The Siglent SDG2042X Thread

[tautech]

With egg on my face I answer my own question.

Yes, output can be designated in RMS or dbm as opposed to peak to peak, but only when the output load is set for 50 Ohms.

I found this quite by accident drilling through menus. It was not found in the pdf version of the operations manual using a pdf generated search.

Is there any method to change the output reading from peak to peak volts to something really useful like dbm or rms (available on the Rigols). Sure would make life more pleasant for me as opposed to doing constant conversions. It appears Siglent did it for the units they made for Teledyne so they must have the code already written.

Did I miss a menu item?

As you're not the first to have asked about this I'll shoot an email to Siglent asking for it to be made clearer in the manual.
P30 of the latest manual shows the UI and the other units available although the image shows 1M output impedance while as you say they are only available in 50 output mode. 
The pic at least needs changing for one showing 50 not 1M as this is misleading for those trying to access the other units. Some wording to make all this clear need be added too.
http://www.siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Documents/UserManual/SDG2000X_UserManual_UM0202X-E01C.pdf

As is often the case as manuals get updated there is new info included and the CD manual supplied can sometimes be out of date. Keep an eye out for new manuals. I do try to announce them but often I don't get notified of new versions. Feel free to announce any new versions seen.

[MrW0lf]

Confusion about signal gen source impedance pops up quite often, if look Google.
Seem not RF-background people assume sources as LowZ.
For example I often handle 100Ah batteries in complex conditions and you better be treating them as LowZ... Gets into your system so to speak.

After little thinking I have some improvement suggestions:

1) First look at my other gear, discover all needed info on front panel:



2) Improve SDG2000X

[MrW0lf]

Did some checks for "changing units" bug:

1) Wrong units and value after reboot:

- set Ch1.Load=50ohm
- set Ch1.Amplitude=0dBm
- power OFF
- power ON
- displays Ch1.Amplitude=447.2Vpp
- check with 50ohm load confirms that 0dBm has converted to -3dBm

2) Ch1/Ch2 units mixup:

- set Ch1.Load=50ohm
- set Ch1.Amplitude=0dBm
- [Ch1/Ch2]
- set Ch2.Amplitude=1Vpp
- [Ch1/Ch2]
- displays Ch1.Amplitude=632.6mVpp

Consequently if Ch2.Load=HighZ then after [Ch1/Ch2] will always lose "50ohm" units on Ch1.
Only way keep units is keep set Ch2.Load=50ohm and same units as on Ch1.

FW=22R5

[tautech]

New Firmware for SDG2000X series.
http://siglentamerica.com/gjjrj-xq.aspx?id=5196&tid=15
12.4 Mb

From the changelog:
1. Allow 0 Hz for CH Frequency In MOD Modes PM, AM, DSB-AM, ASK, PSK
2. Allow MOD frequency > CH Frequency In MOD Modes PM, DSB AM, ASK
3. Allow DSB-AM, AM MOD Modes In TrueArb Mode
4. Up Followed by Down Sweep Mode is Supported in Linear Sweep (No Change for Log Sweep)
5. Added ARB waveform name to display, allowing user to know what Arb waveform is loaded
6. Fixed some bugs :
a) Arb Waveforms In DDS Mode Have One (Small) Glitch Per Cycle
b) Built in Ramp waveform has a flat spot issue at the rising slope zero crossing right at the SYNC pulse
c) Power Up Last Does Not Remember SRate/Frequency Setting
d) MOD Type = DSB AM Has Amplitude Issues

[CustomEngineerer]

I went ahead and installed the new firmware and can confirm that the bandwidth hack remains in place through the update.

[CustomEngineerer]

Don't really have time to test out all the changes, but did get to briefly play around with the new up down linear sweep mode. Behaves like you would expect. When set to Up_Down direction, there is a new setting called Dir Sym (direction symmetry) that allows you to set what percentage of the sweep time is spent going up vs going down. Thats all I had time for, hopefully will get to test more out in the next couple of days.

 

[nugglix]

New Firmware for SDG2000X series.
http://siglentamerica.com/gjjrj-xq.aspx?id=5196&tid=15
12.4 Mb

Wahh... these Siglent links suck.
Downloads stops after a few seconds.
Must be very complicated to make such a thing work. 

[tautech]

New Firmware for SDG2000X series.
http://siglentamerica.com/gjjrj-xq.aspx?id=5196&tid=15
12.4 Mb

Wahh... these Siglent links suck.
Downloads stops after a few seconds.
Must be very complicated to make such a thing work. 

Maybe everybody is downloading it. 
Edit
I grabbed it today without incident....must be your pipes to the US ?
Do you have regular problems downloading Siglent material ?

