Roche lightcycler compared to Eppendorf realplex

[krichar214]

I was wondering if anyone (other than the company marketing groups) have pros and cons for the Roche Lightcycler and/or the Eppendorf realplex thermal cyclers for TR-PCR and QPCR? I would be interest in hearing about the ease of use, programming, set-up, cost, and user-friendliness as well as the technical support groups for these cyclers.

Thanks,
krichar214

[isadore_nabi]

I cannot provide comparative data with the Roche instrument, but I can say that the Eppendorf RealPlex (actually both their 2 and 4-color instruments), is junk. Avoid purchasing one at all cost. The spectral range is extremely restrictive, the software is extremely unstable, and there are major problems with establishing multi-plex assays due to unresolved issues of cross talk. Tech support is the worst I have experienced in 15 years as a PI of a molecular biology research lab.

Originally Posted by krichar214

I was wondering if anyone (other than the company marketing groups) have pros and cons for the Roche Lightcycler and/or the Eppendorf realplex thermal cyclers for TR-PCR and QPCR? I would be interest in hearing about the ease of use, programming, set-up, cost, and user-friendliness as well as the technical support groups for these cyclers.

Thanks,
krichar214

[krichar214]

Thanks for the info. In your experience, what is the best thermal cycler for multiplexing?

Krichar214