New Rigol DC PSU's

[olsenn]

Looks like my favourite test equipment manufacturer is coming out with three new models of DC power supplies; and they look pretty weird!

http://detail.china.alibaba.com/offer/1208723855.html

[mikeselectricstuff]

WTF were they smoking when they designed that front panel?

[McMonster]

WTF were they smoking when they designed that front panel?

Possibly the stuff that was left over after designing Nokia 3650, judging from the number pad.

[Shuggsy]

Looks like my favourite test equipment manufacturer is coming out with three new models of DC power supplies; and they look pretty weird!

http://detail.china.alibaba.com/offer/1208723855.html

WOW. I was a fan of their previous/current models (DP1X Series)... I still prefer having some knob even if it's an encoder to get to a set voltage, so the addition of a knob is nice. Beyond that... the new layout looks like a mess.

[notsob]

WOW, that is so butt ugly, one would be tempted to pay the local agent to NOT put it on display or advertise it.

[Spikee]

also expensive 4600 yuan = ~560 euro

but if you look further down the page you can see some of the neat features.

[olsenn]

Looks aside, I really don't get the point of these (style of) power supplies anyways... I mean I own an Instek GPS-4303 which has two fixed outputs and two 0 - 30V, 3A current regulated outputs which can be placed in series to make a 0 - 60V 3A output or in parallel to make a 0 - 30V, 6A output, and it only costs $400. I mean I suppose some people need it to be programmable for automation, but why does anybody need multimeter accurate readings and an QHD color display? Why pay $1000+ for a power supply when you can get one for $400 that is more powerful! Agilent and Rigol already have PSU's with only one output and lesser specs than mine and they cost 3 times as much!

[M. András]

accurate high res meters are good for setting it precisely. as for the large display hmm maybe not to shrink down the ui/numbers/function designators?
for the layout everything nowadays looks the same shit designed by a damn f****t with serious problem with knowing the difference between a toy/shitty looking useless stuffs/ or a properly made layout/design for given function or i have a problem with old style clear and perfected designs? "be simple while giving maximum user statisfaction and controllability, i would not trade my old chieftec ba01bb server tower for anything made nowadays, simply it does the job looks good while fits everywhere as far as the sight goes" same for instruments appliances etc, simple elegant!

[casinada]

Like the old Rotary Dial Phones. I wonder if it has old Penta Conta Relays

[Bored@Work]

The +30V and the -30V output channel on the Rigol DP831A are not independent, they share the COM socket. That takes away some flexibility.

On the positive side it looks as if Rigol got the power supplies independently certified

EU EMC cert: http://www.tuvdotcom.com/certificates/50241306
EU low voltage directive cert: http://www.tuvdotcom.com/certificates/50241547

They got the certification for some more variants: DP831 DP831A DP831B DP831E
DP831U DP831Z DP832 DP832A DP832B DP832E DP832U DP832Z. That doesn't mean they will release all of them, but they seem to mean business.

[mariush]

I don't see how it would be logical to have the fixed 5v output as "channel 1" on the power supply.

I'd assume the two most important outputs would be 1 and 2...

Other than this, lots of things that are not usability friendly... pointless speedometer style on screen, which hides away the precise voltage output to a small text, the digits around the big knob with weird shape so that it's hard to memorize and push them in the dark without focusing on the thing...

[ptricks]

A power supply without something to turn just feels wrong,it has to have something to turn !

[EEVblog]

Why pay $1000+ for a power supply when you can get one for $400 that is more powerful! Agilent and Rigol already have PSU's with only one output and lesser specs than mine and they cost 3 times as much!

I'm getting an Atten (today, it's on the truck) that was AU$460 tripple output programmable.
Noise and accuracy specs aren't as good as the Rigol's, but it's half the price.

Dave.

[jancumps]

They are innovators for ergonomic designs. I bet that if you use it with an open mind it will turn out to be an easy to use unit.

A power supply without something to turn just feels wrong,it has to have something to turn !

It has something to turn. There is a dial in the middle ofthe numeric keypad

[JoannaK]

Why pay $1000+ for a power supply when you can get one for $400 that is more powerful! Agilent and Rigol already have PSU's with only one output and lesser specs than mine and they cost 3 times as much!

I'm getting an Atten (today, it's on the truck) that was AU$460 tripple output programmable.
Noise and accuracy specs aren't as good as the Rigol's, but it's half the price.

Dave.

You obviously didn't take the *design values* into account. Consider the delight you feel each time you see that uniquelu beautifull piece of electornics at your desk. Every hour, every day, for a years to come.

(And yes: I'd like to offer some Aalto Original design houses for sale..    )

[JoannaK]

WTF were they smoking when they designed that front panel?

Whatever it is, I'm quite sure it's illegal at this part of world.

[AndyC_772]

At least you can't complain that they just copied a western manufacturer's UI 

[tom66]

So, does it support touch tone dialing, too?

[rbola35618]

Personnally, I think I like the BK 9130 triple supply better than the Rigol power supply. It goes to 30 volts  (Rigol 25V) and can go up to 3A (Rigol 1A).

Does anybody has experience with the BK 9130?

Robert

[rbola35618]

Dave,

Which Aten supply did you order (model number) ? Please do tell ;-)

Robert

[EEVblog]

Dave,
Which Aten supply did you order (model number) ? Please do tell ;-)

http://www.attenelectronics.com/Products/Power_Supply/Programmable_power/2012/0728/89.html

Dave.

[peter.mitchell]

A power supply without something to turn just feels wrong,it has to have something to turn !

i thought there looked like a knob in the middle of the buttons arranged in a circle.

[PA0PBZ]

http://www.attenelectronics.com/Products/Power_Supply/Programmable_power/2012/0728/89.html

Dave.

Well, having seen that one the new Rigol suddenly doesn't look so bad anymore.
I can't really say what's wrong, it just looks ugly 

[saturation]

While I too think its ugly, it may set a trend in design; only the Rigol looks like this so far, and you never know what young EEs find appealing these days, it seems to have kawaii or Fisher Price written all over it.








A reason to have more accurate V and A meters on a PSU is to save the time to attach a separate quality DMM to it and do the same measurements.  If you need such values daily, the seconds to minutes it saves can add up when doing multiple set ups daily.  But for lab purposes, a far more accurate, stable, and noise free power source is more important than convenience.

[rbola35618]

The problem I see is that the two main supplies are not isolated. In some applications you want isolation. The Rigol does not appear to have this since they share the same ground.

RB