Siglent SDS1104X-E and SDS1204X-E Mixed Signal Oscilloscopes

[Martin72]

Congrats, now you have a usable scope...

[.RC.]

A totally pointless post, but did the obligatory lets look at my mains sine wave on the scope test. 

It is a crappy sinewave as I did it though an isolated 9V AC, 2 pin transformer plug pack. (I have watched the how to blow up your oscilloscope video a few times now)

I also should have had the scope on AC, not DC.

I can also see transistors switching. Yellow is the collector and blue is the base.  On a basic flashing LED circuit done on a breadboard.

[mwb1100]

It is Dave's fault I bought it, he said get a 4 channel scope in 2023 over a 2 channel   

Dave has a lot to answer for - and I'm just talking about the pile of test gear in my closet.

[.RC.]

Why would anyone need 4 channels?



This the mosfets of a ZVS style induction heater.   I had a mishap with a blown trace while it was working and wondered if a mosfet (it has two) got damaged as these circuits are notorious for blowing mosfets.. So ran it off my small current limited benchpower supply to check it.

Looks OK.  Pink and green are the gates for each mosfet, yellow and blue the drains. Pink controls the yellow and green controls the blue.

I did stuff up badly doing a dumb arse thing without my brain engaged but with no consequences, even though I had watched how not to blow up your oscilloscope.  Completely forgetting that the ground pins are all connected.  I had the two probes connected to the gate with the ground to negative.

Then the drains with the ground to positive as the gates were from the negative rail.   So you know what happened.  The power supply which is fully isolated, hit the 5a current restriction I had set and pulled down to 2 volts.

So I left the ground pins on the drain probes flapping in the breeze and it still got a good signal.

[llaabbss]

Recently I bought TP-LINK TL-WN725N dongle to use it with SDS 1104X-E.
My router credentials hold password being 26 characters long.
I was not able to connect to my WiFi as well untill I set an WPA encryption propertly.
It was TKIP. When I changed it to AES (or TKIP+AES) in router settings in admin page.
Afterwards everything started to work as expected.

[tautech]

From another thread

I also updated the software to 6.1.37R10, at that time. Tonight, I saw in some other post a recommendation to also update the OS. I am not having success with that process.

Here are my stat, before and after:
Software = 6.1.37R10
UBOOT - OS = 8.3
FPGA = 2021-11-08
Hardware = 01-04
Type = SDS1204X-E

Background: !I am not much of a computer person!

I am using a new-ish PNY 32G thumb drive. Windows 11 said it had a problem, when downloading the new OS zip, but that flag cleared after a few moments, as is typical. Even with the blip, the drive always seems to operate correctly, after the flag clears. My guess is that the drive was removed from the computer, sometime, without ejecting it properly.

FWIW I only use 8 GB dives formatted FAT32 with 4k clusters.

As these scopes don't have a RTC any files saved to USB don't have timestamps so Windows in particular believes the drive has a fault which must be repaired. < Ignore it.

The big OS update was for V2 to support these new FW features:
From the release notes of V6.1.37R2

Added data logger featuring Sample  and Measurement Logger functions
Added counter function
Added Labels
Added NTP (Network Time Protocol) and Time Zone. Also requires OS update to SDS1xx4X-E_OSV2 which is located on the SIGLENT product webpage. The OS Update Instructions is also included SDS1xx4X-E_OSV2.zip
Modified negative or positive of horizontal delay: Time zero is in trigger. Before trigger, time position is -time (negative delay relative to trigger) and after trigger is +time  (positive delay relative to trigger)
Fixed a bug with Bin2CSV for ROLL mode
Rebuilt Bin2CSV to File Converter which can also convert data logger file to CSV.
Fixed a bug: some case there is a blue line on decode bus
Fixed a bug with saving hex MSO CSV file
Fixed a bug: After rebooting , Bode Plot cursor can’t be moved
Fixed a bug: fine adjusting with customer probe
WiFi supported Spaces and Special Characters


V3 OS update OTOH is to support new HW....note the instruction:
If SDS1xx4X-E hardware has version below 09, you don’t need to update SDS1xx4X-E OS.
PDF attached.


If you have NTP working you should be good to go.
Tips for such >
Setup the scope on your LAN and obtain an IP address. The LAN indicator should lose any red X.
With PC Google for your local NTP server and enter its IP into the IP box in the new Time/Date feature and choose Display and Sync.

Not sure if I've asked this before, but how do you know which OS is already installed on the scope?

Unlike the firmware/software/ADS versions, I can't see how OS versions 1,2,3 tie up with the info on the System Status page? Even the unzipped files don't give any clues (even the latest v3 OS released on 5th Jan 2023 show file dates of 2019 & 2021).