Here's the link from the EU site:
http://www.siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Firmware&Software/firmware/SDG2000X_V200R001B01D01P23R3EE.rar

[rf-loop]

New Firmware for SDG2000X series.
http://siglentamerica.com/gjjrj-xq.aspx?id=5196&tid=15
12.4 Mb

Wahh... these Siglent links suck.
Downloads stops after a few seconds.
Must be very complicated to make such a thing work. 

Here  network works reliable and without any single problem. Tested 10 times.

[nugglix]

Seems to be a routing issue w/ the provider of this IP.
Using a VPN and different surfacing point it works.

*sigh*
Welcome to the 21st century...

Thanks for the checks and feedback!

Cheers

[rf-loop]

Seems to be a routing issue w/ the provider of this IP.
Using a VPN and different surfacing point it works.

*sigh*
Welcome to the 21st century...

Thanks for the checks and feedback!

Cheers

America need first reach 20th century...  (networks - mobile and wired)

[Dwaine]

I just downloaded the firmware fine.   Nice to see another firmware upgrade.   I'm still looking for some graphing with the frequency counter.

One screen for the stats and another screen for the graph.

I really like this device and it's been a great addition to my lab.

[Plasmateur]

Tautech,

Any news on getting getting both channels to trigger from a remote command on the next firmware update?

[tautech]

Tautech,

Any news on getting getting both channels to trigger from a remote command on the next firmware update?

I can ask but the factory is on a Chinese holiday for the next few days.

[kazam]

Hi,

Just updated to the latest release. The very annoying bug with skipping position when changing delay values with the knob is still there!

Steps to reproduce:
1. Set output 1 to pulse
2. Set delay to 100.000us
3. Move digit indicator to second decimal place 100.0X0us
4. Rotate wheel

You will get 100.010 => 10X.010
Cursor will move here -----/

The next time you rotate you will increase delay by a full us. Stupendously annoying when you have your eyes on the scope and wonder where your waveform went.

/K

[Siglent America]

kazam,
Thank you. Engineering has been notified and is now on their bug list.

[zorromen]

Hello, there is a question. I'm writing on PC a program for controlling the generator, I'm tired of twisting my hands. So I ran into such a problem. Requires PWM 100KHz 0-3V with modulation frequency of 10 Hz to modulate ARB signals, both mine and built-in from the list. It does not work to write a query so that you can select the type of ARB signal by number or name.

myDmm.WriteString("C1:BSWV WVTP,PULSE,AMP,3.0V,OFST,1.5V,FRQ,100000HZ,DUTY,50.0");
myDmm.WriteString("C1:MDWV STATE,ON,PWM,FRQ,10,MDSP,ARB");

The command myDmm.WriteString("C1:ARWV?"); always returns "C1:ARWV INDEX,0,NAME,StairUp\n"

If we write myDmm.WriteString("C1:ARWV INDEX,6"); then the modulation goes over to AM.

How to make PWM modulate the desired ARB signal?

[Siglent America]

Hello zorromen,

We tried to post the answer here but we had three screen shots and it took up too much room.

We did find the problem. Please contact us at
info@siglent.com
and we will help you out on this.

[fonograph]

Siglent says that modulation freqency is 1mhz max,I am confused

is it 1mhz max for the carrier or 1mhz max for the modulating freqency? I want to do some 6 mhz PWM modulation stuff and I was thinking since this is 120mhz signal generator it should handle it but when I read the specs I am not sure anymore if it can do what I need

[zorromen]

Modulation signal max 1 MHz (Sine....Arb, External)
PWM 25MHz
You will approach it, 120 Mhz is for Sine, the basis of PWM is PULSE, so it is limited to 25 Mhz.

[tautech]

Hello zorromen,

We tried to post the answer here but we had three screen shots and it took up too much room.

We did find the problem. Please contact us at
info@siglent.com
and we will help you out on this.

Hence the need for a faster FW roll out of alternative and smaller file types for screenshots. (png etc)
These have been promised for a while and many of us have had quite enough of compressing imagery for online screenshots. Get a move on Siglent.

[fonograph]

So I can have 25mhz PWM carrier and I can modulate it at 1mhz? Did I understand it correctly?

[zorromen]

So it is, only it is necessary to take into account that the frequency of the PWM 150MHz itself is 6.6 nS step, it leads to a strong drop in the resolution at a high frequency> 10Mhz.
For example 150Mhz / 256bit = 580KHz
20Mhz will give us in reality only 3 states since we need to consider 8.4ns fronts.
At 24 and 25 MHz PWM I did not modulate anything at all.

[colorado.rob]

Is it possible to modulate an FSK signal with a file (square wave waveform)?  I'd like to be able to upload a bitstream and FSK modulate that signal.

I'm able to do FSK modulation of simple square wave, but modulation of arbitrary data is what I really need.

[colorado.rob]

We tried to post the answer here but we had three screen shots and it took up too much room.

We did find the problem. Please contact us at
info@siglent.com
and we will help you out on this

Please reply here.  I have the same question.  I'm sure others will too.

Edit: add context