FS: Used Agilent 54831D MSO Scope 4a+16dig Upgraded hardware Win7 [Urgent]

[Mykeil]

Hi there.
I'm selling the scope. It's Agilent 54831D with replaced OS to Windows 7 and upgraded hardware in great working condition.



Agilent website http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-10951-pn-54831D/infiniium-mso
Datasheet http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5988-3788EN.pdf

The scope has all options enabled.
64MPts, EZJIT Plus, High Speed Serial, Low Speed Serial, Force 1G, User Def Fn, eGUI, Voice, Power, PRMLpro, PRMLpro 2, PMRLpro 3, PRMLpro 4, PRMLpro 5, App Remote, Gigabit Ethernet, DVI, HDMI, USB, Wireless USB, USB3 Compliance, Xilinx Probe, Altera Probe, Fibre Channel, CAN, FB DIMM, Express Card, SATA 1, SATA 2, SATA 6 Upgrade, SAS, DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, GDDR, GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5, MIPI, Display Port, FlexRay, My Compliance, AP3, AP4, AP5. Some options are officially not supported for this scope model.

The motherboard was replaced for better performance.
The old mortherboard was able to run 1GHz cpu and 512MB RAM. The new motherboard runs 2*3.2GHz cpu and 4GB RAM.

The OS was replaced.
Originaly the scope was running on Windows XP. Now it's running on Windows 7.

The scope is fully operational. I made 100 self-tests in the loop using service menu and got 100% pass.

The scope is stable on new hardware and system. It was running 30 hours withount any restart.


Have a nice day and Happy biding.

[Howardlong]

The Force 1G: does it actually work? i.e., what is the real time rise time or 3dB point?

[Mykeil]

I used 3.3V button battery with originaly welded pins and I made a transient. The shortest time which I captured was 605 ps.

[Howardlong]

You are looking for a rise time of <350ps for it to be considered 1GHz.

On the 54831D at 600MHz, it achieves 500ps rise time. I am mot convinced that the Force 1G actually does make it 1GHz at all.

One further test you can do, what is the fastest timebase?

[Mykeil]

The shortest timebase is 500ps/div.

The scope has only 4GSa/s, so the sapling period is 250ps. It may not sample correctly below 500ps.

But the results are strange because I see more dots than 2/div on 500ps/div timebase.

[Howardlong]

The 1GHz version goes to 200ps/div. I don't think the scope is 1GHz, it's still 600MHz.

[Mechatrommer]

I used 3.3V button battery with originaly welded pins and I made a transient. The shortest time which I captured was 605 ps.

try larger battery and proper probing. isnt the probe is the bottleneck? what probe you are using?

But the results are strange because I see more dots than 2/div on 500ps/div timebase.

thats the sinx interpolation. btw, a fine scope. i wish i have the money and havent bought the DS1054Z.

The Force 1G: does it actually work? i.e., what is the real time rise time or 3dB point?

to the OP, you'll need a calibrated 1GHz FG for this

[Mykeil]

try larger battery and proper probing. isnt the probe is the bottleneck? what probe you are using?

to the OP, you'll need a calibrated 1GHz FG for this

I just stick welded pins of battery to the bnc input without using any probe. Unfortunately I don't have 1GHz probe or cable.

btw, a fine scope. i wish i have the money and havent bought the DS1054Z.

Thank you. Agilent is making great scopes. Better than Tektronix or LeCroy in my opinion. Every inner flat surface is covered with a foam to reduce noise from fans.


Howard.
I looked into programmers manual and found command *OPT?
http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/54830-97014.pdf?id=595884

The *OPT? query returns a string with a list of installed options. If no options are installed, the string will have a 0 as the first character. The length of the returned string may increase as options become available in the future.  Once implemented, an option name will be appended to the end of the returned string, delimited by a comma. 

