New Rigol DS1054Z oscilloscope

[Fungus]

I've had my DS1054Z for about a week now and am amazed at what it can do.  Right now I've got it set up to calibrate the head alignment of an old TEAC A-6300 reel-to-reel tape deck.  I'm feeding the Left line out from the deck to Channel 1 on the scope and Right line out from the deck to Channel 2 on the scope.  My question is, is it possible to lock the V/division of Channel 1 and Channel 2 together so if I want to adjust the gain (V/division) of the vertical I don't have to individually select Channel 1 and Channel 2 to change the vertical gain to match each other.

No, not possible.

(I never saw this function on any oscilloscope)

[RoGeorge]

Or via USB. No additional software or IP-address needed. In a console just enter:

Code: [Select]

echo ":CHAN1:SCAL 1" > /dev/usbtmc0

I never knew Linux can talk to a USB TMC device without installing any drivers, thank you Karel!

[JPortici]

Impressive indeed, but what happens if you expand the timebase so that you can see the most of the rising/falling edge? remember that this scope makes measurements based on the screen's pixels (measurements are made on screen buffer) and not on acquired data

 

The 5ns/div time base TurboTom used (in the second and third screenshot) is the fastest timebase the DS1000Z series offers. The rise time is clearly a fraction of one division, approx. 1/3 of a division. So I don't think the fast rise time is an artefact of the on-screen measurement in any way. (More data points or a faster time base would give you a more precise measurement of the rise time, but won't make it larger than 1.7 ns.)

ack! that slipped my mind

impressive indeed then i was never able to measure a risetime faster than something more than 2.5 ns, with higher bandwidth probes or with terminated coax, i think that's the limit for my unit 

[DavidMassey]

The reason I would be changing the vertical sensitivity during a head alignment is the calibrated test tape (not cheap!) has a series of tones at 0 VU level and another set of tones at -10 VU (ten dB below 0 VU) and it would have been nice to have both channels on the scope track each other in the gain settting.  Oh well, I can live with having to change each channel individually   

[Gabri74]

Oh well, I can live with having to change each channel individually   

There is the excellent app DsRemote http://www.teuniz.net/DSRemote/   maybe you can ask the author to add channel vertical tracking and then control the scope remotely ?

The author is active on the forums:  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/free-ds6000ds1000z-software/

[McBryce]

I've had my DS1054Z for about a week now and am amazed at what it can do.  Right now I've got it set up to calibrate the head alignment of an old TEAC A-6300 reel-to-reel tape deck.  I'm feeding the Left line out from the deck to Channel 1 on the scope and Right line out from the deck to Channel 2 on the scope.  My question is, is it possible to lock the V/division of Channel 1 and Channel 2 together so if I want to adjust the gain (V/division) of the vertical I don't have to individually select Channel 1 and Channel 2 to change the vertical gain to match each other.

I had the need to do this for a project a few years ago, however the scope I was using (think it was a Tektronix) had a seperate knob for each channel. A thick rubber band around the two knobs was my "engineering solution" to the problem, turn one and the other turned with it

McBryce.

[DavidMassey]

That's funny!  Rubber bands and duct tape can fix anything!

[DavidMassey]

I'll do that!  It seems possible.  I was thinking if the firmware would recognize the pressing of two channel buttons at the same time (or maybe if you are really coordinated you could press all four at one time!) it would know to lock both channels together for gain control (or other parameters).

[Chumanista]

Made a new video, with instructions on how to reset the options that were requested a few times and a quick way to enable them via USB:

[ebastler]

Made a new video, with instructions on how to reset the options that were requested a few times and a quick way to enable them via USB

Thank you. But I have two improvement suggestions for your instructions:

• It is not necessary to install the (bloated) UltraSigma software just to send USB commands. You can send telnet commands to the Ethernet port with a simple telnet terminal, or use one of various lightweight free software tools to send commands (e.g. Peter Dreisiebner's Bildschirmkopie, http://peter.dreisiebner.at/rigol-bildschirmkopie-lan/.
• It would be much better if, when watching the video, one could actually read the commands you type in. Maybe you could add subtitles in larger font at the bottom of the screen?

