new killer scope in town - a true game changer from R&S - RTB2002 & RTB2004

[mikeselectricstuff]

I was decoding a signal, which had exactly 2.2us. I did set timescale on 2.2us so it was niceliy aligned with grid, but when moving further i had to really focus when spanning.

Anyone knows if it's possible to assign a fixed time for one step on horizontal span?
I know you can do that by pressing on screen and setting numeric value, but would be so handy if i could just turn this detented knob, one step forward.

Pressing the horizontal knob switches between coarse and fine adjust

[bpye]

I don't suppose any other demo units are being sold? Another university student looking for a scope here 

[KrzysztofB]

I was decoding a signal, which had exactly 2.2us. I did set timescale on 2.2us so it was niceliy aligned with grid, but when moving further i had to really focus when spanning.

Anyone knows if it's possible to assign a fixed time for one step on horizontal span?
I know you can do that by pressing on screen and setting numeric value, but would be so handy if i could just turn this detented knob, one step forward.

Pressing the horizontal knob switches between coarse and fine adjust

You mean horizontal scale knob? Cause as far as i remember horizontal span would position at zero after pressing.
What i meant, was that maybe cause span knob has detents, it's possible to assign a fixed time span per one step of that knob. Kinda to go frame by frame.

[Hydron]

I think there is a confusion between scale/span/position. I would call the small knob "Position" and the large "Scale". Span means "Scale" to me. The Position knob moves the trace by a set amount when moving slow, when moving it faster there is some acceleration logic which makes the trace move more per step.

On another topic: Rich - any news on the new firmware release?

[KrzysztofB]

I think there is a confusion between scale/span/position. I would call the small knob "Position" and the large "Scale". Span means "Scale" to me. The Position knob moves the trace by a set amount when moving slow, when moving it faster there is some acceleration logic which makes the trace move more per step.

Yes! That would be exactly what I was asking about. Position. And that i what i was wondering. Is there any possibility to set that this "slow" step would move in example 2.2uS.
I mean, now I see that i could have just put a cursor, and then move it to not loose a track of where I did finish my manual decoding, but still would be nice to have such a posibility it this knob is detented.
I know it's possible to touch on position field and type it in, but that was a bit annoying. Or maybe I was tired.

Still, another thing, is it possible to change possition of both measured signal and saved referance in the same time?
Cause I couldn't find "lock" function, what made me to move one a time to keep them aligned.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Not quite what you want, but the grid tracking mode is useful for scanning through a long waveform, where the grid scrolls along with the waveform

[KrzysztofB]

Now I see that probably I should have used search function.
Seems that I need to play a bit more with own gear

[Rich@RohdeScopesUSA]

On another topic: Rich - any news on the new firmware release?

Hi Hydron - Unfortunately, it sounds like it won't make it out this week.    I'm told the goal is now this coming week.  Wish I had a better update as I know everyone is waiting patiently.

-Rich

[Backlash]

My understanding is it is worldwide.  So yes, should be available in Austria.  It for sure will be available in the US and Canada starting November 1st.

-Rich

Any news of the worldwide 50% discount on the pk1 bundle?
/Peter

[ws2812b]

At least in Europe I see it at several shops.
For example:
http://www.datatec.de/Aktion-Rohde-RTB-PK1-Oszilloskop-Option.htm

[hwj-d]

At least in Europe I see it at several shops.
For example:
http://www.datatec.de/Aktion-Rohde-RTB-PK1-Oszilloskop-Option.htm

"Aktion gültig bei Neukauf eines RTB Oszilloskopes"
"Action valid on new purchase of an RTB oscilloscope"

That's stupid...
Not quite what we are interested in 

[Backlash]

At least in Europe I see it at several shops.
For example:
http://www.datatec.de/Aktion-Rohde-RTB-PK1-Oszilloskop-Option.htm

"Aktion gültig bei Neukauf eines RTB Oszilloskopes"
"Action valid on new purchase of an RTB oscilloscope"

That's stupid...
Not quite what we are interested in 

Bought my scope 3 weeks ago..this is a bit disappointing 

[emax]

My scope arrived today.

