JunTek PSG9080 Programmable Signal Generator (80 MHz - 300 MSa/s - 14-bit)

[torch]

Are those images of one of the channel outputs, or the strange output from the rear connector?

[radiolistener]

Are those images of one of the channel outputs, or the strange output from the rear connector?

pictures above are taken from the output channel. It was captured with a high speed/high dynamic range ADC to show signal purity details.

Here is rear pannel SYNC OUT connector output waves (yellow = CH1 output, magenta = rear panel SYNC OUT output).
First two pictures in normal mode square wave 20 MHz.
Pictures 3 is for a sweep mode from 10 to 30 MHz with 1 sec.

[radiolistener]

Does anyone tried to write custom opensource bare metal firmware for PSG9080?

I can try, but I'm afraid of losing the original firmware
Any idea on how to save it?

May be there is a sense to identify where FPGA firmware is stored, backup it and then try to desolder original STM32, replace it with a new one for experiments. And in case of needs just solder original STM32 and restore FPGA firmware. Or maybe just use custom STM32 devkit board instead of original front panel?

[Neper]

Just a short report from someone who's had his PSG9080 in the Joy-IT incarnation for a few weeks now...

I've been used to mostly surplus Eastern European lab gear of which ginormous quantities swamped the West German market after the fall of the Berlin wall. Now, that was 30 years ago and although all that stuff is still working fine (all of it is built like the proverbial battleship) I thought it might be time for something a little more modern, so I got hold of a PSG 9080 to replace a Soviet G4-102-A RF generator and an East German Praecitronic GF22 AF generator, both sinewave only.

The PSG9080 is giving me quite some brain gymnastics. I was used to my older AF generator that (a) is calibrated in Vrms and that (b) will output the voltage you set it to, no matter the load. You practically have to short-circuit it to make the output voltage drop below the set level. All my docs and instructions for the audio equipment that I work with ask for levels in Vrms. So, with the PSG9080 I find myself having to do a lot of mental acrobatics to convert forth and back between Vpp and Vrms and on top of that have to factor in the load resistance. Guess I'll keep my trusted old AF millivoltmeter connected in permanence to the PSG9080's output and set output levels watching the meter.

But the real prob I'm having with the PSG9080 is its noise, supposedly from the built-in SMPS. Not only on the output signal but also backwards via the mains into all the other equipment of my workshop. So, I replaced the original mains socket of the PSG9080 with one with a built-in mains filter. That got rid of some of the noise coming out at the mains side only to add more of it to the output signal. Running the PSG9080 from a linear (i.e. non-switching) 5 V power supply cured most of that. But I'm still somewhat shocked about how noisy that thing is. How are other people coping with this?

Oh, and I'm still looking for a way to get rid of those stupid ears without breaking the rest. They appear to be glued solidly to the housing. Not for cosmetic reasons, mind you, but to be able to fit in where I want it to go.

And I'll certainly be keeping my old friends from the East. :-)

Ralf

[radiolistener]

yeah, it's a little bit noisy due to switching mode power supply, but I didn't note noise interference for mains. May be because I plug it into power strip which has mains filter. You can power off it with mains switch on the rear panel.

Does anybody tried to replace switching mode PSU with linear bipolar PSU? I think it's very possible, but there is needs to research power and DC/DC circuit schematics on the analog frontend board to find where is analog ±voltage needs to be applied and where is digital voltage. When you power it from external 5V PSU, it still use DC/DC switching mode converters to produce ±voltage for analog amplifiers. I think with linear PSU it will be much better.

[fjalvingh]

I just received my PSG9080 and after seeing some odd behavior I decided to update its software... Bad plan; after the update (which itself said all went well) the device is dead: black screen.. I am trying to communicate with the AliExpress shop I got it from to get it back to life but that is... hard.....

It appears the device is updated through a serial connection from the USB port. That serial port is still there, but the thing listening to it seems to be dead.
Has anyone any idea whether I could update the firmware through some other means on that device?

[radiolistener]

I just received my PSG9080 and after seeing some odd behavior I decided to update its software... Bad plan; after the update (which itself said all went well) the device is dead: black screen.. I am trying to communicate with the AliExpress shop I got it from to get it back to life but that is... hard.....

