Hack of Sigllent spectrum analyzer ssa3021X?

[Bicurico]

It is safe to upgrade. No need to revert the mod. Telnet access remains the same.

Regards,
Vitor

[videobruce]

2. Run the upgrade 1.2.8.1 -> 1.2.8.3
3. Do the mod again (CHAPTER 3)

The above is correct?? Flash to 8.3 first with no S/N,  then the mod?

[Radio]

What's the best update route to 8.1+ for a unit on 7.7 with all options enabled via method in post #59 (not 1HZ or 3MHz though) and model number changed to 3032x? Need to change model number back to 3021x first?

Any real benefit in updating to 8.x series?

[Bicurico]

Just do the upgrade as documented by Siglent, making sure you edited the options files to activate all options and have your original serial number active.

Upgrading to v8.x will actually generate the activation codes for the active options and you can then read them out through telnet and ftp.

This is a one time chance, so absolutely make sure you are not upgrading with the relevant files deleted or renamed!

This won't give you the 1Hz and 3MHz RBW options, but after the upgrade you can rename the files as instructed in this thread again, with the benefit of owning the activation keys, aka permanent hack for all future updates.

Regarding the benefits, don't be lazy. Read the change log from Siglent and the sister thread about the SSA3021X in this forum. Then decide for yourself.

For me it was definitely worth it, as v8.x allowed me to program my SSA Simple Spectrum Analyzer software.

Regards,
Vitor

[Radio]

Thanks for advice. Options file has everything set as TRUE and serial number remains on system info screen. So it's ok to leave model number changed to 3032x?

When you mention relevant file deleted or renamed, which do you mean? The only file edited via the method in post 59 was NSP_system_info.xml and nothing touched since.

[electronus]

Got my unit from China today. FW 8.3 installed.
Do someone have fullflash dump v.7.03?
Thanks

[Bicurico]

Are you aware of the risks:

- warranty will be voided, as you need to open the case
- if you have an error on the flash, which is normal, you won't be able to simply flash the backup, as the flash layout would have to be different
- you could try to dump your flash first to see if there is any flash error, but that is not 100% safe

On the other hand, the current hack of renaming ONE file (or is it two, not sure by now), will give you ALL options at no risk. So why bother?

Regards,
Vitor
 

[videobruce]

2. Run the upgrade 1.2.8.1 -> 1.2.8.3
3. Do the mod again (CHAPTER 3)

The above is correct?? Flash to 8.3 first with no S/N,  then the mod?

Anyone??

[electronus]

Bicurico,
I gonna check it for a while with 8.3 just to be sure it is not going to die as the new HW like to do. Yes, I will copy all data using cp and u-boot.
For a long term I'd like to desolder flash, solder in cradle for it and gonna grab some chips from Digikey, just to be sure I have a different backups.
Also with a cradle it would be possible to boot u-boot and replace flash live for programming purposes.
I'm pretty sure they going to close hack in future FWs for those who didn't passed 7 to 8 FW transition, so it would be beneficial to find a way to do a proper downgrade at some point.

 

[markus_jlrb]

He guys,

could confirm that 8.3 is still friendly for modifications to the fw.

[fact]

Electronus,
I am investigating the possibility to create a bootable SD-card allowing to boot from a downgraded OS. Next thing would be to update the SD-card giving the new license that could be copied over to NAND.

[xenonfire]

I did my one today.
It came with v8.1 and I first upgraded to v8.3, then I did the hack in message #289.
- Backup first and then renamed the files.

Works fine!!!   

Thanks for all help!   

