I saw a video comparing the HDS272S to another brand. In that video I learned how nice the Owon was. My needs are a little then most but I ordered the HDS242S. What a great hand held oscilloscope. I am so happy with it. Barry
Having received a 2102S from Amazon, I actually got 2 (two) 100Mhz probes included. One was a 6100, and the other a 3100, which is grey vs the black of the 6100. From what I can tell, they operate the same. It's a nice scope, easy to use. Weighs about the same as my Fluke 75. I appreciate your review of this.
Thanks for the review! Mine just came in a week ago, from aliexpress. I ended up cancelling my banggood order because they kept delaying the ship date, from "ready to ship" to eventually 40 some days. The device is fantastic. I'm genuinely amazed by the price/performance ratio. Only complaint so far is the direction pad input directions seem backwards. I think all the expensive chips in these devices are usually copies. I do wonder who is making them.
I agree about the "direction pad input" for the vertical and horizontal, as it is counter intuitive to have the left-right buttons control the vertical gain and the up-down to control the horizontal timebase. Why is it that so many items do so well with everything else, but then have one annoying fault such as this? 🤢
The chips are copied from Texas Instruments and they are made by communist kids with hammers and chisels! Do you remember those robotic children playing huge guitars moving like robots and lifeless!? Is a common sight in North Korea at Kim John Un parties! Well those are the Asian kids making the chips!
Another fantastic analyzation of a OWON handheld. I hope OWON offers test accessories for the HDS series scopes soon. I like the idea of a all in one to test motorcycle electronics. Everything from pulse generators to secondary current. Even wire continuity stability issues with a single pinch. Bravo!
Using a HDS242S here and is good upto 50Mhz. Do you know that the Signal Generator and Multimeter are always on and active. If you turn them both off with the Stop button so it goes red the current draw is much less. The LCD brightness can also be set to minimum 10% and it is still clear to read. There is also a a hidden menu option to show the frequency in the top right corner of the display instead of the bottom corner. I just found it by accident and it was not in the manual. These are excellent scope meters for the price. I can't really fault this meter apart from the quirky menu system.
Hey Arnold could I ask how she performs on continuity mode? The old one Kerry reviewed was slow as! Just want to know if they've made her faster, thanks mate.
@@TradieTrev Continunity on my model is very good, almost instant. Much better than my multimeter. Its latching too, you still need good contact with probe tips. Capacitance measurment ranging is pretty slow, but still an excellent auto-ranging multimeter.
@@MoesKeckeEcke Not really a secret menu, just a setting not in manual. In oscilloscope mode, press HOR button then press F4 then select COUNTER to ON. The frequency will then show permanently in top right corner.
...... Well done Mate, articulate, broadcast quality, entertaining, even without a BNC T-piece. I don't care what INTERPOL say, I think you're a Gentleman and a Scholar. These are attractive to me because of their isolation, and 18650 source.
all the portable O-scopes are getting really nice 🤩my wish is a budget cat 3 or 4 with isolated a/b channels to work on 440vac 3 phase equipment, now that's why go portable. thanks
Kerry, thanks for these detailed reviews - definitely a terrific resource that I use to support my own purchasing decisions. One question that came to me during this review was if you gave consideration to screen brightness and the impact it may be having on power consumption on the newer HDS2101S? The brightness of the newer model was something I noticed immediately in the side by side section and when you measured consumption later in the clip I was left wondering if your process took that into consideration (e.g. set screen brightness on all models to max/min/default setting). It does appear the newer model could be notched down slightly to match the equivalent brightness of the HDS272S in which case perhaps that makes up for some of the distinctly higher power consumption of the HDS2102S?
I'm assuming the DMM display/behavior is the same as the HDS272(S). Another video reviewing the HDS272(S) complained of the lack of an analog-scale for the DMM mode... and the fact that display shows moving digits while the display settles after changing ranges without any other annunciator. LIke - they could do a software update for that. So it seems like a quality hand-held scope, but lacks a bit from some of the most basic DMMs. If anyone has one of these and the DMM mode is better than the HDS272(S) -- please let me know... I'm on the fence about buying the unit.
