REVIEW - Owon SDS7102 - A look at the SDS series from Owon

[tinhead]

In addition, Samsung provides access to documentation and developer tools of processor on a separate individual agreement.

that's not a big deal, there are others who have all the docs.

Finally, for the firmware via JTAG need to have the image of ROM, which can not be obtained from the update FW.

that's right, you have to have full nand dump (which i have but can't provide as it does contains seril number as well).
Even if i would give you only the boot loader (which would allow to connect to PC and run fw update), your DSO would still not run as firmware update does not contains all files.

I'll send the oscilloscope on the warranty, if I am sure that the problem is in the software.

that would be the best you can do

[tinhead]

Thank you very much, but what do you mean with "in org. Samsung BSDL there was an error"?

the original Samsung BSDL file for S3C2416 contains such port definition:

PEINT[0]     : inout    bit;

however not all tools can work with "[" or "]", they crashing or not accepting such BSDL. Attached version
is using follwing instead:

PEINT_0     : inout    bit;

which is valid for tools i'm using ("JTAG Probe" and "Universal Scan").

[Carrington]

Thank you very much, but what do you mean with "in org. Samsung BSDL there was an error"?

the original Samsung BSDL file for S3C2416 contains such port definition:

PEINT[0]     : inout    bit;

however not all tools can work with "[" or "]", they crashing or not accepting such BSDL. Attached version
is using follwing instead:

PEINT_0     : inout    bit;

which is valid for tools i'm using ("JTAG Probe" and "Universal Scan").

Ok, now I understand. You've replaced all the ports.
I've only used "TopJTAG Probe" and "TopJTAG Flash Programmer" with the hardware "Bus Blaster v4.1a" as "JTAGKey" clone. It run with a TCK freq. of 15MHz Max..
I'm not sure if with this HW (JTAGKey) I could make a NAND backup. In theory, yes:
http://www.arm.com/community/partners/display_product/rw/ProductId/2232/
http://www.arm.com/community/partners/display_product/rw/ProductId/2255/

[Muxa52]

....
that would be the best you can do

Yes, absolutely. I still think that there is a hardware failure...

[TomC]

Any progress? Have you contacted Owon? Hope you can get your scope repaired!

[lemon]

This is ver 3.3

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/review-of-owon-sds7102/?action=dlattach;attach=57004;image

I have some news about adapter Version 3.3.
As we know the only difference of version 3.3 vs 3.2 was the 1000pf smd capacitor at the legs of capacitor C34 (opposite side).
There is one more change to version 3.3 2013.05.27, they routed the output of LCD Backlight on the adapter and made off the external cable for this purpose.

As you can see at the attachments photos, there is no any J1 socket. I have marked with the red arrows the new routed paths on pcb, but attention this routed there is no on tft cable to ours older scopes!
For this reason there are two options possibility: the first one is to changed the tft flat cable but I don't know if this could be or if this is available, the second one is to modify the U12 position and attach the old cable.

[rf-loop]

Last time I get these boards as spare part from Owon there was also couple of  J1 connectors attached. (need self solder).

[lemon]

Rf-loop, were these boards routed on pcb with the LCD Backlight control?

In this situation what is better, to solder another socket on J1, or to find a new flat tft cable and change it?

[TomC]

It looks like all the necessary connections for J1 are present. Owon probably designed the board for scopes with the new TFT cable as well as for scopes with the J1 cable. However, they may have recently decided to stop attaching the J1 connector because all the scopes in production have the new TFT cable. I think the only difference is that with the new TFT cable you get the filtering effect of the large flat ferrite. On my scope I have a small ferrite on the J1 cable.

[lemon]

Exactly, I have the same opinion TomC.
As you can understand, just they arrived to me and the first mod done!

Here the new gnd_noise tests with the new psu and adapter board. The range of each measurement is marking on the title.

[TomC]

Exactly, I have the same opinion TomC.
As you can understand, just they arrived to me and the first mod done!

Here the new gnd_noise tests with the new psu and adapter board. The range of each measurement is marking on the title.

Those are fantastic results!
Congratulations!

I still have the old PSU inside my scope and I took the time to do some checks on my new PSU. AS far as L2 is concerned, it produces nearly no field or noise at all, as opposed to the old PSU where as you know I replaced it with a toroid. T1 is a different story, I found it to produce a stronger field than the old PSU and some noise was apparent on D2's heat sink. So I decided to try a belly strap and that reduced the field and noise some. I haven't tried it inside the scope yet. But the GND-noise was very low any way.

[lemon]

Thanks TomC.

The L2 is different on the new psu vs mine old psu. I am quite sure that all these observations that we have done on this scope, the people of Owon knows that and improves them to the next version.
One of them is L2 inductor.
I am curious if the belly strap will effect to lower gnd-noise.
Am I wrong or the new psu has more temperature produce?

[TomC]

Thanks TomC.