Returned Format [001,002,640,320,160,080,040,EZP,CLK,EZJ,SDA,LSS,EBW,NRD,ERC]<NL>
001 = Memory option 54850 Series Osilloscopes
002 = Memory option 80000 Series Osillocsopes
640 = 64 MByte memory option
320 = 32 MByte memory option
160 = 16 MByte memory option
080 = 8 MByte memory option
040 = 4 MByte memory option
EZP = EZJIT Plus option
CLK = Clock recovery option
EZJ = EZJIT option
SDA = High speed serial data analysis option
LSS = Low speed serial data analysis option
EBW = Enhanced bandwidth option
NRD = Noise reduction option
ERC = External 10 MHz clock option


The option Force 1G does not enable option EBW. I think it should. It may be the reason why the scope is still 600MHz.

Does anyone has this option EBW enabled?
Maybe it's not to enable on this scope, but it's on the list of options to enable on 54831D scope. So I think it can be enabled.

[Mykeil]

I added front panel and Wifi module on PCIe. Now the scope can be connected to the Internet wireless. Also it's easy to access 2xUSB, mSATA/USB, Audio Out, Mic In from front. USB is 2.0. The motherboard does not support USB 3.0, but it can be added by replacing with Wifi module on PCIe.
Also CD drive was replaced with DVD drive.

[mairo]

Can we connect this scope to Keysight's BenchVue Oscilloscope app?

[Jwalling]

I added front panel and Wifi module on PCIe. Now the scope can be connected to the Internet wireless. Also it's easy to access 2xUSB, mSATA/USB, Audio Out, Mic In from front. USB is 2.0. The motherboard does not support USB 3.0, but it can be added by replacing with Wifi module on PCIe.
Also CD drive was replaced with DVD drive.

Pimp my scope! 

Jay

[Mykeil]

Can we connect this scope to Keysight's BenchVue Oscilloscope app?

Benchvue requires server license manager. Needs to be additionally installed. Also license file must be for server licensing.
I can try to modify the license but not now.
Officially it's not supported but we can check how it's made on supported scope and try to adapt to 54830 series scopes.

[Wuerstchenhund]

The scope has all options enabled.
64MPts, EZJIT Plus, High Speed Serial, Low Speed Serial, Force 1G, User Def Fn, eGUI, Voice, Power, PRMLpro, PRMLpro 2, PMRLpro 3, PRMLpro 4, PRMLpro 5, App Remote, Gigabit Ethernet, DVI, HDMI, USB, Wireless USB, USB3 Compliance, Xilinx Probe, Altera Probe, Fibre Channel, CAN, FB DIMM, Express Card, SATA 1, SATA 2, SATA 6 Upgrade, SAS, DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, GDDR, GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5, MIPI, Display Port, FlexRay, My Compliance, AP3, AP4, AP5. Some options are officially not supported for this scope model.

I assume that all the enabled options are properly licensed (i.e. check against Keysight's database)? Hacking a scope for oneself's use is one thing (a legal grey area) but selling one with hacked options would be outright illegal.

Besides, the majority of these options are completely worthless on a 600MHz scope, which is hardly adequate for USB2, let alone SAS, SATA, FC, DisplayPort and all the other standards requiring a multi-GHz scope. 

Agilent is making great scopes. Better than Tektronix or LeCroy in my opinion.

Agilent makes some good scopes but they do have their deficiencies, and these old Infiniiums are no exception. I have used them when they were new, and I still have a DSO8064A, the later, much improved successor of the 54831 (faster ASICs, XGA touchscreen, none of that stupid hardware overlay), and while it's a very nice scope, it can't hold a candle to the LeCroy counterparts (WaveRunner Series) of that era, not in terms of hardware, performance (>100k wfms/s vs 8800 wfms/s on the Agilent) and much less so in regards of the options (the Agilent ones are pretty simplistic in comparison, and a lot that was available for the LeCroy wasn't even available from Agilent, like serial decode for a wide range of standards), or even the UI (mouse/keyboard vs true touch).

The option Force 1G does not enable option EBW. I think it should. It may be the reason why the scope is still 600MHz.

