Other Than FFT Feature Useful for an Oscilloscope

[scrat]

3) Applying a user defined filtering to the captured waveform would be a good feature

what kind of filtering? there are megazillions filters in the "soft"world.

I know, that's exactly why I'm saying "user-defined", which means you just give the user the freedom of inputting (by text box, or from a text file) the coefficients of a Z-transform (numerator, denominator) written filter. Then anyone can design its filter and use it. Applying a discrete filter is as easy as calculating
y(k) = u(k)*n0 + u(k-1)*n1 + ... + y(k-1)*d1 + y(k-2)*d(2) + ...
at each sample, where u is the input, y the output and nX,dX the num and den coefficients, while k stands for the current sample to calculate.
Yes, it's just that easy! Designing filters is not so easy, although you can easily discretize a continuous time filter.

...possibility to export captured waveforms into an easy readable format (e.g. csv), which could then be imported into Matlab, Excel or other tools. I don't see this option into Ultrascope.

just why didnt you tell me 10 years ago?! the good part... its super easy! but the bad part is, what kind of data are you expecting? i'm assuming it will be volt,time(s) with the raw data (peculiar format) converted into the right volt and second values in decimals right?

Exactly, time and voltage is the best option, preferably with some info about triggering, acquisition mode, coupling, ... in a header part.
You could take as an example the export format of Tek or competitors.

[saturation]

I found an undocumented key in the Rigol to get XY to 100 Ms/s. 

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=553.msg33581#msg33581

Took me 3 days to think:
1) Why Rigol didnt provide finite presistent display mode? (only infinite and off) must tried to cut the cost the development time. wouldnt it be nice if say we have finite persistence, eg 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 second? like they did to their Menu Display duration
2) XY Mode of Rigol only capable of 200us - 20ms capture (1MSa/s - 10KSa/s), why cant they draw XY down to 2ns? or up to 50secs? i still cannot figure out why?
3) I saw other high end DSO can do dV/dt, i wonder how usefull it is. How about d2V/dt2?
O well, maybe i just have wasted those 3 days imagining things

[Franki]

I hope Shafri tool for the Rigol gives the possibility to export captured waveforms into an easy readable format (e.g. csv), which could then be imported into Matlab, Excel or other tools. I don't see this option into Ultrascope.

This is something i definitely want to know from the new Hameg scopes. As far as I can tell from their datasheets, there is no data format specifyied, so this is still a big mistery to me :?
http://www.hameg.com/612.0.html

[Mechatrommer]

someone requested it, i have no place to upload, so its here. pls ignore this if not relating to you.
edit: if you can notice the changes, then you certainly deserve it!

[marmad]

@Mechatrommer,

I'm running FW 02.05.02 (HW 58) - but your rigctrl113.exe doesn't work correctly - no scope traces visible on screen - and can't control either channel (trigger works).  Tested on two computers with the following specs:

Win7 Ultimate SP1 x64 - Driver: NI 1.0.0.0
visa32.dll 01/07/2009 (System32)
visa64.dll 01/07/2009

WinXP Professional SP3 x86 - Driver: NI 4.3.0f0
visa32.dll 10/01/2008

Using Ultra-Sigma on the Win7 system, I see return values of 0/ 1 for SCPI CHANnel DISP queries to the scope - I don't have Ultra-Sigma installed on the XP so haven't tested that there, but I assume it's the same problem.

[marmad]

i think rigol changed their implementation of visa in newer firmware

That was the reason I wrote here - a wasn't sure about the FW you wrote the software for.  I think it might be Visa driver - that's all I can think of at the moment.

[Mechatrommer]

i think rigol changed their implementation of visa in newer firmware

That was the reason I wrote here - when I pm'ed I was on new Rigol FW - now I'm on old Rigol FW - same problem.  I think it might be Visa driver - that's all I can think of at the moment.

mine is FW ver 2.02

[Bored@Work]

Rigol changed their implementation of USBTMC, not of VISA. Their VISA is just NI's VISA, making use of the USBTMC driver in VISA.

The original Rigol USBTMC implementation, also to be found in the DG1022 ARB generator v01 hardware, was rather broken and buggy and was violating the USBTMC standard. Rigol had an own pseudo USBTMC driver for those on Windows, and nothing on other operating systems. Then they fixed enough of their USBTMC so that VISA finally works with Rigol instruments and dropped their own pseudo USBTMC drivers.

Since Rigol can't be arsed to maintain drivers software for their old broken USBTMC implementation those having one are stuck with Rigol's old junk. Those happening to have the later sufficiently compatible USBTMC implementation can use VISA and applications written using VISA, but not the old applications.

