A look at the Uni-T UT210E

[EEVblog]

^^ Can you lock individual users out of a thread instead of locking it completely?
I have no issue with anyone here, just a general question.

No, users cannot be locked out from threads. It's either ban the user entirely from the forum or lock the thread for everyone.
Technically it's possible to set up a user profile that blocks those users assigned that profile from certain boards, but not threads.

[Macbeth]

No, I have to either lock the thread or ban the user.

Simon, this is not a troll or shit post thread. It has lots of very good info and uniquely sourced stuff from joeqsmith for the fairly unique super cheap Uni-T UT210E. It would be absurd to lock it because of a troll attack. If this works then you will end up cutting the nose to spite the face. All of us UT210E fans will have to go to Russian boards perhaps instead. Meanwhile this strange creature gets to win his shutting down stuff that offends him because he is a special snowflake.

Ok... Go ahead... and can we please have SAFE SPACES on the EEVBlog? 

You should not lock the thread. You can ban the user who goes out of his way at being an utter dick, or you can recommend the ignore user option.

joeqsmith and anyone else, please go and check your ignore user options in settings. This one is a classic example.  Go to Buddies/Ignore List in your User Profile and the rest is obvious.

(I'm pretty sure I am a victim of the ignore thread treatment too. Ah well, you can't please everyone)

[Simon]

Blocking the thread works when things have generally got a bit rough but it is hoped it's a one off incident for the users concerned. And yes I am saying users plural. If one particular person does show signs of generally being a problem then of course they would get banned. This thread seems to be particularly long although I haven't read it all so I don't know if there is any useful information left or if this is just going to sidetrack into arguing because the information has come to an end as often happens. There is indeed a balance between banning individual users and locking off threats that have got a bit rowdy. No one particular user would not end up shutting the forum down as you put it by having all threads locked because he visits them. If an obvious pattern of behaviour emerges we usually get banned unfortunately the initial topic may be collateral damage. Someone could always ask for a thread to be unlocked later if they deem more relevant information has emerged that need to go into it.

[macboy]

Simon,
This is an extremely useful thread full of information for people genuinely interested in this meter, and especially in hacking it. The thread is somewhat long and was started some time ago, but new useful information is/was still being very recently posted before the arguments started. Please don't lock down this thread. Certain person(s) are not contributing and are only disturbing the peace; if they need to go so be it.

[Simon]

And I am indeed doing my best to keep the topic open. One users post has already been removed and he has been banned temporarily. Te original user has left the discussion so there is no need to bring the argument  again

[bitseeker]

And I am indeed doing my best to keep the topic open.

Thanks, Simon. There is new information being added and ongoing discoveries, so keeping the thread going is much appreciated.

[djQUAN]

Hi Guys,

Any idea what the internal pots are? I wanted to adjust it to display bang-on and twiddled some of it and then later realized calibration is done in EEPROM (and did not take note of the original positions). It displays values the same as before but I'm just curious what they are for.

-I know, I messed up, it still works ok but makes me feel uneasy what I have done without knowing what they are for. 

edit: just hacked mine using flwheelz post at page8 and it worked well. I just modded the AC to DC default, backlight and auto off timers.

Messed with the 6000count mod and realized it had to drop to around 1800count to revert to the next lower range.
I studied it and never read anyone mention having to change addresses 14H and 15H to 0244H so that it switches at 5800. Did it and it worked. Perfect.

[hgg]

Hi guys,

Newbie question.    I am new to EEPROM reading.. and I was wondering if someone can double check
the attached BIN file I read off the UT210E before proceeding with the writing of the modified version.
Does this look like a legit UT210E EEPROM binary?   

Also, will I be able to revert to the original bin if I mess up with a wrong bin file?

Thanks.

[flywheelz]

Hi guys,

Newbie question.    I am new to EEPROM reading.. and I was wondering if someone can double check
the attached BIN file I read off the UT210E before proceeding with the writing of the modified version.
Does this look like a legit UT210E EEPROM binary?   

Also, will I be able to revert to the original bin if I mess up with a wrong bin file?

Thanks.

The attached bin does look like a valid dump.

Yes, you simply write the original dump to revert back to original state.

[hgg]

flywheelz Thanks!

I will give it a try with your mods from page 8 :

  old     new
 12:   98   38
 13:   08   18
 19:   3C   0B
 87:   17   16
 8B:   19   18
 8D:   1B   1A
 8E:   04   03
 97:   16   17
 9B:   18   19
 9C:   00   02
 9D:   1A   1B
 9E:   05   04
 A7:   00   1C
 AC:   00   1D
 AE:   00   05
 B7:   00   1D
 BE:   00   06
 FC:   0F   B4

[flywheelz]

Thanks for pointing out that post as it needs  few important additions which are mentioned later in the thread. First is the dotless mode with calibration and also  disabling the alarms as they will drive you crazy. I will try to add them at the end of the day.

[hgg]

Success! 
Just did the mod and the little UT210E got a lot better! 
I love the new functionality and the NCV mV mode.

Had to ground WP and Reset in order to write to the EEPROM. 
I am using the MiniPro programmer.

I've tried the 8000 count mode by changing 10H --> 40 and 11H --> 1F
by it is still in the 6000 count mode!  I've only tested Volts and Resistance.

Do I have to change any other byte as well for the 8000 count mode?

I've also changed 19H to 3C because the alarm was a bit annoying...
I will wait for you feedback before doing anything else.

Thanks!
George.

[tronde]

I've tried the 8000 count mode by changing 10H --> 40 and 11H --> 1F
by it is still in the 6000 count mode!  I've only tested Volts and Resistance.

