Hacking the Rigol DHO800/900 Scope

[t_i_t_o]

Here is a modified rgtool file for DHO800 with all the possible Rigol options I found on the net As you already know most of them will not work, but I added them for complecity.

What I wonder, after watching Dave's teardown video, is can we add AWG signal generator to the DHO800's. It seems there is just one component missing that directly outputs on the back BNC.
Dave assumes its a buffer/driver, but it has a little bit unusual footprint and pin numbering... so I guess it is rather some generator module... But this could be answered only by a DHO9xxS owner Anyone?

[ebastler]

What I wonder, after watching Dave's teardown video, is can we add AWG signal generator to the DHO800's. It seems there is just one component missing that directly outputs on the back BNC.
Dave assumes its a buffer/driver, but it has a little bit unusual footprint and pin numbering... so I guess it is rather some generator module... But this could be answered only by a DHO9xxS owner Anyone?

TO my knowledge, there is a whole daughter board missing. There might be teardown photos on the forum somewhere from a DHO924S?

[t_i_t_o]

Yep I searched a bit and here are the pics from souldevelop https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rigols-new-dho800-oscilloscope-unbox-teardown/msg5051812/#msg5051812

[sergk]

I've received my DHO914S, it was delivered with FW 1.00, in options I've discovered bw upgrade from 150 to 250Mhz option (it was in "Limit" state), so decided to check if it can be generated.
First updated to 1.01 fw, upgrade bw option disappeared from option list.
Modified hdo-tools script as was described before in this topic, but added BW15T25 option in it, when inserted generated key in web gui, and oscilloscope said "option installed" or something similar on it's screen, and now it shows "DHO914S (Max BW:250M)" in about tab, so looks like it works, see screenshots.
But I don't know how to check if it's really working at 250Mhz BW 

[Martin72]

If you don't have a generator that goes at least up to 300Mhz, then there is still a very steep square wave signal where you can approximately determine the bandwidth of your scope by its measured rise time.
However, the tests with the 804 showed that the bandwidth extension can be trusted.

[sergk]

If you don't have a generator that goes at least up to 300Mhz, then there is still a very steep square wave signal where you can approximately determine the bandwidth of your scope by its measured rise time.
However, the tests with the 804 showed that the bandwidth extension can be trusted.

Absence of BW 150 to 250 upgrade option (which disappeared in 1.01 update) confuses me, maybe it's only showing 250M in model and not working, if I understand correctly DHO800 still has 70 to 100 option listed in options tab. I don't think I really need 250M (but more is always better), this was experiment to share new info with other people on this forum, this is more hobby 
Unfortunately I've only oscilloscope built in generator and Uni-T UTG962 gen, which is not too fast.
I'll maybe try to find signals with low rise time in some boards like esp32, arduino or similar.

[ebastler]

I don't think I really need 250M (but more is always better)

With the DSO900, more bandwidth is a bit of a double-edged sword. If you enable more than two channels, your sampling rate will drop to 312 MSa/s, so the scope cannot capture signals above 150 MHz anyway due to the Nyquist limit.

With the upgrade to 250 MHz, you have now disabled the analog lowpass at the inputs which would previously suppress frequencies above 125 MHz. So you may see some aliasing -- IF you feed in signals which have such high-frequency components, e.g. fast square waves, AND you have more than two channels enabled.

(Note that using the digital channels will also eat up half of your sampling rate, by the way. So only one analog channel can be used in parallel, running at 625 MSa/s then, if you want to look at fast analog information in parallel with the digital channels.)

[Martin72]

Hi,

Absence of BW 150 to 250 upgrade option (which disappeared in 1.01 update) confuses me, maybe it's only showing 250M in model and not working, if I understand correctly DHO800 still has 70 to 100 option listed in options tab.

Before the first firmware update, my DHO804 showed 70 to 100Mhz as an option, after the update ist was gone (and replaced by storage depth option).
Nevertheless, I was able to "activate" both, the bandwidth is now 100Mhz, measured even at 200Mhz.

