changing the rigol DS1052E to DS1102E using USB , the dummy guide

[laserpon3]

About to buy a DS1052E from hongkong for ~351$ incl shipping.
Is it still worth buying and will the hack still work with one new bought?

[hammy]

Is it still worth buying and will the hack still work with one new bought?

Yes and yes. 

[mabl]

Hi guys,

I've just been poking around in the firmware, and discovered the ":INFO:BW(?)" commands. On my Gizmo hacked scope, :INFO:BW? returns 100 - but i can change to 50 as well! (time scale is limited again etc..). Maybe an unhacked scope can be set to BW 100? The changes seem temporary only. Mine are lost on reset.

EDIT: Interestingly valid options are 100, 50, 60, 40, 25, 150 and 70. I can set mine to 150 but i guess it won't do anything.
EDIT2: Probably the setting could be saved with :INFO:SAVEPARA too

[Gizmo]

The 150Mhz setting is valid, but I have never tried it. This is the equivalent of setting the model number to DS1152E or patching the firmware to select this model. Interesting if you can save the settings. There is an unlocking sequence around the code to set the model number now (which I didn't quite manage to figure out, if you look back in the thread), so there may be the same kind of protection around something to save any info as well.

Good stuff though, keep poking. 

Gizmo

[mabl]

Hi Gizmo,

interesting. I've just looked around the strings. But I guess it would be interesting if somebody with an unhacked scope can apply :INFO:BW 100.

I was primarily looking for other useful commands for my new python library. Finally simple access to your Rigol scope. Check it out here:

https://github.com/mabl/pyInstruments

It is still work in progress but already usefull I think. You can read out all settings and reapply them afterwards to get the exact same setup again. 

[crnazvijezda]

Hi all,

I'm yet another owner (waiting shipping for my 1052E and new member of EEVblog.

I just want to say many thanks to all of you for such great job about this topic and
keeps him alive and up to date!!!

Special Thanks to owner of this blog!

Best Regards,
Tomy 9A5TOM

[jerome]

My scope has a serial number starting with DS1ET, not DS1ED -- is this still moddable??

Other details:

software 4.00.00.01
DSP 00.01
FPGA 03.07
HardVersion: 58

Thanks!

I see this has been solved later on, but for these who come across this with the same question.

Yes.
Doing this with a unit who's serial number starts DS1ET.. is not a problem.
1. I downgraded to 2.02
2. Changed model and serial number to same as Dave's. (Unit is now 100mhz version).
3. Upgraded back to version 4.00
4. Changed serial number back to the one on the back of the unit.
5. All good.

Hope it helps.

Jerome

[Gizmo]

I see this has been solved later on, but for these who come across this with the same question.

Yes.
Doing this with a unit who's serial number starts DS1ET.. is not a problem.
1. I downgraded to 2.02
2. Changed model and serial number to same as Dave's. (Unit is now 100mhz version).
3. Upgraded back to version 4.00
4. Changed serial number back to the one on the back of the unit.
5. All good.

Hope it helps.

Jerome

Do NOT do this unless you are prepared for a load of hassle and potential pain. Please see further up this page for information of how to use the custom firmware. Downgrading and upgrading is fraught with problems, which is why I developed the custom firmware solution.

Repeat, do NOT downgrade and upgrade any more, simply use the custom firmware.

Thanks.   

Gizmo

[clivew]

Worked perfectly for me, thankyou so much

(DS1ET, HardVersion 58, Ver 00.04.01.00.02)

Truly brilliant Gizmo

Clive
 

[crnazvijezda]

Hi all,

Today I received my 1052E.
I'm rookie in DSOs and I'm trying to made this mod.
For start I need to see rise/fail time as on Dave's video.

Please, can anybody explain how can I get those baseline fail raise time on display?
I can't see all what is going on on Dave's video and all settings of 1052E.

So, my question is how to check before and after mod that mod is succesfull?

Thanks!
Tomy

[crnazvijezda]

Sory, I wrote fail intead fall in previous message

[andtfoot]

Hi all,

Today I received my 1052E.
I'm rookie in DSOs and I'm trying to made this mod.
For start I need to see rise/fail time as on Dave's video.

Please, can anybody explain how can I get those baseline fail raise time on display?
I can't see all what is going on on Dave's video and all settings of 1052E.

So, my question is how to check before and after mod that mod is succesfull?

