Buy Tektronix TDS2024B Oscilloscope: Advice?

[j777]

I'm looking at buying a Tektronix TDS2024B oscilloscope to be used for general purpose analog and digital design. Does anybody have any suggesstions, comments, concerns, etc. in regard to this oscilloscope? I figured I'd ask before I go spending the money on it.

Thanks

 

[Emicro]

In my experience, I have found that digital O-scopes do not display analog noise as well as analog O-scopes do. You may want to take that into concideration if you are going to be designing analog circiuts.

 

[waht]

Agilent also makes the world's best scopes.

I would do a lot of research on both manufactures Agilent or Tektronix and decide which one you like best.

My personal favorite is Agilent.

 

[berkeman]

I took a quick look at Tek's web page, and the TDS2024B looks to be a nice 200MHz digital scope. I do analog work all day long (on the better days), and a digital oscilloscope is fine, as long as you have a reasonable bandwidth.

It looks like it has a USB connection, which is good. You'll find yourself pulling out data and screenshots a lot for reports and other documentation. Does it come with some software to do the USB interface and display scope data and screenshots?

It looks like it can be used in portable applications as well. Does it come standard with a battery power option? That is darned handy to have.

 

[j777]

It comes with OpenChoice and National Instruments SignalExpress Tektronix Edition Software to analyze data via the USB port. It also allows you to use a USB flash drive to store data and prints directly to PictBridge compatible printers.

I think battery power is an optional accessory.

 

[Vectorspace]

I took a quick look at Tek's web page, and the TDS2024B looks to be a nice 200MHz digital scope. I do analog work all day long (on the better days), and a digital oscilloscope is fine, as long as you have a reasonable bandwidth.

Hey berkeman. Is 100MHz Bandwidth OK for most purposes, or is it simply a no-brainer to purchase a 200MHz Bandwidth if one is to purchase an Oscilloscope?

 

[berkeman]

Hey berkeman. Is 100MHz Bandwidth OK for most purposes, or is it simply a no-brainer to purchase a 200MHz Bandwidth if one is to purchase an Oscilloscope?

Depends on what kind of work you are doing. My current 'scope is a LeCroy, 1GHz (4G sample) unit. I only need that bandwidth for measuring memory bus digital timing, not for the analog work that I do. For my analog work, 100MHz is probably fine.

What kind of projects do you anticipate using the 'scope for. (BTW, this thread is years old -- you could have started a new thread if you had wanted. But we can keep using this thread for your question in this case).

 

[f95toli]

Take a look the scopes sold by Agilent as well. The price is roughly the same but I really prefer Agilent for various reasons. Not that there is anything wrong with Tektronix (we have quite a few Tektronix scopes at work), it just that performance/price tends to be slightly better on Agilent scopes (and the screens are usually bigger than on the corresponding Tektronix scopes, which is REALLY nice).

 

[famousken]

That scope is about a million times better than the one I'm using; Hameg HM307 lol. Dont get me wrong, its a great scope, just out of the stone age! Check on Ebay for scopes, if you get lucky, you might save yourself a grand or so.

 

[Vectorspace]

What about a 60MHz bandwidth? Would that be suitable for most undergraduate EE projects?

I am looking at the TDS2004B:
http://www.tek.com/products/oscilloscopes/tds1000_tds2000/

 

[berkeman]

What about a 60MHz bandwidth? Would that be suitable for most undergraduate EE projects?

I am looking at the TDS2004B:
http://www.tek.com/products/oscilloscopes/tds1000_tds2000/

Probably. Do you have any specializations in mind yet in your EE work? What kind of projects would you like to build?

 

[waht]

What about a 60MHz bandwidth? Would that be suitable for most undergraduate EE projects?

I am looking at the TDS2004B:
http://www.tek.com/products/oscilloscopes/tds1000_tds2000/

These scopes are meant for professionals in the industry. Of course, playing with one right off the back is a big plus - but consider what you will do with it in the future and not what undergrad EE expects.

In any case, the EE department at school will have their own scopes to do labs, and with higher bandwidth if needed.

There is no rule of thumb, but if you are considering making a good investment, consider the 100 MHz range. Never know what might encounter, but there will always be something that your test equipment will be inadequate to measure - that's when you will have to implement clever tricks... or gain access to more advanced equipment. But for general purpose, it should suffice.