Siglent Technical Support join in EEVblog

[bdunham7]

As a last step, therefore, I only ask you to confirm me that you are reasonably convinced that my unit is affected by a malfunction.

I'd say your unit is malfunctioning compared to mine and I would not be satisfied with that.  I would be interested to see what that noise looks like.  Try setting it up so that you have the fat trace and then speed up the timebase to 5nS/div, then do a single shot.  Also do the single shot in dots mode.

But that's just curiosity.  I think your scope is defective.

[ExaLab]

This scope have unknown problem. Also it looks like problem is not in DC offset system. Because it disappear when ADC switch to interleaved mode.  (in 4 channel mode ADCs run in 500MSa/s mode and when there is in this case CH1 and CH4 these both ADC run 1GSa/s mode).  Why it affect so much when it change this ADC working mode is unknown to me, of course can speculate this and that but it do not solve this problem at all.

I agree, very strange behavior... the noise increases linearly with the DC offset (this is a fact).
It could be as follows: the DC offset reference is affected by a noise that is correlated (i.e. synchronous) to the 1 GSa/s and somehow incorrelated (i.e. asynchronous) to the 500MS/s.
If so, the superimposed noise would only be evident in the second case.

Anyway, in the absence of further developments, I'll proceed with the return of the instrument!

What I find a bit strange is the fact that although I sent a detailed report to Siglent's customer support, until now they were unable to give me any valid solution to this issue. I hope it ends well!

[ExaLab]

On the image 2 vertical pixel is one ADC step.
Many times noise affect so that it change randomly between two steps some times 3 steps when we are in this voltage level.
If you turn it to faster time scale and set diplay mode dots you see these real ADC samples. This is normal for this kind of ADC and front end also.

Tomorrow, I'll take some acquisitions in order to measure the real amount of the noise. Just to avoid misunderstandings, when you speek about 1 step you refer to two distinct levels whose difference is 1LSB. So, with two steps you refer to three distinct levels whose total width is 2LSB and so on...   Is it correct?

[Bicurico]

Hi.

Due to the fact that mu SSA3021X got bricked recently, I had to open it in order to get access to the SD card reader. In the process I had to cut the warranty sticker - at the time I was so upset with the fact my device was not working I simply did not have the patience to apply Dave's technique of sticker removal.

My device is out of warranty for quite some while, so the broken sticker doesn't matter. But somehow my ADS kicks in and it deeply annoys me that the sticker is not in it's virgin state.

Hence I would like to know if someone could perhaps provide me with a new sticker. Of course I pay whatever reasonable costs for sending me the sticker.

Again, there is no other reason than having everything as new. My device still has the screen sticker, too. Also, now harm done warranty-wise, either, as it expired.

Thanks,
Vitor

[tautech]

Good luck getting Siglent warranty stickers. Wanted some for years for the very few warranty repairs I do but asked several times and none were ever supplied. So now I just make sure my paperwork records are perfect should they ever be needed.

And.....pull that screen protector off ! 

[Bicurico]

Nope! The screen protector stays on!   

Well, asking doesn't cost money so I had some hopes.

A good after sales support is important and details like stickers are not to be neglected.

If Siglent wants to compete with the big ones they should consider calibration stickers, too.

[tautech]

If Siglent wants to compete with the big ones they should consider calibration stickers, too.

Products now come with proper Cal certs.

[Bicurico]

Yes. But they certainly have an expiry date. Are Siglent distributors able to perform calibration services and issue new certificates?

[tautech]

Are Siglent distributors able to perform calibration services and issue new certificates?

If they have a NIST certified Cal lab....I don't.

Something best left to the professional Cal labs......however most service manuals list a performance verification procedure so for those that have calibrated equipment they can check any instrument still performs to original specification.

[Bicurico]

 
Thank you.

[ebastler]

Good luck getting Siglent warranty stickers.

Maybe there's an opportunity for a gray market here? 
Owners of out-of-warranty Siglent instruments could carefully remove and resell their intact stickers.

[tautech]

Happy 2021 to all.
12.08am Jan 1 2021 downunder in NZ.

[Bicurico]

Good luck getting Siglent warranty stickers.

Maybe there's an opportunity for a gray market here? 
Owners of out-of-warranty Siglent instruments could carefully remove and resell their intact stickers.

I pay 5 Euro for your intact sticker!

Of course the sticker is not neededk, especially after warranty runs out. But like when I put my cups in the cupboard, all symetrically arranged, I do like to have all stickers intact and my devices in prestine condition.

It's just one of many oddities of my self.

Happy 2021 everyone!

[KVM2007]

I pay 5 Euro for your intact sticker!
...
Dave's technique of sticker removal.

This Dave's technique?
 
I have a new Siglent with sticker, and I have no warranty. But I don't like Dave's technique 
If it's a David Copperfield, it doesn't work for 5 Euros

[Martin72]

Best way to remove a sticker complete is to heat it up with a fan - but not too hot, of course.

[rf-loop]

On the image 2 vertical pixel is one ADC step.
Many times noise affect so that it change randomly between two steps some times 3 steps when we are in this voltage level.
If you turn it to faster time scale and set diplay mode dots you see these real ADC samples. This is normal for this kind of ADC and front end also.

