little Chinese DDS function/signal generator 4 pin header?

[Rick Law]

Stay tune.  I will keep you posted.

Rick

Here's the 13xx software.
https://app.box.com/s/nq85r6h05pcb2j3nok43

Mine appeared to download and I just finished trial-one just now - some results, but mission failed.

The RAR file unpacks into a exe......
Trouble is, I can't start NI-VISA (via EXE) or find anything to RUN...  Nothing to double click to start and no EXE.

The software requires Win XP SP3 and server2003, those are the ones I checked, not sure about others.  I have only one machine that runs SP3 and it is busy.
.....

I just got an e-mail from the eBay seller with links to the documentation and a slightly different software package.
....
You can get them here.
https://app.box.com/s/jui8rrz414c824jp4b6s
https://app.box.com/s/ki32w2d89mmm19of253o

Dentaku,

Good Stuff!  No COM yet, but both 1300 and 1100 software (from your links) loaded and appears to run OK and they are indeed EN (English).

Save you some time here, you will need to hunt - it is 3 things that needs to be loaded, it is not obvious.

The 110x version loads direct (but need hunting for the NI-runtime, keep reading).  The 130x version loads NI-runtime and needs some hunting for 1300's exe intall.

Since both have the same structure, I am going to say 1x00 instead of 1100 and/or 1300.  Both 1x00 has a DOC folder where you have the 1x00 install exe, RS232 driver exe, and NI-run time install exe.  So better off going there, load both directly.  Both being (1) NI-runtime and (2) the 1x00.

The NI runtime needs SP3 for XP, 1x00 software doesn't care and will load on even SP1.  After loading both, I skipped the RS232 driver since it is for the Prolific TTL to RS232 USB and I use FTDI chipset for TTL to RS232.

After seeing the 1100 appears to run properly, I had to eliminate the 1100 version to load 1300 since that is the one I got (1300 has 2 channels otherwise same as 1100).  They both appears to work w/o COM) on a VM (using virtual machine to test loading), I will be switching to a real machine to use the USB.  On the virtual machine, the USB port works too slow to do anything.

So, making progress.  Next step is the load up my other laptop with XP-SP3, load the stuff as I did in my VM, plus FTDI RS323 driver... 

Stay tune, will keep you posted.

Rick

[Rick Law]

Dentaku,

Good Stuff!  No COM yet, but both 1300 and 1100 software (from your links) loaded and appears to run OK and they are indeed EN (English).
... ... ... ...
Stay tune, will keep you posted.

Rick

Laptop loaded and COM is working.  It is talking to to the UDB now.

Ok, good news first.  both the 1300 and 1100 software works (XP-SP3) and can co-exist.  But 1300 does everything 1100 version do, and added channel switching since 1300 has two channels.  It can control all the UDB's control function.

Bad news now, the software is rather disappointing.  The software can control the the UBD, but it does not know what UDB is doing.  It cannot read even rather basic info from the UDB so the display can be out of sync with what the UDB is doing rather quickly - if you use the buttons on the UDB, or recall settings from memory.

For external counter: It can get external frequency counter's count and frequency.  So that display info is fine but just 1 sample per second.  In fact, the RS232 interface reports in Hz and may give you an extra digit or two that the UDB doesn't display.
For wave generator: It can get current frequency and duty cycle.  It cannot get phase or wave type.  It does not attempt to sync any info - not even those it can get.

So, for example, if you do any change with the buttons on the UDB itself, the software doesn't know it.  If you load wave-setup from memory M0 to M9, the software knows the frequency and duty, but doesn't even use it all the time.  So the PC setting may say you are on SINE wave but in fact you are not.  The PC may say (after loading wave in M1 for example) you are still creating a 10Hz wave (as before the loading) but it is not.

I have tried mapping out their commands.  I think I have decoded all of them but have not found a way to get Phase/WaveType information.  (WaveType being Sine, Triangle, or Square).

The software does make certain operation easier since I can make specific changes to the wave (or save) directly without up/down/left/right 50 times to get to the right menu.  The software is clunky/slow/not easy to use.  With frequency counter on, when it get external count or frequency every second, it is every clunkier.

The software is so bad I found it actually easier for me to just use a terminal emulator and type in the commands diretcly.  The software doesn't try to get the other info (phase, waveType) so I am assuming the UDB doesn't have.   I am trying to guess a few more times to see if those commands are hiding (added post PC software release, I am hoping).  I will share the commands once I get my notes in better shape.