It appears the device is updated through a serial connection from the USB port. That serial port is still there, but the thing listening to it seems to be dead.
Has anyone any idea whether I could update the firmware through some other means on that device?

Please clarify, the following questions:

1) what is device logo on your device? Juntek or JoyIT?

2) which flashing tool you're used (I know at least two tools available on internet), where did you downloaded it?

3) which firmware update file did you used? Where did you download it? What is MD5 checksum of the file?

4) do I understand correctly that flashing tool cannot see the device and there is no bootloader screen on the device after power on? I mean physical power on with mains switch on the back panel, because power on button on the front panel is software and don't works in bootloader mode.

Such information will help to solve your issue and also help other users to avoid such troubles.


I didn't tried to update firmware, because I don't have backup firmware image to restore device with JTAG. But I research firmware update tool with com port simulator and even tried to play with bootloader commands on device, but didn't tried to upload blocks So I know a little about bootloader and even wrote my firmware update code, but never tested it.

Since update is not success, your device should be still in bootloader mode. Even if you power off it from mains, it should enter into bootloader mode after power on.

The bad news here is that there is no full firmware update (MCU file and FPGA file). FPGA firmware update is available on Juntek site. MCU firmware update is available on JoyIT site. But probably they are not compatible with each other, so it needs to be careful and upload JoyIT firmware to device with JoyIT logo and Juntek firmware to device with Juntek logo. But I'm not sure, just didn't tried it.

You can identify firmware type by last two bytes in the file (in hex):
12 34 = FPGA update
56 78 = MCU update

[radiolistener]

As fjalvingh told me in PM, he used Juntek firmware update from this link:
http://68.168.132.244/PSG9080%20Firmware%20upgrade.zip

This is FPGA firmware update from the official Juntek download site.

I got the firmware and the update tool from an URL that was posted on Juntek's website and also on the device. It was
http://68.168.132.244/PSG9080%20Firmware%20upgrade.zip

The upgrade itself worked without any problem: the software did the update and said that it was a success. The device at that time also told me it was successful and that I needed to restart it by pressing a button. After pressing that button it restarted - and was dead. Dead meaning: black screen, and not even the software power button (the fron one with the blue light) reacts anymore: it stays on regardless of whether it is pressed or not.

My brand for the device is really "JUNTEK".

I hope I used the correct firmware, of course. I did see multiple versions on the nets but the one above was supposed to be the correct one. I also remember seeing that same URL (with the ip address instead of a host name) on the device itself - but I might be wrong there.

A complete power off/on only switches off the blue light in the power button and powering on lets the button burn again. Pressing it does nothing. The screen remains black. Connecting it to the PC makes the PC recognize a serial port, but running the upgrade again reports that the device does not react.

This is a good sign, it looks like the STM32 firmware is okay, but something is wrong with FPGA firmware. So the STM32 waits for FPGA response, but it don't works as expected. Probably this FPGA firmware update is not compatible with MCU firmware 1.20. I think it is stored on the frontend board in the flash memory IC. So probably it can be copied from a working PSG9080.

The problem is that we don't know which IC is a flash memory for XILINX Spartan 6. Any idea?

Another possible solution is to try to use FPGA JTAG connector to read/write the flash with FPGA firmware. I'm not familiar with XILINX family, I'm worked with Altera/Intel, but I think the XILINX chips should be similar and it should have standard flash memory interface which can be downloaded/uploaded through JTAG connector. And it looks that this 5x2 connector at the bottom of the photo is JTAG.

PS: PCB photo can be found here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/juntek-psg9080-programmable-signal-generator-(80-mhz-300-msas-14-bit)/msg3234946/#msg3234946

[Hg7wgs]

Hi,

Two days ago arrived it, so yesterday night i try everything until 01.30 and today i wake up 6.30 after go work...
Now i find the solution!!!

Changed "decimal symbol" from "," to "." in windows(control panel, region settings, addictional settings, decimal symbol)

Hi! Could anybody properly install the PC software for this PSG9080? I downloaded both the english and chinese version of the software from the Juntek website, but the zipped english version has CRC error. The CN version can be installed, however it could not register an .ocx controler. I added that .ocx file to the Windows and I registered it manually, so the software now can be run (an error message still show, but it can be okayed). Unfortunatelly, it does not show any text on the GUI, only the different values (frequency, amplitude, phase, etc.) can be set (if you know that what are you setting actually...).

