little Chinese DDS function/signal generator 4 pin header?

[dentaku]

I got one of these very inexpensive DDS function generators from Ebay just for fun.
http://www.mhinstek.com/product/html/?92.html

It's got a 4 pin header on the left edge that isn't documented in the .PDF.
Would this be what the manufacturer uses to program it? VCc_TxD_GND_RxD but no reset, just 4 pins

The Ebay seller has a screenshot of some software controlling it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5MHz-DDS-Function-Signal-Generator-Module-Sine-Triangle-Square-Wave-TTL-Output-/180970817621?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:CA:3160
Have any of you ever used this software? How would you connect to software to this device through COM1 like in the screenshot? with that header?

The AMP pot is scratchy, the interface takes a while to get used to and I don't know why it's so hard to get the SWEEP function to run but for the price it's fun, especially since it has an input that lest you use it as a counter and measure frequencies so that's a bonus.

[nouserid]

That looks like a serial port to me. The user's manual (http://www.mhinstek.com/pdf/UDB100xS%20User%20Manual.pdf) marks it as "communication interface".

[dentaku]

That looks like a serial port to me. The user's manual (http://www.mhinstek.com/pdf/UDB100xS%20User%20Manual.pdf) marks it as "communication interface".

Hey, that .PDF is slightly different than the one I got from the Ebay seller.

[Rick Law]

Dentaku,

I use the two-channel version of this board.  I had a hard time getting that sweep working and I have a theory on why the Sweep function is hard to execute.

For the 2 channel version,(edit: stuck out incorrect statement) sweep only works on Channel B (a fact not documented)(edit:see below).  There were typographic/grammatical errors, wrong description, AND an example that doesn't make sense and doesn't work.    (After I figured it out, it is not bad at all.)

I think your menu is newer and is more correct.  In fact, a note I made as correction is close to the wording in your probably newer menu.  (My menu's original wording is "...start and end frequency must to be set [sic]  correctly, and fM1>fm2..."  I just noted it as "fm1 to fm2" as in your presumably newer menu. 

My theory: Judging from > and < sign swap and location of menu errors, I think they were trying to do some last minute fixes or something such as selectable Up or Down sweep but didn't quite managed - so last minute modification to the document and software prior to roll out.

I assume the RxTx is to the MCU managing the board and LCD.  If we can get our hands on the source, we can do some fun things there...

Rick

EDIT - 8/12/2014 After additional experimentation - Sweep works in both channels with independent settings but only one channel can sweep at a time.  Current frequency for that channel must be between f(M1) and f(M2)  (ie: between start and stop of sweep frequency) and f(M1)<f(M2).  Otherwise it will not start.

[dentaku]

Dentaku,

I use the two-channel version of this board.  I had a hard time getting that sweep working and I have a theory on why the Sweep function is hard to execute.

For the 2 channel version, sweep only works on Channel B (a fact not documented).  There were typographic/grammatical errors, wrong description, AND an example that doesn't make sense and doesn't work.    (After I figured it out, it is not bad at all.)

I think your menu is newer and is more correct.  In fact, a note I made as correction is close to the wording in your probably newer menu.  (My menu's original wording is "...start and end frequency must to be set [sic]  correctly, and fM1>fm2..."  I just noted it as "fm1 to fm2" as in your presumably newer menu. 

My theory: Judging from > and < sign swap and location of menu errors, I think they were trying to do some last minute fixes or something such as selectable Up or Down sweep but didn't quite managed - so last minute modification to the document and software prior to roll out.

I assume the RxTx is to the MCU managing the board and LCD.  If we can get our hands on the source, we can do some fun things there...

Rick

Yup, I read the instructions again after posting and it finally made sense to me.
"the start frequency of sweep function is defined at M1, the end frequency is defined at M2. If the sweep function need to be run, the start and end frequency must to be set correctly, and fM2>fM1." It works quite well now.

As for the header, I know it can be used to control the unit through software because there's a screenshot of it on the Ebay page.

The seller says...
"software will sent when email  sent to me"

I don't have an Ebay account myself and someone else ordered it for me so I can't e-mail the seller about the software.

I wonder what the wire for this header looks like. Is it one of those  USB To RS232 TTL UART things with female 0.1" header connections?

[dentaku]

I just used the VCC and the GND from that four pin header to power a little circuit on a breadboard to see if it would work.
It's just a CD4017BE, DECADE COUNTER DIVIDER (clocked by the TTL output of the function gen) and a


SN75468 Darlington Array blinking 7 LEDs in a sequence that accelerates as the SWEEP ramps up faster.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't use the 5V VCC pin to power little circuits like this?

[Rick Law]

Interesting...

I never saw that screen shot.  Getting RS232 to TTL is not the hard part.  The hard part is to find the command that controls it and how the command is formatted.

