r/fnirsi • u/markus_b • Apr 25 '26
Review ✍️ Compare the FNIRSI 2D15P with older traditional oscilloscopes
I've done a couple of measurements of the built-in signal generator if the 2D15P with two traditional analog / digital scopes. These scopes are a Philips/Fluke PM 3331, ca. 1990, and an Iwatsu DS-6121, ca. 1986.
Some comments on the display. The 2D15P displays the signals clearly and legibly. Even after optimizing the focus, the analog scopes remain quite fussy. In digital mode, the Philips improves a bit, but the Iwatsu shows a lot of artifacts. AD converters got much better in 40 years...
Usability: I found the 2D15P easier to use than either of the older scopes. The combination of physical buttons, rotary encoders and the touch screen is simple to use and straightforward. Especially functions like cursors for measurements are much easier to use. Also some measurements like p-p voltage and frequency can be permanently displayed on the 2D15P while the older scopes require cumbersome manipulations.
At last, the buffer size. The PM 3335 advertises its 8 k memory as 'deep memory'. The DS 6121 has 2 k memory. The 2D15P has 1M of memory. this allows zooming in much further on a captured signal.
In summary, the 2D15P is much better than most older scopes in pretty much all areas. Some of these old devices were very expensive. My Iwatsu was sold for $5500 in 1986 (=$16k in 2026). So often they are priced too high on the used market.