Siglent SDS2000X Plus

[NoisyBoy]

X2, I have always thought Rigol put some OK-decent hardware in the MSO5000, but its firmware development is woefully inadequate to support the new hardware.  They may be OK in servicing scopes like the 1000Z series, where hardware is simpler, and lower price also results in lower expectation.  But they are definitely not remotely ready for prime time when it comes to the 5000/7000/8000 series.  Coding quality and testing aside, things as simple as the readme file in the firmware update conveys the quality of the documentations you find in a cheap $80 AWG.  The sad part is I don't think Rigol cares, and certainly has shown no attempt to improve.

Rigol should consider just outsourcing its entire firmware development to the western world, and just focus on the hardware and manufacturing.  If they understand the concept of core competence in the west, they would have scuttle their firmware and software team and "offshore" the development elsewhere.

So, if I have to choose between the two scopes, I would agree Siglent is the more polished and far better supported brand.  Yes, it cost more, but potentially a much less frustrating scope to work with in the long run.  To me, it is well worth the extra price.

[Martin72]

You nailed it exactly….
The rigol 5000 could be such a pricebreaker with it´s specs, only rigol itself and it´s software are show-stopping it massive.
Then the siglent 2k+ came along….
Sure it got it´s bugs too and hopefully it will got some of nice to haves in the future - But I´m slightly sure siglent will manage it and bring this thing to a level others could dream about.
Yes, for low-cost models range it isn´t really low cost anymore.
But what you get for 1400 incl VAT, it is worth it- NOW, although the bugs because they´re minor.

[MT]

So it seems that measured BW is a good data point to add to the comparison of (improved) SDS2kX+ vs MSO5000...  Some people claimed the 350MHz (improved) Rigol was around 480MHz BW, but that was measured with a pulse.  AFAIK no one did an actual frequency sweep and posted it to the forum.  But then again, there is a ridiculous number of posts on that model and I probably missed something...

Those that have swept SDS2354X Plus have done so with the 500 MHz option enabled so no contest against any 350 MHz rated DSO.......apples vs oranges. 

Why have SIG decided to limit the 2104x Plus BW upgrade path to only 200Mhz when the  the other 3 can be higher yet all using the same platform? This is stupid marketing , does not increase sales, just cause agony, anger, irritation and violent outrage waving hot soldering irons and throwing solder rolls in the electronicists dungeon!

https://www.batronix.com/shop/oscilloscopes/Siglent-SDS2354X-plus.html

[Electro Fan]

Maybe a little off topic or off the flow of this thread....

Apparently the 5000 can adjust skew alignment to within 10 ps; anyone know what the spec is on the SDS2104X Plus?

[jemangedeslolos]

The MSO still have some nice feature : better math function I think, HDMI output, more trigger, more wfms/s ( but Martin72 have to measure that for science ).

"Better" math....more math - But this could be "corrected" via fw upgrade if siglent want it.
HDMI Output, indeed nice - If you need it.
But you could also use the webserver for presentation so no worry at all.
More trigger….have to look at it.
But it got indeed more wfms/s, up to over 500000 wfms/s in normal mode, I´ve meausered it months ago on work.
Want to take the siglent at work also, but we´re very busy since beginning of the year so I didn´t it so far.
Took a rigol ds1054z at home to measure the wfms/s of the 2k+, but the results were irritating (much less than 120000 and very instable) and I want to measure it again with another scope.

The rigol 5000 is a raw diamond, no question.
But i've been waiting over a year for them to sharpen it into a real diamond.

We can say exactly the same for Rigol.
Just wait 3 or 4 years and that's it!
Without laughing, they will apparently release a firmware in a short time to add bode plot and probably various improvements.
Covid 19 will certainly cause delay.....again....so we will see but in the meantime, the scope isn't unusable as some claim.

Webserver vs HDMI...It's not just a question of presentation.
It's a question of use. And on the webserver, the framerate is only 10 frames per second I think.
I didn't look in detail all the triggers in the Siglent.
For me and my use/habits, the shared vertical control are prohibitive.

But to be frank, if I had to choose between those two today, I would probably take the Siglent.
I was just answering to the one who didn't understand why the Rigol was so popular.
The MSO5000 still have some nice feature the Siglent will never have and cost less money.

[TK]

So it seems that measured BW is a good data point to add to the comparison of (improved) SDS2kX+ vs MSO5000...  Some people claimed the 350MHz (improved) Rigol was around 480MHz BW, but that was measured with a pulse.  AFAIK no one did an actual frequency sweep and posted it to the forum.  But then again, there is a ridiculous number of posts on that model and I probably missed something...

Those that have swept SDS2354X Plus have done so with the 500 MHz option enabled so no contest against any 350 MHz rated DSO.......apples vs oranges. 