The best thing about the software is, it allowed me to map the commands.  However, if I am to write a "blind" program to control it, I know what I instructed the UDB to do, I just don't know if it is actually doing it.  (Per testing, It has a habit of dropping commands when it is busy doing things such as sweeping.  I cannot count on all commands being executed properly.)

Rick

By the way, I am using FDDI instead of Prolific for RS232.  Looking at how the software works, it is plain RS232.  So, you can get any TTL to RS232 and it should work, even if you use direct and real RS232 port (DB9) instead of USB, it should work nicely.

[dentaku]

Dentaku,

Good Stuff!  No COM yet, but both 1300 and 1100 software (from your links) loaded and appears to run OK and they are indeed EN (English).
... ... ... ...
Stay tune, will keep you posted.

Rick

Laptop loaded and COM is working.  It is talking to to the UDB now.

Ok, good news first.  both the 1300 and 1100 software works (XP-SP3) and can co-exist.  But 1300 does everything 1100 version do, and added channel switching since 1300 has two channels.  It can control all the UDB's control function.

Bad news now, the software is rather disappointing.  The software can control the the UBD, but it does not know what UDB is doing.  It cannot read even rather basic info from the UDB so the display can be out of sync with what the UDB is doing rather quickly - if you use the buttons on the UDB, or recall settings from memory.

For external counter: It can get external frequency counter's count and frequency.  So that display info is fine but just 1 sample per second.  In fact, the RS232 interface reports in Hz and may give you an extra digit or two that the UDB doesn't display.
For wave generator: It can get current frequency and duty cycle.  It cannot get phase or wave type.  It does not attempt to sync any info - not even those it can get.

So, for example, if you do any change with the buttons on the UDB itself, the software doesn't know it.  If you load wave-setup from memory M0 to M9, the software knows the frequency and duty, but doesn't even use it all the time.  So the PC setting may say you are on SINE wave but in fact you are not.  The PC may say (after loading wave in M1 for example) you are still creating a 10Hz wave (as before the loading) but it is not.

I have tried mapping out their commands.  I think I have decoded all of them but have not found a way to get Phase/WaveType information.  (WaveType being Sine, Triangle, or Square).

The software does make certain operation easier since I can make specific changes to the wave (or save) directly without up/down/left/right 50 times to get to the right menu.  The software is clunky/slow/not easy to use.  With frequency counter on, when it get external count or frequency every second, it is every clunkier.

The software is so bad I found it actually easier for me to just use a terminal emulator and type in the commands diretcly.  The software doesn't try to get the other info (phase, waveType) so I am assuming the UDB doesn't have.   I am trying to guess a few more times to see if those commands are hiding (added post PC software release, I am hoping).  I will share the commands once I get my notes in better shape.

The best thing about the software is, it allowed me to map the commands.  However, if I am to write a "blind" program to control it, I know what I instructed the UDB to do, I just don't know if it is actually doing it.  (Per testing, It has a habit of dropping commands when it is busy doing things such as sweeping.  I cannot count on all commands being executed properly.)

Rick

Wow, it's good to know it works and by the screenshot I could tell it was not terribly professional
I figured once I got the software someone would be able to analyse the serial port data.

The problem with the software not updating when you make changes with the hardware buttons reminds me of (but backwards) MIDI controllers that have no way of telling you if a virtual knob was turned in software so the position of the real hardware encoder doesn't match the value in the software anymore.

By the way, I am using FDDI instead of Prolific for RS232.  Looking at how the software works, it is plain RS232.  So, you can get any TTL to RS232 and it should work, even if you use direct and real RS232 port (DB9) instead of USB, it should work nicely.

OK, I've almost never used an RS232 port for anything other than an external modem and maybe a 9pin mouse and I'm very new to anything hardware related but you say "even if you use direct and real RS232 port (DB9) instead of USB, it should work nicely.". 
Doesn't the serial port on most PCs work with rather large voltages compared to this little 5V device?

[dentaku]

Completely unrelated to this software but still on the subject of the UDB1x00, my AMPL pot is quite scratchy at a certain point. It doesn't have any markings on it but buy measuring the resistance between to two outer connectors is seems to be a 102.

