OWON HDS 200 Handheld Oscilloscope w/ builtin DMM/AWG

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Well, I bought the HDS2202S... and clearly, I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I should have probably just waited and spent the money on a full-size o-scope.  I now have another DMM with a signal generator built-in.

I tried reading the user manual but that is total garbage.  The PC software is also a joke and does nothing but lock up and crash.

Also, I wasn't able to find any, "Oscilloscopes for dummies" videos that wasn't a sales video by an o-scope manufacturer. I know this is slight off topic but are there any good tutorials on practical usage of oscilloscopes that might help me learn how to use this HDS2202?

- Wil

[Shonky]

Also, I wasn't able to find any, "Oscilloscopes for dummies" videos that wasn't a sales video by an o-scope manufacturer. I know this is slight off topic but are there any good tutorials on practical usage of oscilloscopes that might help me learn how to use this HDS2202?

For real?

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-an-oscilloscope/all

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Oscilloscopes+for+dummies

[orb]

Well, I bought the HDS2202S... and clearly, I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I should have probably just waited and spent the money on a full-size o-scope.  I now have another DMM with a signal generator built-in.

Hi. Don't worry, this scopemeter is easy to use once you know the basics. The HDS series is even easier to use than a regular oscilloscope, because it has fewer features.

[Kridan]

Hey, i've got the same problem over here, did you ever resolve it? I pretty much just got mine and stupidly backfed the arg...

[rhb]

I bought the HDS272S and have been quite pleased with it.  I'd bought the Hantek version which was really poor.

There is not much space on the front panel, so the operation of these things is a bit of a challenge, especially if you don't use them often.

At 200 MHz I think a Rigol or Siglent would be a better choice.  These handheld units are intended for automotive service work.  In my case I wanted a small scope for a portable Field Day bench.

Learning any scope is challenging.  The handheld ones are an order of magnitude more difficult because it's all nested menus.

Have Fun!
Reg

[Wil_Bloodworth]

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-an-oscilloscope/all
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Oscilloscopes+for+dummies

Those were good. Thank you!

For me, the disconnect... where the rubber isn't meeting the road... is "expectations".  I know WHAT an o-scope does and how to get it to read values.  However, I'm not "mentally there" with the diagnostic or troubleshooting process.  My mind doesn't go, "Oh, I should hook the scope up here and see what is going on."  For me, I physically see everything on the board and I can test for voltage and I can see that pins are getting voltages but I don't know what I SHOULD be seeing. I have seen several videos where a technician is using a scope and then says, "Ah, that doesn't look good"... but all of the stuff on the screen looks the same (to me) as all of the other stuff on the screen that has been there for the last 5 minutes.  I don't know how to identify (visually) when something looks out of place... so the scope doesn't (yet) provide any diagnostic value for me.  That's all I'm saying... my ignorance is preventing from realizing the value of a scope... which is another reason I haven't purchased a bench-top scope so far.  I'm a chimpanzee with a handgun!

- Wil

[tautech]

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-an-oscilloscope/all
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Oscilloscopes+for+dummies

Those were good. Thank you!

For me, the disconnect... where the rubber isn't meeting the road... is "expectations".  I know WHAT an o-scope does and how to get it to read values.  However, I'm not "mentally there" with the diagnostic or troubleshooting process.  My mind doesn't go, "Oh, I should hook the scope up here and see what is going on."  For me, I physically see everything on the board and I can test for voltage and I can see that pins are getting voltages but I don't know what I SHOULD be seeing. I have seen several videos where a technician is using a scope and then says, "Ah, that doesn't look good"... but all of the stuff on the screen looks the same (to me) as all of the other stuff on the screen that has been there for the last 5 minutes.  I don't know how to identify (visually) when something looks out of place... so the scope doesn't (yet) provide any diagnostic value for me.  That's all I'm saying... my ignorance is preventing from realizing the value of a scope... which is another reason I haven't purchased a bench-top scope so far.  I'm a chimpanzee with a handgun!

- Wil

Your first and best diagnostic tool is the one between your ears. 

Basic circuit design/operation knowledge indicates how we should test it by direct measurement or even 'near field' in some cases.
Experience helps one know which tool to reach for.