I think any typical USB RS232 break-out should work.  May be I will hook up one and see if I can see anything it sends out.  That may give me some clues.

I am going to try to have hook that up and have it talk to a terminal emulator...

Edit:

I just put the Rx/Tx to a scope and remember I looked at that once when I first got it.  I proceeded anyway and got the same thing I recalled.  Both Rx and Tx are flat lines at about 3.5V.

This time, I hook it to an FTDI ttl rs232 to usb, connect up the port (with typical N,8,1 at 1200,2400,9600, and 19200) hoping to see some power up info - none.

With my codes, I have a habit of sending nothing until I receive a command like ~cmd or ? for version info.  So, I set my transmit to ignore CTS and I sending it some key sequence (like ?, @, slash, backslash, dot, , return, help) in the hope that those will kick things on but nothing.

Unless we get our hands on at least some info, (baud and other parameter), it would be impossible (well, let say very very unlikely) to guess how to make it work.

[dentaku]

Interesting...

I never saw that screen shot.  Getting RS232 to TTL is not the hard part.  The hard part is to find the command that controls it and how the command is formatted.

I think any typical USB RS232 break-out should work.  May be I will hook up one and see if I can see anything it sends out.  That may give me some clues.

I am going to try to have hook that up and have it talk to a terminal emulator...

Edit:

I just put the Rx/Tx to a scope and remember I looked at that once when I first got it.  I proceeded anyway and got the same thing I recalled.  Both Rx and Tx are flat lines at about 3.5V.

This time, I hook it to an FTDI ttl rs232 to usb, connect up the port (with typical N,8,1 at 1200,2400,9600, and 19200) hoping to see some power up info - none.

With my codes, I have a habit of sending nothing until I receive a command like ~cmd or ? for version info.  So, I set my transmit to ignore CTS and I sending it some key sequence (like ?, @, slash, backslash, dot, , return, help) in the hope that those will kick things on but nothing.

Unless we get our hands on at least some info, (baud and other parameter), it would be impossible (well, let say very very unlikely) to guess how to make it work.

since I don't have a clue how to do it maybe you could e-mail the seller because like I said, the Ebay page says ""software will sent when email  sent to me".
If you can get this software it will probably give many more clues as to how it works.

[miguelvp]

Can you ask the person that ordered it for you to e-mail to request the code? after all it will show as a customer not some random ebayer.

[onlooker]

Is the software at,

http://www.mhinstek.com/down/html/?82.html
or
http://www.mhinstek.com/down/html/?88.html

not downloadable or not working?

[Rick Law]

Is the software at,

http://www.mhinstek.com/down/html/?82.html
or
http://www.mhinstek.com/down/html/?88.html

not downloadable or not working?

Wow!  How did you find that?  First, thanks!  I have done quite a number of googling when I first got that machine looking for manual and other info, and I didn't find these pages.

Much appreciated.  Downloading now, the speed it is coming, it could be a long while before that 120 mb file finish.

Rick

[dentaku]

I wonder why the download is that slow? 24KB/sec
I'll just let it download overnight anyway.

[onlooker]

The main web site was referenced at the 2nd line of the OP's 1st post. The rest is just to find out what may be downloaded there.

[dentaku]

The main web site was referenced at the 2nd line of the OP's 1st post. The rest is just to find out what may be downloaded there.

The site mostly not being in English makes finding stuff a little difficult I guess

[onlooker]

Yes, "google translate" is your friend, so to speak.

[dentaku]

Yes, "google translate" is your friend, so to speak.

Yup.
http://www.bing.com/translator/ works well too.

[Rick Law]

The main web site was referenced at the 2nd line of the OP's 1st post. The rest is just to find out what may be downloaded there.

The site mostly not being in English makes finding stuff a little difficult I guess

I was going to lay low and ride on that excuse.  Truth is, I was too lazy to explore that site first time around.  The site being so damn slow was part of the reason.

Seeing the screen print of the software, I was in too much of a hurry to try to hook it up to a USB/TTL breakout - then remember I tried that before.

When onlooker pasted the URL, then I notice there is more there than manuals...

[dentaku]

The main web site was referenced at the 2nd line of the OP's 1st post. The rest is just to find out what may be downloaded there.

The site mostly not being in English makes finding stuff a little difficult I guess

I was going to lay low and ride on that excuse.  Truth is, I was too lazy to explore that site first time around.  The site being so damn slow was part of the reason.

Seeing the screen print of the software, I was in too much of a hurry to try to hook it up to a USB/TTL breakout - then remember I tried that before.

When onlooker pasted the URL, then I notice there is more there than manuals...

I tried download the large files but they just stop at 99%.

