Siglent SDS1204X-E vs Rigol MSO5000

[Electro Fan]

(Sorry if this has already been discussed in another thread but if it has I haven’t found it with search.  I know there are some Siglent threads and many Rigol threads, I just haven't seen this particular question discussed.)

Setting aside bandwidth and price are there any reasons to prefer the Siglent SDS1204X-E over a 4 channel Rigol MSO5000?

[tautech]

Only one, SDS1204X-E is a more mature product. Display issues are none too, you may have seen some commenting in the dim 5000 display.
Otherwise the 5000 out specs it in sampling rate and memory depth.

[mroek]

At this point I guess the firmware of the Siglent is also more mature. The MSO5000 seems to have a quite large number of bugs at this time (Dave even made a separate and quite long video demonstrating lots of bugs).

[Fungus]

New Rigol MSO5000 firmware is due any day now (according to Rigol).

This is an important product and they're taking a long time to release the first update, I'm guessing they're taking it seriously.

[nctnico]

New Rigol MSO5000 firmware is due any day now (according to Rigol).
This is an important product and they're taking a long time to release the first update, I'm guessing they're taking it seriously.

If they had taken it seriously they wouldn't have released it with so many bugs. Look at their other higher end scope like the DS2000 and DS4000 series. It has taken them years to get the firmware to some kind of acceptable level.

[Fungus]

If they had taken it seriously they wouldn't have released it with so many bugs.

I'm guessing you've never had a boss who wanted a product out yesterday.

[nctnico]

That is no excuse to put a half assed product out. Anyway, it seems Siglent is doing quite well nowadays also with the rebadging done by other brands.

[BillB]

Seems odd to me to cross-shop these models?

[Fungus]

Seems odd to me to cross-shop these models?

I guess the list price is quite similar. 

That is no excuse to put a half assed product out.

True, but it's not the world we live in. You want a finished product? Spend more and buy R&S or something like that.

Anyway, it seems Siglent is doing quite well nowadays

You mean they're no longer sending out little packets of capacitors to customers so they can solder them to the PCB to make their 'scope work?

Right now? I'd wait a couple of weeks for the promised Rigol firmware and see what happens. With a decent firmware the MSO5000 is a lot more oscilloscope than the Siglent. You get double the bandwidth, four times the sample rate, monstrous amounts of memory, etc.

(assuming you know how to use telnet/vi to unlock all the features)

[Fungus]

The firmware has arrived (apparently):

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hacking-the-rigol-mso5000-series-oscilloscopes/msg2228568/#msg2228568

[BillB]

Seems odd to me to cross-shop these models?

I guess the list price is quite similar. 

$2700 vs $759? (Saelig)

[Fungus]

$2700 vs $759? (Saelig)

An MSO5000 can be had for under $1000.

[tautech]

You mean they're no longer sending out little packets of capacitors to customers so they can solder them to the PCB to make their 'scope work?

Yes well, there seem to be some questions about 5000 10x probe step response too. 

[nctnico]

Nobody claimed either choice is the best money can buy.

[NoisyBoy]

The OP had mentioned to set aside bandwidth and price in the initial posting, but I agree that price should be a factor.  If we are comparing a SDS1204X-E instead of a SDS1104X-E to the Rigol, then one could reasonably assume that he was not interested in a hacked scope, and it is fair to compare it to a MSO5204 (200MHz and 4-channel) for a apple-to-apple comparison, which is $2699 rather than the <$1000 price tag.

I would say the Siglent may win at screen brightness/contrast, also serial decoding is free on the Siglent vs. a pricey upgrade on the Rigol.  If those are important, it will push the price of the Rigol to $3400 with the software bundle. 

At that price point, the Rigol has a different class of challenger that are far more capable than the SDS1000X-E series Siglent. 

Now if price is truly not a factor at all, I would lean towards Keysight, RS, and Tek rather than the Rigol.  I have been using Keysight/Agilent exclusively so far, and the professionalism of their support organization is second to none and I have been extremely satisfied with them, knowing that my equipment will be supported, and parts available, for 15+ years.  I don't have experience with Siglent and Rigol, so I cannot comment about them, if they are as good, then that would be a game changer.

$2700 vs $759? (Saelig)

An MSO5000 can be had for under $1000.