[radiolistener]

Two days ago arrived it, so yesterday night i try everything until 01.30 and today i wake up 6.30 after go work...
Now i find the solution!!!

Changed "decimal symbol" from "," to "." in windows(control panel, region settings, addictional settings, decimal symbol)

for what reason you're needs PC software?

[Hg7wgs]

Very easy drawing(and uploading) arbitrary waveform.

Two days ago arrived it, so yesterday night i try everything until 01.30 and today i wake up 6.30 after go work...
Now i find the solution!!!

Changed "decimal symbol" from "," to "." in windows(control panel, region settings, addictional settings, decimal symbol)

for what reason you're needs PC software?

[fjalvingh]

Hi radiolistener,

So far still no change. I am not sure that it is the FPGA that is the trouble. To me it sounds odd that you would first do a lot of FPGA work before you would show the splash screen. Also, the update program ITSELF fails telling "Failed or not responding" immediately. I assume the update is handled by the stm32, so to me it feels like that one is buggered.
I did get a new firmware file from our Chinese friends. This one contains an update ending in 56 78 so it should be an mcu update. But it cannot be placed due to the firmware upgrade issue.
There is an empty socket for a pin header on the display board; any idea whether that would be a jtag thing? Or is there any other way I could get that stm32 into boot loader mode or something similar?

[radiolistener]

I am not sure that it is the FPGA that is the trouble. To me it sounds odd that you would first do a lot of FPGA work before you would show the splash screen.

Your device is bricked. The most likely reason in such case is that MCU waiting handshake acknowledgement from FPGA firmware. Since FPGA firmware is broken, it never send acknowledgement (or sends incompatible handshake response) and MCU waits for infinite. That's my point of view.

Also, the update program ITSELF fails telling "Failed or not responding" immediately. I assume the update is handled by the stm32, so to me it feels like that one is buggered.

Yes, update is handled by STM32, but you're needs to enter into bootloader mode and confirm enter into bootloader on device. Without bootloader update tool will show you "failed or not responding" error or something like that.

But since STM32 is waiting response from FPGA, it cannot complete initialization and you cannot enter into bootloader mode. So, broken FPGA update can brick your signal generator.


Your PC can see USB serial port because signal generator use USB-serial chip CH341. STM32 is not involved in such detection.

Try to run ARB wave update tool without read/write option:

Code: [Select]

PSG9080_ARB COM1
where COM1 is a serial port of your PSG9080.

It requests device info from PSG9080. If it doesn't respond, then it's bricked.

The bricked device cannot be fixed with firmware update tool and requires direct firmware update through JTAG and EEPROM programmer. Unfortunately there is no RAW firmware files for PSG9080 in open access, so you cannot restore STM32 firmware.

I did get a new firmware file from our Chinese friends. This one contains an update ending in 56 78 so it should be an mcu update. But it cannot be placed due to the firmware upgrade issue.

The firmware link that you posted before:
http://68.168.132.244/PSG9080%20Firmware%20upgrade.zip

has the file name

Code: [Select]

0-256okh.bin
and it has 12 34 bytes at the end of file, this is ID for FPGA update type.

The file MD5: 8BFA094E33A656F1C2B75C206638BF7E

There is no MCU update for Juntek PSG9080 device. At least I never seen it on internet.

The only MCU update for PSG9080 that I know is MCU update for Joy-IT PSG9080. But it is not compatible with Juntek PSG9080.

It looks that you run MCU update with a wrong firmware. Can you please share firmware file which you used for update?

If this is the case, then your device is now has Joy-IT PSG9080 firmware for MCU and this is the reson why it cannot handshake with a Juntek FPGA firmware.

There is no way to restore firmware for MCU, because there is no firmware in open access and I'm afraid manufacturer will reject your request to share it, because they scary for clones from other manufacturers. But in such case you can try to write FPGA firmware from a Joy-IT PSG9080 it can help to survive device under Joy-IT brand.

Warning: In any way, backup the content of flash IC before any expreiment or manipulation to keep the way to restore it in the previous state.

There is an empty socket for a pin header on the display board; any idea whether that would be a jtag thing? Or is there any other way I could get that stm32 into boot loader mode or something similar?