[bozidarms]

Hi to all,
another successfully upgraded SSA(without revert the mod first) to v8.3,
everything works fine
Tnx and regards

[analogRF]

Hi
New to this wonderful forum! I have pretty much convinced myself that SSA3021X is the thing I have to have now and I am gonna order it in a couple of days.
However, I have a few questions about unlocking the features:

I understand that this device contains pretty much the same hardware as 3032X and by unlocking it, it can go to 3.2GHz plus the other stuff. But still something bothers me (or amazes me, I should say) about this and that is the accuracy, calibration, DANL and phase noise at those higher frequencies (above 2.1GHz). The price of a basic 3032X is more than twice of a basic 3021X and their difference is just the 3.2GHz vs 2.1GHz. So, is it reasonable that we can get a 3032X (not to mention all the other options which cost almost $1600) just by deleting or renaming a file on the system and that's it?
With regard to the optional stuff I have no doubt because they are just software features and it is reasonable to assume they can be unlocked and their MSRP is ridiculously high. Nobody should pay $400+ for just a codeword or something like that. But as for the higher frequency (or getting 1Hz/3MHz RBW), are we sure that the 3021x is fully calibrated up to 3.2GH and performs exactly as a 3032X when we unlock it?
can anyone confirm the specs (DANL, PN, amplitude accuracy, etc) on an unlocked 3021 is indeed the same as a 3032? Or can anyone do some measurements above 2.1GHz and compare with a trusted spectrum analyzer?

EDIT: I think what I am trying to say is that unlocking software features is one thing but is the hardware (for example the front end) really calibrated for those higher freqs? Isn't that the reason why 3032 costs so much more than 3021? I hope my doubts are totally unfounded!

[bozidarms]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Just as you tell in your last sentence - your doubts are totally unfounded!
I have done measurements on 3GHz(the highest freq. that my sig. gen. have) and can confirm - work like a charm!
SSA3021X is a milestone on test equipment market in the last 10 years(or maybe ever) - a real game changer,
you won't be disappointed !

Regards

[worsthorse]

After much hemming and hawing, and a lot of looking at used SAs, I ordered the 3021X today and will have it Wednesday.  While I wait, I am digging through the seventeen pages of this thread, trying to figure out the latest version of the upgrade hack. It is, well, rather a lot. I would be most grateful if one of the folks who has done the upgrade recently could point out where to start reading, assuming I will get a unit with the latest firmware and no upgrades installed.  Today, by the way, is my birthday, which is how I tipped myself over into finally buying one. 

Thanks in advance! 

[cesarpaz]

Electronus,
I am investigating the possibility to create a bootable SD-card allowing to boot from a downgraded OS. Next thing would be to update the SD-card giving the new license that could be copied over to NAND.

Hello. Can you be so kind as to explain the steps in steps to be able to hack it with version 8.3? We are very grateful, if you want you can contact me by private. Thank you.

[markus_jlrb]

First of all make a Backup of your current system.
Hopefully you are familiar with Linux shell commands.

telnet <SSA3021X-IP-Adr>

Login as root
root password is ding1234

root@am335x-evm:~#

My FW Version was 1.2.8.2

Do Update of all relevant Files:
For this purpose use a FAT32-USB-Stick with more then 200MB free space.
Insert the Stick in the front USB connector at left lower corner near the
power off button. A blue USB-Symbol in the right upper corner above the
spectrum grid should appear after few seconds.

check if usb stick is mounted with the mount command at shell level


root@am335x-evm:~# mount

You should see a line containing the path "/usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0"

If this is the case you could check if the content of the Stick is the one you expect.

ls -l  /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0

change to the stick location

cd /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/

create a backup location on the stick FW_SSA3021X_BCK

mkdir FW_SSA3021X_BCK

switch to this location

cd FW_SSA3021X_BCK

pwd should now show you the full path:

/usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK

create according to your firmware a backup dir with the current
FW number (im my case 1.2.8.2)

mkdir FW-1.2.8.2

use the both cp commnds listed below to save all relevant files

cp -R /usr/bin/siglent/usr/backup  /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.2/SSA3021x_backup

cp -R /usr/bin/siglent/firmdata0 /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.2/SSA3021x_firmdata0

Then save all FLASH memory partitions to your stick by the command listed below:
Some dd partitions transfers throw an IO-Error, but the file is transfered properly.
Do not worry about this.

root@am335x-evm: for i in `seq 0 1 12`; do echo $i; dd if=/dev/mtdblock${i} of=/usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.2/mtdblock${i}-1.2.8.2.img; sleep 1; done

The above command copies the /dev/mtdblock0 ... /dev/mtdblock12 Flash content
to files named mtdblock0-1.2.8.2.img ... mtdblock12-1.2.8.2.img in the
/usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.2/ Directory.

