changing the rigol DS1052E to DS1102E using USB , the dummy guide

[Sfinx]

Wow -- impressive. Have you noticed any reason to upgrade older models to 3.01?

No serious reason, but  I've received my unit with 3.01 already, so decided to remain on it so far. Want to play with it as this is my first scope

P.S. I've restored the hardware revision too in info screen - simply replaced the bytes at 0x01fffcf-d0 with needed digits

[Kevin.D]

Congrats on that if you have ,I understood the new 3.0 versions couldn't be upgraded.  Are you  the first to upgrade  the 3.01 version  ? .

[Sfinx]

The 3.01 can't be downgraded (for model patching for example). Sure the best and elegant way is to disassemble the firmware and patch it directly, but this means having good bf531 skills and much bigger time period.

[adrianblack]

Did you flash your patched firmware through the normal patching method (USB) or some other method? And could your patched firmware be applied to other 3.01 units?

[Sfinx]

I've used my own JTAG discovered method (described in details at link above several posts) as first: I'm too lazy to resolder the flash, second: during experiments I've made nearly ten flash write/read ops. Only the method can be applied to other 3.01 units as the each flash image contains the special unit calibaration data which is written on the factory and is unique for each unit, so even if the images can be cross-flashed - they simply will not work in other unit or will work with measurements errors. You can search the forum for post of the people that slightly change the calibration data - the unit became nearly unusable.

[tlu]

Hi SFinx,

Are you doing this hack to the DS1052D model which have the built in Logic Analyzer? I'm confused on which Rigol model you are making this excellent hack on. Please clarify because I'm thinking of getting the DS1052D with the Logic Analyzer from Saelig.com. They have it on sale for $549 which is a really good deal in my opinion.

Thanks,
Tim

[hotwolf]

Hi, I'm a new to this subject, so please excuse me if my question is stupid.
If I understood this thread correctly, then all unsuccessful attempts to downgrade FW
3.01 have been made with a patched FW 2.02.  However there seem to be
some similarities between FW 2.06 and FW 3.01. I'm wondering if it
would be possible to downgrade FW 3.01 to a patched FW 2.06. The
patched FW 2.06 would then accept a downgrade to a patched FW 2.02.
Has this been tried by anyone already?

[Sfinx]

Exact, I've bought my DS1052D directly from China just because the price was slightly bigger.

Hi SFinx,

Are you doing this hack to the DS1052D model which have the built in Logic Analyzer? I'm confused on which Rigol model you are making this excellent hack on. Please clarify because I'm thinking of getting the DS1052D with the Logic Analyzer from Saelig.com. They have it on sale for $549 which is a really good deal in my opinion.

Thanks,
Tim

[SiC]

After having my scope for almost 1 1/2 years, I've just modded it to 100MHz. Mine, stock, was a "00.02.05.00.00", Hardware version 58. Followed the first post and all went perfectly until the final firmware update. I tried "00.02.04.01.02", however if I tried going down a menu item on utility the scope crashed.  Anyone else found this?

So I then upgraded to "00.02.05.01.00" and it now works fine.

According to the first post, this version isn't recommended over the 2.4SP1. Is there anything I should be concerned about on this firmware build? Is there a later version that I can use safely? Or a case of ain't broke, don't fix?

Cheers,
Si.

P.S. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this and allowed this to work and happen so easily.

[Slasher006]

If you have screen flickering with the 2.05 then you can do a update to version 2.06.
My experience with 2.06 is that it is the same as 2.05 but without flickering. The hack is not affected by updating to 2.06.

[IsmaelJ]

Hi All, great post. I successfully followed the instructions and modded a 2.06.01 version that I got hold of. What I want to know is can you do an official upgrade to 3.01 and still be a 1102E?

[Bluespark]

Hi all
i recently purchased a rigol ds1052e from amazon for a good price
and i wondered if this hack would work,so first thing today i followed the above word for word.
and guess what it worked.

my specs

software version = 00.03.01.00.00
dsp=                       00.02
fpga=                      03.08
hardversion=          59

great post lads thanks very much.

ps  on my calabration certificate from rigol it was dated 17 aug 2012   

[ElektroQuark]

What I want to know is can you do an official upgrade to 3.01 and still be a 1102E?

The answer is is this very thread. I upgraded mine without any issues.

[JF]

Hi all
i recently purchased a rigol ds1052e from amazon for a good price
and i wondered if this hack would work,so first thing today i followed the above word for word.
and guess what it worked.

my specs

software version = 00.03.01.00.00
dsp=                       00.02
fpga=                      03.08
hardversion=          59

great post lads thanks very much.

ps  on my calabration certificate from rigol it was dated 17 aug 2012

Hi there,
Are you saying that you hacked a scope having a 3.01 firmware ?
If so, could you point which post you used to do so, as you mentionned you followed word for word ?
I read the entire thread and besides the JTAG flash procedure, which is great but not an option for me, I didn't find any post explaining how to hack the 3.01 firmware.
Thanks !

