I would like to know if anyone has any experience with:
Kickstart 2.0 (priced) vs. older Kickstart (free): Will this instrument run under Version 1.7.0 and 1.9.8 ?
Sorry, Linux here so I didn't even bother to download Kickstart.
TSP / Test Script Builder - What can be programmed (without buying accessories) and how?
I just got the meter, so I haven't tried TSP scripts but I thought these are just text files with LUA, so I have no idea about any Test Script Builders or buying accessories for that. TSP scripts are definitely on my list of things to try - like using the digitizer to capture the MCU's current consumption and then calculate an intergral over that to estimate the power usage. I was also thinking that, with the 1 MSPS digitizer, having a FFT function would be nice to see dunno, the noise from simple < 100kHz DC-DC switchers. But without the FFT function built-in I guess implementing it purely in LUA will be a waste of time as it would be very slow I guess.
2000-SCAN Card - Would it be possible to DIY anything based on documentation / reverse engineering from the K2000 family.
I have 2001-TCSCAN card and it works with the meter. The nice thing is that one can program DMM functions, with all their settings, per channel so when switching everything is already set.
Regarding the DIY option it is definitely doable, I was planning to do that, the schematics are there, this article from TiN is helpful as well:
https://xdevs.com/review/kei2001tscan/and I guess making the non-TCSCAN version is even cheaper as one does not need expensive AD590MH temperature sensor and machine the copper block. The rest is just a bunch of TQ2E-L2-5V relays, terminal blocks, MIC5841 drivers and some other bits and bobs.
In the end, just after I finished redrawing the schematic in KiCAD and before I started doing the PCB layout I managed to score 2001-TCSCAN cards on eBay for around 120 GBP, so the project is abandoned.
KTTI-RS232, KTTI-GPIB, KTTI-TSP - Does the instrument have a "Talk-Only" mode so that one could sniff the data for use on an external monitor ? (instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a simple RS232-Card)
No idea, it has USB and Ethernet by default, so I'm actually glad that the archaic/arcane interfaces are separate paid options, so it doesn't increase the base price of the meter. If somebody needs to replace 34401A or K2000 in a production system then of course they'll have to buy KTTI-GPIB or similar, but for me personally I don't care - Ethernet FTW.
"Big Digit" (Large Digits) mode: Can the display be customized / composed by "programming"?
I haven't found such option yet. What customisation you have in mind?
Anything else "new and modern" (apart from the UI and Digitizer)? [I agree with the posters above who emphasizes the "gadget"-style of this box. I have a handful of older (stable and agreeing) 6.5 / 7.5 digit voltmeters / dataloggers, so I am not worried about noise- and/or drift qualities from this meter compared to "old-fashioned" HP-type meters ... ]
It was similar for me, I have a bunch of other, older meters, some more stable, some with more digits, but I wanted a modern one with all the bells & whistles.