Siglent SDS2000, A Short Video Review

[Hydrawerk]

Is there any Waveform inspector or similar feature for long long record management at SDS2000? At least there are no dedicated buttons as on Rigol DS2000 / DS4000, GW Instek GDS-2000A or Agilent DSOX2000.

[tautech]

Is there any Waveform inspector or similar feature for long long record management at SDS2000?

There are few clues on this matter in the Datasheet.
However a timebase range of 1nS/div to 50S/div and their statement " The 2GSa/s, 28Mpts configuration provides the ability to capture a fast transient or a long acquisition" and a Delay Trigger spec of 10S to 1,000,000,000S provide a few clues.

Hopefully release is soon and many questions can be answered.

[Farrari]

Is there any Waveform inspector or similar feature for long long record management at SDS2000? At least there are no dedicated buttons as on Rigol DS2000 / DS4000, GW Instek GDS-2000A or Agilent DSOX2000.

SDS2000 has sequence mode,it is similar to Segmented memory. quote what Herman explained here https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent's-new-product-msosds2000-series/msg320784/#msg320784

[swallowtail333]

The memory was set to 14kpoints, as seen in 0:19. And the scope has LeCroy-like rotary knobs! 

Hi This doesn't have the logic port connector.Siglent can replace to the new hardware?I am wondering.looking at this video.I am afraid now whether I can get new hardware SDS2000series.
And I worry about the support.From time to time,no reply from Siglent China.How about another location?

[tautech]

The MSO series is being sent out for appraisal and evaluation. Some forum members will get them. Keep watching for their findings.
Siglent has announced they have put extra staff on customer support and to contact them directly.

[Mark_O]

This (demo video) doesn't have the logic port connector.

That was a pre-production, prototype unit.  All released products (since March 1st) will have the LA connector.

Siglent can replace to the new hardware?I am wondering.looking at this video.I am afraid now whether I can get new hardware SDS2000series.

No need for hardware replacement, or factory upgrades.  I'm guessing you missed Siglent's announcement here that:

"there will be no MSO2000 series... all the SDS2000 series oscilloscope will be equipped 8 bit MSO channel since March 1st. You just need to purchase a MSO license to activate the MSO function when you need it later.  Of course, you need a MSO probe to work in with it."

So there's nothing to be worried about on that front, since field upgrades will be simple on all units.

[ot1]

Is the waveform generator also going to be a software option? Are bandwidths software options as well? What were the missing chips for on the Siglent PCB?

[tautech]

All options will be enabled ex factory for 30 power cycles. Options can be purchased with scope or as an extra later and enabled with a code. AWG option is US$188 RRP plus any taxes.
BW is set by model ex factory 70,100,200 or 300 MHz and 2 or 4 channels.(eg SDS2304= 300MHz 4 ch)
The PCB image in this thread (Page 1) is of a 2 channel model so the missing chips are the omitted 4 channel hardware.

[Mark_O]

The PCB image in this thread (Page 1) is of a 2 channel model so the missing chips are the omitted 4 channel hardware.

Right.  And I was thinking that also missing on that early PCB was the FPGA for the logic analyzer section.  But looking again, I'd say those 4 main chips below are all for Chan3/4 (one dual ADC, one FPGA, two RAM chips).  There is one other unpopulated RAM spot up above, probably for the LA memory.

That's really quite a sophisticated board.

[echen1024]

On the other hand, for 50 frames per second screen refresh rate, a mere 96KBx50 = 5MB of throughput is needed for the intensity view. Instead of using expensive memory for intensity buffer + dedicated ASIC/FPGA for intensity computation, the SoC could do intensity grading by itself by grabbing just a potion of the sample buffer every now and then (modern SoCs have dual or quad cpu cores, with a multi-threaded GUI, enough resources are left for fast response to user interaction) - with a Sine wave and rotating the frequency knob on the function generator, no-one would notice a difference.

Look at Dave's video review of the GW-Instek GDS-2000A series. It appears from the video (and Dave's subsequent teardown) that Instek might have used the SoC for doing the meager 16 levels of intensity - instead of a dedicated ASIC/FPGA. And what occurs is a stuttering and freezing of the display updating on occasion.

Drop in a faster multi-core SoC + multithreaded GUI and you are done in the first place.

I suspect if your idea was feasible (and I'm sure it's been tested by DSO manufacturers trying to cut production costs), it would have already surfaced in a product.

Feasibility in terms of performance or sales?

I suspect DSO manufacturers will notice that intensity grading eye candy and snappy GUI is an important selling point which can be had almost for free just by a SoC replacement and some software engineering, so sooner or later it will be introduced to their low end lines. Doing it in hardware with high throughput will still be reserved for high end.



Now, slowly getting back to the topic - the mainboard of the Siglent above indeed looks interesting 

The point is that an FPGA or ASIC specifically designed for the purpose will almost always be faster. let's take Bitcoin mining for an example. We started out with general purpose CPUs. Then we moved up to more horsepower GPUs that could use there thousands of cores to perform many calculations at a time. Finally FPGAs and then ASICS. I could use 100 computers loaded with ATI 7970, but that would be significantly more expensive and there would be no point to it.

[swallowtail333]

The MSO series is being sent out for appraisal and evaluation. Some forum members will get them. Keep watching for their findings.
Siglent has announced they have put extra staff on customer support and to contact them directly.

Thanks for info.It sounds nice,many staff follow up new SDS2000 series.And also another concerns about EasyScopeX.I hope everybody uses it easily.

[swallowtail333]

This (demo video) doesn't have the logic port connector.

That was a pre-production, prototype unit.  All released products (since March 1st) will have the LA connector.

Siglent can replace to the new hardware?I am wondering.looking at this video.I am afraid now whether I can get new hardware SDS2000series.

No need for hardware replacement, or factory upgrades.  I'm guessing you missed Siglent's announcement here that:

"there will be no MSO2000 series... all the SDS2000 series oscilloscope will be equipped 8 bit MSO channel since March 1st. You just need to purchase a MSO license to activate the MSO function when you need it later.  Of course, you need a MSO probe to work in with it."

So there's nothing to be worried about on that front, since field upgrades will be simple on all units.

Thanks for info.Now I came to know that it was pre-production.I see,somebody demonstrated the prototype.

Ver apprecated.and I hope strongly Siglent China staff always reply and provide the firmware and so on.

Anyway,very appreciated.

If anybody gets SDS2000 series,plz report about EasyScopeX .