Hacking the Rigol DHO800/900 Scope

[mrisco]

Warning: Do NOT switch it off in XY mode with firmware 1.03. It might never switch on again.

Question for all the hackers: Has anybody figured out a way to wipe the settings and fix this?

I released an apk with the fix some time ago. Installing this apk should fix the problem.

https://github.com/mriscoc/RIGOL_DHO800_DHO900_GUI/releases/download/EXTGUI/SparrowExt_v00.01.03.apk

[norbert.kiszka]

How does it look?



Also I reached 80 k waveform updates per second and doubled sample rate for LA (1.25 G instead of 625 M).

[Songhua]

It looks cool and very responsive. Does the improved DHO900 can reach to 2.0GSa/s stably now?

[norbert.kiszka]

It looks cool and very responsive. Does the improved DHO900 can reach to 2.0GSa/s stably now?

Only with limited memory depth to not more than 15 kpts (15 750 to be precise).

Im actually finishing v0.3 with the same 1.25 GSa/s. Managing sample rate for different settings is not easy with this mess that Rigol "engineers" created. So it will be somewhere in the future.

[mrisco]

Adding ElectroDoc to the DHO Actions:

Code: [Select]

    {
      "glyph": "electrodoc.png",
      "caption": "ElectroDoc",
      "type": "APP",
      "command": "it.android.demi.elettronica"
    },
Your copy of ElectroDoc may have a different application ID. For the Pro version use: it.android.demi.elettronica.pro

Icon



https://github.com/mriscoc/RIGOL_DHO800_DHO900_GUI/discussions/9#discussioncomment-12303439

[tarasv]

Maybe silly question. Considering this thread is it any sense to buy DHO900 instead of DHO800? Of course except logic analyzer.

[norbert.kiszka]

DHO9xxS has AFG. With DHO924 and DHO924S You will have 350 MHz probes instead of 150 MHz like in other models.

[Jersey]

Pardon any dumb/obvious questions here, a bit new to the Rigol Oscope upgrade processes and want to verify before acting.  I've read through all of the 1000's of posts and am concerned about bricking this or not installing the correct version files that have found to work.

I have a DHO914S with fw 1.01 and would like to upgrade it the memory and bw, but am unclear which procedures to follow.  Many of the references are for the 800 series and couldn't find anything specifically for the 914s. 

Question:
Which procedures and files should I use with the 914s to upgrade the memory and bandwidth?

I have not yet updated the fw to the 1.04.00.02 yet out of precaution that it might inhibit hacks/mods. 

Thanks ahead of time.
Jersey

[norbert.kiszka]

I have not yet updated the fw to the 1.04.00.02 yet out of precaution that it might inhibit hacks/mods

Which mod do You mean? With my latest mod, it doesn't matter what firmware version You have, because the script updates all files that are changed with the firmware upgrade and it's based on 00.01.04.00.02.

Anyway, You can downgrade any time, because there is no version check with the upgrade option. So You can even downgrade from 00.01.04.00.02 to the 00.01.00.00.00 (I have all published versions on my laptop if You want something).

In the worst case scenario, If You or something will brick Your scope on the software side, everything is stored on a uSD card on a socket with easy access. So there is no need to desolder to flash it with a backup. Even If You don't have a backup, You can use SD card image from DHO800, because the only difference is in the two very small files, that app reads and decides what model/serial/options/etc You have. That two files are very easy to change. Speaking of, my mod doesn't reads those files, because I wiped license subsystem and it enables also some options from DHO1000, DHO4000 and other scopes (because they used same code from many other series instead of making it from scratch).

I have DHO924S and I tested SD card image from DHO800 many times (because I was testing installation script of my mod to find eventual bugs).

[Jersey]

Which mod do You mean?

Desired Upgrades:
BW to 250mhz
Memory increase

How to upgrade?
Do just follow the procedures shown in the first posting? ...or is there something specific to do otherwise to achieve the upgrades?

Anyway, You can downgrade any time, because there is no version check with the upgrade option. So You can even downgrade from 00.01.04.00.02 to the 00.01.00.00.00 (I have all published versions on my laptop if You want something).

I would be interested in having all published version as a backup.  is there a central repository where these are kept?  Save you from having to send all the files

Thanks!
Jersey

[norbert.kiszka]

BW to 250mhz

Either You change vendor.bin file or install mod that has hacked BW.

Memory increase

I think only my mod increases memory above 50 Mpts.

How to upgrade?

Well, it all depends of what are You looking for.

Do just follow the procedures shown in the first posting?

First posts in this topic remembers era when the dinosaurs was walking on the earth... Currently I can install Steam on this scope and play games if I wanted to.

I would be interested in having all published version as a backup.

I think that's not necessary for anything - whole SD card image with any firmware on it is much more useful. They done little amount of bugfixes in each version. Only once they added a bug that in some cases (XY mode I believe) was bricking scopes.

is there a central repository where these are kept?  Save you from having to send all the files

I don't know. I'm keeping those with a believe that will be useful someday, but I have huge doubt about that.

[Jersey]

How to upgrade?