[Martin72]

Setting aside bandwidth and price are there any reasons to prefer the Siglent SDS1204X-E over a 4 channel Rigol MSO5000?

In my opinion: No.

7" Display (800x480) vs. 9" (1024x600)
up to 100000 wfms/s vs 500000 (measured) (both in normal mode)
14 Mpts Memory vs 100Mpts (200Mpts opt)
1GSa/s vs 8GSa/s
Good math functions vs much more math functions, up to 4 functions viewable at the same time
1Ch AWG option with additional hardware needed vs 2Ch AWG option without additional hardware needed
Etc., etc. …..
Benefit of the siglent is the Eres function, the brighter display and included instead optional decoding functions.
I like the siglent, it´s worth it´s money for sure.
But better as the 5000...I don´t think so.
When rigol takes it serious on debugging all known issues plus adding some more (missing) features, it can´t be beaten in it´s priceclass and above.
I got the siglent 1104X-E, it´s a best choice for the money and surely, the 1204 will be it too (200Mhz !!!).
But all in all no competition to the MSO5000.
IMHO, that´s understand.

[Fungus]

Rigol released a new firmware today. Let's see what happens.

[Electro Fan]

Given the new Rigol firmware and a little more time with the MSO5000, any new thoughts on how these two compare?

[Martin72]

Even now it´s , to be honest, no comparison between the two.
Better compare the siglent with the DS1000Z series and in my opinion the siglent is "better" against.
As I wrote before, for it´s money the siglent is hard to beat.
The 100Mhz model cost nearly the half of the MSO5000 (and should be hackable to 200Mhz).
If the 7" Display is no problem for You, if You don´t need zone trigger, touchdisplay, built-in awg, 4 math traces displaying at the same time, HDMI Output, power analyzing, waste of samples per second, waste of memory, then go for the siglent.
Why spending more money for things you don´t need.
Main reason for me to buy the 5000 ( and selling the siglent)was the bigger display.
If rigol fix the bugs and add some goodies, I´ll be happy with it.
But that wasn´t the reason I bought it.

[jemangedeslolos]

Hello,

I have the exact same question.
I wanted to buy a SDS1104X-E but the new MSO5074 has incredible features for the price (after the hack).
But I was disapointed by Rigol in terms of responsiveness, I find the user interface very slow.
And that seems to be still the case on the MSO5000....but it has bigger screen and 4 channels with separated control.

I don't know what to do 

[Old Printer]

Hello,

I have the exact same question.
I wanted to buy a SDS1104X-E but the new MSO5074 has incredible features for the price (after the hack).
But I was disapointed by Rigol in terms of responsiveness, I find the user interface very slow.
And that seems to be still the case on the MSO5000....but it has bigger screen and 4 channels with separated control.

I don't know what to do 

I was very much tempted by the 5000 as well. HDMI - I love big screens like in 25".   I would prefer the 4 individual channel controls. Not sure I would ever use the other pluses.  I have a SDS 1104X-E arriving tomorrow. I am just a beginning hobbyist 3 years into this and the extra $500 is a good bit of money to me. Taking a chance the Siglent WiFi will be close enough to the HDMI for my use. We shall see. Anyway, that's how I made my choice, I felt it was time for my first "real" DSO after a couple old TEK's and an Analog Discovery 2.

[Martin72]

And that seems to be still the case on the MSO5000...

Can´t confirm this, it´s acting "normal" (whatever normal means).

[ebastler]

I was disapointed by Rigol in terms of responsiveness, I find the user interface very slow.
And that seems to be still the case on the MSO5000.

The DS1000Z series indeed has a somewhat sluggish user interface. But where did you get the impression/information that the MSO5000 is similar? It's an entirely different architecture, and I don't recall seeing any complaints about the responsiveness.

[jemangedeslolos]

It's a general impression that I have after seeing some videos.
For example, videos from dave about MSO5000 bugs show a very slow touchscreen and sorts of lag when he turns the timebase knob.
Comparing to the Keysight MSOX3054, the MSO5000 seems to be very slow.

[tautech]

Have a look at this vid I did showing the SDS1104X-E webserver in action and you'll see some small latency on the 2nd and 3rd displays but nothing on the scope.



BTW, probes used and all connected to the probe comp 3V 1KHz output were 1x, 10x, 100x and 1000x.