Tomorrow, I'll take some acquisitions in order to measure the real amount of the noise. Just to avoid misunderstandings, when you speek about 1 step you refer to two distinct levels whose difference is 1LSB. So, with two steps you refer to three distinct levels whose total width is 2LSB and so on...   Is it correct?

Just this is enough reason for ask change or just return. Why you do not send it back to seller, he can talk with Siglent what to do. This is not some perhaps problem. This image tell enough. This is failure. Period. 

Do not wait this case go old..  this is clear FOA case (Failed on Arrival)

[KVM2007]

Best way to remove a sticker complete is to heat it up with a fan - but not too hot, of course.

All the world's experience on the EEVblog
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-799-how-to-remove-warranty-void-security-stickers/ 

Last post - super! 

In an amusing bit of irony, several companies in the United States are being urged by the Federal Trade Commission to remove the “Warranty Void if Removed” stickers and scrap other onerous policies that appear on their products because they are unenforceable garbage.

[ExaLab]

On the image 2 vertical pixel is one ADC step.
Many times noise affect so that it change randomly between two steps some times 3 steps when we are in this voltage level.
If you turn it to faster time scale and set diplay mode dots you see these real ADC samples. This is normal for this kind of ADC and front end also.

Tomorrow, I'll take some acquisitions in order to measure the real amount of the noise. Just to avoid misunderstandings, when you speek about 1 step you refer to two distinct levels whose difference is 1LSB. So, with two steps you refer to three distinct levels whose total width is 2LSB and so on...   Is it correct?

Just this is enough reason for ask change or just return. Why you do not send it back to seller, he can talk with Siglent what to do. This is not some perhaps problem. This image tell enough. This is failure. Period. 

Do not wait this case go old..  this is clear FOA case (Failed on Arrival)

Thank you so much for your valuable support!

As anticipated, I did some acquisitions on the amounth of noise of channel two in the worst conditions: it was between six and seven bits (as you predicted...)
More, the nature of this noise seems to be correlated to the sampling frequency, in the sense that it occours with an apparent frequency of 250 MHz...

Anyway, I have returned the product and am waiting for the seller to send me a new one... I should receive it by the end of the month.
I'll let you know how it ends.

In the meantime, thanks again!!

[CharlotteSwiss]

Siglent sds1000 (my is 1202x-e)
The oscilloscope crashes many times when press print key 
I tried at least 10 sticks, even small ones, always the same story.
I read that someone returning the penultimate firmware had no more problems.
Looking at the firmware updates, I saw that the creation (unnecessary) of the PNG folder has been implemented.
From tests done, the bug happens much less (but it happens the same anyway) if when you save the png files on the pc, then you don't delete the PNG folder from the stick.
However, I am convinced that if the Siglent engineers wanted to review the updates from the penultimate to the latest firmware (in png files, the Print button, the USB key) they could provide customers with a bug-free firmware!
thanks
 

[blurpy]

Is it safe for the Siglent instruments to connect a ground strap to them (to ground me) or do I need something else to connect the strap to?

I have a SDG2042X with an earth terminal in the back and a SPD3303X-E with a ground terminal in the front. Since the ground terminal in the front of the PSU is so accessible it seems like the best option for me to connect the ground strap, but I don't know if I can damage something that way? Is it the same with the function generator? The strap has a 1M resistor.

[tautech]

Is it safe for the Siglent instruments to connect a ground strap to them (to ground me) or do I need something else to connect the strap to?

I have a SDG2042X with an earth terminal in the back and a SPD3303X-E with a ground terminal in the front. Since the ground terminal in the front of the PSU is so accessible it seems like the best option for me to connect the ground strap, but I don't know if I can damage something that way? Is it the same with the function generator? The strap has a 1M resistor.

If you can trust the integrity/safety of you mains supply earth I see no problems with what you propose.
However if a fault occurs somewhere and your mains earth 0V becomes elevated your ground strap will be too.

Be careful.

[blurpy]

Is it safe for the Siglent instruments to connect a ground strap to them (to ground me) or do I need something else to connect the strap to?

If you can trust the integrity/safety of you mains supply earth I see no problems with what you propose.
However if a fault occurs somewhere and your mains earth 0V becomes elevated your ground strap will be too.

Be careful.

Oh, that's an interesting point. What is a safer way to connect these ground straps?

[ebastler]

What is a safer way to connect these ground straps?

A water pipe or your room heater (assuming it is a water-filled radiator connected to central heating), if they are within reach.

[blurpy]

A water pipe or your room heater (assuming it is a water-filled radiator connected to central heating), if they are within reach.

I tested my radiator against mains earth and it's 2 ohm. What makes the radiator safer than directly using mains earth?

[ebastler]

Whether it is safer or not will probably depend on the details of you hme's wiring. In my house (Germany, late 1960s), the water supply provides the "real" protective earth: There is no separate, dedicated earth for the electrical system, and its PEN is tied to the water pipes. Hence, one could envision scenarios where that connection goes bad or is forgotten by a sloppy electrician.

(On the other hand, I have also read about cases where part of the copper water lines were replaced by modern plastic tubes, resulting in broken earth connections there...)