[Serg65536]

DHO800/DHO900 UNLOCK TOOLS

1) Install GOLang distribution

2) In the "run_DHO_Tools.bat":
- set the GO installation directory path
- set the IpAddress variable (your scope's address is on the IO tab of the "Utility" window)
- change options list, if DHO900
- change scopeID, if DHO900
- if you don't want to create a backup file and pull it to the computer, delete line 35, or make it comment like this:
rem call "adb\05 make Backup And pull it - adb rm updateGEL, sh buildGEL, pull.bat"

3) Run the "run_DHO_Tools.bat"

4) Send the generated SCPI commands to the scope via the SCPI browser tab, opened by the script. Common command view:
:SYSTem:OPTion:INSTall DHOX00-<option>@XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Scope reboot is not needed.

5) Check BW limit on the "About" tab and the memory depth (for the DHO804) on the "Options" tab of the "Utility" window.

PS: To remove installed options use the "adb\03 adb remove ALL options.bat" file or the ":SYSTem:OPTion:UNINstall" command from p268 of the DHO800/DHO900 Programming Guide.

UPDATE REASON: extending the description text.

[sergk]

With the upgrade to 250 MHz, you have now disabled the analog lowpass at the inputs which would previously suppress frequencies above 125 MHz. So you may see some aliasing -- IF you feed in signals which have such high-frequency components, e.g. fast square waves, AND you have more than two channels enabled.

Thanks for explanation, fortunately license is easy removable to activate low pass filters again.

Before the first firmware update, my DHO804 showed 70 to 100Mhz as an option, after the update ist was gone (and replaced by storage depth option).
Nevertheless, I was able to "activate" both, the bandwidth is now 100Mhz, measured even at 200Mhz.

Good news, will hope they won't remove this hack in next releases.

[Martin72]

Good news, will hope they won't remove this hack in next releases.

Normally I would say, hack or no hack, we have entered a license key.
This remains unaffected by any firmware update.
However, a small residual risk remains, because you can't officially purchase upgrades.
Status now.

[Fungus]

Absence of BW 150 to 250 upgrade option (which disappeared in 1.01 update) confuses me

There's no official upgrade so they probably took it out of the UI to stop people asking where they can buy it.

(the 50M memory option for the DHO800 is still a mystery...)

I'll maybe try to find signals with low rise time in some boards like esp32, arduino or similar.

I haven't tried an Arduino pin recently but I don't think it will be anywhere near fast enough to measure 250Mhz.

[milamber]

I wonder wether going for a MSO5074 @ 1070€ and upgrading it to a MSO5324 @ 2569€ with 8 GSa/s (2 GSa/s with 4 channels) isn't the better deal, than spending 712€ on a DHO914 and upgrading it to a DHO914S @ 831€ (since the 250 MHz are not alias free due to 0,3125 GSa/s on the DHO900).

Well, the MSO5000 is not 12 bit 

[Antonio90]

I wonder wether going for a MSO5074 @ 1070€ and upgrading it to a MSO5324 @ 2569€ with 8 GSa/s (2 GSa/s with 4 channels) isn't the better deal, than spending 712€ on a DHO914 and upgrading it to a DHO914S @ 831€ (since the 250 MHz are not alias free due to 0,3125 GSa/s on the DHO900).

Well, the MSO5000 is not 12 bit 

I don't think the DHO914 compares very favourably with the MSO5000 TBH. It's much better for lower level signals, but that's about it. Also, the "S" model has a daughter board for the AWG, so I don't think you can upgrade it just by software.
The bode plot and the LA are kind of broken now too.
Until the additional features work properly, you are better served with the MSO5000 or any other MSO really, if you really need that capability.

[ebastler]

I wonder wether going for a MSO5074 @ 1070€ and upgrading it to a MSO5324 @ 2569€ with 8 GSa/s (2 GSa/s with 4 channels) isn't the better deal, than spending 712€ on a DHO914 and upgrading it to a DHO914S @ 831€ (since the 250 MHz are not alias free due to 0,3125 GSa/s on the DHO900).

Well, the MSO5000 is not 12 bit 

They are very different beasts. The two main decisions you need to make are: (a) Is the small format of the DHO900 a bonus for you, or do you prefer the larger screen and separate channel controls of the MSO5000? (b) Is the lower noise and 12-bit resolution of the DHO900 important for you, because you expect to do a lot of analog work, or is the high sample rate and up to 350 MHz bandwidth of the MSO5000 more relevant since you will focus on digital signals?