My Uboot-OS version is 8.3
Hardware version 01-05

Does that mean I still have ver 1 OS?

No. Yours is V3.

@ Tautech
"FWIW I only use 8 GB dives formatted FAT32 with 4k clusters."
I caught the 8GB/32GB requirement in the instructions. My 32GB was handy, so I grabbed it. I don't know if I have an 8GB; I will have to look. I did not know that the scope is particular about FAT32 and 4k clusters. To be honest, that is a little outside of my knowledge base. I will have to find out what protocols I have.

I have the same questions as 807... I thought Uboot-OS 8.3 was my OS version and that it was so old that it didn't even have the current series numbering. So, where do we find our OS version?

I have not begun working on putting together a network for my lab. So, I don't know about those things and I don't know about NTP. But, should the bottom line to my understanding be this... As my Uboot is 8.3, which is lower than 9, I do not need to update the OS anyway? If not, I will have to keep working at it and I would need your continued support.

I have told you, previously, how much we appreciate all you do for our Community, Tautech. That stands double, for today!

There are 3 important identifiers in your Sys Info page.
HW, Boot OS and SW version.

Only latest 9 version HW requires the latest OS install.
8.3 identifies the OS version = OS3
Latest SW/FW is V6.1.37R10

It Optimized VGA configuration (Variable Gain Amplifier)


Better here than in another thread........

[t1d]

Thank you, tautech, for clearing that up. I say this as a reminder to others... The update instructions recommend that the user removes the update files from their thumb drive, so that the update does not automatically run the next time the drive is used. That is the one remaining task, for me. Cheers, with much appreciation.

[807]

...Only latest 9 version HW requires the latest OS install...

Is it the second part of the Hardware Version number that shows the actual version?

Mine is 01-05. Does that mean that I have version 5 HW?

[tautech]

Thank you, tautech, for clearing that up. I say this as a reminder to others... The update instructions recommend that the user removes the update files from their thumb drive, so that the OS update does not automatically run the next time the drive is used. That is the one remaining task, for me. Cheers, with much appreciation.

Addition of OS. ^^^
Firmware upgrades will not autorun at boot. 

...Only latest 9 version HW requires the latest OS install...

Is it the second part of the Hardware Version number that shows the actual version?

Mine is 01-05. Does that mean that I have version 5 HW?

Yep.
HW version 9 is quite new from production.

[807]

I bought my scope 6 months ago from Telonic in UK. So there's been 4 HW versions since then?

Although I've just found the calibration certificate. It has a cal date of 1st March 2022, so was already 9 months old when I bought it.

[tautech]

I bought my scope 6 months ago from Telonic in UK. So there's been 4 HW versions since then?

I haven't seen them.
But consider there may have been beta versions before finalising on a production version but I couldn't say as I don't know.

Although I've just found the calibration certificate. It has a cal date of 1st March 2022, so was already 9 months old when I bought it.

Consider a worldwide distribution chain and all the steps/delays there might be before the unit you got arrived in the UK. Shipping from HQ to Germany then to UK could easy take some months.....to NZ from HQ often is nearly 2 months however we are the only official NZ point of sale without any further distribution chain.

[807]

Although I've just found the calibration certificate. It has a cal date of 1st March 2022, so was already 9 months old when I bought it.

Consider a worldwide distribution chain and all the steps/delays there might be before the unit you got arrived in the UK. Shipping from HQ to Germany then to UK could easy take some months.....to NZ from HQ often is nearly 2 months however we are the only official NZ point of sale without any further distribution chain.

Oh yes. I understand the distribution delays & even the time sitting in the store before it's sold. I wasn't complaining. I just added that bit to clarify the understanding as to why there's an apparent 4 update difference in my HW version compared to the current version.

[Performa01]

I bought my scope 6 months ago from Telonic in UK. So there's been 4 HW versions since then?

Consider the chip crisis during Corona. When you cannot source some essential parts anymore, you have to do a redesign of the hardware, so you can use a different part (with slightly different specs or just another case and/or pinout. When you've done this and just then another important part becomes unavailable, you have to design the next HW version - maybe even before any significant quantity of the prior design have been produced.

This can well lead to a significant number of HW-versions within a relatively short time.

[BillyO]

HW version 9 is quite new from production.

I bought mine 10 months ago (in NA) and it is HW version 09-06.

[tv84]

I bought mine 10 months ago (in NA) and it is HW version 09-06.

Must be the DeLorean version...

[BillyO]

I bought mine 10 months ago (in NA) and it is HW version 09-06.

Must be the DeLorean version...

LOL!

Yeah, strange tings happen if the sweep rate goes faster than 88us/div.

