Info on New 'Scopes

Hi Lee,

The manufacturer's each have the best information on their own scopes. From there it is a matter of printing specification and looking at the comparisons. Choice of which scope is right for you boils down to what you are going to be using it for and how much you can afford to spend. Personally I have an inexpensive two channel 100 mHz Rigol which does everything that I need it to do but there are quite a few guys on the forum that would find it inadequate. I have been curious to look at one of the new Phosphor scopes as I think it is a neat concept for looking at repeating patterns that are glitchy. I am also curious what some of the other guys say in response to your question.

John

Are you looking to understand which features are important in a scope or which manufacturer provides the best performance to price ratio for a given set of features?

Either way you need to define what you are interested in doing with the scope and what resources you have available.

Hi Douglas,

Thanks for your reply, I'm actually trying to understand how users do their research when they're looking to purchase a new 'scope, rather than looking to obtain a 'scope myself.

The internet has changed processes like this.

Scopes are one of those instruments that are always a significant investment and if you get one with extra features, sooner or later you will use them. Also the better scopes can improve productivity even on simple tasks, so the final decision is usually budget limited. Once you have enough justification to buy a scope at a certain price range, you are looking for something with the right mix of features, reliability and performance. Beyond that if there is sufficient budget you look for more features and performance that you might need in the future.

Once I find some candidates to compare through internet searches, I compare them to reputable equivalents that I am familiar with. Rigol for lower cost instruments, Tektronix (they have a pretty wide range) and Rohde & Schwarz for higher end.

Then I look at YouTube road tests to get a feel for usability, quality and features.

I also use internet searches to find the best price, keeping in mind the type of servicing I require.

At work, we might rent one to try it out, or possibly borrow a demo unit, but usually there is enough info on the net to make a decision.

Hi!

I get the feeling most engineers are quite immune to usual press releases, and want to see datasheets and good documentation - not necessarily all in one go, but basically technical information, and knowing that the heavy documentation is there for when it is needed.

Reviews, demonstrations, trade shows all matter, provided there are technical people present. Sometimes it isn't even about actively seeking particular information, it can be just a discussion between engineers, personal opinions, and even negative things can be positive, if it helps one understand that 'model XXX isn't really needed, but if you start doing YYY you'll probably need this feature". I could be wrong, this is just a personal observation.

In terms of format, videos, webinars, written content are all relevant for me. I personally still like to read material (and it's got to be honest content for it to be effective) - I'm the kind of person that will read Amazon reviews, check out IMDB etc., before purchasing a book or movie, no matter what I've heard.