General > General Technical Chat
The Rigol DS1052E
Simon:
been there done that !, I think you can download the firmware but the mystery is how to flash it to the scope, probably with the software that won't run on vista/7
Wmacky:
Hi, New here!
After watching that excellent video from our host, I plunged in with a purchase of the 100Mhz version 1102E. The unit appears to be working OK, and appeared NIB. Strange thing is that the calibration cert is dated Nov 2008? This unit came new from a US based online supply house. I know these probally don't move as fast as the 1050e does, but that date is from before the official release date. Could they still have had original stock from their first shipment? I don't want a "return" unit! The firmware is 1.05. Could someone check the firmware for there 1102E?
Thoughts?
Brett:
Hi Guys! Great info here. I've been lurking for a while watching all of Dave's videos and reading some posts. I just bought the Rigol DS1052E from an eBay seller, outside of eBay. They showed selling a couple units right at the end of last year for $419USD free shipping, and the reviews are all positive (overall 99.9%). Unfortunately the seller's auction is at $549 now, but I thought... "hey, you just sold one for $419 about a week ago... maybe I can still get one for that price". Sure enough, they were willing to deal with me ($419USD free shipping). 5 days ago I sent payment, the day after they shipped through EMS, and already today it's through US customs and in USPS's hot little hands (soon to be mine!).
If anyone wants the seller's info, please PM me. I don't want to get them in any kind of trouble if Rigol is forcing them to list it at new MSRP prices. I don't think it matters much, but I'd rather error on the safe side of karma. They were really great keeping me informed about shipping status via email, and I would definitely go back if this scope is everything I hope it will be.
That would be really sweet if we could modify our front ends to run up to 100MHz, but I'm ok with the limitations. I mean, it was only $419 for crying out loud and it's WAY more than I currently have (which is a couple super old analog scopes that are more like museum pieces).
-Brett
dexters_lab:
tbh i've never used the PC software, i just expected it to be crap so wont bother with it. It was the same with my instek scope so i just save everything to a usb drive.
The firmware seems to be good though, only found a few bugs/limitations, one of which it doesn't seem to save files in folders, only in the root of the drive and i'd like to see an option to send the trigger point to the beginning of the capture area so i can use the full memory for a single event
i think it could have done with a couple of more front panel buttons too, save you going into the menus to change basic stuff like AC/DC coupling or AUTO/Manual/Single trigger.
But given it cost me £240 delivered to the UK from China, i shouldn't complain too much!
Andrew:
--- Quote from: dexters_lab on January 11, 2010, 09:22:39 am ---tbh i've never used the PC software, i just expected it to be crap so wont bother with it.
--- End quote ---
With my Rigol DG1022 generator the problem is it is an arbitrary waveform generator. It takes up to 4096 points to define a single waveform for channel 1. It takes multiple button presses and knob turns to define a single point of that 4096 points via the front panel. So that is easily 20000 or 30000 operations on the front panel to define an arbitrary waveform. It is a PITA to check for errors or update a waveform. And it requires that you pre-calculate the points and then dully type them in, one after the other.
Without PC software the arbitrary waveform feature of the generator is therefore unusable. And that PC software doesn't work. Other features are also unusable, but the arbitrary waveform part being unusable is the worst. Rigol doesn't care. As fare as I understand it, they don't even care twice:
* DG1022s with 00.01 hardware, probably just 1.5 years old, as the DG1022 was released 2008
For those the PC software was intended, and that software doesn't work on anything newer than XP (although Windows Vista was released a year earlier than the DG1022). All requests to get information if and when they will update the software are stone-walled. In other words, they won't do shit for 00.01 hardware.
* Newer DG1022s with 00.02 hardware. Maybe just a few month old, AFAIK indistinguishable from 00.01 hardware, except by the firmware version and maybe the serial number
As I understand it, for those the PC software was/is not intended and of course doesn't work. And for those 00.02 DG1022s they claim to have some LabView/VISA drivers for ages. Well, they have it online since four days.
Guess what, all instructions are in Chinese, it is not really clear what that software is supposed to do (expensive additional LabView license required or not?), and (second best of all) it doesn't install for me. Best of all, it is not supposed to work with 00.01 hardware anyway.
Now take this for comparison http://www.hantek.com.cn/english/produce_list.asp?unid=68 $150 buys you one. It has probably a product lifetime of three years, then I guess it will be dropped by the manufacturer. Or as I like to call such stuff, throw-away hardware. I usually don't consider such products. Its analog part (the output circuitry) is likely not on par with that of Rigol's DG1022. But they have NT, Win 2000, XP, Vista, and Win 7 software and even some programming examples. They have a product that can be used now, for the intended and advertised purpose. Compare the $150 to the (once) $700 for the DG1022. $150 buys you an arbitrary waveform generator for a few years, while $700 bought a DG1022, which is even to light to be used as a boat anchor.
No one at Rigol really talks to you. Getting information out of them is like pulling teeth. I have tried to get hold of someone in management (naive, me?). I always end up at their "service".
May their fuses blow at the most inconvenient moment.
--
PS. Rigol has sanded off two ICs in my DG1022. How unimaginative. They are either DACs or DDS chips.
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