I recommend the author to become a commentator at football matches because of his voice, good speech and good knowledge of the subject. What is the difference between commenting on a match and reviewing? Thanks for the review.
Looks like OWON released a new series already, the HDS300, different case, some more memory and few extra functionality. I wonder if they improved the acquisition time for Multimeter functions.
That was a while ago. They have also released the HDS400 series. These scopes definitely have some unique features, like RS-232. You can see a review from 2011 of a HDS300-series scope here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6td9kVKWGFw.html
@@callejohansson5732, he probably means the "new" hds300 series which looks almost like the hds200 series. The new version differs slightly in parameters and housing color.
It would be nice if you could have tested to see if they made any improvements to the DVM function as far as time to read resistance and capacitance and the minimum capacitance value as well, but it was good to see what you did check as far as frequency specs and power consumption.👍
@@KerryWongBlog I should've mentioned that your video alerted me to the upgraded Owon HDS2102S model, thank you! I really, really want the Rohde & Schwarz RTH1022 Scope Rider, which has been on-sale for a coupla months and sale price will expire end of March. TEquipment price for a few days more is $3,810.00...but I'm buying a new car late this month and need every penny. Anyway, this cheap handheld scope meter will have to suffice until Siglent introduces new handheld scope models to replace their discontinued models. Thanx again.
Oh wow. Contact Tly's post is a bit buried, but as he points out, "In this video at 11:05 Kerry is testing 100MHz signal. Are 4 divisions between peaks instead of 5 divisions. 4 divisions equals 8ns, that means 125MHz." That seems like a really big flaw. Source: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CF3zBHMhQlM.html&lc=UgxhAGqvQlHgZOginw14AaABAg.9YLTS-IEac_9YMZe09hJnA
@Kerry Wong how important is the sample rate? Would you recommend the HDS2102S with 500MSamples or the HDS272S with 250MSamples? How good is the signal generator, should I buy the S Version or a separately signal generator instead?
The hardware and build quality of these devices is OK for the price point. The problem with them is firmware. And Owon customer service that refuses to suply updates. Edit: 4 days later Owon started to suply updates for these devices. Nice.
that means if you email them directly they wont give any firmware updates? that is some real bullshit they should get their hardware hacked from people to open up all bandwidth available instead of just not software support.... There are some cheap "real" digital cope out there that run on 12V and maybe a tool battery and a step down regulator make them more portable to the point where i pay 270€ für dual channel 100Mhz digital scope that is marketed as "non-portable" and burn these toys with the same NOSOFTWARE SUPPORT BULLSHIT
@@MoesKeckeEcke In this video at 11:05 Kerry is testing 100MHz signal. Are 4 divisions between peaks instead of 5 divisions. 4 divisions equals 8ns, that means 125MHz.
Please keep making review videos as thorough as yo do. What is your take on the the tablet oscilloscope from Owon? Im still on the fence about buying it Thanks
thanks for the review - wondering if you've characterized the rms noise for this scope? haven't been able to find that spec on any of the documentation. thanks!
Hi, Kerry there looks like a diode that has blown one corner off its case it is in the top left-hand corner just below the flat-pack voltage regulator under the LCD display. Have a look at the video recording of the teardown. See what you think if I am correct.
@@KerryWongBlog thank you for fast reply. I was aiming for hds2102s, but i see now hds2202s, and might buy that one. Hope will see some review off hds2202🙂
I think your current consumption statement is off by three orders of magnitude: mA means milliamperes, not microamperes. This thing has a power consumption spec of 6W.
Wish it was just a scope and not a DMM too. I can carry 2 tools no problem. Wish they made one with a built in RF frequency meter with pull out antenna
Would you say this is a good model to start with? I do basic electronics repair, and looking something like the multimeter / scope option-built in. (Still learning how to use an oscilloscope) ty
I am an automotive and marine technician. Since I like the eases of portability, can you help me to decide. Can the HDS2102S handheld perform the functions as the VDS3104 which requires a laptop computer?
Hi, thanks for the review. Your purchase link takes you to a page that has a picture of the "S" version, and seems to describe it, but appears to only have the model number: HDS2102 implying no waveform generator. Any thoughts on what model this is?
