Hantek 6254BD 4-CH Oscilloscope with AWG 250Mhz 1GSa/s 8-pc Set

This is not to be compared with a $20,000 Keysight unit, but for hobby or light use on the service benchtop, it is quite useful. I don't like additional devices/instruments cluttering my desk - so I'd much prefer to have a window in a monitor. The software bundled with the scope generally serves its purpose. The trace on the screen updates very quickly, with very little "lag" between the hardware scope and the visible trace. There's a few quirks. For example, creating a marker ("cursor") lets you view the voltage/time information, but this appears on the status-bar instead of in the reticule display. You have to just go through the menus, to see what all the functions are, because they don't always live in the expected location. The decoding function (accessed from the "trigger" selection), is generally effective: I tested it on UART and I2C. Hardware: we have to be realistic about the capability of this oscilloscope. At maximum sampling rate of 1.25 GHz (on only one channel), this is only 5 points per waveform cycle at 250 MHz - the rated frequency of the oscilloscope. Realistically, this is only enough to say "yes, there is a waveform" and to count the frequency: not to do so much detailed analysis. For square waves, the realistic maximum usable frequency is closer to 10 MHz. Again, you can view a data signal at this level, maybe even decode the bits, but not visualize the exact pulse edges. Your waveform probably has to be closer to 1 MHz to see this level of detail. The function generator is a nice additional feature. The stated maximum frequency is 75 MHz, but the waveform does not look great on this frequency. Since this is my only oscilloscope at the moment, I cannot tell if this is the waveform or oscilloscope at issue. Maximum amplitude is 3.5 Vpp, and multiple waveform types are supported. If you intend to automate acquisiton on this oscilloscope, keep in mind that you will be in for some work. The "OpenHantek" does not support this model yet (with no timeframe for support). Provided with the oscilloscope software is an SDK, with .dll files and libraries written for MS Visual C++. The documentation for this is not great, so you will need to have a good grasp on C++ in order to decipher their example codes and create a working application. There does not appear to be any support for Linux at this moment.

The Good: Attractive price Scope section worked fairly well The Bad: Function Gen output freq was always 1/2 the commanded freq The Ugly: Reported the problem to Hantek service. Slow response. Eventually Hantek provided a firmware update. The update tool appeared to run ok, said it successfully updated the firmware. From that point onward, the PC scope software did not recognize the scope. Reported the problem to Hantek service. They sent a different firmware update tool. The drivers would not install on my PC. No further help from Hantek. Amazon declined to accept a return as the 30-day window had expired by then. Contacted the vendor (TestingVillage) who agreed to accept the return and issued a refund. As far as I can tell, there is no manufacturer warranty. Update: After I received my refund, I ordered another unit from TestingVillage. It arrived promptly, but poorly packaged. The product box was loose inside an Amazon plastic bag. No padding. The box appeared undamaged, but when I unpacked the unit, it rattled. Sounded like a heatsink had come loose and was banging around inside. Don't know how or when the damage happened. I immediately packed it back up and returned it for refund. At this point, a sane person might conclude that buying a 3rd 6254BD would also end in disappointment. I decided to roll the dice once more and ordered another one, this time from the Hantek store. Price is $3 higher and it's shipped directly from the factory in China, but if it's packed properly it might just show up intact. Stay tuned...

We have contact the support team and received all the instructions need + a new firmware with a lot of new funcionalities - for free! It works fine and have a very good cost/benefit relation.

For the amount of money, you get a good reliable scope. This my second Hantek USB scope.

The scope seems subject to picking up a lot of random noise when there is no input present. However, once a signal is present, the display is clear and having 4 channels makes a lot of things possible especially the add/subtract features. I still have not figured out how to control the recording of signals in a controllable fashion, just have to have quick fingers. Tech support sucks, but the online forum is helpful. ------ Now after 6 months of use I still consider it a good value for the $. However, it was very difficult to locate the Windows7x64 driver for it and the driver often freezes up after a 20 minutes to an hour of use. Second, it is absolutely necessary to let this scope warm up for at least 20 minutes before using it to measure voltages. And, it is necessary to run the calibration before you do so. I do like the ability to display multiple measurements of the waveform simultaneously such as frequency, avg volts, ptp volts, etc. The probes are well made and easy to use. The waveform generator is really helpful and that is the main reason I bought this model. It won't suit every need, but it was great for my application. I would still say that this scope is good for hobbyists or a first scope or those with limited spaces to work in or a need to have it mobile. The warm up and freezing make it unsuitable for professional use. I still give it 4 stars overall.

The device driver won't load in Windows 11 and Hantek have no plans to update their USB driver. There is apparently a work around which involves disabling Windows 11 security hmmm!! As a good value 4 channel scope it is fine for use with an old PC running Windows 10 and it does work on a 10 year old laptop!