Do I have to change any other byte as well for the 8000 count mode?

I think you should change 12H and 13H as well. They are range-up threshold. On the VC921 multimeter I use 12H = 4A and 13H = 1F. This gives range-up at 8010.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hacking-the-victor-vc-921/

I have an UT-210 as well, but I have not played with it yet.

[flywheelz]

Success! 
Just did the mod and the little UT210E got a lot better! 
I love the new functionality and the NCV mV mode.

Had to ground WP and Reset in order to write to the EEPROM. 
I am using the MiniPro programmer.

I've tried the 8000 count mode by changing 10H --> 40 and 11H --> 1F
by it is still in the 6000 count mode!  I've only tested Volts and Resistance.

Do I have to change any other byte as well for the 8000 count mode?

I've also changed 19H to 3C because the alarm was a bit annoying...
I will wait for you feedback before doing anything else.

Thanks!
George.

Good job.  Once you activate 2A dotless it will be even better 

I have updated my post on Page 8.

tronde answered your 8000 count question 

[hgg]

Guys thank you!

8000 counts now and working fine.   It has also survived a 1 meter drop onto concrete...   
I don't know if you've noticed but this thing has one of the best continuity functions as well!
With the proper leads off course.

Minor thing is that when you measure for example above 8.100Vdc and then the voltage starts
decreasing, it will revert back to the 2000 count mode until you reach 2.000Vdc.  Minor though.

Best 34 euros spent on a multimeter/clamp.
Thanks again!

[flywheelz]

Guys thank you!

8000 counts now and working fine.   It has also survived a 1 meter drop onto concrete...   
I don't know if you've noticed but this thing has one of the best continuity functions as well!
With the proper leads off course.

Minor thing is that when you measure for example above 8.100Vdc and then the voltage starts
decreasing, it will revert back to the 2000 count mode until you reach 2.000Vdc.  Minor though.

Best 34 euros spent on a multimeter/clamp.
Thanks again!

Did you set 10h, 11h to 8010 as well? Perhaps you can attach your modified eeprom.

Now I am tempted to take mine to 8010

[djQUAN]

Guys thank you!

8000 counts now and working fine.   It has also survived a 1 meter drop onto concrete...   
I don't know if you've noticed but this thing has one of the best continuity functions as well!
With the proper leads off course.

Minor thing is that when you measure for example above 8.100Vdc and then the voltage starts
decreasing, it will revert back to the 2000 count mode until you reach 2.000Vdc.  Minor though.

Best 34 euros spent on a multimeter/clamp.
Thanks again!

flywheelz has not mentioned in his page8 post about it. I found about by studying the datasheet by changing the range down point to be 14h and 15h and posted it in page11. Since I set mine to range-up at 6200, mine should range down at 5800 so it was set to 244h. (44h at 14h and 02h at 15h).

If you want it to range-down at 7800d, you should put in 30Ch so that would be 0C @ 14h, 03 @ 15h. I think that should do the trick.

[hgg]

Yes, I did.  Below is the binary.
djQUAN I will give it a try.

[hgg]

..and 8000 counts from an AC source.
The measurements were spot on with the Brymen but in the picture there is
a difference because the AC source was fluctuating.

[bitseeker]

It's good to see the 8000 counts works well on AC. Should be fine, but good to see it in operation and compared to another TRMS meter.

[flywheelz]

Is there some benefit to have it range down at a different value than range up value? e.g. 1900 vs 2200, 5800 vs 6200

[flywheelz]

From the Russian forum a user posted some tests results that caught my eye.  If I understand correctly then anything over 7200 counts shows false reading measuring 220ACV.  So if you do set 8000 or 10000 count remember not to use with AC high voltage.

Link

Yesterday had a little poked around with both devices. Experimentally found that when placing 8200 - "count" output from APC300 behaived as 10 thousand count, measured 7.5V.
With 7700 counts - is a stop on the second iteration, the result is 73V.
But with 7200 counts - it shows the normal 220.
We can assume that the increase in the number of samples from 6200 to 7200 in most cases acceptable. This is how I left it.

[bitseeker]

Well, I guess my original 6000 is still a nice safe level to use. I'll just stay there.

[tronde]

From the Russian forum a user posted some tests results that caught my eye.  If I understand correctly then anything over 7200 counts shows false reading measuring 220ACV.  So if you do set 8000 or 10000 count remember not to use with AC high voltage.

Link

Yesterday had a little poked around with both devices. Experimentally found that when placing 8200 - "count" output from APC300 behaived as 10 thousand count, measured 7.5V.
With 7700 counts - is a stop on the second iteration, the result is 73V.
But with 7200 counts - it shows the normal 220.
We can assume that the increase in the number of samples from 6200 to 7200 in most cases acceptable. This is how I left it.

If the APC300 is an UPS it makes sense since the output from that is a stepped/modified sinus. The TRMS converter is an DSP believed to handle a maximum of 12000 counts. 8000 counts should be OK for sinus, but a different waveform can exceed 12000 counts and give an erroneus result.

[djQUAN]

Is there some benefit to have it range down at a different value than range up value? e.g. 1900 vs 2200, 5800 vs 6200

When you are testing from zero going up in range, you still get the full 6000 count but when going down, you only get 2000 count.

example: when reading a changing voltage (charging cap etc) it counts from 1.000 to 2.000 .... 5.000 - 6.000 then 07.00 - 08.00 but when going down, it had to go 08.00 - 07.00 .... 04.00 - 03.00 - 02.00 then 1.000. I hope you get what I mean.