Siglent SSA3000X and SSA3000X-Plus Spectrum Analyzers

[gussy]

stefkpl you will need to follow the instructions here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-ssa3000x-spectrum-analyzers/msg3382160/#msg3382160

Read that entire page of posts and it should help explain what went wrong and how you can correct it.

Good luck!

[Elasia]

Ran into this interesting bit...

B&K rebadged this and some other siglent products..

https://bkpmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/datasheets/en-us/2680_series_datasheet.pdf

Also apparently the easy spectrum pc software has a 3d spectrum monitor inside it hiding that's not advertised much

[Bicurico]

EasySpectrum exists since the launch of the SSA3000X series and indeed supports the 3D waterfall rendering, even without active MEAS option on the device.

The drawback of EasySpectrum is that it relies on third-party VISA software, which is a HUGE install.

An alternative is my software, which does not need any install, as it uses the SCPI telnet port directly. However, you do need to have Windows 10. Not sure about Windows 8, but Windows 7 does definitly not work.

https://vma-satellite.blogspot.com/2017/03/vma-simple-spectrum-analyser-for.html

Regards,
Vitor

[Elasia]

EasySpectrum exists since the launch of the SSA3000X series and indeed supports the 3D waterfall rendering, even without active MEAS option on the device.

The drawback of EasySpectrum is that it relies on third-party VISA software, which is a HUGE install.

An alternative is my software, which does not need any install, as it uses the SCPI telnet port directly. However, you do need to have Windows 10. Not sure about Windows 8, but Windows 7 does definitly not work.

https://vma-satellite.blogspot.com/2017/03/vma-simple-spectrum-analyser-for.html

Regards,
Vitor

Interesting software and nice blog

And yeah... i have a dedicated vm just for NI products... monster hogs.. used to be you could get visa on its own in a smaller package but that was decades ago now

[Elasia]

I do the same error! 

I had a SSA3021X-PLUS => upgrade to SSA3032X-PLUS
I would like to upgrade to SVA1032X and now my siglent wont boot after update firmware

The uImage file to reflash that portion with can be extracted from any of their firmware files

This one is from 2.2.1.2.5

How can I solve my mistake ?

The root password was know?

Please help me   

Thanks

Root password is ding1234

Pretty much go back and read in the past of this thread, you just need to firmware flash from uboot over the corrupted nand partition / image.. its a slight pain but easy to recover from

[mawyatt]

Hello Vitor,

Very interesting!! Any chance this will be ported to a Mac OS?

Best,

[Bicurico]

The problem of stefkpl was fixed over night.

The main advise is to NOT try to use that particular FW upgrade, as it contains an error, which was previously described in the blog.

Note that a fix requires AT LEAST access to a working copy of the main executable (in this case Aladdin), in order to be able to carry out a new FW upgrade.

@mawyatt: I have no plans to port the software - sorry! But it should run fine using Bootcamp or Parallels.

Regards,
Vitor

[Elasia]

The problem of stefkpl was fixed over night.

The main advise is to NOT try to use that particular FW upgrade, as it contains an error, which was previously described in the blog.

Note that a fix requires AT LEAST access to a working copy of the main executable (in this case Aladdin), in order to be able to carry out a new FW upgrade.

@mawyatt: I have no plans to port the software - sorry! But it should run fine using Bootcamp or Parallels.

Regards,
Vitor

Any plans to update the software and or add SVA options?

[Bicurico]

I only own a SSA3021X.

I think the software works as is with the SSA Plus and SVA series, too. But it does not make use of the specific VNA functionality.

I would need to get my hands on such a device, but it is too expensive (=not profitable) to just buy one for this purpose.

Also, the goal of my software is NOT to replicate EasySpectrum. In fact I use very few functions of the SSA, as my software uses its own algorithms for the implented measurement functions.

My software is more like a platform for me to develop new and/or innovating measurement functions regarding spectrum analysis.

Regards,
Vitor

[tv84]

stefkpl tried to upgrade with "SVA1032X_3.2.2.3.2_EN.ADS".

As explained before, this FW is not safe!

It will not delete the executable (ecomb_p) correctly and as a result the FW upgrade will run out of free flash memory and fail. The executable will be corrupt and the device will not start.

It is recommended to use the newer SVA1032X_V3.2.2.3.3R1_EN.ADS which is safe.

I can't understand how Siglent still shares in their websites the previous FW versions with the upgrade bug!!! 

@tautech,

Please tell Siglent to remove the bad versions from the websites.

Use this one:
https://int.siglent.com/upload_file/zip/firmware/Spectrum_analyzer/SSA3021_3032XP_V3.2.2.3.3R1_EN.zip

[tautech]

@tautech,

Please tell Siglent to remove the bad versions from the websites.

We'll see in a few days when new SSA3kX+ stock arrives that will more than likely need a FW update.
I fully expect it to install without issue and only the cross flashing with the earlier version is a problem.

[Elasia]

@tautech,

Please tell Siglent to remove the bad versions from the websites.