I don't think any of the original 54800 Series was ever BW upgradeable, these options were reserved for the later DSO80k. I don't think you're able 'unlock' any additional BW on that 54831D.

[Jwalling]

I don't think any of the original 54800 Series was ever BW upgradeable, these options were reserved for the later DSO80k.

I believe that you are right. You can upgrade the sample rate to 2GS/s on 54810A and 54815A scopes, though. It's also possible to make a 54835A think it's a 54845A, but I don't know if it would meet the spec of the 54845A.

Jay

[Wuerstchenhund]

I believe that you are right. You can upgrade the sample rate to 2GS/s on 54810A and 54815A scopes, though. It's also possible to make a 54835A think it's a 54845A, but I don't know if it would meet the spec of the 54845A.

I managed to increase the BW of my 600MHz DSO8064A from ~850Mhz to 1.25GHz by removing one of the BW setting keys. It's pretty much flat to 1.2Ghz and then rolls off sharply, which is good as this is roughly the performance curve of the 1GHz DSO8104A.

After doing a BW 'upgrade' the frequency response should be checked with a calibrated signal generator. Just testing the rise time isn't enough.

[Howardlong]

...by removing one of the BW setting keys.

Hmm, what "BW setting keys" are these? My 54831D (running 5.71 software) is flat to about 1.3GHz on equivalent time out of the box with no hacks, but in real time its 3dB point is about 800MHz or so, so I've always assumed it's soft-limited by firmware/software/ASIC.

[Wuerstchenhund]

...by removing one of the BW setting keys.

Hmm, what "BW setting keys" are these?

I'd have to check in the scope's old hard drive. It was one parameter in the license file that told the scope its BW is 600MHz. Without it the real BW increased to 1.25GHz.

My 54831D (running 5.71 software) is flat to about 1.3GHz on equivalent time out of the box with no hacks, but in real time its 3dB point is about 800MHz or so, so I've always assumed it's soft-limited by firmware/software/ASIC.

I remember you mentioned this a few times in the past. This looks indeed like an artificial limitation, although it could well be a fixed one (i.e. not controlled by the scope application).

You could try to run the scope with an empty license file (i.e. zero options), if it's software controlled like on the DSO8k then your BW should have increased, If not then it's probably down to board firmware/hardware.

[crispus]

How much?

[bigeblis]

Hi there.
I'm selling the scope. It's Agilent 54831D with replaced OS to Windows 7 and upgraded hardware in great working condition.



Agilent website http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-10951-pn-54831D/infiniium-mso
Datasheet http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5988-3788EN.pdf

The scope has all options enabled.
64MPts, EZJIT Plus, High Speed Serial, Low Speed Serial, Force 1G, User Def Fn, eGUI, Voice, Power, PRMLpro, PRMLpro 2, PMRLpro 3, PRMLpro 4, PRMLpro 5, App Remote, Gigabit Ethernet, DVI, HDMI, USB, Wireless USB, USB3 Compliance, Xilinx Probe, Altera Probe, Fibre Channel, CAN, FB DIMM, Express Card, SATA 1, SATA 2, SATA 6 Upgrade, SAS, DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, GDDR, GDDR3, GDDR4, GDDR5, MIPI, Display Port, FlexRay, My Compliance, AP3, AP4, AP5. Some options are officially not supported for this scope model.

The motherboard was replaced for better performance.
The old mortherboard was able to run 1GHz cpu and 512MB RAM. The new motherboard runs 2*3.2GHz cpu and 4GB RAM.

The OS was replaced.
Originaly the scope was running on Windows XP. Now it's running on Windows 7.

The scope is fully operational. I made 100 self-tests in the loop using service menu and got 100% pass.

The scope is stable on new hardware and system. It was running 30 hours withount any restart.


Have a nice day and Happy biding.

Hello, you can share your system installation process? What steps does it need to install which programs? I also try your work, but still can not succeed!

[bingo600]

Have a look here
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/agilent-54831d-modernising/?all

Also suggest that OP wants 300$ for any hints

/Bingo