Thanks!
Tomy

The easy way to check is to set the time base to the smallest possible. Just keep turning the Horizontal scale clockwise.
 If you can only get it to 5ns/div, then it's still stuck on 50MHz.
 If you can get it to 2ns/div, then you have 100MHz.

[crnazvijezda]

Yes, it is stuck on 5nS.
I tried to get smallest rise fall time but always I get =***** or some strange numbers as 1.xxx nS or 2.xxx nS

Thanks! Now I have starting point and can start with upgrade.

[andtfoot]

Yes, it is stuck on 5nS.
I tried to get smallest rise fall time but always I get =***** or some strange numbers as 1.xxx nS or 2.xxx nS

Thanks! Now I have starting point and can start with upgrade.

No worries. If you actually want to test with a real signal, then it seems the Jim Williams pulse generator is probably the go (I haven't tried it myself).

[crnazvijezda]

Thanks all!

I made modification with success!
There is only one thing with this mod that ID DS1052E and serial didn't change.

@Gizmo Thank you very much for mod firmware!
@andtfoot Thank you very much for information!

All the best!
Tomy

[Br0ski]

Hey guys I have been trolling your conversation now for about 3 months trying to get a solution for a cheap o-scope solution to do some measurements and calculations. The DS1052E was a great option and the hack made it even better. Great job to all those that got involved and gave great detail into how to do the hack but I wanted to put out there that in the end I did a quick calculation of my own and went with the DS1102E and here's why: FYI Rigol 1102E http://www.saelig.com   = $399, free shipping, awesome case, $5 gift card for Dunkin' Donuts, 3yr warranty. It was about $60 more than the DS1052E. My feeling is if you don't already own one or could get one for dirt cheap off ebay it is not worth the bother. I just thought I would chime in to pass along any savings to anyone like me who just stumbled in here.

I do have a question to ask though and I am still looking over the forums anyone upgrade a DS1102E to 150Mhz?

Thx to all you contributors.

The Br0 O0

[Fraser]

Somewhere, way back in this thread there is comment on the 150MHz variant of the Rigol DSO.

IIRC the 150MHz model is only available in China and is marked EDU (educational use ?)
Using the original hack that changed the DSO's serial and model numbers, it ewas possible to 'make' the 50MHz and 100MHz models into 150MHz units. A well known expert on the model offered software upgrades from 50MHz to 100MHz and 150MHz via his on-line shop.

There was discussion on whether 150MHz was actually being achieved though. There was a view that 150MHz was pushing the envelope with the hardware design, and that maybe the bona fide 150MHz unit has a tweaked front end. Some basic tests were carried out by at least one user and there was a claimed improvement in bandwidth beyond 100MHz. Such improvement may be dependant upon luck and the quality of a particular units front end components.

Even though 150MHz is possible, the majority of users, like myself, have stayed at the easily achievable and reliable 100MHz bandwidth capability.  You could have a play though. It is unlikely that you will harm your DSO by doing so, and you can revert back to 100MHz if desired (providing you use firmware that permits reversion !)

[laserpon3]

finally recieved my rigol oscilloscope and it didn't work
Screen turns on and all buttons work and seem to do something, but the screen stays white with some garbled vertical lines reaching halfway on the screen.

No cracks or bumps. Still a bummer
Have to send it back to the seller in hong kong now on ebay.

[crnazvijezda]

Hi Gizmo,

I succesfully made mod with your software DS1000EUpdate.00.04.01.00.02 from new RIGOL with same version. 

Do you maybe have original version of software - without mod?

I would like to have it in case that I need to put back original version.

Thank you!
Tomy

[Zepnat]

Probably no help but I had a similar problem with a jumbled screen but only occasionally. I eventually realised it was because I was in the field running it off a 12v - 240v inverter. Now I try and use mains power all the time, no more messed up screen. I thought I'd wrecked the scope but thank goodness it was just a dirty voltage supply.

[andtfoot]

Hi Gizmo,

I succesfully made mod with your software DS1000EUpdate.00.04.01.00.02 from new RIGOL with same version. 

Do you maybe have original version of software - without mod?

I would like to have it in case that I need to put back original version.

Thank you!
Tomy

A few posts earlier than Gizmo's download, 0201m posted a link to the factory firmware.
I can't check if it's still ok because I'm at work, but I've quoted the post with the link below:

@Gizmo: Here is update 00.04.01.00.02, which is the last update released for the DS1000 series. There are two files for the D and E model
Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/g7nedge6qanh3ie/FirmwareupdateDS1052e.zip

MD5 Checksums:
DS1000DUpdate.RGL: 50D392F483EC340D402D5183884B6C26
DS1000EUpdate.RGL: 554266B48F86E0BF3DA3E6AA832C6609

Greetz,
Marco

[crnazvijezda]

Hi andtfoot,

I saw this link before but always getting message

"This file is currently set to private.
When a file is set to private by its owner only the owner of the file can access it. If you are the owner of the file please log into your account to access this file.
Still have questions, or think we've made a mistake? Please contact support for further assistance."

and I can't download it.

