WhinyLittleRunt
Member
Guys, I need to get a digital oscilloscope for my workbench. I have a Tek 2230 that I got for free from one of my clients a while back, and I 'guess' it works fine but I'd never really know because I have nothing else to compare it to, and it was left in storage for a number of years and is likely out of calibration. It also takes up a whole corner of my bench. I've been looking into getting something digital and smaller, and possibly not as old as the 2230. A couple of options I've looked into were either getting something like a Tektronix TDS210/220, or one of those new Rigol scopes which are about $400 new (or less). The Rigol is a Chinese scope and does get fairly good ratings and reviews as far as a hobby scope goes, and also spoke with one person who uses one for synth work and says it's plenty good for what he does. A used Tek would probably still run me close to $350-400 for something in fully working condition, although it would likely be 15 years old or more at that price. I'm torn between wanting brand-new test equipment, or used but quality-built. If I get the Rigol, I'm going to say "I should have gotten the Tek". If I get the Tek, I'm going to say "this is 15 years old, I hope it doesn't crap out on me". I'm used to the struggle of buying analog and vintage equipment but it's a lot like putting the $4000 Gibson in a gig bag instead of a hardshell case. I want reliable test equipment for when I am doing repairs on my gear so I'm doing them right the first time. I dunno, what are you guys using that do any DIY stuff or repairs?