The cut in Rigol application software roughly happens with Windows Vista. Many of the old application stuff and drivers don't run any more on Vista or even newer Windows versions, leaving people with the old USBTMC stuff in XP land. Many of the new stuff doesn't run on Vista or older Windows version. Forcing people with new USBTMC stuff to use Windows 7. Poor sods having Vista are screwed.

[marmad]

mine is FW ver 2.02

Hmm... I would have thought that at least some of the other people in this thread who tried your software were using FW 02.04 SP1.

Well, do you mind changing all instances in your class of "ON" to "1" and "OFF" to "0" and recompiling the .exe for testing?  I would think whatever info I gather would be useful for any future software you might write for the Rigol - but if you want me to stop testing I will.

[Lightages]

FYI, I cannot use the software eoither and have the same results as you do. I have FW 02.04 SP1 and connect to a Win7 X64 machine. Ultrascope works, Mechatrommer's doesn't. It connects, but no waveform display and no control.

[marmad]

Rigol changed their implementation of USBTMC, not of VISA. Their VISA is just NI's VISA, making use of the USBTMC driver in VISA.

Well, it's true that SCPI is historically an extension of GPIB, but VISA is the transport layer for the commands.

Anyway, now that Lightages has also confirmed that Mechatrommer's software doesn't work correctly (under FW 02.04 SP1), it's clear that Rigol has changed their implementation of SCPI on the DS1052E between FW 02.02 and 02.04; and that they're trying to get it into line with the standards more closely - at least in one respect. 

In FW 02.02 (and reflected in the DDS1000X programming manual - which has not been updated), Boolean queries return the values "ON" or "OFF".  But according to the Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments Syntax and Style Rules:
"ON corresponds to 1 and OFF corresponds to 0.
Queries shall return 1 or 0, never ON or OFF."

In both FW versions 02.04 SP1 and 02.05 SP2, it appears that queries now return "1" or "0".

[marmad]

I was just playing around with VISA functions direct to the Rigol, while using NI Spy to snoop the amount of actual time each command took.  I found that you can do a scan and get 8K samples into the PC in ~40ms - and 16K samples (half-channel) in ~70ms.  Long mem (512K) takes ~2.35 seconds to the PC - and half-channel (1M) takes ~4.6 seconds.  Those figures all work out to something around 1.7 Mbit/s  - or approximately low-bandwidth USB 1.0  Sheesh... couldn't they be at least implementing 12 Mbit/s (full-bandwidth) USB 1.0 by now?

[PSW]

Shafri, i can confirm the DG1022 can be configured via a PC. The Rigol software allows you to design a waveform and send it to the FG.
I do not know what format the DS1102E dso saves data.  I know it can save a screen dump, but can it save raw data to a file?

I am thinking its time to install a USB sniffer and have a look...
 
Regards

Matlab can read Waveform *.wfm
and then you can get the raw data as a list, matrix or a vector. with size is 16384/8192 or  1048576/524288 (in Long MemDepth)
it is easy fit with 'cftool(TIME,y)'
 http://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/fileexchange/18999-read-binary-rigol-waveforms

have fun.

[alm]

For people without access to (expensive) MATLAB licenses, it looks like this script should be easy to get working in the open source Octave MATLAB clone.

[Lightages]

Any progress on making this work on newer scope Mechatrommer? Hmmm? Please?

[Mechatrommer]

sadly i abandoned this. i treated this as part of my learning process comm with the DSO, and i aint got no "newer" scope, no update/reply on any changes in newer firmware, not much freetime, not much usefullness of the app, not much encouragement pretty much not much everything. i believe every member can develop their own specific need based on the discussion about ni-visa in various threads. any idea? i cant think of any interesting thing right now sorry pal.

ps: i noticed the attachment is gone, i can re-upload by request, but i think it's still the same as before. in the mean time, i'm in "PSU fever" right now, got infected from dave.

[Lightages]

OK I understand. I just wanted to know. It seems that some people with software knowledge get started and then stop and move on to other things. I for one would pay/donate for added functionality. With the limited time  have for these kinds of things I never have enough time to hack around in software anymore.

[Mechatrommer]

me here EE newbie

[Mechatrommer]

i've updated and uploaded the software ver1.20 on the main page. its now should be able to get data from newer rigol FW 2.04 and above.

[Lightages]

Thank you. I was just about to answer your PMs and will do so after I try this.

[Lightages]

I can confirm that the update connects to the scope and displays the output and has control. There are a couple of bugs but I need to investigate a bit more. Thank you for updating it to work on later firmware.