Yes, this is JTAG for STM32 I tested it with DMM and the pins of this pin header are going to a JTAG pins of STM32. But I think that STM32 is protected after firmware upload on the factory. So there is no way to download firmware from the chip and only manufacturer have such file.

I tried to connect to STM32 through JTAG but it didn't respond, so this is a sign that the controller is protected from firmware download. I'm not sure for 100%, because I just leaned pins to a JTAG header for a test, so may be it fails to connect due to a bad contact. But I don't see the reason why manufacturer can leave firmware open for download, because it will allows to clone device and Chinese guys obsessed with protecting against it.

[radiolistener]

Now it looks that your seller provided you with incompatible firmware update for a Joy-IT PSG9080. But your device is Juntek PSG9080. These devices have exactly the same hardware, but different firmware. And their firmwares are not compatible with each other, so it looks like the reason why your device was bricked.

You can try to ask help from a Joy-IT company. They are more responsive, at least when I wrote them email, they sent me answer in several days.

And please let us know the results to help other users with the same issue.

[fjalvingh]

Hi radiolistener,

I was sent firmware by the shop that differs from the JOY-IT firmware, and it does end in 5678. So the hope would be that this is the MCU software for this device. It is hard to say because there is no recognisable data in the file; it looks to be either compressed or encrypted. I've added in the attachment, perhaps you might find it of use.

I tried to connect to STM32 through JTAG but it didn't respond, so this is a sign that the controller is protected from firmware download. I'm not sure for 100%, because I just leaned pins to a JTAG header for a test, so may be it fails to connect due to a bad contact. But I don't see the reason why manufacturer can leave firmware open for download, because it will allows to clone device and Chinese guys obsessed with protecting against it.

Ah, I was planning to trace those today and solder a header on it. I suppose I can still try, it cannot really hurt.

It looks that you run MCU update with a wrong firmware. Can you please share firmware file which you used for update?

Well, I'm pretty sure it was the correct one. But you might be right; it not really possible to check.

[fjalvingh]

I am wondering if anyone has any idea what this chip is in the picture, and what those connectors might be?

[radiolistener]

I was sent firmware by the shop that differs from the JOY-IT firmware, and it does end in 5678. So the hope would be that this is the MCU software for this device. It is hard to say because there is no recognisable data in the file; it looks to be either compressed or encrypted. I've added in the attachment, perhaps you might find it of use.

hm... your firmware file is really marked as MCU update v1.20.

But I never seen this firmware update on Juntek site... What seller said about it?

I think it may be correct firmware, but it may needs also FPGA update file.
Probably your current FPGA firmware is not compatible with this MCU firmware.

[fjalvingh]

But I never seen this firmware update on Juntek site... What seller said about it?

Well, the seller tells me he is in communication with Juntek about the issue, and after sending me the same (FPGA) update a few times I was able to make him understand that that update really did not work. So then he came with this one a few days after.

So, by itself I seem to have both an FPGA update file AND a MCU update file. I just do not have any way to get them where they belong..

You told me you traced the mcu jtag pins; do you happen to remember the pinout? I did trace it to the pins on the unmarked chip but I cannot make much sense of it; I see most of the pins go to pins on the chip that seem to be unrelated to jtag..

[radiolistener]

So, by itself I seem to have both an FPGA update file AND a MCU update file. I just do not have any way to get them where they belong..

can you share all firmware files provided by seller?

You told me you traced the mcu jtag pins; do you happen to remember the pinout? I did trace it to the pins on the unmarked chip but I cannot make much sense of it; I see most of the pins go to pins on the chip that seem to be unrelated to jtag..

I traced JTAG connector for a front panel board with STM32 controller (with display and buttons).

The connector on FPGA board looks like XILINX JTAG, but I'm not familiar with XILINX FPGA, I'm working with Altera/Intel chips. So I know nothing about XILINX... I think unmarked IC may be some buffer to protect FPGA pins, because they are very gentle

[fjalvingh]

can you share all firmware files provided by seller?

Well, the other one is the one widely available, with the 0-256okh.bin file.

I traced JTAG connector for a front panel board with STM32 controller (with display and buttons).

Can you tell me what you found? Because I could not really connect the pinout with the assumed stm32f103rct6. The pins I traced do not seem to go to jtag pins.