Output from the above command is:

0
256+0 records in
256+0 records out
1
256+0 records in
256+0 records out
2
256+0 records in
256+0 records out
3
256+0 records in
256+0 records out
4
3840+0 records in
3840+0 records out
5
256+0 records in
256+0 records out
6
6144+0 records in
6144+0 records out
7
dd: /dev/mtdblock7: Input/output error
8
12288+0 records in
12288+0 records out
9
12288+0 records in
12288+0 records out
10
102400+0 records in
102400+0 records out
11
102400+0 records in
102400+0 records out
12
dd: /dev/mtdblock12: Input/output error

After this was done, check if the files exist with the ls -l command

Now you could update the firmware to the newest one, in my case to 1.2.8.3.

To do this you have to download from Siglent web site from the support menu
the last FW update. This is a .rar file in my case named SSA3000X-P08.03.rar

Unpack this file and save the .ADS file (V01.02.08.03.ADS) on the usb stick.
To Do this you first have to remove the stick from your Siglent device.

To do this seafly do the commands on the CLI (comand line interface) inside
the terminal as listed below:


root@am335x-evm: sync
root@am335x-evm: sync
root@am335x-evm: cd
root@am335x-evm: umount /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0
Now you could remove the stick from the usb connector.

Copy the file V01.02.08.03.ADS to the stick (top level dir, as it is better to
find the file inside the Siglint SSA3021X display)

Do a seve unmount on your computer bofor you remove the usb stick with the new firmware,
to be sure the file is written correctly befor you remove the stick and put him again into
the SSA3021X usb front connector.


Go to the File menu, by pressing the File button, after you see the stick mounted again
inside the SSA3021X display. Navigate to your stick (right column on the display)
switch from Dir Menu to File Menu (left upper corner at the screen) and navigate to the
new FW file V01.02.08.03.ADS. Now press the load button beside the screen menu.

Wait patiently until the FW is updated (The SSA3221X will reboot thre or four times)
Do not switch off the power until you not see again the spectrum grid on teh screen !!!

Check via System button / info which FW is now displayed - should be 1.2.8.3

now you have to login again to the device via telnet as listed obove as the reboot
during the FW update terminated the telnet connection.
(If you run in problems to connect, check via ping command fro your PC if the SSA3021X
is still responding to the same IP address. Perhaps your router has configured a new
IP address - increas/decrease the last octed from the prior ip address.)

When you are loged in succesfully, do the backup of all relevant files for the new
FW version 1.2.8.3 to be on the secure side.


ls -l  /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0 (exist this location ?)

cd /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK
 
cd FW_SSA3021X_BCK

pwd should now show you the full path:

/usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK

create according to your firmware a backup dir with the current
FW number (im my case 1.2.8.3)

mkdir FW-1.2.8.3


use the both cp commnds listed below to save all relevant files

cp -R /usr/bin/siglent/usr/backup  /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.3/SSA3021x_backup

cp -R /usr/bin/siglent/firmdata0 /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.3/SSA3021x_firmdata0

Then save all FLASH memory partitions to your stick by the command listed below:
Some dd partitions transfers throw an IO-Error, but the file is transfered properly.
Do not worry about this.

root@am335x-evm: for i in `seq 0 1 12`; do echo $i; dd if=/dev/mtdblock${i} of=/usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.3/mtdblock${i}-1.2.8.2.img; sleep 1; done

The above command copies the /dev/mtdblock0 ... /dev/mtdblock12 Flash content
to files named mtdblock0-1.2.8.3.img ... mtdblock12-1.2.8.3.img in the
/usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0/FW_SSA3021X_BCK/FW-1.2.8.3/ Directory.

