Spectrum Analyzer - Rigol DSA815

[auato]

Thanks @PeDre It is a good idea even though after these two years it turned on one time so I can try but I fear it's a hardware failure 

[ted572]

Hello Auato:  I was also going to recommend the same thing PeDre did about reinstalling the Firmware.  I also suggest checking the 3.3 Volt battery on the main board, and I'm not suggesting that this is the problem.  I believe that this battery is a CR2032. If you remove the battery from its holder and put a 4.7 K resistor (load) across it you should have 3.0 volts, or more preferably.  And yes of course you have to open up the DSA to to access it. 

[auato]

Thank you @ted572. I installed again the firmware 00.01.07 with USB stick (I presume I cannot use FW later than 01.07 as my version board is the old one 00.04) and the procedure was successfully but nothing changed. So I tried to heat the instrument with a hair dryer during the power cycle but even this attempt has been unsuccessfully. I then took it apart and inspected around the Spartan FPGA but I couldn't find anything noticeable. I then removed the battery (but didn't use the 4.7k resistor load as you suggested because I read you too late). The old battery measured 3V and I replaced it with a new CR2032 but nothing changed. I then tried 300 degree hot air over the entire area surrounding the Spartan FPGA, tapping it or moving two flat cables but nothing has changed so far. Tomorrow I'll try to visually inspect better the FPGA area and try to install again the firmware. If you can think of other tests I can do, I really thank you, because I'm starting to run out of ideas.

[ted572]

Hi Auato:  No you are not limited to Firmware (FW) than version .07, or a newer FW won't necessarily fix your problem.  But you can go up to the very latest FW in your DSA815/or DSA815-TG, which I believe is .19.03. Although you should install .11, and possibly .12 first before going higher than FW .12.  Please ask PeDre about this, as he is a expert on the DSA815 including its FW.

Please note that I'm NOT saying that installing later FW will fix your issue, but I thought that you should understand and appreciate that you don't have a Firmware limitation on your particular DSA815.  PeDre can correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel do feel confident in what I've said.  PeDre may even have the essentially the same DSA815 hardware configuration (?) that you have there, or he will at least be very familiar with it.

Why do you feel that the issue you have in your unit is with the Spartan FPGA?  Of course it could be, but I'm curious as to why you primarily to suspect it?

Using a Heat Source is usually to find a component that is currently working, but fails after being turned for a while (that has heated up for a time), not for a problem right off from just being turned ON. Or using Cold Spray for helping to find what failed after it had been ON and working, and then failed after being ON for a length of time.

Its not too likely that you are just going to see something that caused the problem.  Of course it does sometime happen that you will find a obvious burned, cracked, or hot item.  This is possible and we have all seen this, although its rare and usually associated with a catastrophic failure due to a shorted component, etc.  It can happen, although rarely.  Unless when you say see something, did you mean with an oscilloscope?

Good luck, and if you have more information we/someone may be able to provide ideas for you to look into.  And telling us your technical capability would also help determine the type of suggestions to offer you to consider looking into.

     Cheers, Ted

[coromonadalix]

Thanks to TV84 infos and this thread

Version of Main Board: 00.09
Version of Radio Frequency Board FPGA: 00.05
Version of Digital Board FPGA: 00.05
Version of Firmware: 00.01.19
Version of Boot: 00.01.04

all options unlocked on my DSA815-TG

In Ultra Sigma   scpi mode     enter :SYST:LKEY xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

https://rigol.my.site.com/support/s/article/How-to-install-option-license-by-using-UltraSigma-SCPI-command

[coromonadalix]

Found this :   Unpublished information ??  thks PeDre

not sure if it was shared here ??  from 2014 ??

If someone knows how to clear / remove all licenses  thru SCPI


doesn't work

:LIC:CLEAR

:SYSTem:OPTion:UNINSTall

[coromonadalix]

hi PeDre   thks

ok  cleared out the ones who where showing "no time left"

But i think you have to wait a little when the command is sent, i was going too fast  loll

I tried  :SYSTem:LKEY:TDELete 0001  .... 0002  .... 0003  .... 0004

or a mix of 1, 01, 001, 0001 

:SYSTem:LKEY   did bring the license setup

Well in the end,   it did put all the options active to "N"  and i rebooted the unit,  and  BAM  loll  the duplicates (no time left)  went away 

Options became active "Y" 
Forever  etc ...