We'll see in a few days when new SSA3kX+ stock arrives that will more than likely need a FW update.
I fully expect it to install without issue and only the cross flashing with the earlier version is a problem.

I finally looked at this and scratching my head at it... SVA was always Aladdin and SSA is ecomb_p so no idea where this thing thing of not using Aladdin for SVA came from

Anyone that does have the SVA app and NOT using Aladdin name is just asking for it...


Special note that apparently the SVA1015X was left as ecomb and i suppose this is were it cropped up and people started misapplying it to 21/32s

[Elasia]

LOL they did exactly what I thought

They killed the convenient cross check they had in them to delete the misnamed files

if [ -f /usr/bin/siglent/Aladdin ]; then
   rm /usr/bin/siglent/Aladdin
   rm /usr/bin/siglent/libscpi*
fi

for an SSA and

if [ -f /usr/bin/siglent/ecomb ]; then
   rm /usr/bin/siglent/ecomb
   rm /usr/bin/siglent/libscpi*
fi

for an SVA

This isnt a bug at all...  siglent trolled cross flashers by removing a convenience from their scripting for something that should never have been in prod in the first place from their perspective

Like Tau is getting at... its not an issue

[tautech]

LOL they did exactly what I thought

They killed the convenient cross check they had in them to delete the misnamed files
..................

This isnt a bug at all...  siglent trolled cross flashers by removing a convenience from their scripting for something that should never have been in prod in the first place from their perspective

Like Tau is getting at... its not an issue

Exactly and why wouldn't they.
They want the $3400 sale not the $1600 one.........so do I just quietly. 

[Bicurico]

You are not correct.
Early SVA FW releases did not use Aladdin.
The latest FW will correctly remove ecomb_p and Aladdin.

[Elasia]

LOL they did exactly what I thought

They killed the convenient cross check they had in them to delete the misnamed files
..................

This isnt a bug at all...  siglent trolled cross flashers by removing a convenience from their scripting for something that should never have been in prod in the first place from their perspective

Like Tau is getting at... its not an issue

Exactly and why wouldn't they.
They want the $3400 sale not the $1600 one.........so do I just quietly. 

I have to give props to whoever did that.. excellent trolling without really damaging anything   

[Elasia]

You are not correct.
Early SVA FW releases did not use Aladdin.
The latest FW will correctly remove ecomb_p and Aladdin.

No one cross flashed prior to Aladdin let alone opened one up to see the guts of the Plus line which is what gets cross flashed till the SSA1015X+ showed up as well and can work with SVA as well

[tv84]

This isnt a bug at all...  siglent trolled cross flashers by removing a convenience from their scripting for something that should never have been in prod in the first place from their perspective

I don't agree.

The instructions were there because in development/quality phase the app (may) have had other names. As such, that protection was there to make sure that only Aladdin was to continue, all others had to go.

I think the proof of that is the script in V3.2.2.3.3R1. Once again has all the stuff.

AND the release notes include:

V3.2.2.3.3R1
2020/12/01
New Functionality:
• Add EMI filter in SA for EMI option
Solved Issues:
• Optimize the TG flatness and control procedure
• Optimize Help
• Fix Correction, .csv file, add peak numbers to 20 in EMI mode
• Fix amplitude error in DMA Mode
• Fix upgrade failure issue

IMHO this last sentence is sufficient to justify removing previous versions from websites.

[hpw]

Ran into this interesting bit...

B&K rebadged this and some other siglent products..

Also apparently the easy spectrum pc software has a 3d spectrum monitor inside it hiding that's not advertised much

YES, it would be the feature to follow the freq. walks & jitter of a crystal oscillator and on the clock distribution over time. If selective enough 

[Ghislain]

Bought a brand new SSA3021X Plus recently from a dealer, unit arrived in perfect shape was successfully 'enhanced' 
However, the VNA measurements were way off so I immediately suspected another missing cable syndrome. After opening up the unit, the cable was indeed missing.
Installed a 10cm H&S sucoform 86, calibrated and all is good now.
My device seems to be a late 2019 model (date on calibration certificate is 09/2019).

   

[Bicurico]

@Ghislain: Well done! Thanks for the picture!

Any idea what this connector is used for?

[TurboTom]

JTAG of the FPGA/CPLD on the RF board?

[Bicurico]

The interest is to see to what extent the SSA3000X-R is different from the SSA3000X-P and to understand if this connector is used for the real time module.

[Elasia]

The SVA1015X has the same header.. pretty sure its just a program header, nothing interesting

The tracking module is shared between the SVA1015X and SVA1032X but in the 32 the cpu/display board gets its own pcb.  The cpu module board itself appears to be the same and is more than likely the same in a R.  Aladdin itself has all of the real time software inside of it as well but on a plus model any of the real time commands time out and complain on the debug port

You can activate the realtime software portion by going into pro mode

[DeepLink]

Where did you get the cable?

I also just received my SSA3021X Plus (calibrated 17/09-2020) So I would expect that mine is also missing the cable

So far I have only upgraded to the R1 firmware

Hans