Only had an hour or so to get an overview. First impressions:

- Packaging is lousy. It's safe, but it feels a bit like leftover packing materials: Scope in a plastic bag, wrapped in pieces of foam. Not really an embodiement of Rohde & Schwarz.
- Until now, I had (and still own) a TDS3012B. So of course, its a completely different universe now: A great scope, and with all the options enabled it's incredibliy feature-rich. My focus is on serial busses, and this is doubtlessly a strength of this scope. Really great presentation of decoding and lots of other capabilities.
- The knobs feel a bit plastic-like. Except for the rotary-knobs, they lack from my point of view clear feedback as they do not have a clear pressure-point and 'wobble' a bit when pressed. It is not what I had expected from a (nominally) 6000-7000 Euro-scope. 
- The outrigger (feet) in front do their job, but I'll take care of them: They look a bit fragile.
- The ventilator is - though not disturbing - clearly audible (was in a quiet office).
- Responsiveness of touch screen is good but not imposing. But maybe I was a bit too cautious when utilizing this (shiny new and clean) touchscreen.

These are only first impressions, and - of course - my very personal perception. I remember HAMEG-scopes which had a really sturdy appeal for both, the buttons and the casing. But those  were the days: Today, things seem not any more built like tanks. But I am probably too old.

In terms of features, display and overall capabilities I think however, after having seen all those videos and tried a bit myself today, that this is a really fantastic instrument. I would buy it again. And I have no doubts, that it will stand everydays challenges. It wasn't otherwise Rohde & Schwarz.

[kaz911]

On another topic: Rich - any news on the new firmware release?

Hi Hydron - Unfortunately, it sounds like it won't make it out this week.    I'm told the goal is now this coming week.  Wish I had a better update as I know everyone is waiting patiently.

-Rich

hmm another week no update?

[Joel_l]

Hopefully more than just a few bug fixes when it is out.

[Hydron]

Hopefully more than just a few bug fixes when it is out.

Agreed, or at least an indication of what changes are planned and when.

On another topic, I had a quick look at the front end to get an idea of how it works, particularly the LMH6518 VGA/BW limiter/ADC driver. I was hoping that this part might be doing the ultimate bandwidth limiting job (in which case changing the command sent to it could potentially allow for higher than 300MHz bandwidth), but it looks like it's only used for the 20MHz limit, with 70/100/200/300MHz limits done elsewhere (the setting used for full bandwidth is 750MHz, not the 350MHz option as I'd hoped).

I've attached a couple of high-res pics I took while I had the cover off (same subject, but different lighting angle shows up different part codes). The QFN part in the top right is the LMH6518 mentioned.

[Rich@RohdeScopesUSA]

On another topic: Rich - any news on the new firmware release?

Hi Hydron - Unfortunately, it sounds like it won't make it out this week.    I'm told the goal is now this coming week.  Wish I had a better update as I know everyone is waiting patiently.

-Rich

hmm another week no update?

I know...  

Soon (I think) 

If I get a release notes before it is posted on the web I'll put it up here.

-Rich

[Hydron]

Found something very odd today - I was trying to update the date/time, and the scope does not seem to accept Nov 26 as a valid date input!

It seemed happy with the 25th or 27th (did not try other months or years), but when I pressed save with 2017-Nov-26 <any time> it would not take the change, and furthermore seemed to corrupt the date/time memory and cause the scope to complain about the RTC on next bootup. I could get it to roll over the date to the 26th, but then couldn't correct the time as it'd cause the same issue.

As the 27th seems to work, i'll just need to wait until tomorrow to fix the time, but it is a very strange bug. Has anyone else seen this or similar?

Also on the subject of bugs and fixes - any ETA for the "October" firmware?

[dr.diesel]

Also on the subject of bugs and fixes - any ETA for the "October" firmware?

Hopefully the delay is an indication they took the list of bugs seriously this time.