Well, it all depends of what are You looking for.
[/quote]

Would turning this 914s into a 924s be easy?

UPDATE:  Successfully changed it using the process in #1507

[norbert.kiszka]

How to upgrade?

Well, it all depends of what are You looking for.

Would turning this 914s into a 924s be easy?
[/quote]

If You want only 250 MHz bandwidth (or more if You remove LC filters - but I recommend to do this only in the last channel), use modified vendor.bin file. Pregenerated file You can grab from my Github: https://github.com/norbertkiszka/rigol_vendor_bin/raw/refs/heads/main/generated_ready_to_use/DHO924S/vendor.bin

If You want not only bandwidth, but also more memory, more features and better UI, You can use this: https://www.patreon.com/NorbertKiszka/shop/rigol-dho800-900-sparrow-extended-normal-1694869

Currently Im working on v0.3 which will be available as a free update for those who purchased v0.2.1 (unless You want go to the enterprise edition with even more features).

Speaking of, couple days ago I wrote that I reached 80 k waveform updates per second. Today I did round 100 k

[Bozog]

Great works mrisco and norbert.kiszka, I'd really love to see the power analysis feature working - any chance of that happening?
Cheers

[norbert.kiszka]

I'd really love to see the power analysis feature working - any chance of that happening?

Without the source code, it's really hard to debug why this is not working. Maybe in the next week I will try to copy/compare code from DHO1000/DHO4000 because the DHO800/DHO900 firmware is clearly based on old code from DHO1000/DHO4000 (that's also why my mod has many features from DHO4000).

[schoppfe]

Hi guys,

can someone briefly bring me up to speed?

I'm sorry, no I haven't read the many previous posts yet, but I promise to catch up. I don't have the time at the moment though. Why?

I have an offer for a used DHO924S that would not be much more expensive than a new DHO800.

Now I've come across the information that the devices can apparently be hacked and upgraded. This raises the question for me:

Is it even worth buying a DHO924S or can all the features all be easily retrofitted? What can be done with a DHO of the 800 series? What can be done with a 900 series device? Are the devices perhaps even equivalent in the end (after the hacks)?

I'm afraid that the used and cheap DHO924S will be sold to someone else before I can get enough information.

Many thanks in advance!

[norbert.kiszka]

Differences:
1. LA.
2. AFG.
3. 350 MHz passive probes instead of 150 MHz (from what I remeber, even DHO914 has 150 MHz probes).
4. Black housing.
5. Physical buttons for LA and AFG.

[schoppfe]

But in terms of bandwidth, memory and sample rate, can the 800 series and the 924S be tuned to the same limits? Or is the 924S the limit of the shared hardware never the less?

I think what I'm asking is whether the 924S is still superior to an 800 after tuning, or whether you end up with the same device but with different upgrade efforts.
The probes alone appear to have a very high additional benefit.

Just watching some videos and read this thread backwards. Looks like the boards are the same and everything is populated except for the connectors. It looks like even the LA and AFG could be added, although the physical buttons are missing, maybe they can be controlled via the display? I've never needed an LA, YET, but it would come in handy if it could be added later.

Thanks for your very fast response!

[norbert.kiszka]

If I was You and I had opportunity to buy DHO924S with little higher price than DHO804, I would buy it. Especially because I prefer to use physical buttons and black color ...

LA and AFG can be enabled from the screen (kinda) and DHO8xx can be hacked to have 200 or even 250 MHz.

[shapirus]

and DHO8xx can be hacked to have 200 or even 250 MHz.

About 270 MHz IIRC, if we define bandwidth by the -3db drop -- that's determined by the analog input filter.

Of course it (or any of the 8xx or 9xx scopes) is usable at these frequencies in single-channel mode only, because 1/2 or 1/4 the max sampling rate will not be sufficient to properly display the signal when two or more channels are enabled. Again IIRC these scopes can work with input frequencies only up to about 1/2.5 the current sampling rate, or, more realistically, up to 1/3. This is determined by the signal reconstruction algorithm, which sucks in these scopes (the Siglent's is better, for comparison).

[norbert.kiszka]

This is determined by the signal reconstruction algorithm, which sucks in these scopes (the Siglent's is better, for comparison).

I still want to make whole app (firmware for those who doesn't understand what I mean) on this scope scope from scratch. That will take some months to complete. Maybe even a year.

Analog signal path is great, especially for that price, but the original software was clearly made in hurry for other series (DS7000 I believe) and adapted also in hurry for other series again, again and again.

input frequencies only up to about 1/2.5 the current sampling rate, or, more realistically, up to 1/3

Speaking of basics, both bandwidth and sample rate should be at least 5-10 times more than main signal frequency. So originally with one channel and full sample rate, I can analyse square waves up to 25-50 MHz. After removing LC filter(s) in analog path (just under ADC) I can analyse square wave theoretically up to 125-250 MHz - but it depends on the interpolation. Sinc in those series, as You said, sucks. With linear interpolation it's way better.

Speaking of sinc, it's very strange how they made such simple interpolation - like they wanted to make it in the most difficult way...