Does anyone who owns one of these have an AMPL pot with markings that can confirm this?
I'd like to replace it.

[Rick Law]

... ... ...

By the way, I am using FDDI instead of Prolific for RS232.  Looking at how the software works, it is plain RS232.  So, you can get any TTL to RS232 and it should work, even if you use direct and real RS232 port (DB9) instead of USB, it should work nicely.

OK, I've almost never used an RS232 port for anything other than an external modem and maybe a 9pin mouse and I'm very new to anything hardware related but you say "even if you use direct and real RS232 port (DB9) instead of USB, it should work nicely.". 
Doesn't the serial port on most PCs work with rather large voltages compared to this little 5V device?

re: Doesn't the serial port on most PCs work with rather large voltages compared to this little 5V device?

You cannot directly connect TTL to RS232.  You can however use a TTL-RS232 chip like the MAX232.  The MAX232 shifts voltage from TTL signal to and from RS232 levels.  MAX232 has 4 lines, 2 for each direction.  It is cheap - available from Tayda for merely 42cents US$.

It is very disappointing that the UDB doesn't reply back with wave phase and wave type.  I suppose being able to do control is still useful even while it must be done in the blind - better than nothing.

------------- By the way -------------
These experimentation brought me new understanding of the sweep.  Best to do a reboot before starting a sweep.  If not, it does seem to have problem starting.

Rick

[dentaku]

... ... ...

By the way, I am using FDDI instead of Prolific for RS232.  Looking at how the software works, it is plain RS232.  So, you can get any TTL to RS232 and it should work, even if you use direct and real RS232 port (DB9) instead of USB, it should work nicely.

OK, I've almost never used an RS232 port for anything other than an external modem and maybe a 9pin mouse and I'm very new to anything hardware related but you say "even if you use direct and real RS232 port (DB9) instead of USB, it should work nicely.". 
Doesn't the serial port on most PCs work with rather large voltages compared to this little 5V device?

re: Doesn't the serial port on most PCs work with rather large voltages compared to this little 5V device?

You cannot directly connect TTL to RS232.  You can however use a TTL-RS232 chip like the MAX232.  The MAX232 shifts voltage from TTL signal to and from RS232 levels.  MAX232 has 4 lines, 2 for each direction.  It is cheap - available from Tayda for merely 42cents US$.

It is very disappointing that the UDB doesn't reply back with wave phase and wave type.  I suppose being able to do control is still useful even while it must be done in the blind - better than nothing.

------------- By the way -------------
These experimentation brought me new understanding of the sweep.  Best to do a reboot before starting a sweep.  If not, it does seem to have problem starting.

Rick

For me, sweep just starts at whatever frequency it was the last time you stopped the sweep, unless you restart the device. That's the only strange thing I see about it.

[orion411]

Laptop loaded and COM is working.  It is talking to to the UDB now.

I have tried mapping out their commands.  I think I have decoded all of them but have not found a way to get Phase/WaveType information.  (WaveType being Sine, Triangle, or Square).

The software is so bad I found it actually easier for me to just use a terminal emulator and type in the commands directly.  The software doesn't try to get the other info (phase, waveType) so I am assuming the UDB doesn't have.   I am trying to guess a few more times to see if those commands are hiding (added post PC software release, I am hoping).  I will share the commands once I get my notes in better shape.

I'm trying to connect 9600 baud to my UDB-1105S.

Commands I found here aren't working.
https://sigrok.org/wiki/MHINSTEK_UDB1xxxS

I've tried sending command bf5000000, but the frequency doesn't change on the display screen or on my scope. I've had success with another signal generator.

What COM settings did you use?
What commands did you figure out?

[Rick Law]

Laptop loaded and COM is working.  It is talking to to the UDB now.

I have tried mapping out their commands.  I think I have decoded all of them but have not found a way to get Phase/WaveType information.  (WaveType being Sine, Triangle, or Square).

The software is so bad I found it actually easier for me to just use a terminal emulator and type in the commands directly.  The software doesn't try to get the other info (phase, waveType) so I am assuming the UDB doesn't have.   I am trying to guess a few more times to see if those commands are hiding (added post PC software release, I am hoping).  I will share the commands once I get my notes in better shape.

I'm trying to connect 9600 baud to my UDB-1105S.

