Siglent SDG1010 function generator teardown

[Uwe Hermann]

Hi everyone,

got a neat little Siglent SDG1010  function generator recently. Looks like pretty good value for money to me (this is my first function generator though, so take that with a grain of salt). It's a 10MHz function generator with PC connectivity (USB), two independent outputs, >= 40 predefined waveforms, and you can create your own waveforms via the PC software. Cost me around 220.- Euros, including shipping and VAT (and no customs crap, as I bought from a local vendor here in Germany).

Obviously, I'll want to add support for this device in sigrok, of course, so I played a bit with the PC software and did a little bit of USB sniffing. Note that there's an SDG1000 programming manual (also comes as PDF on the CD-ROM) which documents all of the SCPI(-like) commands. There are two USB modes you can use this device in:

• "USBTMC": lsusb is f4ed:ee3a. I successfully sent a few commands in this mode using /dev/usbtmc0 on Linux, so this seems to work just fine.
• "Raw USB" (this is what the vendor PC software uses): lsusb is f4ed:ee37. Judging from the USB logs this USB protocol also seems to use the SCPI commands internally, I could see "*IDN" and such strings in plain ASCII in the USB logs. So this should be no big deal to use either.

Anyway, you're probably more interested in the teardown I assume, so here it is (>= 100 photos):

    http://sigrok.org/wiki/Siglent_SDG1010

I'm not going to re-upload all of the photos here, but I'll add a small selection of the more interesting ones. I tried to get all the details of everything in there, including not only the digital and analog circuitry, but also the power-supply and display/frontpanel stuff etc. etc.

Here's a quick overview of the "digital" stuff:

• XILINX SPARTAN-6 XC6SLX9
• ISP13628D
• Lattice MachXO LCMXO640C
• Analog Devices ADSP-BF531
• Hynix H57V1262GTR
• Spansion S29GL064N90TFIO4
• ...

The "analog" parts:

• 14 bit, 165Msps digital to analog converter: 2x Burr-Brown DAC904E (now Texas Instruments)
• 16 bit, high speed, low noise, voltage output, digital to analog converter: Texas Instruments DAC8580
• ...

There are various JTAG headers on the board (for CPLD, FPGA, DSP) and one UART header. I hooked up a logic analyzer to the UART header (it's connected to the ADSP-BF531 chip's hardware UART), but no output there by default apparently. Maybe there's simply no debug output, maybe it's only there if you send some character first, dunno.

Might look a bit further (e.g. check what's on the flash chip) as I'm a bit curious as to what OS/firmware it's running, maybe Linux (probably not), or some RTOS, or fully custom firmware, etc.

I'm also curious as to how similar the other models in the series are hardware-wise. I.e., is the difference only in the firmware, or is the hardware different too for the SDG1005, SDG1020, SDG1025, SDG1050? If anyone could post teardowns of the other devices, that would be great!

Cheers, Uwe.

[aghp]

Here something.


-aghp

[nctnico]

Where did you buy it? Or better put: please post a link to the store's website!

[Uwe Hermann]

Where did you buy it? Or better put: please post a link to the store's website!

Mine was from here:

http://www.futu-tech.de/shop/sdg1010/

[nctnico]

Danke schön Pity they don't have the cheaper SDG1005.

[aghp]

Where did you buy it? Or better put: please post a link to the store's website!

Mine was from here:

http://www.futu-tech.de/shop/sdg1010/

It is very desirable that Uyigao EU Service  Center ("Futu tech Gmbh") also take care about customer service before the sale, and especially after the sale.  Example care that equipments they sell least have latest FW.

[saltech]

It is very desirable that Uyigao EU Service  Center ("Futu tech Gmbh") also take care about customer service before the sale, and especially after the sale.  Example care that equipments they sell least have latest FW.

This is not true! I have just bought my SDG1025 from Futu-tech and it came with software revision .15
I send them an email for the latest firmware and I got no answer! So for me, they don't care about customer service after the sale!

[T4P]

what aghp means is that they should take care of after sale cust. svc!

[aghp]

It is very desirable that Uyigao EU Service  Center ("Futu tech Gmbh") also take care about customer service before the sale, and especially after the sale.  Example care that equipments they sell least have latest FW.

This is not true! I have just bought my SDG1025 from Futu-tech and it came with software revision .15
I send them an email for the latest firmware and I got no answer! So for me, they don't care about customer service after the sale!

My msg was that I hope they also do before and afters sales customer care work.
Also very strange they sell software version .15
Today version is .23   and .15 is very old.
(of course with this kind of prices they can not do anything, just collect orders and send cartons.)

In Siglent case it is also more easy. Version label is outside of factory original carton.

Also if seller test units before sell, version .15 display is very bad. If seller see this display and he understand anything about TFT he know that something is now badly wrong. 
But there is least two kind of sales. Just Forwarding Service type (buy "nice cartons" and resend these to buyers  and then some kind of professional sales where also seller know something about what he sell.

First time I see this 0.15 version I take pictures and send to factory and tell factory that now something is very badly wrong - I can not sell this kind of things to any customers at all. (I was designing return all these back to factory)  Very fast factory answer me after they see pictures that now there is mistake. Some models have accidentally come with old FW. 

But more chinese sellers  invasion to europe and we maybe see more and more "easy business".
(soon only chinese do business here  - yes you have been warned)

Customers can select what they want. Some want more than some other.

In many business area we can slowly learn what this "lowest price win"  really means.

Of course example if I test 2 hours some equipment after first 48 hours burn in and so on..  no one can "see" any value added to equipment and price is more than cheapest. 
Work is work and if all is ok and normal everyone want some salary about loosed hours. Even if it is partially hobby.

Some people want take risk and they may save some money but they carry they own risk alone.

[saltech]

I am sorry for misunderstanding.
Yes, I agree that in .15 version the tft looks terrible.

[kingjay1]

I am sorry for misunderstanding.
Yes, I agree that in .15 version the tft looks terrible.

it's really  terrible? I don't think so,it's colorful not monotonic.
BTW, somebody test the programming manual 1.19 "get arbitrary wave data command"? How to use it?

[aghp]

I am sorry for misunderstanding.
Yes, I agree that in .15 version the tft looks terrible.

it's really  terrible? I don't think so,it's colorful not monotonic.

What I have seen .15  there is something wrong with TFT contrast.   .20 have about same colors but far better contrast.  .23 have less/different colors.

Here only one example from images. This image is so that vertical angle os zero. (I have lot of images about contrast using different horizontal and vertical angles.

This attached image: Left unit have software version .15 and right have version .20


(more new version .23 have some different colors, less colors but what more important better visibility in some screens and situations.)  Example  pink or something like this over grey bacround. All useability engineers who know eye/visibility ergonomy know that it is one terrible... same for light yellow on the grey. Etc.  Visual ergonomy is one important part of design. (or least it need be)
Some aeroplane cockpit designers and car manufacturers example know it... also example Hewlett-Packard know it before it was destroyed.

[Dread]

Nice Picture AGHP.

I was just wondering where did you get the firmware from?  I have looked on Siglent website, LeCroy and Aktakom and have found no update for my 1010.   I am pretty sure its' running the older .15 software and I would love to upgrade.

Thanks for any help.

Robert

[Bored@Work]

I was just wondering where did you get the firmware from?

He has a business relation with the manufacturer

[Dread]

Thanks but does Anyone know how to get the upgrade?

[aghp]

Thanks but does Anyone know how to get the upgrade?

I have sent Personal Messages (PM) to you yesterday. You have not get it?

[Dread]

Sorry about that I had not checked my PM box.  I saw the replies and responded.

Thanks you for any help.

Robert