not work.  I don't know of any function for measuring the waveform (other than just eyeballing the volts per div lines and time/div lines).   

Looks like I had a senior moment.  Back when I worked as a computer tech in the '80s I used both, a 465B and a 2465B, and for some reason when you did the evaluation of the MRC throttle I thought the photos of the scope screen showed what I would see on a 2465B screen.

[mmagliaro]

I think if I had  a 2465B, and the trace was as sharp as that, I would not be looking around for another scope.
Used 2465B's go for $500 and up on eBay these days, and that's a lot of dough for a 30 year old scope that would be
very complicated to fix if it ever goes belly up.  I looked those up in an online scope "wiki" I found.  The 2465B sold for about $13,000
when it was new.  OUCH.

[peteski]

I looked those up in an online scope "wiki" I found.  The 2465B sold for about $13,000 when it was new.  OUCH.

Yes, these were/are nice scopes.  I remember when we got our brand new ones back in the day.  We only had a couple, so most tech were still stuck using the 465b.   

[reinhardtjh]

Just as an FYI there is a Siglent SDS1104X-E 100Mhz 4-channel normally $499, is now $424.14 due to Amazon Prime Day discounts.  Overkill for what Max wanted  though.  https://www.amazon.com/Siglent-SDS1104X-oscilloscope-channels-standard/dp/B0771N1ZF9

They do have a 50Mhz 2-channel SDS1052DL+ with very good reviews for $289.00 and  Prime delivery if you're a member.  https://www.amazon.com/Siglent-SDS1104X-oscilloscope-channels-standard/dp/B0771N1ZF9

[mmagliaro]

Just as an FYI there is a Siglent SDS1104X-E 100Mhz 4-channel normally $499, is now $424.14 due to Amazon Prime Day discounts.  Overkill for what Max wanted  though.  https://www.amazon.com/Siglent-SDS1104X-oscilloscope-channels-standard/dp/B0771N1ZF9

They do have a 50Mhz 2-channel SDS1052DL+ with very good reviews for $289.00 and  Prime delivery if you're a member.  https://www.amazon.com/Siglent-SDS1104X-oscilloscope-channels-standard/dp/B0771N1ZF9

Yes, there are a number of Siglent models around priced in the $250 to $350 range if you look.  They look nice.  What I'm after is some info from people who actually own one.

[reinhardtjh]

Yes, there are a number of Siglent models around priced in the $250 to $350 range if you look.  They look nice.  What I'm after is some info from people who actually own one.

Yes.  I bought a Rigol 100MHz 4-channel last December to work with my old computers (DEC PDP-11 and equivalent).  Unfortunately, work has been such that I've only had two brief chances to use it.  It works.  For what I did it (verifying a couple wave forms) worked well, but I haven't pushed it so I don't feel too comfortable talking in depth about them yet.

[mmagliaro]

Thank you, John.
For the admittedly simple things I would most likely do with it, the most important features are reliability,
ease of use, and a machine that isn't going to go out of adjustment and require complicated calibrations and repairs.