Dim OLED Screen replacement for Agilent Keysight U1253A U1253B U1273A U1273AX

[onesystem]

So now resetting the ports before jumping:

Code: [Select]

sub_7f00:                                           ; From bootloader
    br !llab_7fdb            ;7f00  9b db 7f         ; Go to failsafe check

lab_7fdb:                                           ; Failsafe check
    mov pm7,#0xf0           ;7fdb  13 27 f0         ; Set P7.7-4 as input, P7.3-0 as output
    mov pu7,#0xf0           ;7fde  13 37 f0         ; Enable P7.7-4 pullups
    mov p7,#0x00            ;7fe1  11 07 00         ; P7.3-0 outputs low
    movw ax,#0x0100         ;7fe4  10 00 01         ; Much smaller delay

lab_7fe7:
    subw ax,#0x0001         ;7fe7  da 01 00
    bnz lab_7fe7            ;7fea  bd fb   
    mov a,p7                ;7fec  f0 07            ; Move  P7 value into A
    mov pm7,#0xff           ;7fee  13 27 ff         ; Clear port config
    mov pu7,#0x00           ;7ff1  13 37 00
    bt a.7,lab_7ff8         ;7ff4  31 7e 01         ; test A, bit 7
    ret                     ;7ff7  af               ; Return (Button pressed)

lab_7ff8:
    br !lab_3015            ;7ff8  9b 15 30         ; Enter app (Not pressed)


Finally loaded the "U1273AX_V301_failsafe_p74.ag" on meter. Meter works fine, no problems at all.

I used DSD Tech SH-U06A to load it this time so I don't have to take apart optical comm and solder in the Rx Tx Gnd pins. See attached photos.

Now, what is the expected operation of this failsafe version?

[DavidAlfa]

It's just reading a different input. Try finding which button causes it to go into update mode (Holding while powering on).
Might not be connected to any button, that's why I made the four p77...p74 tests.

[msquared]

Wanted to give a BIG THANK YOU! to both you guys. 

I replaced the display on my U1253A and upgraded the firmware today.

Attached pictures tell the story.

I also posted this success story in the testgear thread.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/replacing-oled-screen-on-an-agilent-u1253a-multimeter/msg5311756/#msg5311756

[bson]

Forked k0dasm with the command.py and symbols.py changes to support the D78F0547 at https://github.com/bson/k0dasm

[Njk]

So there is NEC uPD78F0547 inside. My Fluke 189 uses Sharp SM6004 chip. No docs, no tools, etc. What was the reason for widely using a Japanese MCUs in the DMMs of the US brands? If there was a shortage of the domestic MCU designs back at that time?

[bson]

IMHO relying in the forum storage is the least reliable way, but attached anyways  .

Just for reference, I also forked it at https://github.com/bson/78k0-flash-utility

[voltsandjolts]

So there is NEC uPD78F0547 inside. My Fluke 189 uses Sharp SM6004 chip. No docs, no tools, etc. What was the reason for widely using a Japanese MCUs in the DMMs of the US brands? If there was a shortage of the domestic MCU designs back at that time?

Maybe those design teams are in Asia, and they naturally gravitate to home-grown mcu's.
US based design teams are perhaps more focussed on bench / high-end gear, where "western" mcu's are common.
Just guessing. Maybe just cost driven.

[gamalot]

So there is NEC uPD78F0547 inside. My Fluke 189 uses Sharp SM6004 chip. No docs, no tools, etc. What was the reason for widely using a Japanese MCUs in the DMMs of the US brands? If there was a shortage of the domestic MCU designs back at that time?

Maybe those design teams are in Asia, and they naturally gravitate to home-grown mcu's.
US based design teams are perhaps more focussed on bench / high-end gear, where "western" mcu's are common.
Just guessing. Maybe just cost driven.

I don't know about Fluke. Keysight's handheld multimeters are designed and produced by Escort Instruments, a Taiwanese company acquired by Agilent in 2008.

[xinchengGE]

How to replace the Agilent / Keysight OLED display for just $10!

- Buy the display: Aliexpress (Or search for "SSD1309 8080").

    (Attachment Link)

- You might need to install the Prolific drivers. If getting code 10, install the attached drivers.
- Make sure Windows is using them: Open the Device Manager, check those under USB devices/USB serial port and COM ports/USB serial port, replace driver if needed.
- Don't attempt loading a firmware from another model, it'll brick the device! (Not irreversible, see Recovering section below)


Agilent / Keysight U1273A / U1273AX

  If your device has firmware version v4.xx it will work straight away, no firmware modification is required!

 - Confirmed working!
 - Download and extract U1273A(X)_V303_mod.zip.
 - Run the updater.

 - Original installers from Keysight: U1273A, U1273AX .
   Must be v3.01, newer version will check the current firmware and block the update if already in the latest version!
   Just change the firmware name to U1273A(X)_V301.AG. (A or AX).


Agilent / Keysight U1253A

  - Confirmed working!
  - Download and unpack Agilent U1253A Firmware Update V120_mod.zip.
  - Run the updater.


