GARTHWILSON wrote:
Other than that, all the 'scope problems I've had are with dirty switches. You'd think they'd make them more accessible so you could spray the contact cleaner into them, but nooooooooo.
The switches on the 1725A are pretty accessible. I have tried cleaning them with contact cleaner but it hasn't helped. I suspect a number of things are going south in the thing and it's either fix it or replace it. I'm leaning toward replacing it.
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I have an Agilent DSO on the workbench now, but I very much want to keep an analog 'scope going too, for the times I want and X-Y display (ie, where the horizontal is on one of the inputs, rather than a time base) and a Z (brightness) input that can respond in a microsecond.
That is one of the nice things about the 1725A: it's got those features. But I'm right back to the cost to fix it vs. the value. Almost all of my work involving a scope is digital these days, other than musical instrument amplifiers. If I'm going to invest in another scope it has to be one that will favor the type of work I do the most.
floobydust wrote:
Well, I've also had old scopes that have deteriorated with time.... problem is, either finding a capable shop to repair it, or obtain the service manual and repair it yourself, which also assumes you have enough equipment to test and repair it, and of course to calibrate it.... more of a catch-22 scenario... which basically means you have enough functional test equipment already.
Exactly. I could probably fix the old beast if I could get parts, but it would mean having to have a second scope to look at signals, etc. I've checked around a bit in my area and haven't been able to find anyone qualified to repair test equipment. That is giving me a pretty hard push toward buying another scope.
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If I were going to buy a new scope today, I'd be looking at the new digital ones...Rigol does get some nods on price/performance, but I haven't done any deep or recent research on them.
Funny you should mention Rigol. A buddy of mine in Florida who does a lot of digital electronic stuff had bought a
Rigol DS2202 scope last year when his old Tektronix unit he had had since 1984 coughed its cookies. He was quite impressed with it and especially liked the 8 inch display. I have looked at several brands and I happened to notice that some of the B-K scopes look suspiciously like the Rigol unit. They also have very similar specs, which makes me wonder if B-K's scopes are just Rigol units with a different name on the front panel.
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Of course, your first decision is how much you're willing to spend on either a repair or a replacement. I'm guessing my response may not be all that useful, but available funds will push you down a particular path.
Cost does get into the picture, but right now I'm more focused on features and reliability. That last item is what makes me hesitant to purchase a Rigol unit. While I haven't read anything to date that suggests it's not a good product, I am mindful of which country in which it is produced.
As for repairing the old one, unless I can find someone local that can do it, I will likely just scrap it and get a new one. Shipping a scope cross country to get it fixed has its own set of problems that come from rough handling by shippers. I want to avoid that.