The L2 is different on the new psu vs mine old psu. I am quite sure that all these observations that we have done on this scope, the people of Owon knows that and improves them to the next version.
One of them is L2 inductor.
I am curious if the belly strap will effect to lower gnd-noise.
Am I wrong or the new psu has more temperature produce?

I checked the temperature and it was around 45C without the belly strap and 48C with the belly strap. So for some reason the difference seems to be less than what I measured with the old PSU. I want to do some more checks before I try it inside the scope, but I've been busy with a couple other projects and haven't had the time to do it yet. I'll post some comparison captures as soon as I do.

[lemon]

At this point, I would like to mention the Aidetek and specifically the member ebayID smtzone for the completly warranty coverage of my scope to ground noise issue.

I had a contact with the Aidetek (smtzone was my dealer) for this issue and Aidetek contacts with Owon about this.
Finally, they send me the above new psu and adapter board free (under warranty coverage) and my only charge was the $15US for shipping.

Thanks again for this support.

[TomC]

This is a positive development!
As far as I know you are the only member with an older scope that got warranty coverage for this issue. Although it took some time, Owon's & Aidetek's response will surely be welcomed by their customer base. Let's hope that other users with similar problems will now get their problems acknowledged and fixed under warranty.  If this happens, I believe it will be a win, win, for Owon's customers as well as Owon itself and the dealers like Aidetek that are taking a more responsible approach to their customer needs.

[bob808]

I just got my Owon 6062V. It has vga+lan+both usb connections. It looks really nice and the display is top notch. Date serial is 1330 so it's pretty new and firmware version 3.4 but I have a problem with it  . Whenever I do the self calibration it freezes on me. I tried to wait for 15 minutes but nothing happens. Also there's a note before saying that I can exit calibration any time by pressing any key but that doesn't work, since it actually freezes with only one progress bar. I can hear a relay and then nothing happens. Is there any way that I can do a hard reset on this thing or maybe rewrite the firmware? I can't find it anywhere thou. 

p.s. I added the pass/fail counter and it seems that that is working while the first calibrate bar is froze into place. Also I can't get it to trigger properly, it's random triggering and I have a lot of stuff going on while active, and can't stabilize the image.

[lemon]

From what I saw at the site of Owon, there is no any available fw for your s/n to rewrite the fw.

Please make a contact with your dealer or the Owon Support (http://www.owon.com.hk/contact_l.asp) about this.
Maybe they send you a fw to try to rewrite it.

[rf-loop]

Normally rewrite FW do not help. FW integrity is tightly controlled and if there is FW data corrupted it normally do not run. There is quite good check sum etc. (This is not microsoft PC windows what can corrupt and so on.. )

Go to "Utility" and there "adjust" but do not press selfcal... press "default".
Wait 10-15 seconds. Shut off.  After then power on.
Keep it running least 10 minutes. (real accurate selfcal need do after 30min power on)
Be sure you have not connected anything to scope exept power cable. Just all connectors empty. (it means also probes even if probe tip is not connected to anywhere. Input connectors NEED be exactly empty. (becouse all cal signals are routed (internally) via input BNC so that it use full signal pathway starting from BNC center pin.)

Go to "Utility" menu "adjust" and start "selfcal"
(It start with empty progress bar and if all ok it slowly progress)
During selfcal do not touch inputs.
In Owon it is quite slow. It do lot of front end cal procedures and trigger cal procedures etc.

If it do not newer go to final there is hardware problem.
If it go to final this phase is ok.

If it never go to final (wait enough time!)
Shut off scope.
Restart it.

Go to Utility menu and set default settings.
Connect probe to CH1. Turn probe to 1x
Connect probe tip to probe cal output and GND wire to probe comp out GND (do not short circuit comp output)
Also in scope CH1 menu select probe setting 1x if it is not.

Push then "Autoset" button.

Do it show triggered stabile 1kHz square?

If not (something is perhaps wrong)  then watch what level is trigger mark (vertical level of trigger. It need be somewhere between centerline and top line. (becouse your signal is DC from center line to 5V.
If squere wave is untriggered you still can see its level around.  Is this trigger mark around half way signal level.
Push "set to 50%" button. Notice if trigger level change anything.
Is it now triggered (steady 1kHz square visible top half area of display) or still untriggered.

Tell me how this trigger level is in these steps (you can see numeric value and also trigger level mark on the right border of screen..
1. After autoset, and 2. after set to 50%.
Also tell what is CH1 input level setting (what level autoset have selected for CH1 V/div)
Also tell what horizontal speed autoset have selected (time/div)

There is also trigger frequency counter window what show frequency (bottom right area of display). What is reading there. Is it steady and around 1kHz?

Do not try any FW upgrades in this phase. Only if Owon repair service give some FW and instructions for try some help or diagnose purpose.