================================================================================
Now you are ready to switch your SSA3021X device to a SSA3032X with all Options
================================================================================

umount the stick

root@am335x-evm: sync
root@am335x-evm: sync
root@am335x-evm: cd
root@am335x-evm: umount /usr/bin/siglent/usr/mass_storage/U-disk0

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be sure you has write down your original Serial Number from the System button menu
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In my case two files have to be renamed to reach the full option state:

See forum which they are ;-)

root@am335x-evm: cd /usr/bin/siglent/usr/backup
root@am335x-evm:/usr/bin/siglent/usr/backup# mv X.xml X.xml.org
root@am335x-evm:/usr/bin/siglent/usr/backup# mv Y.xml Y.xml.org

This files could be renamed easy as this partition has read/write property enabled.
But you has to rename the files listed above inside the /usr/bin/siglent/firmdata0 directory too
but this partition is write protected. To do this use the mount command

root@am335x-evm: mount -o remount -o rw ubi2_0

Then you could rename the both files:

root@am335x-evm: cd /usr/bin/siglent/firmdata0

root@am335x-evm:/usr/bin/siglent/firmdata0# mv X.xml X.xml.org
root@am335x-evm:/usr/bin/siglent/firmdata0# mv Y.xml Y.xml.org

Mount the firmdata0 partition again ro (read only)

root@am335x-evm: mount -o remount -o ro ubi2_0

Sync the Flash Filesystem to be sure all changes are stored properly.

root@am335x-evm: sync

root@am335x-evm: logout


Powerdown your device and start it again - enjoy your SSA3032X device alias SSA3021X

;-)

[cesarpaz]

THANKS SO MUCH.

 I'll try it as soon as I get back from a week's vacation.

Very grateful markus_jlrb, you have been very cordial and kind fellow of the forum.

[worsthorse]

Thank you! I will give it a try at the end of this week. I appreciate not having to dig through pages and pages of the thread...

[Noob68]

Hi all

I got my SSA3021X on october 2016, with software version 7.07, i hacked it and it worked well until now.

When booting, it shows the Siglent Logo, then it draws the grid and menus, and freeze. The keys are no more reactives, the trace is not showing.
I have tried to log in with telnet, but it does not work, i even can't see the ip adress on the dhcp lease list on my router.

Any idea of what is happenig and what to do ?

Does anyone know if it is possible to fully reset the SSA3021X whith a key combination while booting or another way of reseting ?

[TurboTom]

@Noob68

you may try to connect to the UART, see here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hack-of-sigllent-spectrum-analyzer-ssa3021x/msg974784/#msg974784 -- this will output O/S messages right from power-up. With this information, you may be able to find out what's causing the problem. If the "ecomb" application gets started (what the graticule display should prove), the system definitely gets far beyond the UBOOT shell. Via the UART, you can interrupt the bootup sequence, enter UBOOT and write back a file system image (I hope you've got one of your machine). This should revive your SSA unless there's a hardware problem.

Good luck and all the best,
Thomas

[Noob68]

@TurboTom,

Thank you for your advice.... I saved the files before hacking, so i could perhaps restore them, but it is not sure the ssa will work again, so i don't want to void warranty by opening the unit.
I think i should ask my seller if they can service the unit, but they probably will see it was hacked... and they'll probably update the firmware.
So, I am still hesitating.

5 august 2017 : Finally, after thousands of tries, my ssa3021X went alive, again. I don't know what happened.  When it finally booted, i was powering while pressing the system key... Not sure that it booted because of that.
Now, i made the 8.01 then 8.03 upgrades and it works like a charm.
All options remains actives.

[dpenev]

Hello,

I am observing a bug with latest firmware V1.2.8.3

I have connected the analyzer to a stable signal.
In the log span I measure using trace A, Then I make A to be 'View' and enable trace B same settings.
At the very low frequency region I see a spike on trace B which is constantly redrawn.
Plot attached   

On another issue, sometimes when I save a plot into a flash the png is created but it is blank.
So it seems something with flushing the content to the flash pen? Anyone having the same?

[sdouble]

I also have a strange bug :
I get different values switching for x-lin to x-log scales.
about 10% difference in the MHz range.