On 08/08/2014 12:52 PM, Jason Barnett wrote:
Here is the scope I am looking at buying if anyone has input on why I should or shouldn't buy it, I'd like to hear it http://www.aliexpress.com/item/-/1928114166.html I just got a Rigol DS1074-S for $550 after doing a bunch of research (and starting this thread here). Paul's recommendation and the fact that it appears that Rigol is building the low end Agilent hardware (which then runs Agilent's own software) was a huge factor. It seems that this Rigol scope is well received and doesn't have some of the quality and reliability issues of the Hantek and Owon units. While looking through reviews of the Hantek there was lots of complaints about the storage being limited and the software being buggy and crashing. So I think I made the right choice, especially since I think I can use the four channels for the logic analysis I might need for now and having a separate function generator makes more sense to me. As far as buying things off Aliexpress / Alibaba here is my experiences (after making about 10 - 12 purchases): 1) Don't expect to have any sort of clear communication of any type with the sellers. This is for sales information or post-sales support. 2) Don't expect any support period. You'll pay money, you'll get something shipped to you, you'll be stuck with the item or have to send it back at high shipping expense and maybe get your money back. 3) The Aliexpress dispute process is a total joke. They side with the buyer every time regardless of the amount of documentation or evidence you submit. The dispute handlers also don't speak English and will have horrible communications problems with you as well. 4) Make sure you understand exactly what you are ordering and what they are offering because often the listings are poorly worded and it won't matter in a dispute what was said because (as mentioned) the dispute process sides to the sellers who speak Chinese. A good example was I ordered from a listing that said, "6x 256 RGB LED lights" and showed a picture of six lights. What I got was ONE LIGHT. I disputed it and was told that it was only a listing for one and that the 6x had nothing to do with quantity. [Well that is the best I could understand based on their horrible English] Anyway, the dispute was rejected saying that I could ship the product back for a refund, but it would have cost me more to return the item then to pay for it. 5) If you do buy anything, make sure to buy it with a US credit card that offers "buyer protection" or "buyer satisfaction" so you can dispute through them and not Aliexpress. 6) Order in singles to test the quality and packing of things before buying any quantity. Things often are not as described, particularly if getting things that state "genuine leather" as apparently in Chinese this means vinyl that looks like leather or leather that has been ground into chunks and glued back together. [Every "leather" item I have ordered from Aliexpress has not been real leather] Would I ever spend $500 on a purchase from Aliexpress or Alibaba? No, probably not. Unless I had already got one of the same items through another more reliable method with support and then found the product to be acceptable. Then I might go back to Alibaba to buy it in quantity for resale here or as a group buy for people. Will I continue to use them for buying cheap things that I can afford to have an occasional total loss on? Yeah, probably. Getting things like COB LED panels, bulk wire, connectors, and other things that are inexpensive and pretty hard to screw up are good bets for them. Clothing can also be something that is very inexpensive and worth experimenting as well. [Found a lot of great dresses for female friends for cheap that were not much worse than retail here] Bottom line - expect problems in exchange for the lower prices, stick to vendors that can communicate well and have LOTS of good ratings, and mainly use it to source things after you have already tested the quality in low quantity or through another purchase method first. Sova
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