Happyyyy   loll   i dont know how $$$ all of theses options are worth ?

    

[auato]

Thank you @ted572. So I could install more recent firmwares but unfortunately the latest one, 00.01.19, has a note (requires minimum main board version 00.05) and my mainboard is 00.04. I am still searching .11 or .12 and I found in this thread "Rigol DSA815 FW v00.01.09.00.07.zip"
When I say "see somthing" I mean visually or with a magnifier

[auato]

Thanks @PeDre!... very kind.
Unfortunately, no way the updating procedures are all successful.
Next days I'll start to remove that hood full of screws and look under the shield (@ted572 I don't know why I was convinced about something around the Spartan FPGA). This is an instrument sold at less then 1000€ and I bought it some years ago at 1500€. How can be a convenient and right price for RMA?

[rifkum]

Hi coromonadalix,
Can you clarify which command you used to remove the duplicate options that had zero time remaining?
Was the successful delete command ... :SYSTem:LKEY:TDELete 0002 (for example) 

Currently I have duplicate options 2, 4 & 5
One shows Forever and the other one shows zero time remaining.

 and did it only delete the zero time key and leave alone the Forever key? or does it delete both??

Is this only to clean up the license display or is it necessary to delete the zero time entry?

thanks for clarification
Dwight

[coromonadalix]

well im embarassed loll  here's my story,  not even sure  if it will work well

i did it like  thread #1146

I acted as a crazy puppy,  i sent the commands way too fast,  i think the DSA  need a time to do the job

one of theses 2 commands  brought the license menu


:SYSTem:LKEY
:SYSTem:LKEY?


and i did some wild guessing  since theses 2 command did not do anything / or they did too slowly to notice them well  ??

:SYSTem:LKEY:DELete
:SYSTem:LKEY:TDELete

i did saw in the past  some function call / options selections    ending with 0001,  0002, 0003  etc ...

but as i wrote, i tried  them both ending it like :   xxxxxxxxxx 1  or xxxxxxxx 01  or   xxxxxxx 001   or  xxxxxxxx 0001

And  soorrryyyy    i did it very fast with copy paste loll 

and i did not save  Ultra Sigma  logs ....         too excited

I did saw  all the licenses and the duplicates ( with zero time left) going from Y (yes) to N (no),  and i rebooted the unit thinking i had to put back all the licenses numbers, and they simply settled themsleves back to "Y"  and the duplicates (zero time left) simply disapeared  ?

The "forever" came back and stayed put to "Y" 

They did not buldge with a few reboots or left powered up for a long time ...

[coromonadalix]

reserved for a second time,  pls note   the expired options where previously removed   

i'll redo the steps   in  my case  DSA815-TG

:SYSTem:LKEY    does bring the options / options types and status   "Y" for the 5 options i have

1 TG-DSA800          Official       Y
2 AMK-DSA800        Official       Y
3 EMI-DSA800         Official       Y
4 VSWR-DSA800      Official       Y
5 SSC-DSA              Official       Y

:SYSTem:LKEY:TDELete  did nothing ??

:SYSTem:LKEY:TDELete 0001    changed everything who was active  "Y"    to   "N"    status  ??                     


And a reboot  placed everything back to     "Y"

[rifkum]

Hi All,

For the SSC-DSA license I was able to use the AAAH option in the key generator

see attached image file.

cheers
Dwight

[tv84]

For the SSC-DSA license I was able to use the AAAH option in the key generator

Do you have the others?

Code: [Select]

   
    // AAAR 0x00001 TG       
    // AAAB 0x00002 AMK     
    // AAAC 0x00003 RBW10Hz   
    // AAA3 0x00004 EMI       
    // AAAF 0x00005 VSWR     
    // AAAG 0x00006 PA     
    // AAAH 0x00007 SSC-DSA   

[rifkum]

Hi tv84,

Interesting the differences in your list vs what is shown on the keygen tool.
My DSA815 came with tracking generator so I assume I do not need to add any key for that or is there advantage to installing additional license.