[807]

HW version 9 is quite new from production.

I bought mine 10 months ago (in NA) and it is HW version 09-06.

Having 2 numbers seperated by a hyphen is what I find confusing. So you have version 6 HW, (as it's the second part that shows the HW version). So what does the first part of the number represent? Yours is 09, mine is 01 (01-05) 

[BillyO]

Having 2 numbers seperated by a hyphen is what I find confusing. So you have version 6 HW, (as it's the second part that shows the HW version). So what does the first part of the number represent? Yours is 09, mine is 01 (01-05) 

I'd only be guessing but it might denote a production facility or production line.  It's a good bet Siglent are not in the PCBA business and farm that out to folks with the facilities and expertise.

But I could be wrong.

[mwb1100]

Having 2 numbers seperated by a hyphen is what I find confusing. So you have version 6 HW, (as it's the second part that shows the HW version).

Based on Tautech's posts that seems to be correct.  However the firmware release notes for 6.1.37R9 say this:

Fixed the problem: The skew of the two ADCs is not accuracy for  hardware  of  09 version  (System  Status  shows  Hardware Version: 09-xx).  The  other  hardware  version  has  no  this problem

Which certainly doesn't help reduce any confusion.  Hopefully Siglent can correct this in the next release of the OS and firmware, assuming there is one (the release notes for the OS V3 say the same).

By the way, based on the release notes comment for 6.1.37R8 firmware, I'd guess that the hardware change in revision 9 was a new display controller:

Be Compatible with a new VGA chip

[Performa01]

By the way, based on the release notes comment for 6.1.37R8 firmware, I'd guess that the hardware change in revision 9 was a new display controller:

Be Compatible with a new VGA chip

VGA is not a display controller. VGA = Variable Gain Amplifier

[807]

Having 2 numbers seperated by a hyphen is what I find confusing. So you have version 6 HW, (as it's the second part that shows the HW version).

Based on Tautech's posts that seems to be correct.  However the firmware release notes for 6.1.37R9 say this:

Fixed the problem: The skew of the two ADCs is not accuracy for  hardware  of  09 version  (System  Status  shows  Hardware Version: 09-xx).  The  other  hardware  version  has  no  this problem

Which certainly doesn't help reduce any confusion.  Hopefully Siglent can correct this in the next release of the OS and firmware, assuming there is one (the release notes for the OS V3 say the same).

Good spot. I didn't clock that when I read the release notes for the firmware & OS.

Perhaps tautech can clarify?

[tautech]

Having 2 numbers seperated by a hyphen is what I find confusing. So you have version 6 HW, (as it's the second part that shows the HW version).

Based on Tautech's posts that seems to be correct.  However the firmware release notes for 6.1.37R9 say this:

Fixed the problem: The skew of the two ADCs is not accuracy for  hardware  of  09 version  (System  Status  shows  Hardware Version: 09-xx).  The  other  hardware  version  has  no  this problem

Which certainly doesn't help reduce any confusion.  Hopefully Siglent can correct this in the next release of the OS and firmware, assuming there is one (the release notes for the OS V3 say the same).

Good spot. I didn't clock that when I read the release notes for the firmware & OS.

Perhaps tautech can clarify?

All we need to know is in the relevant release notes.
Every FW/OS update has them in an attached PDF.

[Calambres]

Hi there!

I've been experimenting with Bode Plot II with my SDS1104X-E and my SDG1032X (both hacked  ) using both USB or LAN interfaces and the plot response seems to be slower with LAN.

Is it normal?

[BillyO]

Hi there!

I've been experimenting with Bode Plot II with my SDS1104X-E and my SDG1032X (both hacked  ) using both USB or LAN interfaces and the plot response seems to be slower with LAN.

Is it normal?

It would certainly be possible.  I've not used USB with my scope, but LAN is subject to base speed, activity and collision rate so it can vary quite a bit.

[Calambres]

Well, following my quest to controlling the SDG1032X from my SDS1104X-E for Bode plotting easily and conveniently, I cannot do it by using the rear USB-B sockets from both machines, I mean, using an USB-B to USB-B cable from one unit to the other.

"AWG not detected" 

If I connect the back USB-B from the AWG to the scope's front USB-A then it all goes hunky dory. On the other hand, if I connect the scope's back USB-B to the AWG's front USB-A, no deal!

Aren't all USB connectors the same?
Am I  doing something wrong?



P.S.: In case you're wondering, I want to keep both machines connected permanently without cables hanging from the front of the units and/or having to remove the front attached USB stick I keep in the scope all the time.

P.S.2: Also, the second USB at the back of the scope is already used by the WiFi dongle.

[EDIT: typo]