Siglent SVA1015X and SVA1032X 1.5, 3.2GHz Spectrum & Vector Network Analyzers

[tautech]

I'm having a terrible time interfacing with the SVA1032X over USB.  It is quite frustrating as I have some testing I'd really like to automate.  I'm using python and the python-usbtmc package. 

After a bit of a hunt I can find no mention of Python commands or their USB driver as suitable to use with these instruments.

Instead the NIVISA USB and LAN drivers are normally installed when the webserver is not intended for SCPI commands.
Some resources:
https://siglentna.com/operating-tip/usb-connectivity-checklist/
https://int.siglent.com/u_file/document/ProgrammingGuide_PG0703P_E02B.pdf

Advise to check firmware is up to date also as if it is an older version I stumbled on mention of connectivity issues fixed by firmware a year or 2 back.
All the firmware versions and drivers plus the EasySpectrum package for USB and LAN instrument management if the webserver doesn't suit your needs.
https://siglentna.com/service-and-support/firmware-software/spectrum-analyzers/#sva1000x-series

[Bicurico]

With Siglent SSA/SVA you get access to SCPI via Telnet on the Ethernet port. Much simpler and no extra dedicated library required.

I would just ignore the USB port and go for this interface.

[EE4all]

Is there a way via SCPI or telnet to load a specific user preset? I really don't like the preset feature on these, as there are way too many menu buttons to push to recall a particular one. I wish it had a recall button, and then just click the one I want.

EDIT:

Nevermind. Found in programming manual.

Command
Format
:SYSTem:PRESet:USER[1]|2|3|4|5|6|7:LOAD
Instruction Loads user config.
Parameter
Type
None
Parameter
Range
None
Return None
Default None
Menu System > Pwr On/Preset > User Config
Example :SYSTem:PRESet:USER6:LOAD

[MathWizard]

Are there any upgrade hack paths for these ? I know the SAA3021Xplus can be, but not the 3015X

[tomud]

Please take VNA discussion to the correct threads. 

Tautech OK As requested

Then I'll ask here again Are you able to find out what ECal models the SVA1000X supports with the latest firmware V3.2.2.6.0R7 ?

The second issue that RoV raised concerns the possibility of changing the IF bandwidth in VNA mode. Currently, the bandwidth in VNA mode is fixed at 10kHz (IFBW in the Stimulus menu) and cannot be changed (according to the documentation) - photo in the attachment.

Is it planned to change IF BW in future firmware and is it possible technically (possibility to set a lower value, e.g. 10Hz) ?

[tautech]

Are you able to find out what ECal models the SVA1000X supports with the latest firmware V3.2.2.6.0R7 ?

Show me the menu....screenshot not a photo please.

Currently there are no ECal kits available from Siglent however when I had a SNA5000A several from other brands were supported.
https://siglentna.com/products/accessories/vna-calibration-kits/
https://siglentna.com/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2021/04/Mechanical-Calibration-Kit-Datasheet-v1.4.pdf

Study of the SNA5000A manual might reveal what ECal kits are supported.
https://int.siglent.com/u_file/download/23_03_07/SNA5000a_usermanual_um09050_E03B.pdf

[tomud]

Are you able to find out what ECal models the SVA1000X supports with the latest firmware V3.2.2.6.0R7 ?

Show me the menu....screenshot not a photo please.

Currently there are no ECal kits available from Siglent however when I had a SNA5000A several from other brands were supported.
https://siglentna.com/products/accessories/vna-calibration-kits/

Siglent currently only offers mechanical calibration kits (not ECal). Although the SNA6000A video ad shows such ECal from Siglent (most likely, ECal from Siglent will appear in the commercial offer)

The SNA5000A supports ECal from Agilent/Keysight (N4433A, 85092C)
https://siglentna.com/operating-tip/sna5000a-supported-ecal-units/

Although watching the SNA5000A reviews on the YT channel "The Signal Path" it seems that they actually support more models than listed in the above-mentioned place.

Only this information applies to SNA5000A, not to SVA1000X. Previously, the ECal option was inactive in SVA1000X, only in the latest firmware it was added - but without information what ECal models are supported.

I add screenshots (ECal and IFBW) in the attachment (ehh I had to look for a flash drive that always has to go somewhere)..

[tautech]

The message : ECal info not found tells us it needs be plugged in and a hunt back through early release notes for SNA5000A finds this:
1. Solved the menu button is not updated when the electronic calibration module is inserted or removed.