When experience is developed one has some idea of what a measurement should be before connecting test equipment.

[Wil_Bloodworth]

When experience is developed one has some idea of what a measurement should be before connecting test equipment.

Well, that's a catch-22.  I don't do this for a living and have no experience so the only opportunity I have to get experience is to connect test equipment.  My only resources are YouTube and this forum.

- Wil

[tautech]

When experience is developed one has some idea of what a measurement should be before connecting test equipment.

Well, that's a catch-22.  I don't do this for a living and have no experience so the only opportunity I have to get experience is to connect test equipment.  My only resources are YouTube and this forum.

- Wil

Thought and study wins.

Also coming from hobbyist beginnings, repairing stuff you learn lots and get to understand basic circuit principles and the building blocks that when cobbled together make things work.
Datasheets can guide you into deeper understandings.....
Little steps and you will get there.....

[orb]

XL4015E1 noise/ripple (probe X1; 10 mV & 2 ms/div; 1.8V & 1A load), with/out LC filter module (4A max load). Yes, I used here 2 hds. For this kind of purposes, I think owon is quite useful.

[tly]

XL4015E1 noise/ripple

This might help
https://youtu.be/pKXPqApOYfk?t=71

[dinh3phan]

I have just got a Hds2102 today. Hw v1.2.1. Sw V4.2. Adc Linsi LS08D1500. Board was marked 2023 June. My curiosity is whether it is possible to flash 2102 with a 2202 firmware, since the hardware seems to be identical, except for the unpopulated area near the ADC, and the analog part, of course. Btw, I could not find 2202 firmware on Lilliput to try .

[Anthocyanina]

i recently got a multicomp pro mp720781 which is an owon hds242s and while at first i was impressed with its scope performance, lately i've found it to be horribly annoying, with it shutting off at random. sometimes i turn it on and it immediately turns off, sometimes it lasts a few seconds on, sometimes a few minutes, sometimes it doesn't turn itself off at all. it doesn't matter if it's fully charged, or if it's plugged into the charger, or if its battery is almost discharged. this behaviour has made it really horrible to use.

has anyone experienced this with their hds?

Thank you!

[csuhi17]

I have just got a Hds2102 today. Hw v1.2.1. Sw V4.2. Adc Linsi LS08D1500. Board was marked 2023 June. My curiosity is whether it is possible to flash 2102 with a 2202 firmware, since the hardware seems to be identical, except for the unpopulated area near the ADC, and the analog part, of course. Btw, I could not find 2202 firmware on Lilliput to try .

They haven't released a new one yet, the 2202 is perfect.
It won't work because the two hardware are completely different.

i recently got a multicomp pro mp720781 which is an owon hds242s and while at first i was impressed with its scope performance, lately i've found it to be horribly annoying, with it shutting off at random. sometimes i turn it on and it immediately turns off, sometimes it lasts a few seconds on, sometimes a few minutes, sometimes it doesn't turn itself off at all. it doesn't matter if it's fully charged, or if it's plugged into the charger, or if its battery is almost discharged. this behaviour has made it really horrible to use.

has anyone experienced this with their hds?

Thank you!

I don't, I have no problem with either the 272S or the 2202.
No newer firmware for yours?
I don't know if multicomp is compatible with owon.

If it's still under warranty, I'd send it back.

[Anthocyanina]

i recently got a multicomp pro mp720781 which is an owon hds242s and while at first i was impressed with its scope performance, lately i've found it to be horribly annoying, with it shutting off at random. sometimes i turn it on and it immediately turns off, sometimes it lasts a few seconds on, sometimes a few minutes, sometimes it doesn't turn itself off at all. it doesn't matter if it's fully charged, or if it's plugged into the charger, or if its battery is almost discharged. this behaviour has made it really horrible to use.

has anyone experienced this with their hds?

Thank you!

I don't, I have no problem with either the 272S or the 2202.
No newer firmware for yours?
I don't know if multicomp is compatible with owon.

If it's still under warranty, I'd send it back.

Thanks, yeah, no new firmware available from farnell's site. i got this from a contest, so it seems no warranty, which sucks, I'll look around and see if the owon firmware is fully compatible. The board and everything inside just carries the owon part numbers, so the hardware should be the same, but who knows if if will recognize the owon firmware without any fiddling.

