Yesterday I asked in Munich for a new firmware release date for RTB2004 and today I got a fast response from the customer support center:
It was planned to give a new release in 2. quarter, but due to pandemic it is shifted now to autumn.
Best regards
I cannot establish a network connection to IP port 5025. With Telnet (Windows 7) I cannot establish a connection. With a self-written program I can create a network connection, but no data is received when sending e.g. *IDN?
The LXI connection over the network works without problems. Changing the port does not help, even rebooting the oscilloscope does not help.
Can anyone receive data from port 5025?
I have used my network setting with manual IP address again. Only gateway and DNS I set to 127.0.0.1.
After a reboot the connection works, for whatever reason. The termination character is LF (\x0A), is received and sent by the RTB2000.
Thanks for the reply - sounds like the exact same issue as I have, even down to certain portions of each relay range working (It looks like the high-gain pre-amp setting is used for 1-5mV/div and then 200mV/div, with low-gain used everywhere else).
I didn't spend as long diagnosing the initial offset as you did - I was in the middle of an urgent debug task and wanted it fixed ASAP so I reached for self alignment/factory reset/secure erase before investigating fully (wish I'd played around a bit more, or even dumped the flash as described in a different topic). Note that I didn't have anything dangerous connected to the input of the problem channel - just a AM503 current probe "amplifier" which can only output a few hundred millivolts max.
As for warranty, I might be a bit stuck there, as noted I'm just _outside_ 3 years, and returning to the vendor would be an extremely slow and expensive process given they're in a different country.
I'll still see if I can get some local support, but it might be a job for the hot air gun and some crossed fingers (this also assumes the stupid all-channel-offset firmware bug will be resolved once the VGA is in-spec). Not blaming R&S for the VGA semi-failing (it's marketed for the exact use seen here and used by many manufacturers) but the way the self alignment dealt with it is crazy.
Edit: Are the black bits on the knobs a DIY addition btw? Don't match mine which are all grey.
Greetings All,
Just thought I'd share my recent service experience with Rohde & Schwarz when my RTB2004 suddenly died earlier this month. [...]
They arranged for prepaid FedEx shipping to their Maryland shop and total turnaround time was about 2 weeks. [...]
I don't think I ever probed anything dangerous with the channel that failed either, the offset was just there on boot-up one day. It's very interesting that older firmware can bypass the issue and restore full control, I figured it was an inescapable hardware fault. I never thought to look into the self alignment log, I wish I had done that. It always helps to have another data point.
I'd also expect fixing the bad channel to fix the all-offset problem. My guess is the self-alignment routine never expected to see an offset it couldn't get rid of and so as an unintended consequence it puts an offset on all the channels to get them to match each other.
Yes, I added the black tape to the knobs. The tape has a rough grippy texture and so I don't have to apply so much finger pressure when turning the knobs. The smooth surface of the knobs combined with the turning resistance and detents gets a little fatiguing after a while. I liked the difference enough that I reapplied it to the replacement scope.
I don't think I ever probed anything dangerous with the channel that failed either, the offset was just there on boot-up one day. It's very interesting that older firmware can bypass the issue and restore full control, I figured it was an inescapable hardware fault. I never thought to look into the self alignment log, I wish I had done that. It always helps to have another data point.
I'd also expect fixing the bad channel to fix the all-offset problem. My guess is the self-alignment routine never expected to see an offset it couldn't get rid of and so as an unintended consequence it puts an offset on all the channels to get them to match each other.
Yes, I added the black tape to the knobs. The tape has a rough grippy texture and so I don't have to apply so much finger pressure when turning the knobs. The smooth surface of the knobs combined with the turning resistance and detents gets a little fatiguing after a while. I liked the difference enough that I reapplied it to the replacement scope.
You know what? I had the same kind of response. I had a probe that went intermittent, R&S said no problem you don't have to send it back we'll take care of it. Never happened! Called back a couple of months later and got someone else, said who told you that? Never gave me an RMA, nothing. OK, it's just a probe but if I had a major problem I would have been more aggressive. Got better treatment from Tek, see who gets my next scope order (better probes too - a lot better!).
Huh, certainly sounds like you got some bad luck (or a bad batch). Haven't had an issue with any of mine other than one of the spring clips (witch's hats) being a bit sticky at first.
The RTB2k probes are made by "Hong Kong Texas" (http://www.hktexas.hk/en/index.html), a few other manufacturers use them too for their low-mid range probe offerings. I suspect the higher end R&S ones are from PMK (https://www.pmk.de/en/products).
As for my offset issue, am waiting on R&S to see what they can do, but am almost completely certain it's the LMH6518, which thankfully is a $10 part and should be relatively easy to replace - if I end up needing to do so I'll post pics and results here.
There's a new firmware update, 2.300.
Maximum channel probe attenuation user factor expands to 10M for unit 'V'.