This page explains more about this port and shows the optional USB to TTL adapter connected to it.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/DDS-signal-source-UDB1000-series-signal-generator-with-60MHz-frequency-counter-module/511115_590602631.html

I just e-mailed the only real email address that was included with the paypal receipt email to see if I can get the software. If this doesn't work I'll get the guy who ordered it for me to send a message to the contact information on the ebay email message which I can't do because I don't have an Ebay account.

[dentaku]

OK, here's the UDB1100 software and documentation in English.
https://app.box.com/s/cszqmbbw52xpdjblzbcb

The filename and documentation all say UDB1100 but it's nearly identical to the UDB1000 series like I have except for the handy USB port that would probably mean that you don't need the USB to TTL adapter.

[Rick Law]

...
[This page explains more about this port and shows the optional USB to TTL adapter connected to it.
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/DDS-signal-source-UDB1000-series-signal-generator-with-60MHz-frequency-counter-module/511115_590602631.html
...

Dentaku,

The cable connection is the easy part.  The pins are properly labeled, so even before I downloaded these Chinese manuals, I arrived at exactly what the menu PDF file shown.

The real trouble is knowing the commands.

If this software works, great, we can use it and if necessary decode the commands so we can roll our own.

OK, here's the UDB1100 software and documentation in English.
https://app.box.com/s/cszqmbbw52xpdjblzbcb

The filename and documentation all say UDB1100 but it's nearly identical to the UDB1000 series like I have except for the handy USB port that would probably mean that you don't need the USB to TTL adapter.

Thanks, I will grab it after posting this.  I will keep trying to download those stuff.  I have the 13xx (dual channel) version, so I will give it a few more tries to get the 13xx one downloaded first so as to reduce complication during test.  Stay tune.  I will keep you posted.

Rick

[dentaku]

The website says UDB-1100?UDB1000 so I'm certain now that I have to correct version of the software for mine.

It comes with a folder containing drivers for the Silicon Labs CP210x USB to UART Bridge Driver, different versions of the Prolific PL-2303 USB/Serial adapter drivers and NI-VISA Run-Time Engine 5.4. That's what makes this download so big.

[dentaku]

Thanks, I will grab it after posting this.  I will keep trying to download those stuff.  I have the 13xx (dual channel) version, so I will give it a few more tries to get the 13xx one downloaded first so as to reduce complication during test.  Stay tune.  I will keep you posted.

Rick

I'm downloading the UDB13xx software right now http://www.mhinstek.com/down/html/?84.html . Maybe I'll have better luck downloading it. The UDB1100/UDB1000 software took three tries at 24KB/s.

[dentaku]

Stay tune.  I will keep you posted.

Rick

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

[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 with support files that acts like a typical install program.:
On the first two screen, it opens with buttons with unreadable names.    The button are in Chinese Big5 character set and not unicode.  Bottom line is, click first button on both screens and you get to load software.  Others are for:
- opening the PDF menu,
- PDF 1 page sales flyer like info sheet
- load the RS232 drivers for PL chipset (PH or PL I forgot, the pupular one)
- a demo of some sort

My FTDI RS232 driver is already loaded, so all I need was the software.  After starting that, it unpacks another installer from "National Instrument"

After installing "National Instrument VISA run time", you have no new EXE.  The NI-VISA appears to be some self contained environment that hosts other real programs - like the CAB and INF files for Microsoft's MSI-Install.

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.

So, I will resume trying after I set up an alternate Sp3 machine for testing.  Don't hold your breath.  It will be week or weeks.

Hope your test gives better results.

[dentaku]

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 with support files that acts like a typical install program.:
On the first two screen, it opens with buttons with unreadable names.    The button are in Chinese Big5 character set and not unicode.  Bottom line is, click first button on both screens and you get to load software.  Others are for:
- opening the PDF menu,
- PDF 1 page sales flyer like info sheet
- load the RS232 drivers for PL chipset (PH or PL I forgot, the pupular one)
- a demo of some sort

My FTDI RS232 driver is already loaded, so all I need was the software.  After starting that, it unpacks another installer from "National Instrument"

After installing "National Instrument VISA run time", you have no new EXE.  The NI-VISA appears to be some self contained environment that hosts other real programs - like the CAB and INF files for Microsoft's MSI-Install.

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.

So, I will resume trying after I set up an alternate Sp3 machine for testing.  Don't hold your breath.  It will be week or weeks.

Hope your test gives better results.

I just got an e-mail from the eBay seller with links to the documentation and a slightly different software package. I guess I'll have to install it on my old test computer even though I don't have the USB TTL adapter.

You can get them here.
https://app.box.com/s/jui8rrz414c824jp4b6s
https://app.box.com/s/ki32w2d89mmm19of253o