[bob808]

I decided to take it apart 
Everything went nice. There's no more plastic box replacing the actual battery. I have only a straight piece of plastic held in 2 screws. Guess their cutting their costs.
Power button went out nicely.
I attached some pictures of some components and issues I found inside.
I noticed a funny wire on the bnc connectors board so I decided to disassemble everything. There's no fan inside the 6062!
Aflter I got everything out I saw what that wire was. It seems they decided to make another connection inside, they disconnected one resistor near the 1khz source and instead of grounding it they routed the connection to another place via that wire, finally the connection goes into a chip. Also where they patched the other end near the chip...that connection was going to a via near the USB connector. They broke the connection to that via as well. I noted it in the photo. I don't know why they did this. Maybe a design error or they decided that this is better? That resistor is 1k and comes of that regulator or whatever that is near the 1khz source.
Then there's the adapter board connector, seems like some solder is missing on the top part, but on the bottom everything seems ok. Also that connector doesn't go all into the other board. it's partially in but I measured and there's electrical connection from one side to the other. I haven't found anything obvious apart from that wire.
Also I'd like to know what are the exact voltages that I should find on the PS conenctor? I found in order GND / GND / 8.48VDC / 8.48VDC / -7.86VDC / GND / 8.6VDC / 1.77VAC. There was an offset of 2.2mV between first grounds and the third.
The only "mystery" would be the metal plate that sits on top of the BNC board (not the one on the back). It's a very tight squeeze and it has a plastic sheet coming out, I presume to provide electrical shield between the metal shield and the electronics inside. It's not quite centered as well and it's soldered so I did not touch it. I could void my warrany this way and I just got a broken scope 
After I partially assembled it I decided to start it up and see what's happening. Maybe if I wiggle some parts it will work. Started right up and I had the probe connected to the 1khz source and it seemed smooth. The waveform was on screen and the trigger button was green. I decided to start the calibration once more and hurray! it worked, in a few seconds it made the whole adjustment. After maximum one minute of playing with the knobs the red light appeared on the Run/Stop button and nothing worked again. It froze again when I selected the self calibration... So it seems that it's either a thermal character or something is not touching right. I didn't screw anything tight. I will try to play some more maybe I find the problem. I will put a fan to blow inside, maybe that would help as well. Any more ideas? 

I forgot to mention that when the scope is not working there's red light usually on the Run/Stop button. If I press it it goes red again instantly. When it worked that button was green.

[AndrejaKo]

For some reason the insides of that unit fill me with horror. I think it's the worst I've seen so far.

Anyway, your pinout for the adapter board PSU connector is bad. There are two grounds, two positive voltages, one negative voltage, two control lines for the bi-color 3 mm LED above the F1 key and AC signal for AC power line trigger. Some pages back, we've had schematics of two PSU versions. Positive voltage is 8.4 V and negative voltage is -7.6 V. When the scope is running from the battery, the 8.4 V is provided by the battery. All other voltages are derived from the 8.4 V line. On the bi-color LED, green is shining when there is AC power and red is shining when the battery is being charged.

The box is the actual battery case. The only difference is that the real battery actually has cells inside of the box. They've been using a panel instead of the box at least since mid 2012.

[bob808]

Well I think I found the problem but no way to fix it.
I connected all the parts out of the casing and fired it up. It worked good for a while then I started moving the parts to see the problem. I could only make it work then if I bent the main pcb. Seems like there's a connection fault somewhere on the board but I don't know where. I pushed all the chips but no change, but if I twist and bend slightly the whole board there are some positions in which the auto calibration works perfect and I get the test signal on screen. Maybe an internal layer problem or something.
When I started assembling the whole scope together I found the problem. The main board locks into place with 4 screws into metal legs that are attached to the main plate. The upper right corner metal leg si off-place by 1 mm or so. When I tried to install the screw I had to push the metal leg inwards so the screw could get in. That tension might have broken the board. I added a photo of the culprit. If there's anyone that lost his warranty and wants to make sure then open it and check that the main PCB sits freely on those metal legs and no tension is applied to it. You can leave out that screw for safety, the board is snug with only 3 screws. I will have to air-mail my unit back to the store where I got it from and then wait for them to get another unit etc... Lost time   
These are nice units, if they work out of the box, with no problems! I don't recommend this company, but maybe they make up with customer support.

[TomC]

The 1K resistor mod doesn't look very professional. I wonder if this was an attempt at the factory to repair the problem you are having now. The problem may have temporarily disappeared after the mod and they may have thought it was fixed.

Hope that you have better luck with the replacement unit! 

[bob808]

It would be interesting to know if there are any other 6062 units like that. Especially the newer ones since they may have implemented that "fix" in the later units.

[Hydrawerk]

Uhh, we could tolerate some hardware bugs if this scope was from the beginning of production. But this SDS6062 scope is made in 2013 while the production started in January 2011 or so...

[inlet]

Hello all.
I have a problem with inverted signal in my SDS7102V.  Firmware version 3.2. More details on