May I suggest that any follow-up discussion moves to another DHO800/900 thread, e.g. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rigols-new-dho800-oscilloscope-unbox-teardown/. The present thread is meant to focus on hacking approaches.

[Fungus]

I wonder wether going for a MSO5074 @ 1070€ and upgrading it to a MSO5324 @ 2569€ with 8 GSa/s (2 GSa/s with 4 channels) isn't the better deal, than spending 712€ on a DHO914 and upgrading it to a DHO914S @ 831€ (since the 250 MHz are not alias free due to 0,3125 GSa/s on the DHO900).

That's a very good question.

Unfortunately you're the only one who can answer it. 

How often do you need to look at millivolt signals?

[dmulligan]

PS: To remove installed options use "adb\03 adb remove ALL options.bat" or the SCPI command from the manual.

Has anyone tested this?  What exactly is "adb\03" and where is it supposed to work?  It doesn't seem to work in a windows command prompt, in a shell nor in the SCPI command window.  What is the \03 part?

"adb remove ALL options.bat" doesn't work as  "remove" is not an adb command.

[Fungus]

adb is the Android Debugger. You can use it to hack around the 'scope, copy files to/from it, etc.

You can download it here: https://developer.android.com/tools/adb

[lownoise]

Hello Everyone,
there is an adb-plugin for the Total Commander filemanager, which gives you easy access to the DHO filesystem.
https://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?t=34980
Double click on the zip file in the TC and the plugin will be installed. Then click on network drives and you will see the adb-plugin. Click on it and enter the DHO-IP "XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:55555" under "connect to device". Then click on the green connection symbol...
Some folders can read/write normally, others are mounted as ro and can only be read...
Maybe they can also be mounted r/w 

Best,

edit: one picture was double

[dmulligan]

adb is the Android Debugger. You can use it to hack around the 'scope, copy files to/from it, etc.

You can download it here: https://developer.android.com/tools/adb

If you were replying to me, I already have adb and have used it several times.  My point was "adb\03" is not valid a valid command nor is "adb \03".  Also remove is not a valid adb command. 

The following command does not appear to be valid, unless I am missing something.

PS: To remove installed options use "adb\03 adb remove ALL options.bat" or the SCPI command from the manual.

[Serg65536]

If you were replying to me, I already have adb and have used it several times.  My point was "adb\03" is not valid a valid command nor is "adb \03".  Also remove is not a valid adb command. 

It's not a thread for computer newbies. But here for you:
To remove installed options use the .bat file from the adb directory from the attached to my original message file: "adb\03 adb remove ALL options.bat" or the :SYSTem:OPTion:UNINstall command from the Programming manual.

[Martin72]

Hello Everyone,
there is an adb-plugin for the Total Commander filemanager, which gives you easy access to the DHO filesystem.

Indeed...

[Serg65536]

Has anyone tested this?  What exactly is "adb\03" and where is it supposed to work?  It doesn't seem to work in a windows command prompt, in a shell nor in the SCPI command window.  What is the \03 part?
"adb remove ALL options.bat" doesn't work as  "remove" is not an adb command.

The description is updated to avoid misinterpretation. It's meant to help newbies anyways.
The file was downloaded around 70 times, and no complains so far, except for your difficulties.

[sergk]

Some folders can read/write normally, others are mounted as ro and can only be read...
Maybe they can also be mounted r/w 

This is because default access is user level, I haven't tried plugin, may be you can force it to exec su before exporting fs to total commander, but in adb shell you can exec su command and become root user, most folders will be accessible and writable as root, be careful with it 

[dmulligan]

I skipped downloading your zip file because I already have my own local edited copy of rgtool.go. I already installed the BW7T10 and RLU licenses via SCPI.  All I was looking for was "rm *.lic" or ":SYSTem:OPTion:UNINstall" the rest I can fill in for myself. 

I am an ADB and SCPI newb.  The only thing I missed was that your instructions were specific to script files contained in your zip.  I assumed *nix paths so I totally missed that "adb\03 adb remove ALL options.bat" was referring to a file.  Spaces in file names are evil for a few reasons. 

I also assumed that not many people have removed the upgraded licenses yet.

So yeah, I made a bunch of bad assumptions.  Thank you for trying to make this easier for people.  I am sorry I took away from that.