The project really needs somebody to step in and take it over.
I don't want 1GHz bandwidth or unlimited sample depth. Just something that works reasonably well up to 5-10 MHz.
I haven't tried the 3rd gen but it does look very promising if you're building a hardware home lab on a tight budget and can't afford or don't want multiple dedicated devices cluttering your working area.
At the advertised MSRP of $380, as a do-it-all device, it's unbeatable.
I have AD2 and it had some unique niches it is good at (14 bits makes it somewhat capable at doing some analysis on audio devices), but I by far prefer to use my cheap-ish scope for near-anything else. Just amount of memory alone is big advantage, higher input range (AD only have like...2 or 3 IIRC, rest is faked by wasting bits on ADC), proper probe sockets without needing adapter, ability to just press buttons and knobs to do what you need without getting back to the computer and going thru menus etc.
Then again, ability to script measurement is also pretty nifty. Can be done on many scopes but by far more effort than on AD
The main benefit to me would be the AWG feature, and maybe the software is more usable than the LAP-C software. Would this be a good option for me or is there another AWG I should consider for that price point to get much better performance/features? I ask here because there's probably quite a few hobbyists on HN with a basic scope and logic analyzer but lacking an AWG.
For example I have SDS-1104X-E and SDG1025 and I can from the scope setup a frequency sweep on the generator then have scope make frequency response graph
I could see a lot of use out of it in setting a test jigs, as you can both generate and receive signal while having some digital IO to control DUT/the testing jig.
If I was doing audio stuff only and had to choose I'd probably pick this over a scope then just make a jig with a bunch of sockets common to audio stuff.
But for more generic stuff, eh, scope gonna give you soo much more.
If I want to look at an easy to find waveform, I always use the AD2. Both because I can use it on battery power with a laptop and if I'm at my desk I get to use my large monitor. It's also great for doing data acquisition straight to the computer (e.g., to capture power usage over time).
I only use the Rigol when I need to do a lot of fiddling with knobs while debugging a circuit - it's hard to beat physical controls. I keep dreaming of a USB device with a handful of high quality knobs that integrates with Digilent's software. If Digilent sold something like that for a reasonable price, I'd sell my Rigol.
As an embeddded dev that's bit more useful than a passive scope.
Alternatively, you can generate the modulated signal with any desktop or laptop computer using the audio interface.