[SiC]

If you have screen flickering with the 2.05 then you can do a update to version 2.06.
My experience with 2.06 is that it is the same as 2.05 but without flickering. The hack is not affected by updating to 2.06.

Where can I pick up v2.06 (or even v3.01)?

Google brings a blank at the moment

[Slasher006]

Here is the Link from A Helene http://www.mediafire.com/?89qmofj54tgw7ak it should contain the v2.06.

I am searching for 3.01 too. There was a link to a russian site but... i dont trust russian sites.

[jav]

I am searching for 3.01 too. There was a link to a russian site but... i dont trust russian sites.

I don't trust it either, but I've got a copy of 3.01 from an official distributor, I compared with the russian one and are exactly the same. That's what I have loaded in my scope and works fine.

[Slasher006]

I gave the russian's a shot. (but of course... i checked it twice in a hexeditor first  )
It's 3.01! 

Upgraded it, crosses fingers, done, reboot.... crossed fingers again...success!
Hack is still on.

[Fraser]

A small word of caution to those thinking of upgrading to 3.01.

I had a very interesting discussion with a Canon Technician some years ago. He commented that it is only wise to upgrade firmware if you are suffering an issue or the manufacturer recommends such as a fix for a known problem. He advised (correctly) that upgrading firmware always carries a risk, either firmware corruption during upgrade or chipset incompatibility resulting in hidden complications. He believed automatic upgrade to later versions for no reason to be an ill advised risk. Bearing in mind the difficulty in downgrading 3.01 to lower versions it would be wise to consider exactly what 3.01 is offering you by way of improved performance. All too often people go for an upgrade without any manufacturer recommendation or known issues just because it is a higher version number....not the wisest of moves IMHO unless you know hoe the later versions behave on earlier hardware platforms and fixed software/firmware interlocutors.

I am still running 2.04 without having any problems with the scopes operation. Some versions of 2.05 have 'issues' others do not. Please also bear in mind that Rigol made it known to me that the newer versions of software beyond 2.04 contained certain housekeeping changes that did not effect or improve normal operation of the unit. The housekeeping is believed to be the attempts to prevent upgrading of 50 MHz scopes to 100 MHz.

I am not suggesting that people who upgrade to 3.01 are making a mistake, but before you do so, ask yourself what you are hoping to achieve and what if any 'issues' you are trying to resolve. The latest 3.01 FW DS1052E does not, as far as I am aware, have significant performance or functionality improvement over the earlier version. AFAIK my version 2.04 unit had the last documented hardware improvement in the form of an LED backlight instead of CCFL. A good move on Rigols part but consider in another (fictitious) situation where later firmware for an LED backlight behaved differently when applied to an older model CCFL dimmer circuit....you could have all manner backlight dimming issues. That did not occur with the DS1052E but it could so easily have been have been a hardware incompatibility that the firmware did not recognise upon installation.

Be careful out there 

Fraser

[Slasher006]

I agree with you in every point. But my Scope came with 2.05 HW58. And i had the screenflickering. That was anoying. So i get the 2.06 and the screenflickering go away and the firmware worked pretty neat. Now, i played around with 3.01 and i cant see any difference to 2.06. (but i was just curious about 3.01. And there are very little information about it here in the forum). My experience so far: If you have a hacked scope with 2.06 you can stay with it and be happy for the rest of your life. But updating to 3.01 is also no mistake.  ...... sorry if my english is fucked up. 

[maxpayne]

Too many pages ! I wonder where should I chk the updated solution

Pls tell me where I can find updated info about hacking in this 74 pages ?

[Fraser]

I have to agree...this thread is so popular that it has become mammoth in terms of page count, maybe a new  'cut down' version is needed with all relevant info presented for ease of reference, rather than the full history of the hacks in all their detail ?

Any volunteers.... maybe someone who wants to upgrade can take the time to do it as they will have to read most of the thread anyway to understand what is going on 

Fraser

[robrenz]

I would like that condensed version also but I dont have the know how to do it.  It would need to be someone who intimately knows the topic.

[DigiGal]

I'd like to see a condensed version, 74 pages is massive and I'm just now considering adding one of these to my bench. 

Q: If I purchase new DS1052E from Rigol in USA will it still be possible to perform the 100MHz upgrade hack?  No idea what version they are up to now for new units.

[jpowerdiver]

I have a DS1052E that has been upgraded to 1102 and I'm communicating with it over USB via MatLab.  The link works fine for small transfers, setting or reading scope parameters, but it's very flaky for reading waveform data.  I routinely get the error "End of File reached before data size", or something like that.  I'm running VISA 5.1.2 and Rigol FW 00.02.02SP2.  I'd upgrade the firmware but am afraid of bricking it.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.