Why have SIG decided to limit the 2104x Plus BW upgrade path to only 200Mhz when the  the other 3 can be higher yet all using the same platform? This is stupid marketing , does not increase sales, just cause agony, anger, irritation and violent outrage waving hot soldering irons and throwing solder rolls in the electronicists dungeon!

https://www.batronix.com/shop/oscilloscopes/Siglent-SDS2354X-plus.html

Because they want you to buy the 350MHz model (or 500MHz) from the start.  When upgrades are priced very high, it is because they want to discourage people buying it.

[TheDefpom]

I just got my hands on a SDS2104X Plus today curtesy of Rob (Tautech), here is the first review of a couple of videos I will do about it.

I will be doing a follow up more detailed review within the next couple of weeks, this is just a first look and checking out the GUI etc:

[Tom45]

I just got my hands on a SDS2104X Plus today curtesy of Rob (Tautech), here is the first review of a couple of videos I will do about it.

When you lost the trigger level line on the display, it was because you were in AC coupling mode for the trigger. The trigger level line is only relevant in DC trigger coupling mode.

Tom

[TheDefpom]

Argh of course, your exactly right, wish I had noticed that when I was recording.

[Martin72]

"I think it could be upgradeable to 200Mhz"....Yepp and slightly more above. 

[MT]

https://www.batronix.com/shop/oscilloscopes/Siglent-SDS2354X-plus.html
Because they want you to buy the 350MHz model (or 500MHz) from the start.  When upgrades are priced very high, it is because they want to discourage people buying it.

Thank you for exemplify in clear text SIG marketing stupidity!

[MT]

Id like a 500Mhz 2104x plus as square box with HDMI, mouse and meas inputs, no screen no touch no rubber buttons no nutting
etc all for fabulous 499euro thank you SIGLENT you can do it.

[tautech]

To transport my siglent safety to work ( train, bus) and to keep it away from dust, I´ve just bought this here:

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00H25JMPK/ref=pe_3044161_185740101_TE_item

Hope, I´ve choosed the right size - I hate sending things back...

FYI Siglent can now provide a proper hard case:

https://siglentna.com/product/hard-shell-carry-case/
However it's only on the US site. 

[Martin72]

Nice one, looks nearly similar to mine - Today, the greater one has arrived, will test it later if it´s fitting better…

[Martin72]

It´s fitting better...

Although there´s not enough space for putting the cable/probe into it too.
But it seems, the "original" case from siglent didn´t have the space too.

Apart from this:

This is what I would call an Update....
Fixing some things and new features - Makes me curious about the first fw update for my siglent. 

By the way, the fact that if you deactivate the bode plot, the awg will remains to be on, is this bug known ?

[Martin72]

It´s fitting better...

Jepp, see below.
Now I need siglent labels...

[TheDefpom]

Today I recorded some more footage for the 2nd part of my review on the SDS2104X Plus, I even did a bit of a teardown on it to see what it looks like inside, I took a bunch of photos which I have uploaded to my website in a ZIP file, I thought you might be interested in seeing them, obviously you probably want to see my actual teardown too and I will probably publish that later this week.

Here are the photos: http://www.thedefpom.com/randomfiles/Siglent_SDS2104XPlus_High_Res_Photos.zip

I have attached a pic of the front end to wet your appetite.

[Martin72]

Nice pics 
Full packed pcb…….

[Martin72]

Here a comparison between sds5000, sds2000x+, 2000X main pcbs ( If it´s ok to you to use these pics @ tv84,TheDefpom,EEvblog, otherwise I´ll delete them prompt]

[tautech]

Defpom takes a deeper look at some features and does a teardown:

[Martin72]

He "forgot" the acquisition mode "Slow" and "Fast", the difference between them could be nicely shown with the pwm signal of the stb-3 demoboard.

At minute 26:

Dude, you could easily remove the seal in another way...
By using a hot air dryer and carefully lifting one side, the adhesive strength is maintained.

[Electro Fan]

Defpom takes a deeper look at some features and does a teardown:

It’s a good review of a scope with a lot to like but no ASCII decoding, really?  Surely ASCII decoding is in there somewhere - yes/no?

[TheDefpom]

It does have ascii decoding, just not on the parallel logic analyser, that is part of the normal serial decoding.

[Electro Fan]

It does have ascii decoding, just not on the parallel logic analyser, that is part of the normal serial decoding.

OK, roger that and thanks for clarifying.  Still not sure why Siglent didn’t include it on the digital channels (maybe they can and will in a future release) but if it’s on the four analog channels that takes it from a show stopper to probably ok.

EDIT:  Or maybe ASCII is available for some digital channel decoding, just not parallel decoding?

Overall it does look good, and thanks for the good review(s).

[KeBeNe]

Hello,

i once measured the adjustment of the channels in relation to 50ohm, looks really good.