[radiolistener]

Can you tell me what you found? Because I could not really connect the pinout with the assumed stm32f103rct6. The pins I traced do not seem to go to jtag pins.

I didn't save my results, but as I remember this connector has +3.3V, GND, SWDIO, SWCLK and RESET. I trace it with DMM on STM32 pins, but I don't remember exact pin description. 3.3V and GND you can easily find. SWDIO and SWCLK can be traced with DMM.

[fjalvingh]

I didn't save my results, but as I remember this connector has +3.3V, GND, SWDIO, SWCLK and RESET. I trace it with DMM on STM32 pins, but I don't remember exact pin description. 3.3V and GND you can easily find. SWDIO and SWCLK can be traced with DMM.

Well, I could not link any of the pins to any reasonable function on the STM32. My crystal goes to pins 7 and 8 (assuming the 1-16 pin row is oriented downwards. The pins on the header go to:
1 goes to 53 (pc12)
2 goes to 52 (pc11)
3 goes to 49 (pa14) EN 48 (Vdd)
4 goes to the bottom, around pin 24, 25
5 goes to 50 (pa15)
6 goes to 51
7 is Vcc +3.3V
8 is GND

With the exception of the power lines all of this seems nonsense. But then I looked up your teardown images and lo and behold: I think I have a different version. My board looks like the image attached. The chip's markings have been erased, but clearly the pinout is quite different.

So, I fear I need to go on the hunt for what chip this is before I can do anything....

[TheBay]

That display ribbon isn't soldered on there properly  , are the connections at the top even connected to the PCB?
I guess they must have hand soldered that part in production.

I didn't save my results, but as I remember this connector has +3.3V, GND, SWDIO, SWCLK and RESET. I trace it with DMM on STM32 pins, but I don't remember exact pin description. 3.3V and GND you can easily find. SWDIO and SWCLK can be traced with DMM.

Well, I could not link any of the pins to any reasonable function on the STM32. My crystal goes to pins 7 and 8 (assuming the 1-16 pin row is oriented downwards. The pins on the header go to:
1 goes to 53 (pc12)
2 goes to 52 (pc11)
3 goes to 49 (pa14) EN 48 (Vdd)
4 goes to the bottom, around pin 24, 25
5 goes to 50 (pa15)
6 goes to 51
7 is Vcc +3.3V
8 is GND

With the exception of the power lines all of this seems nonsense. But then I looked up your teardown images and lo and behold: I think I have a different version. My board looks like the image attached. The chip's markings have been erased, but clearly the pinout is quite different.

So, I fear I need to go on the hunt for what chip this is before I can do anything....

[fjalvingh]

Ok, perhaps this rings a bell for someone?
The pin 1 marker seems to be in the top left. In that case I have found the following pin assignments:
pin 1: 3.3v
pin 16: 3.3v
pin 23, 24: XTAL/Oscillator
pin 32: ground

and of course the 8 pin pin header on top, pins numbered from 1 to 8 from left to right:
1 goes to 53 (pc12)
2 goes to 52 (pc11)
3 goes to 49 (pa14) EN 48 (Vdd)
4 goes to the bottom, around pin 24, 25
5 goes to 50 (pa15)
6 goes to 51
7 is Vcc +3.3V
8 is GND

So far I found no controller family with something resembling these connections..

[radiolistener]

Well, I could not link any of the pins to any reasonable function on the STM32. My crystal goes to pins 7 and 8 (assuming the 1-16 pin row is oriented downwards. The pins on the header go to:
1 goes to 53 (pc12)
2 goes to 52 (pc11)
3 goes to 49 (pa14) EN 48 (Vdd)
4 goes to the bottom, around pin 24, 25
5 goes to 50 (pa15)
6 goes to 51
7 is Vcc +3.3V
8 is GND

With the exception of the power lines all of this seems nonsense. But then I looked up your teardown images and lo and behold: I think I have a different version. My board looks like the image attached. The chip's markings have been erased, but clearly the pinout is quite different.

wow, your PCB is really different than my one. My one has different JTAG connector.

So there are different front panel PCB exists. And it may be the reason why firmware update was failed.

I suspect that your PCB may use different microcontroller... it may be some kind of Chinese microcontroller