Still that does not tell us which ECal models are supported and nothing in the latest SVA1000X does either.
I'll ask if more info is available......

[RoV]

*** SIGLENT FEATURE REQUEST ***

The new SVA1032X firmware upgrade 3.2.2.6.0R7 upgrade works, BUT...
  The field "IF bandwidth" for the VNA is still grayed at 10 kHz and this seriously limits the performance of the instrument.
So, please, if somebody here can contact Siglent, ask them to change this! Even the NanoVNA can configure lower BWs, improving the measurement noise and hence the dynamic range.
Based on the hardware performance in SA mode, the instrument should be able to reach 100 or better 10 Hz BW.

Thank you very much.

[MathWizard]

How does the FFT on something like a sds1200X-E, compare to an entry level dedicated SA , for sub-200MHz ?

[Performa01]

How does the FFT on something like a sds1200X-E, compare to an entry level dedicated SA , for sub-200MHz ?

The obvious differences are:

• A high voltage tolerant high-Z input that can be DC-coupled.
• A lower bandwidth limit of ~3 Hz when the input is AC-coupled and even lower when DC-coupled.
• The FFT in a DSO doesn't provide constant RBW. If you really want to use the whole 200 MHz bandwidth, then with a 1 Mpts FFT the frequency step cannot be any smaller than 1 kHz, which results in a RBW of ~4 kHz with the preferred flat top window. You can use lower bandwidths and still analyse narrowband signals at higher frequencies by utilizing undersampling.
• An 8 bit DSO has a limited first order dynamic range, i.e. you cannot measure a single CW signal if it is below about -50 dBFS. Not a big limitation in practice: for lower levels to work, you just need one signal within the bandwidth, that is well above that -50 dBFS limit.

To learn about the basics of FFT in e.g. an SDS1104X-E, you can study the corresponding chapters of my review. The article also contains some examples, including a broadcast overview of the FM radio band:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds1104x-e-in-depth-review/msg1371782/#msg1371782

Of course, this is a bit outdated by now and additional tools and features have been added even to the low end SDS1004X-E series since then. For example, the setup is a bit easier now, because we can choose any FFT length independently, as long as it is not longer than the record length. Consequently, all the extensive tables in the article have become meaningless by now.

Because of this, the basic setup for a contemporary Siglent DSO is better described in the following post:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rohde-schwarz-rtb2002-vs-siglent-sds2104x-plus/msg3239832/#msg3239832

[scotty7]

Hello everyone,

I just upgraded my 1032X firmware to 3.2.2.6, released last Friday. Boot-up time is now over 12 minutes

I'm going to have to roll my unit back to a previous version, so I thought I would give everyone a heads up.

New features are listed as:
• Add ECal in VNA mode
• Add three new formats in VNA mode: Unwrap Phase/Real/Imaginary
• Add Z Reflection in VNA mode
• Add PM demodulation in MA mode
• The time of analog demodulation in MA mode is adjustable

Tried the features (except for the ecal, I don't have a spare kidney need for it) and they all seem to work, but the boot time just isn't worth it unless you NEED phase modulation measurement.

[bicycleguy]

You must have something wrong.  26 seconds here for 3.2.2.6.0R7

Look here https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-ssa3000x-spectrum-analyzers/msg4294279/#msg4294279  and a few messages previous.

The jist was to goto menu button System/Power On Preset and set 'Power on and 'Preset' to Def and if that doesn't work press the 'Reset & Clear' and if that doesn't 'Factory Reset' and after that it's hack time.

[scotty7]

You must have something wrong.  26 seconds here for 3.2.2.6.0R7

Unfortunate since there's not much to mess up during the upgrade process...

I just tried another boot and it's been 30+ mins. Something is definitely wrong. 

[scotty7]

Look here https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-ssa3000x-spectrum-analyzers/msg4294279/#msg4294279  and a few messages previous.

The jist was to goto menu button System/Power On Preset and set 'Power on and 'Preset' to Def and if that doesn't work press the 'Reset & Clear' and if that doesn't 'Factory Reset' and after that it's hack time.

Unit won't respond to PWR + Preset

I don't know what button(s) "Reset & Clear" are.

I tried the link you added, factory reset over SCPI doesn't even work  (EDIT: I do appreciate the help though!)

