I just picked up a Rigol DS1052E for $339 from Dealextreme. 2 channel 50mhz scope, hackable via software to do 100Mhz. Can't beat that.

Indeed; I have a DS1052E myself and did the 100MHz software hack. Instructions are here:

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=553.0

Basically, Rigol spec'd out a 100MHz scope and then crippled it in software to have a cheaper 50MHz model to sell without having two separate hardware lines.

> Basically, Rigol spec'd out a 100MHz scope and then crippled it in software to have a cheaper 50MHz model to sell without having two separate hardware lines.

Agilent is about to do the same thing. Based on some leaked sales collateral they are pitching software upgradeability of bandwidth as a selling point for their upcoming line of entry-level oscilloscopes.

(Hmm, Agilent is currently rebranding the Rigol scope in question as their entry level. I wonder if Rigol will be building the new line for them?)

I've read in several places that Rigol has been making Agilent's low-end equipment for quite a while now actually.