Agilent / Keysight U1253B

 - Same mod as 1253A, so it should work.
 - Download and extract U1253B_V304_1123a_mod.zip.
 - Run the updater.


Reverse enginnering details

All the bits & low-level details can be found few posts below.


Recovery

If something goes wrong, it's pretty easy to recover using a usb-serial converter, read the messages starting here.

Great thanks to you guys working on thist project！my meter is now back to live again.
But as a reminder, I think you guys should uploader your work on github or a similar platform and attach a License to it.
I am from China and have already seen someone selling this firmware on the local network.

[Tarloth]

THANKS A LOT!!!!!!!!

I need to update a 1253A, can anyone make a DIY optic cable or connect directly RXTX from and USBtoSerie standard interface to the meter to use with the updater in the second post? I lost in somewhere my interface cable and prefer not to buy a new one if it is possible.

THANKS AGAIN, GREAT PERFECT A PROFESSIONAL JOB!

[onesystem]

You can make an optic cable for sure, it is actually quite simple circuitry. Do you by chance have a 3D printer? that would be needed to print out a snap-in head that would align the LEDs of the UART with meter LEDs. I can throw together a printable file and a circuit board quickly if you are interested.

If it is a bit too involved, then what can be done is to use regular FTDI UART usb cable/dongle and connect directly to the meter internal header (which is definitely present in U1273AX on the top right of the board. Not sure where it is in 1253A

[DavidAlfa]

No, the internal header is a different port, I don't think it's "talkative"?

[onesystem]

In U1273AX port is fully talkative, I did couple of firmware updates from it directly instead of using the optical UART. It was the same port that I used to "unbrick" the meter (with your smart guidance!) when I messed it up, remember?

[DavidAlfa]

Are you sure?
I recall you stripped the original cable to unbrick the DMM, accessing rx/tx signals and connecting them to the header.
But that's the only use for it that I remember, the updating was done with the optical cable, right?
Or did you update through the header here?

[onesystem]

I am definitely sure. Later on I even posted that I got a FDTI USB to UART from Amazon which I connected directly and was able to use that connection for uploading of firmware using the stock Keysight/Agilent firmware uploader. It definitely detected the meter and cycled through the update process without problems.

[onesystem]

Or did you update through the header here?

Yep, I used it there too.

[Tarloth]

Thanks Again! I did try today to buy in my country the OLED display and none it's compatible, I need to buy in ebay or in aliexpress then would took one month to arrive.

I can make the IR-USB cable meanwhile , I have several CNC machibes to make the head, I can post results here.

Anybody  used another colour than Yellow for the display? It's less readable in white than yellow? 

Thanks again for your enormous work, it's a real shame that Keysight not provided this firmware mod.

[onesystem]

I personally liked the original yellow color of OLED, also I think DavidAlfa mentioned something about yellow OLEDs having the most time longevity but I might be mistaken on that.

[DavidAlfa]

Originally the blue compound on oleds had the lowest livespan * by a lot *.
Not sure nowadays, but probably still the weakest.

[gamalot]

I found my U1173B and did a teardown and RE for it. The circuit diagram was not carefully checked and organized so it looks a bit messy, but it should be readable.

[Tarloth]

Thanks Gamalot, with the pictures I can make an own cable. Somebody try the update with the bluetooth version? Thanks

[Per Hansson]

Thanks for your work in this thread DavidAlfa and onesystem!
I bought a Agilent U1273Ax on eBay with condition listed as not working.
When I got it home the buzzer made no noise and the screen was dead but it pulled 18mA from my bench supply.
After some fiddling I managed to reset it to default settings and was greeted by its silly startup sound: it made me happy to know it works
So I ordered a display on TME, I choose white color because they had it in stock so it was delivered in just two days.
And now I have a working meter
So this is another tested OLED display source if anyone is looking and don't want to buy off Aliexpress or eBay

White: https://www.tme.eu/en/details/rex012864hwpp3n0/graphical-oled-displays/raystar-optronics/rex012864hwpp3n00000/
Yellow: https://www.tme.eu/en/details/rex012864hypp3n0/graphical-oled-displays/raystar-optronics/rex012864hypp3n00000/

[Tarloth]

Per, how do you connect to the multimeter to update the firmware? Is that serial port in the top left corner equivalent to the optical port? Thanks

[Per Hansson]

Hi, that's the internal debug port, I was meaning to buy the Keysight U1173B optical cable from TME but when I login as a private person it's no longer possible to buy it and I couldn't be bothered to do it from my company: their loss...
I have had this Sparkfun TTL adapter since forever, it is very convenient: in this case I power it from the multimeters own VCC, this creates the proper level shift voltage (black and red cables in the picture).
Then TX/RX is the yellow cables, I was meaning to close the meter back up (hence used long cables) but in the end I used a bench supply directly on the multimeters battery contacts to power it during the update...
The update tool that is linked on page-1 seems to have no problems to work with the USB to serial adapter I used (FTDI chipset) I guess it works with any serial device in Windows...

[Tarloth]

Thanks Hansson, I think that it's not possible to use debugging port to update firmware. Thanks