[RoV]

32 seconds here after upgrade.
I remember posts mentioning problematic system response due to very large log files clogging the file system, caused by some missing configuration causing error logs at each boot. If I remember well, it was due to the default VNA calibration files missing. Those logs could be deleted.
Search here or in the SSA thread.
I don't think you'll solve by downgrading FW.

[bicycleguy]

Unit won't respond to PWR + Preset

I don't know what button(s) "Reset & Clear" are.

I tried the link you added, factory reset over SCPI doesn't even work  (EDIT: I do appreciate the help though!)

Sorry my short hand for entering buttons is lacking.  I don't think there are any 2 simultaneous  button presses on this machine.
Assuming the unit powers up.  (if more than an hour I don't think it will)
Press System button.  The soft buttons appear on the screen.
Press the 'Pwr On/Preset' soft button.  A new soft button menu appears.
Select the 'Def' for both the Power On and Preset soft keys.
Press the 'Factory Reset'

Can you Telnet into the machine?

[tv84]

32 seconds here after upgrade.
I remember posts mentioning problematic system response due to very large log files clogging the file system, caused by some missing configuration causing error logs at each boot. If I remember well, it was due to the default VNA calibration files missing. Those logs could be deleted.
Search here or in the SSA thread.
I don't think you'll solve by downgrading FW.

Scotty, have you read carefully what @RoV says about the missing files and possible log file filling the filesystem?

This may be a very good hint.

[scotty7]

Thank you @bicycleguy, @RoV, I managed to fix it.

The unit was completely locked out of all soft buttons.
The unit would respond to, but not actually execute SCPI commands. The system reset procedure linked wouldn’t actually reset anything, nor would it restart the unit when instructed to.
The web interface was still up though, so I tried to upload 3.2.2.5 through the web interface (it took three tries but it eventually worked). After a longer than usual wait, it successfully downgraded, and booted up in 3.2.2.5.

This allowed me to then perform a factory reset with SCPI commands before upgrading back to 3.2.2.6.

All seems to be working now. 22s boot time.
Phew! Thank you all, I went to bed quite worried last night!

[Finity]

Have a SSA3021X plus improved to SVA1032, with all options now permanent. Many thanks to TV84 and others for the help.
Currently running firmware SVA 3.2.2.5.1R1. Does flashing the newer firmware 3.2.2.60R7 remove the options, or do they stick around after updating to the latest?

Thanks in advance

[tv84]

They stick around.

[Finity]

Confirmed. Nice work!

[borjam]

Ony issue I can see is that there seems to be no spectrum display in RTSA mode?    That said it might be operator error.  Other modes are working fine.

RTSA is not a SVA option. You see it because you "hacked" it.

Turns out that Siglent enabled the menu option (in "MODE") from some SVA firmware version. When you try to use it you obtain frozen displays. So it seems to work!

Yesterday I was intending to show the spectrum monitor option to someone and I didn't remember that it was among the "Measure" options. So I went to "Mode", found "RTSA", activated it, and I spent half an hour trying to find out whether I had to mess with some trigger to make it work! 

My fault of course, I had forgotten about "Spectrum Monitor"

[eloso]

I recently upgraded to Firmware 3.2.2.6.0.R7 on my crossflashed SV1032X.

I have had some odd behavior in VNA mode. I did a factory reset.

After calibrating Open, Short 1 - port and Through I get awful noisy results even when the original load used for calibration is connected.

I get a reading, very unstable of no better than 20db return loss. On the smith chart I can't get a nice neat spot on the centre line - it is all over the place.

I tried two cal kits, one a cheap Nano VNA one and the other a Siglent.  Same results.

I hadn't used the VNA mode for a few months and am unsure whether this is actually related to the firmware upgrade or not.    I have played around with this for hours and am wondering if I have some kind of hardware failure with the directional coupler part of the system, or if the upgrade has not worked correctly with my cross flashed machine.

Right now it is useless for S11 measurements. All appears normal for S21 measurements though.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this or has some suggestions ?


Thanks

Eloso

[RoV]

I get a reading, very unstable of no better than 20db return loss. On the smith chart I can't get a nice neat spot on the centre line - it is all over the place.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced this or has some suggestions ?

Mine works fine after same upgrade.
First of all I would check cables and connectors.
If problem persists, I would check SA operation in stand-alone and tracking mode, to check port functionality.