Commands I found here aren't working.
https://sigrok.org/wiki/MHINSTEK_UDB1xxxS

I've tried sending command bf5000000, but the frequency doesn't change on the display screen or on my scope. I've had success with another signal generator.

What COM settings did you use?
What commands did you figure out?

(RL: I changed color on some words)

Orion411,

Re: comm speed

19200,n,8,1 works well for me but my UDB is a UDB1308S.  Your have a different model so what works for me may not work for you.


Two additional things in my own notes:

(1) In my notes, I noted "some other docs I have seen has 57600 being the default comm speed, probably firmware/version dependent"  So if 19200 is not friendly to you, see if 57600 applies to your model.

(2) Easiest to use the 'a' command first: that is lower case a followed by CR.  It should respond with model number.  That is the easiest way to ensure that communication working.

Re: what other command did I figured out

I tried all three, a,b, and c.  I tried most if not all the sub-commands but unclear in my notes which ones I positively tested.  I can tell you from my recollection that for command 'b', I probably tried wave-type, frequency, duty-cycle, channel switching and sweep time.  Along with the command 'c' register-read commands, they were features of interest to me at the time.  I would not have noted that RS232-interface works unless those worked.


The article you linked to is unclear about the command structure.  This may help you figure out the commands (assuming that the structure also apply to your model as well):

The commands are a,b, or c followed by a single letter command code. So 'a' is unit ID, 'b' is set, and 'c' is read.
  bfxxxxx is 'b' for set and 'f' for frequency (set to xxxxxx).
  cf is 'c' for read and 'f' for frequency.
Not all sub-commands are both set and read.  ce for example reads external-input frequency and of course it would be silly to think the frequency counter itself can/should set the external-input's frequency.

With single letter command, it is not too difficult to try 26 different ones that works for your model.

Hope this helps.  Keep us posted and Good luck
Rick

[orion411]

Re: comm speed

19200,n,8,1 works well for me but my UDB is a UDB1308S.  Your have a different model so what works for me may not work for you.

Two additional things in my own notes:

(1) In my notes, I noted "some other docs I have seen has 57600 being the default comm speed, probably firmware/version dependent"  So if 19200 is not friendly to you, see if 57600 applies to your model.

Thanks for the reply Rick!  I bought a UDB1308S and it works at 57600 baud, but not 19200. My UDB1105 still won't respond at 9600, 19200, or 57600.

Do you have a working link to the software? The Download button on their website doesn't do anything.

Thanks!

[Rick Law]

Re: comm speed

19200,n,8,1 works well for me but my UDB is a UDB1308S.  Your have a different model so what works for me may not work for you.

Two additional things in my own notes:

(1) In my notes, I noted "some other docs I have seen has 57600 being the default comm speed, probably firmware/version dependent"  So if 19200 is not friendly to you, see if 57600 applies to your model.

Thanks for the reply Rick!  I bought a UDB1308S and it works at 57600 baud, but not 19200. My UDB1105 still won't respond at 9600, 19200, or 57600.

Do you have a working link to the software? The Download button on their website doesn't do anything.

Thanks!

re: "won't respond at 9600, 19200, or 57600"
Try 38400!  That looks like the hole right there.

"...working link to the software..."
No, not anymore.

I did try an version XP version, then had to download a bunch of trial-version drivers from 3rd party to make it work.  For this DDS, the whole setup was very bloated to do very little.  It merely allows you to click the mouse instead of pressing the little button on the unit itself and NOTHING ELSE.  I didn't bother to save any of the downloaded stuff or the link.  So, I do not have any working version or links to one that I can share.

[orion411]

re: "won't respond at 9600, 19200, or 57600"
Try 38400!  That looks like the hole right there.

Tried  2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200.
The UDB1105 didn't respond to any commands with any of these baud rates. The USB port inside the case only passes voltage and ground to the control board. I connected to RxTx the same way as my UDB1308S, which works at 57600, but the UDB1105 isn't responding. The Tx pin is sending a constant 50mV in what looks like a sloppy square wave in the megahertz range. It's weakly lighting up my Rx light solid. I don't think this unit actually supports any serial commands?

[Rick Law]

re: "won't respond at 9600, 19200, or 57600"
Try 38400!  That looks like the hole right there.

