Help a beginner to choose an oscilloscope from the limited brands amount!

[tautech]

I believe so as the BW is controlled by code to a chip in the input stages. Mr EEVblog did a video on this a few years back.

About 1074? Didn't see. So, it means, that a "well-known script" can expand the bandwidth of this model too?

I expect so however as we don't see the 70 MHz 2 or 4ch X-E models in the west we can only presume they will be no problem for the script.
If you hunt in this thread there should be script printouts for the 4ch X-E with the BW versions available:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/unlocking-siglent-sds1104x-e-step-by-step/

I heard that in the 1104 models is using board revision D, while in the 1204 - board revision E. Is this true now? What are their differences?

You're overthinking this, of course there will be PCB revisions from time to time as the design is improved or there are changes to componentry for one reason or another.

[Fungus]

If their licenses and BW upgrades weren't priced so absurdly  (the nearly-worthless 350-to-500MHz upgrade for the SDS2000X+ costs more than the scope itself) perhaps some of us would be willing to pay a little more for a legit decked out version.  Especially if they made the hacking a little harder or more dangerous.

I'm sure they've done the math. Sales of 500Mhz versions to corporate/educational customers is worth more than getting a few extra bucks out of people who might not hack it.

[Orion33]

You're overthinking this, of course there will be PCB revisions from time to time as the design is improved or there are changes to componentry for one reason or another.

Are you saying these improvements are minor and not worth the 200 euros?

[tautech]

You're overthinking this, of course there will be PCB revisions from time to time as the design is improved or there are changes to componentry for one reason or another.

Are you saying these improvements are minor and not worth the 200 euros?

PCB revisions have nothing to do with the BW of the model is what I am saying.

Eg, from the latest SDS1004X-E firmware release notes:
Fixed the problem: The skew of the two ADCs is not accuracy for hardware of 09 version (System Status shows Hardware Version: 09-xx). The other hardware versions has not this problem.

HW versions are for many reasons however it is obvious the last is for a change to components (ADC's) due to supply issues or improved performance from another part.
Remember, the modern scope is not just a pile of interconnected componentry but a complex array of SW too with which many adjustments to system performance can be made.

Personally we thought SDS1104X-U would rob sales from the X-E however that has not proven to be so and SDS1104X-E has remained our best entry level seller despite it being a good bit more expensive and justifiably so, they're one hell of a good little scope.

[Performa01]

(And the same for Siglent, if they weren't hackable then everybody would buy Rigols)

If their licenses and BW upgrades weren't priced so absurdly  (the nearly-worthless 350-to-500MHz upgrade for the SDS2000X+ costs more than the scope itself) perhaps some of us would be willing to pay a little more for a legit decked out version.  Especially if they made the hacking a little harder or more dangerous.

Well, us engineers often have problems comprehending the decisions of the marketing folks. Yet their strategy cannot be all that bad, given the huge success of Siglent as the biggest Chinese manufacturer of oscilloscopes. In professional markets, the rules are very different anyway.

Don’t forget that it has been Siglent, who first offered basic features like segmented memory (up to a total of >100 Mpts in the SDS1004X-E) for free, at some point (I think it has been already in 2017) this became true even for all the basic serial triggers/decoders. Today, Siglent is not alone with this anymore, yet I very much doubt the competition would have born that idea without a little nudge from Siglent 😉

I bet the average hobbyist has such a low threshold on the price they’re willing to pay for avoiding a certain effort / risk that comes with hacking, that it really wouldn’t pay off to make the options that cheap.
 

[Fungus]

Well, us engineers often have problems comprehending the decisions of the marketing folks. Yet their strategy cannot be all that bad, given the huge success of Siglent as the biggest Chinese manufacturer of oscilloscopes. In professional markets, the rules are very different anyway.

You can bet they're not losing any money on the sales of hacked units. Any extra money they can squeeze from people who pay full price for whatever reason? That's a bonus. They probably make a lot on support contracts, too.

[mawyatt]

In professional markets, the rules are very different anyway.

Agree, in the professional market, performance is 1st, cost 2nd, and the reverse for the amateur market.

Best,

[bdunham7]

I bet the average hobbyist has such a low threshold on the price they’re willing to pay for avoiding a certain effort / risk that comes with hacking, that it really wouldn’t pay off to make the options that cheap.

Well yes, at the current difficulty and risk--at least as of the date I bought mine--the price would have to be pretty low.  But the prices now are such that unless there are deals given--which I assume happens--even a mid-sized corporation might just buy the base product and let their people figure it out.

[Performa01]

I bet the average hobbyist has such a low threshold on the price they’re willing to pay for avoiding a certain effort / risk that comes with hacking, that it really wouldn’t pay off to make the options that cheap.

Well yes, at the current difficulty and risk--at least as of the date I bought mine--the price would have to be pretty low.  But the prices now are such that unless there are deals given--which I assume happens--even a mid-sized corporation might just buy the base product and let their people figure it out.

I just think Siglent have learnt from the "big boys". Offer upgrades and options at ridiculously high list-prices and then make your customers feel good by granting a "huge discount", which includes giving them some software options for free.

Professional enterprises (not the one-man-shows and small businesses, who often act not very different from the amateurs) usually know their requirements when they acquire equipment for a certain department / task. Once the decision has been made, that 200 MHz bandwidth is plenty (and even 100 MHz will actually do), they will not order 350 MHz. When they know, that they will only ever deal with the CAN busprotocol, they might order the CAN-FD decoder option but nothing else.

Hobbyists on the other hand (as well as backyard repair shops or small engineering offices) often lack clear requirements. There "the more the merrier" rule applies. They want all they can get, but can't neither justify nor afford to pay for it. That's where tinkering and hacking might come into play...

Manufacturers usually don't mind. They make sure that they won't make a loss even with their cheapest offering.

[DaneLaw]

Micsig.
reason 

[Fungus]

Micsig.
reason 

Yeah, the speaker isn't very good.

You can browse EEVBLOG forums on them though.