Waveform visible on the screen is generated with OpenGL in GPU. App has hardcoded exact 1000 data points that comes from the FPGA. Changing it to like 10 000 will fix many of the problems, but hacking it without the source code is not easy - it's way better to rewrite it.

[scopeman]

Hello Norbert,

Sorry for being so late on the reply for this but life has kept me off the forum for a while.
On my question regarding the use of the 924S logic analyzer function it appears from what I have read in other posts that when in LA mode the sample rate
is too fast to take advantage of the memory depth when you are trying to analyze logic that is running at a slow rate as opposed to MHz rates. I assume this is due to
limitations of the operating range of the sample clock?

I know I read something on the forum on this issue but I can't seem to find the thread. This limitaton is what is keeping me from buying or building the logic probe set and the reason

I am holding onto my HP/Agilent 54642D for now. Maybe the OP that pointed out that issue can chime in.

On your sparrow replacement project have you made any headway into building that all into a GEL file so it can be installed from a USB stick?

Thanks,

Sam

[norbert.kiszka]

On my question regarding the use of the 924S logic analyzer function it appears from what I have read in other posts that when in LA mode the sample rate
is too fast to take advantage of the memory depth when you are trying to analyze logic that is running at a slow rate as opposed to MHz rates. I assume this is due to
limitations of the operating range of the sample clock?

You mean that sample rate can't be lowered manually or the max sample rate being only 625 MSa/s? In the upcoming v0.3 max sample rate for LA will be 1.25 GSa/s and "waveform" (LA) update rate 55 k per second.

On your sparrow replacement project have you made any headway into building that all into a GEL file so it can be installed from a USB stick?

Currently this is in my plans - a lot of work is needed but not so much support to do this. As for now, it can be easily installed with the script or via adb. This script also increases performance of the system. Only two things that must be done manually, is to give IP address and to confirm installation after automated backups.

[das]

Finally got around to replacing that shitty noisy fan. I've sandwiched a 92mm Noctua NF-A9x14 PWM with a VESA mount, and used 35mm M4 screws to leave room for airflow. Temps are the same but the noise level is so much more tolerable. I think it could be improved even more by removing the rear grill cover.

Also I upgraded the software to Norbert's 0.2.1 Sparrow. It's more usable than the base app for sure. It also seem to run cooler than the base app (48 vs 53°C)? Although couple of thoughts:

• the currently selected channel is not highlighted in the lower row which is sometimes confusing
• the LA and AFG menus show up on my DHO804, but it doesn't have these outputs so it's a bit of a visual clutter
• the correct ISO date format uses dashes, not slashes

[norbert.kiszka]

Finally got around to replacing that shitty noisy fan. I've sandwiched a 92mm Noctua NF-A9x14 PWM with a VESA mount, and used 35mm M4 screws to leave room for airflow. Temps are the same but the noise level is so much more tolerable. I think it could be improved even more by removing the rear grill cover.

Got some photos of the final result?

BTW. I was thinking about making a software fan control (separate app in the background or via the kernel) in order to maintain stable temperature inside. There are at least four GPIO pins (hw code, which is unused in my mod) that can be used for anything. Linux kernel (used in Android) has a PWM driver and even without recompiling it, it should be simple to use modified kernel module from the DHO4000 which uses exact same kernel (change of gpio pin number in the compiled module is very easy).  That will require less parts than making it fully electronically.

It's more usable than the base app for sure

It's always nice to hear feedback like this. Any feedback is also good, since I can make things differently or get better ideas.

It also seem to run cooler than the base app (48 vs 53°C)?

This can be an effect of optimizations (much more of this is in the upcoming v0.3, especially if You enable "slow" acquisition mode). Settings can also make a change, especially stop mode or disabled all channels.

the currently selected channel is not highlighted in the lower row which is sometimes confusing

Can You provide a screenshot? All channels are the same? For a comparison, I attached screenshot from the upcoming v0.3, which has exactly the same layout of channels in the "navigation bar" - different color makes it clearly distinguishable, at least for me.

the LA and AFG menus show up on my DHO804, but it doesn't have these outputs so it's a bit of a visual clutter

As I mentioned couple times, I wiped out whole Rigol licensing system. Every time when the app literally asks itself if there is a licence/option/etc for some functionality, it always answer yes. Making a (separate) functionality of showing/hiding things takes time, both from the CPU and mine own, since I don't have the source code, which also makes very easy to make a bug together with a new functionality.

After all, it would be much better to rewrite whole thing from the scratch (with the open source UI part), because it will make a much much faster development and less prone to bugs. But making a very basic functionality (at the beginning) will take at least one month of work.

the correct ISO date format uses dashes, not slashes

I didn't change anything in the original clock code, I only hardcoded to always display it. Dashes are wider chars in normal font(s) and likely they wanted to save screen space. Maybe dots will be better?

Speaking of v0.3, I need to fix two things before I release it.

PS. In this screenshot, there are commas instead of dots, because I was testing new Polish translation, because this is my primary language. Rigol used software translator instead of real one. Also I found many typos in the English translation, which proves this is the only one translation that they did manually - more or less.