Tried  2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200.
The UDB1105 didn't respond to any commands with any of these baud rates. The USB port inside the case only passes voltage and ground to the control board. I connected to RxTx the same way as my UDB1308S, which works at 57600, but the UDB1105 isn't responding. The Tx pin is sending a constant 50mV in what looks like a sloppy square wave in the megahertz range. It's weakly lighting up my Rx light solid. I don't think this unit actually supports any serial commands?

I use a digital power buck converter B3603 also design/made by MingHe - it has RXTX pins that as far as I can tell do absolutely nothing.  So, to me, it is not unusual they have RXTX soldered but without support for that feature.

They may be using the same PCB for different models.  Perhaps the UDB1105 doesn't have that feature.   Mine is the 1308s, anyone else with the UDB1105?

[cser]

Hello boys,

Is still anybody here?

I'm thinking of writing (adapting) a new  Bascom program for the AVR.

www.grote.net/bascom/msg17465.html

But does anybody know if there is an AVR in it or something else?

[Rick Law]

Hello boys,

Is still anybody here?

I'm thinking of writing (adapting) a new  Bascom program for the AVR.

www.grote.net/bascom/msg17465.html

But does anybody know if there is an AVR in it or something else?

Not sure about others, but I am here.

There is an MCU in that circuit, but I forgot what it was.  I will check in the next few days if it is an AVR or what kind it is.  Stay tune.

[Rick Law]

Hello boys,

Is still anybody here?

I'm thinking of writing (adapting) a new  Bascom program for the AVR.

www.grote.net/bascom/msg17465.html

But does anybody know if there is an AVR in it or something else?

Not sure about others, but I am here.

There is an MCU in that circuit, but I forgot what it was.  I will check in the next few days if it is an AVR or what kind it is.  Stay tune.

Okay, I checked that out for you.

The MCU is STM8S103 - not an AVR by Amtel
The CLPD doing the hard work is Altera MAX II

My model is the UDB1300 dual channel version, I would guess the MCU should be the same as the single channel version.

[Marian]

Hello,
I own an UDB1008S and an UDB1308S and I couldn't manage to make any of them work over serial. I've tried all bound rates available (bytesize=8, parity=N, stopbits=1) without success (Linux OS)
Does anyone have the software for UDB130XS series? I've tried the links from the threads above, but they're not valid anymore.
If the software will detect the board (on a Windows OS) I could know for sure that the serial communication is working.
Thank you!

[Rick Law]

Hello,
I own an UDB1008S and an UDB1308S and I couldn't manage to make any of them work over serial. I've tried all bound rates available (bytesize=8, parity=N, stopbits=1) without success (Linux OS)
Does anyone have the software for UDB130XS series? I've tried the links from the threads above, but they're not valid anymore.
If the software will detect the board (on a Windows OS) I could know for sure that the serial communication is working.
Thank you!

Marian,

You should have no problem serial connect to the UDB1308S if it is properly connected and both your PC and your UDB are in proper working order.  I don't know about the 1008S since I don't have one.

Take a look at my earlier replies in this thread.  Reply #26 and reply #32 are applicable to your question.  I gave my opinion of the software on reply 26.  It is rather worthless.  Reply 32 has details on how to connect the UDB1308s, the BAUD, the command structure, so on.

After you read reply 32, you can understand the command structure.  (In so far as I can tell) With commands being a single letter A-Z command, you can follow the structure and test all of them to see how they work.

The serial does very little and doesn't offer feedback.  So you do things blind - you issued the command but you don't know if the UDB is in the right mode to do it.  It doesn't tell you - you are in the blind.  Try it out and see if it works adequately well for you.

Rick

[bevangg]

The software works fine. Unless you confuse it by playing with the buttons. Here is a link for anybody who wants to try it:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zyhvv4xymqjq691/ubd1000.zip?dl=0

Has to be run in windows 7 compatibility mode, to be safe run as administrator
Use a FDTI / USB serial adaptor with logic level jumper set at 3.3 volts and baud rate at 57600
If you do not like the chinese software interface you can easily make your own interface using serial commands which can get and set parameters. Run a serial monitor and note the commands when pressing buttons on the chinese software interface eg set wave is bw0 for sine, bw1 for triangle and bw2 for square. cf1 gets the current frequency, bs1 saves current settings to memory 1, bl1 loads settings from memory 1, bd05 sets duty cycle to 5%, cd gets current duty cycle setting etc.
This serial monitor works:
https://freeserialanalyzer.com/