[Rich@RohdeScopesUSA]

Hi Everyone,

I've been on vacation for the past week so I apologize that I haven't gotten an update.  I just asked what the status is and I'll update you all as soon as I hear. 

-Rich

[Rich@RohdeScopesUSA]

Update:  Firmware 2.0 has been released by R&D and should be on the web shortly.  Here are some of the updates/fixes/changes:

New Features of V02.000:
-Automatic roll mode with programmable time base
-Hold off supported for all trigger types
-Cursor settable to next peak in FFT
-Cursor measure value ?Y/?V with cursor type V-Marker
-Slew rate measurement added
-Multiple language support for web interface
-MOSI/MISO functionality for SPI bus with option RTB-K1
-Rx/Tx functionality for UART bus with option RTB-K2
-Fast segmentation with option RTB-K15
-Support of temporary bandwidth options

Modifications of Firmware V02.000:
-20MHz BWL in channel short menu added, ground removed.
-Display of current record length when record length set to automatic, see menu 'Acquire'.
-After firmware update a message is displayed which version is installed.
-Option RTB-K15: Separation of segment table and history player. Player can be used without segment table.
-Function generator: adjusted limits for minimum and maximum frequencies with FSK modulation.
-Various improvements in GUI and languages.

Improvements of Firmware V02.000:
-Solved: XY mode with average on; wrong display of waveform in xy-diagram.
-Solved: Persistence with waveform color temperature: The dark blue color always shows infinite persistence, independent of the configuration.
-Solved: The SCPI commands for pulse function of waveform generator are implemented in a wrong path and are therefore not consistent with the documentation where the correct path in indicated.
-Solved: Wrong amplitude and offset in high resolution mode with small segment size:
  -10kSa from 50s to 500s
  -20kSa from 100s to 500s
  -50kSa with 500s
  -100kSa with 500s
-Solved: Wrong behavior with channel probe unit 'A' and user defined attenuation ratio.
-Solved: Trigger jitter up to 6.4ns with acquisition memory size 1MSa.
-Solved: Wrong channel data after disable and enable of a channel in stop mode.
-Solved: After changing acquire mode in QuickMeas the acquire mode was not applied to all channels when QuickMeas is left.
-Solved: Universal rotary knob did change a wrong value after changing cursor type between 'Horizontal' and 'Vertical' and vice versa.
-Solved: With Russian language the numeric input keypad did not print 'Min' and 'Max' values.
-Solved: With infinite persistence, a menu open or close did clear the persistence in stop mode.
-Solved: Wrong frequencies in spectrum on channel 2 and 4 with timebase greater than 200?s.
-Solved: After using probe adjust wizard the pattern generator menu was not available.
-Solved: Pattern pin state stuck at last state when pattern generator turned off. Now the pin state stays low.
-Solved: Wrong UART framing in option RTB-K2. V02.000 Solved: Cursor positions not restored with preset or loaded setup.
-Solved: Wrong offset in Math trace with operator multiplication and source attenuation greater than 1V.
-Webserver: Livescreen and Remote Front Panel creates a message if more than one user online.

Thanks again for your patience.  Per usual, if you have feedback on the new release, please let me know and I'll feed it back to the team.

-Rich

[dr.diesel]

Nice long list, thanks Rich! 

[tautech]

Nice long list, thanks Rich!

Surprisingly loooooong list. 

[ws2812b]

-Solved: XY mode with average on; wrong display of waveform in xy-diagram.

Does this mean space invaders is gone? Hope they built in snake in exchange  Joking aside, as Christmas is near: are there any easter eggs in the FW?

[Rich@RohdeScopesUSA]

-Solved: XY mode with average on; wrong display of waveform in xy-diagram.

Does this mean space invaders is gone? Hope they built in snake in exchange  Joking aside, as Christmas is near: are there any easter eggs in the FW?

Yes, I believe it is gone.  And I'm not sure if there are any easter eggs - they didn't tell me there were, but then, what fun would that be?

-Rich