Any suggestion?

Thanks!
Tomy

[RobbieC]

Thanks Gizmo, that worked great on my brand new (HW 58, 4.01.00.02)!

Here's what I (roughly) measured for its' -3dB bandwidth before and after:

Rigol (non hacked)

    -1.76dB @ 50MHz
    -3.00dB @ 74MHz
    -4.93dB @ 100MHz

Rigol (hacked)

    -1.08dB @ 50Mhz
    -1.58dB @ 74MHz
    -2.31dB @ 100MHz
    -3.00dB @ 121MHz

Not too shabby!
Thanks again!

[u271D]

A few posts earlier than Gizmo's download, 0201m posted a link to the factory firmware.
I can't check if it's still ok because I'm at work, but I've quoted the post with the link below:

@Gizmo: Here is update 00.04.01.00.02, which is the last update released for the DS1000 series. There are two files for the D and E model
Link:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/g7nedge6qanh3ie/FirmwareupdateDS1052e.zip

MD5 Checksums:
DS1000DUpdate.RGL: 50D392F483EC340D402D5183884B6C26
DS1000EUpdate.RGL: 554266B48F86E0BF3DA3E6AA832C6609

Greetz,
Marco

[/quote]

The file won't open in windows 8 or with 7-Zip

[Sigmoid]

Hey Gizmo, everyone...

Could you help me out here, I'm THOROUGHLY confused. I really hope that there are people around who...

• know the Rigol thoroughly
• know what's the difference between each major firmware version
• have several Rigols lying around, and have done some testing on them
• compared the original, downgrade-change-upgrade hack with the new, firmware-based one.

Because, unfortunately, reading through pages and pages of this forum has only proven to be a sea of misinformation, misunderstandings, and mostly error reports by people not equipped to validate or check them, usually without any follow-up by those in the know. :/

So... I'm asking for some assistance. I'm considering hacking my v2.05SP2 scope, but first, I'd like to find out the truth about the rumors and urban legends flying around on this board...

• Reading the forum I've got the impression that firmwares after 2.04 have only gotten worse and worse, and v4 is a bugfest with broken trigger (major delays) and flickering screen and settings that don't save changes, and should never be used. This is a bit of an issue, given that your hacked firmwares are all v4.
• No really, what did v4 improve? Or did it just break stuff?
• ...or does the hack itself cause the screen flicker or the trigger delay?
• What about self-calibrarion? Was that problem caused by old firmware on new hardware, or will the hack inherently break it? In which case, I'd rather call the scope unhackable, and keep using it as a 50MHz... Recalibrating after a major change in environment is pretty much mandatory I think... If it's the former, which hardware/firmware version combinations are safe?
• What about auto-scaling to 2ns? Did we find out in the end if the model number hack enables it, or is it missing from both hacks? In either case, is it possible that future hacked firmwares will include it?

Also, I'm super curious how the hacked firmware was born. I'm guessing you disassembled the firmware, commented and analyzed it, and killed a conditional statement somewhere that "dumbs down" the scope based on model number?

Thanks a lot in advance... I think it would help many people if someone did an up-to-date FAQ or comprehensive explanation of the Rigol's hackability...

Here we go, latest firmware update (00.04.01.00.02) with 100Mhz mod.

CRC32: 4EF27EF4
MD5: b3be022a8890c7448ed68a189c1071b1

https://anonfiles.com/file/be1d042d3757bd9073335a09554ccea3

And kindly also hosted more permanently here:

http://jahansen.com/rigol/DS1000EUpdate.00.04.01.00.02.zip

Instructions as before --

Copy the DS1000EUpdate.RGL file from the zip onto a memory stick, put it in the scope, and select OK when it asks if you want to update the firmware. It's that simple.

For your peace of mind, check the file's MD5 against the above number when it's on your memory stick to ensure it's correct before flashing and always do "eject" on the drive if using windows before pulling out the stick. The scope doesn't bother with any data integrity checking, which is a bit of a shame, so if the file is corrupted at all, you will most likely brick the scope.

Gizmo