Though it may not be dramatic, it might still not be insignificant. I didn't have access to the pricing info for the SDS3000 you were using way back when, but I do recall seeing somewhere on their site since then a banner with about 21,000 Yuan Renminbi ($3,400) listed. And I was unsure if that applied to the 4-channel, 500 MHz (?) version they were showing, or the base-model (I can't read Chinese). If the former, that's equivalent to the WaveSurfer 3054, at almost 7-grand.
I'm pretty sure the price is for the 2Ch 100MHz variant (SDS3102). Even Siglent can't offer a 500MHz 4Ch scope with these specs for that price, especially not when they have to license the software.
And $3400 for the 100MHz variant isn't really cheap when the 2Ch 200MHz LeCroy version is in the same ballpark. In black, and with LeCroy's support behind.
Also of some interest, though Siglent was touting reaching the 1 GHz BW milestone, LeCroy offers nothing beyond 500 MHz. [Probably because that starts to encroach on their higher-priced models.]
Most certainly. I guess the previous WaveSurfer models were a bit too close to the more expensive WaveRunner Series, so they probably decided to increase the distance by placing the new WaveSurfer a bit under the older models (i.e. closed embedded OS instead of full Windows platform, limited decode options, max bandwidth 500MHz instead of 1GHz, much lower price).
But the 1GHz variant doesn't make much sense from a technical point of view either, as probably most customers requiring that bandwidth also need much faster processing, more sample rate and more sample memory. And more advanced software.
But it really does make sense, as in the past there wasn't interesting stuff below the WaveSurfer Series (there was the WaveJet 300A which was built by Iwatsu, a good scope alsthough a very old design and no longer competitive, and below that the WaveAce Series; both vastly overpriced). Now LeCroy has a solid offering in the range of the Agilent DSO-X3000, which is great.
BTW: completely unnoticed, it seems they also replaced the old WaveJet 300A Series with a new WaveJet Touch:
http://teledynelecroy.com/oscilloscope/oscilloscopeseries.aspx?mseries=469All they should do now is getting rid of the shoddy WaveAce scopes.