Tracking Gen -          The keygen tool shows AAAB, your table shows AAAR ??
Advanced Meas Kit - The keygen tool shows AAAC, your table shows AAAB ??
EMI/Quasi Peak -      The keygen tool shows AAAE, your table shows AAA3 ??
---> can you clarify the above?

The 10Hz RBW is standard now so I don't need that one.

Do you know what the PA (AAAG) option is?

From Rigols website they show...
The Rigol DSA-815 Spectrum Analyzer has a number of optional features that can be activated by obtaining an activation license.
Currently, the advanced measurement kit (DSA8-AMK), VSWR (DSA8-VSWR), and EMI Toolkit (DSA8-EMI) are available.

a bit confused
cheers
Dwight

[coromonadalix]

in mine  TV84  showed me this

    // Offic. Options                      Trial Options
    // AAAR 0x00001 TG               SAAR 0x80001 TG
    // AAAB 0x00002 AMK             SAAB 0x80002 AMK-DSA800
    // AAAC 0x00003 RBW10Hz     SAAC 0x80003 RBW10Hz
    // AAA3 0x00004 EMI             SAA3 0x80004 EMI-DSA800
    // AAAF 0x00005 VSWR          SAAF 0x80005 VSWR-DSA800
    // AAAG 0x00006 PA               SAAG 0x80006 PA
    // AAAH 0x00007 SSC-DSA     SAAH 0x80007 SSC-DSA

[tv84]

a bit confused

You're one of the (rare) lucky guys who have a DSA815 that works with the old riglol. Or it is a old device or some time in its evolution it didn't migrate to the new licensing scheme.

What is the version of your FW?

All other guys require a new keygen and the letter combinations that I posted are for that new scheme.

Nonetheless, if riglol had been done correctly from the start, the letter-combination should be equal to mine. BUT, there was some confusion in riglol implementation which led to the creation of erroneous letter mappings.

[rifkum]

Hi tv84,
Mine does have the factory TG installed

I'm currently at FW 01.19.03
Yes I have bootloader 01.03 so the online keygen still works for me.

I updated all license keys yesterday with success and help from this thread.
You can see my options installed in the attached image.

I'd like to know if I should install the PA option key and what it's purpose is.

cheers
dwight

[tv84]

I'd like to know if I should install the PA option key and what it's purpose is.

It should be this.

[rifkum]

Ok thanks for the clarification.
So mine has the PA option installed and working from the factory.
I'm going to assume that option key is for the 832 not the 815, so I don't need it.

cheers
Dwight

[coromonadalix]

I'd like to know if I should install the PA option key and what it's purpose is.

It should be this.

The  PA option activate on my 815-TG

[coromonadalix]

hi @ll

Noob question,  is there a way to mirror the DSA screen onto a pc  WITHOUT taking control of it

I have Ultra Spectrum and Ultra Sigma installed,   tried some other pieces of softwares  no luck, some of them relies on Libusb drivers, and don't detect the DSA ??

[auato]

Hi everyone, I want to update you about my faulty RIGOL DSA815TG (it is stuck at the boot at "device initiating"). I found one test point TP1209 labeled as 15Vdc at 0V. I might suspect the PSU at this point. From PSU connector, with no load, I find one orange cable with no Volts. The other wires are: yellow cables at +7.4, green -7.1, reds +5.5, blue +17,white +4.99, grey -17.3

Just for your information:

• a couple of days ago I contacted the local Rigol website asking for information about repairing my unit and about the probable costs. They didn't answer yer 
• the unit has now the latest firmware 01.19

[auato]

Thank you. So, the orange cable apparently doesn't bring Volts. In any case a few differences are present: there is voltage at 36.7V

[argile_tile]

> First big question is how do I determine if this unit is still in the 3Y warranty period from Christmas?

Does it support all wavelet mathematics or just some?  (just teasing)