Hacking the Rigol MSO5000 series oscilloscopes

[TheSteve]

when it says login as:   use root
when it asks for password:  use root

when it says "login as" use: root
when it asks for "password" use: root

Dunno why, seeing this thread title with the word "hacking" and reading these replies, made me chuckle. 

Yes, for now it should be titled "Logging into the MSO5000", no real hacking going on, yet...

[Fungus]

I’m not sure it’s worth saving 90 euros to find out the hard way. Buy the 4 channel model and you get 2 extra 350MHz probes and a warranty that covers all 4 channels.

I'm sure that's what Rigol was thinking when they planned this - get an extra 100 bucks out of everybody (I'm sure their probes don't cost even 10 bucks to manufacture).

[Commodore8888]

Confirmed on a MSO7k. Removed with no apparent I'll effects. Being slightly more legal and taking the "free decodes package" thing Rigol is doing right now since it's not mine, and I'd rather not get wrapped up in a debacle of enterprise machines with "grey zone" licenses. Good to know this DOES work though, even if it's hilariously easy and involved no true hacking. I would think that's what Rigol is banking on. Enterprise won't do it (much), but hobbyists will make a run on every tech store they can for ones to hack up.

Sadly, the MSO5074 I ordered from TEquip wasn't quite as in stock as I may have been lead to believe (or one of you buggers gigged me in the few hours between the quote and hitting buy  ). Ah well, working for uncle sam has taught me extreme patience

I am a little concerned about all this "MSO5k is dim" stuff though. The DS7k screen I can say is rather nice, enough so my boss, who has a rather 'spense MDO4k, has made jokes of swapping them when I'm not looking. Here's hoping Rigol didn't go mega cheap on the panel. A crappy display would color the entire experience.

[TK]

I am a little concerned about all this "MSO5k is dim" stuff though.

It looks like everybody wants a more challenging hack... Make the LCD LED backlight adjustable, it might be an interesting hack project

[Dwaine]

I had the same thought about the LCD screen.  It's great that their scope can be hacked.  Too bad you can't see the wiggly lines.  Question is....  How did that get out of the door like that?   Someone at Rigol must of said to themselves "Geezzz that display is kinda dark is it not?"

[Fungus]

I had the same thought about the LCD screen.  It's great that their scope can be hacked.  Too bad you can't see the wiggly lines.  Question is....  How did that get out of the door like that?   Someone at Rigol must of said to themselves "Geezzz that display is kinda dark is it not?"

Think how noisy the fans are, someone at Rigol must of said to themselves "Geezzz that fan is kinda noisy is it not?"

But yeah, should be easy to mod. Maybe just change a resistor.

[TopLoser]

How many people who are complaining about the screen being dim have actually seen one?

The one I’ve got seems just fine, I wouldn’t have made any comment about it at all. Some of the buttons are a bit too small and ‘squishy’ for my liking but the screen is fine.

[Martin72]

Hi,

The Display is not too dark :

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/new-rigol-scope/440/
(post #440)

Increase a little bit the grid intensity and it looks alright.
Not the brightest thing but alright, otherwise you can plug in a ext. display via the hdmi port.
Or a beamer...

[Fungus]

Hi,

The Display is not too dark :

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/new-rigol-scope/440/
(post #440)

ie. This one: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/new-rigol-scope/msg2047141/#msg2047141

[Commodore8888]

Hmm, doesn't seem too bad!

Sort of hard to tell with all the different exposures But next to a Lecroy gives some reference.

So long as it's usable outside (maaaybe not direct sunlight though). If it's anything like a less glossy DS7k, it'll be fine.

Then we'll get to see side by side at the lab how they compare....soon....ish....

[tautech]

Hmm, doesn't seem too bad!

Sort of hard to tell with all the different exposures But next to a Lecroy gives some reference.

LeCroy WS3000 = Siglent SDS3000.......now quite old model, both versions updated to X versions with faster WFMS and greater mem depth.

[mrpackethead]

eevblog is famous. Again. 

https://hackaday.com/2018/12/19/rigol-mso5000-hacked-features-unlocked/

In other news, most distributors of Rigol are out of stock of the MSO5074.   :-) what a suprise.

[Martin72]

Yep,

Only the 200 and 350Mhz models are on stock, i.e. by batronix.
With all options "for free" you can save a little bit more and buy the 5072 instead the 5074.
I think rigol won´t care about this, schools and other public institutions won´t buy the cheapest and hack it.
If they need 200Mhz they´ll buy it.

[Fungus]

With all options "for free" you can save a little bit more and buy the 5072 instead the 5074.

...if you've got some spare 350Mhz probes for the other two channels.

[JDubU]

...if you've got some spare 350Mhz probes for the other two channels.

The difference in cost between the 5074 and the 5072 is about the same as the cost of the two extra Rigol PVP2350 probes ($90 vs $94 USD).

[Harjit]

The Siglent SDS1104X-E seems sufficient for my needs. Any reason to buy the Rigol MSO5074 and then unlock features?

[Fungus]

The Siglent SDS1104X-E seems sufficient for my needs. Any reason to buy the Rigol MSO5074 and then unlock features?

More bandwidth? More memory? Built-in signal generator?

[Romain]

With all options "for free" you can save a little bit more and buy the 5072 instead the 5074.

Is that guaranteed?
Here in the UK the 5074 is about 130 USD more expensive than the 5072. Would love to have confirmation that the "upgrade" works for 2ch to 4ch! 

[TopLoser]

Only the 200 and 350Mhz models are on stock, i.e. by batronix.

With all options "for free" you can save a little bit more and buy the 5072 instead the 5074.

Telonic in the UK have plenty of the 5074 in stock.

Has anybody confirmed that you can enable the extra 2 channels of a 5072 with the 'feature'? If not then you have to spend a lot more than 90 euro at a later date to enable them if you want them.

[TopLoser]

Ok... time to get the thread back on the topic of hacking...

Couple of xrays of the MSO pod. It's not just a fancy bit of wire, it is active and has IC's in it at the probe end. Doesn't look like it's 'intelligent' active like the R&S one which had a PIC in it if I remember correctly.

Anybody fancy guessing what these 8 (identical I assume) IC's might be? Or do I have to get all medieval on it, no screws or clips unfortunately...

[mikeselectricstuff]

They'll be dual differential output (LVDS or ECL) comparators. Shouldn't be too hard to find

[TopLoser]

They'll be dual differential output (LVDS or ECL) comparators. Shouldn't be too hard to find

ADCMP567 a possibility? 2 channel, right number of pins.

[Martin72]

Is that guaranteed?

It was just my thoughts because of "all options free" - If the bandwith is up to 350Mhz, the Memory up to 200M.....why shouldn´t be the 2 channels unlocked as well.

[mikeselectricstuff]

They'll be dual differential output (LVDS or ECL) comparators. Shouldn't be too hard to find

ADCMP567 a possibility? 2 channel, right number of pins.

LMH7322 matches the package - hard to see if the pinouts are right from the x-ray
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lmh7322.pdf

[mikeselectricstuff]

They'll be dual differential output (LVDS or ECL) comparators. Shouldn't be too hard to find

ADCMP567 a possibility? 2 channel, right number of pins.

ADCMP567 has 32 pins , x-ray shows 24