Any chance if you happen to know whether the non “S” model boards were Identical except for AWG Chip (i.e. had all the other component support in place ) or whether all the architecture was identical and the function locked on the firmware side? Purely curiosity in this case, I’m not about to deprive a manufacturer of an extra $30 when they are currently producing a portable oscilloscope of this caliber at a compelling price point. Even if the functions were limited through firmware, short of the fix being to download and install the “S” versions firmware update instead, I’m not so desperate to save $30 as to waste my precious few free hours looking into it nor do I want to discourage others from giving less financial resources to companies who are ACTUALLY PRODUCING GOOD PRODUCTS @ REASONABLE PRICES. I’m not worried that a simple software update is all it takes but it’s good hearing confirmation.
These scopes do not have decoding capability so while they can capture the signal it would be difficult to narrow in what you are looking for without decoding.
@@KerryWongBlog thank you, we have a picoscope,but was looking for something more portable that could use to confirm presents or absence of a clean signal at a particular module etc. Would this device work?
@@keanMechanic Hi, did you happen to buy the HDS2102S and test it to see if it can keep up with the Picoscope in terms of the ability to test the various sensors like cam, crank, wheel speed and if it's suitable for use with a current clamp using the scope interface for relative compression test. It would be pretty awesome if it can handle a pressure transducer, of course, it will never be as good as the Picoscope.
It will depend on what you are trying to do in the short term. If you are unsure, I'd suggest get a scope well within budget and once you gain more experience you can decide on what to get next.
@@KerryWongBlog IM NOT going to build anything basically I'm sound engineer, so I needed it calculating the watts and checking distortion of amplifier looking for stable and little bit accurate oscilloscope for my work😃😃😃
just bought the HDS2102s from aliexpress. Questions. instead of just turning on 2 channels and measuring one. What happens having both channels connected to 2 different signals? will still be as accurates as your tests? The signal generator is a little frustrating, trying to set duty cycle on a pulse wave. anyone figure that out?
When both channels are on the sampling rate is halved. But it shouldn't affect measurement accuracy as long as the frequency of the signals are within the spec'd bandwidth.
I bought one HDS242s for use with my curve tracer only. Making some testing I found the next. Very limited trigger options. Annoying interface. Short time battery operation. Good things Price. Good contrast screen Aceptable screen refresh.
I found it in the manual of the scope "The two channels of the oscilloscope are non-isolated channels. Note that the channel should use a common reference when measuring, and the ground wires of the two probes cannot be connected to two non-isolated places with different DC electrical levels, otherwise it may cause a short circuit due to the ground wire connection of the oscilloscope probe."
Will the smallest model 242 good enough for most applications? As this is a go to Oscilloscope I am more keen on the cheaper the better for this application. Your comment most appreciated.
It really just depends on the type of signals you're going to scope. 40MHz bandwidth will be serviceable up to about 10MHz for most uses. So for things like audio, pwm dimmers, and switch mode power supplies you'll do just fine.
This is not a review. The oscilloscope must be checked on a square wave. At a frequency close to maximum. It is not clear how much it distorts the signal.
@@user-em1de8zt5p , my problem was with you saying "at a frequency close to maximum." For 10 MHz square wave signal, 100 MHz analog bandwidth will allow ten 11 harmonics (from 20 MHz to 100 MHz) without attenuation. Get yourself a 1000 MHz scope for a displayed 100 MHz square wave. It will be very expensive...
#1: No fine vertical settings (scope), #2: Does not retain last settings when turned off (scope). Other than that it is fairly descent. Returning to Amazon because of my #1 and #2, especially #2. Not remembering its last settings and having to set it back up from scratch every time you turn it on is a killer.
@@jalius7878 It's working now. Maybe the battery wasn't charged enough to save last settings before? Maybe it just doesn't save last settings intermittently. No fine vertical gain is just plane weird. The DVM is about as good as the old free harbor freight. Continuity test is not real fast. It would be difficult to hold one probe to say B+ and drag the other one to find where it connects to the chip, unless you drag slowly. I am returning it tomorrow. I was real excited but wanting is better than having. I guess there is a reason a portable battery operated 100MHz Siglent Scope meter is $800.