Thank you

[bungle]

I recently picked up an HDS2202S for some field work. Was pleasantly surprised by how well the XY mode display worked. Tried it out with my curve tracer which i generally use with an analog scope and was surprised by how usable i could make it

So that got me wondering about a curve tracer attachment to work with the HDS specifically, using its signal generator as a source and hopefully mounting it to eliminate all the cabling etc.

Anyway after a little breadboarding and some messing around i came up with this. Uses regular panel mount bncs so it can be used standalone or with an external signal for more voltage than the 5V of the internal. Otherwise it mounts directly to the HDS connectors with some bnc couplers to allow finger space to operate the locking rings. Internally it’s just two resistors.

[csuhi17]

Thanks, yeah, no new firmware available from farnell's site. i got this from a contest, so it seems no warranty, which sucks, I'll look around and see if the owon firmware is fully compatible. The board and everything inside just carries the owon part numbers, so the hardware should be the same, but who knows if if will recognize the owon firmware without any fiddling.

Thank you

That's a good question, because multicomp reduce the memory in the 242 and 272 series to 6k for some reason?
The Owon firmware is a bit tricky, there are multiple hardware and software editions.
My 272s is V3 and if I see correctly they are already at V6.

If you simply have an Owon, you can see its data in the menu item System/System/F4/About.
You can use the Version number to get the latest firmware from the owon site.
If multucomp specified its own numbering, it can be difficult.
It might help to identify if you share the version number and production date from the board.

[Veteran68]

I recently picked up an HDS2202S for some field work. Was pleasantly surprised by how well the XY mode display worked. Tried it out with my curve tracer which i generally use with an analog scope and was surprised by how usable i could make it

So that got me wondering about a curve tracer attachment to work with the HDS specifically, using its signal generator as a source and hopefully mounting it to eliminate all the cabling etc.

Anyway after a little breadboarding and some messing around i came up with this. Uses regular panel mount bncs so it can be used standalone or with an external signal for more voltage than the 5V of the internal. Otherwise it mounts directly to the HDS connectors with some bnc couplers to allow finger space to operate the locking rings. Internally it’s just two resistors.

Well first, welcome to the forum.

Second, very nice! Is that a laser-etched aluminum case? Any plans to share the design?

[naiclub]

I really want this model. But the price is quite high.

[mojoe]

Anyway after a little breadboarding and some messing around i came up with this. Uses regular panel mount bncs so it can be used standalone or with an external signal for more voltage than the 5V of the internal. Otherwise it mounts directly to the HDS connectors with some bnc couplers to allow finger space to operate the locking rings. Internally it’s just two resistors.

Very nice. What are the resistor values? What waveform do you use from the siggen?

[bungle]

Very nice. What are the resistor values? What waveform do you use from the siggen?

thanks

the signal generator is outputting a 500Hz sine at 5V, the scope has X at 1V/div and Y at 10mV/div, horizontal timebase 200uS

i will write up a little parts list etc and sizes and positions of holes and post

The scope bncs are on 20mm spacing though, and the banana terminals i spaced at standard .75” apart so i could use standard banana adapters as also as that distance happened to land them directly between the bncs

[bungle]

Well first, welcome to the forum.

Second, very nice! Is that a laser-etched aluminum case? Any plans to share the design?

Thanks, and yes it’s etched with a small fiber laser engraver which can mark metal directly. Works great on aluminum - especially anodized but will mark plain metal also, also works well on steels including stainless where it produces a darker image vs the aluminum where the etch looks lighter than the metal. isn’t a deep etch, can’t feel it with but it works great for legends etc, and looks much better than labels.

[mojoe]

I cobbled a few parts together to test this before making a nice box. For some reason, I can't get the trace to center. It is two divisions low. I have a 272S. I've messed with every setting, but none will center the line. I must be missing something.

Not related to the above, but I tried sine and triangle waves. Both seem to work the same.

[bungle]

Did you vertically center both the traces in the scope before you switched to X-Y? There’s no way it could have any kind of DC offset given it is using the builtin siggen assuming you have no offset on that

[mojoe]

To quote Homer Simpson, "Doh!"