[Chumanista]

I added the commands to the description, YouTube sadly took annotations away so no way to add it to the video.
UltraSigma is big as hell but simple, most the alternatives I found require weird installation processes.
Glad you like the video!

[Karel]

Made a new video, with instructions on how to reset the options that were requested a few times and a quick way to enable them via USB:

As explained before, you can do this in 15 seconds using USB or LAN without the need to install any software.

[Fungus]

UltraSigma is big as hell but simple, most the alternatives I found require weird installation processes.

I didn't find it simple.

The 'telnet' method doesn't require any installation at all. Just connect with an Ethernet cable, open a command line window, copy/paste the commands.

[danadak]

Where in forum is enhancement suggestion list being kept ?

I would like to add following to it -

Not sure if someone has already covered this but I would like
added into firmware -

1) Start by allowing user in very large font to put at least one
measurement on the screen, filling the screen, or 1/2 screen,
so can be read across the room. Seems like all the single
measurements could be done this way with a simple routine.
Font size controlled by user, routine handles display and
centering. Screen is large enough even 2 measurements this
way quite useful.

Part of this would be an auto scaling function to keep the
measurement in range while working across the room. This
would be applied if measurement overlayed on top of normal
scope trace screen. So trace vertical sensitivity always keeping
trace size visible.

2) Chart recorder function coupled with PC API. There are times
I need to look at very slow rate events, circuits, that want strip
chart like functionality.

Item 2 another user has suggested to me to use the programming manual
and write code to do this.

Regards, Dana.

[ebastler]

Where in forum is enhancement suggestion list being kept ?

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rigol-ds1000z-series-buglist-continued-(from-fw-00-04-04-03-02)/

The new headline refers to "bugs" only, but I understand that -- like its precursor thread referenced in the opening post -- this thread deals with bugs as well as suggested improvements and features.

[metrologist]

2) Chart recorder function coupled with PC API. There are times
I need to look at very slow rate events, circuits, that want strip
chart like functionality.

Item 2 another user has suggested to me to use the programming manual
and write code to do this.

Regards, Dana.

If I understand your request, then I would like that too. I think I will try to configure Microsoft Excel to communicate with the scope using the example in the programming manual.

I would like to get a screen plot of a long event, such as charging/discharging batteries, so something like a 1 hr/div sweep would seem appropriate.

After writing that, I wonder if using X-Y mode and manually controlling the sweep would work? (I'm away now).

[frozenfrogz]

this thread deals with bugs as well as suggested improvements and features.

Since there have not been any new feature requests since I took over the buglist, I have not yet decided how to properly deal with possible requests.
One problem is, that there is no working pipeline to communicate these things with Rigol. I had various contacts with Rigol Europe, some resellers here in Germany and also mailed to the Rigol headquarters and gave their "support forum" a try - my question has not yet been answered, but marked as "processing" or something like that. I posted my firmware related question several months ago so I do not think that qualifies for anything. Rigol Europe seems to be aware of some threads on this forum but they explicitly do not want to get involved here. Personally I think that is a bad move. The answer regarding getting involved here (since a lot of users have Rigol hardware) has been kind of answered by a representative from Rigol Europe in an email I got. I did not fully understand the backstory - he told me that since some direct competitors were already involved as users in the forum and there was some kind of Rigol bashing going on, they had no interest in diverting resources to forum support.
I replied that my perception is that of a very unbiased forum with - of course - some love and hate for personal favorite brands, but nothing that would imply campaigning against anything in particular.

You see: So far, my approaches in establishing means of communicating problems and suggestions directly with Rigol did not work out great. - Just so you know what to expect from feature suggestions.

[Fungus]

2) Chart recorder function coupled with PC API. There are times
I need to look at very slow rate events, circuits, that want strip
chart like functionality.

Item 2 another user has suggested to me to use the programming manual
and write code to do this.

Regards, Dana.

If I understand your request, then I would like that too. I think I will try to configure Microsoft Excel to communicate with the scope using the example in the programming manual.

I would like to get a screen plot of a long event, such as charging/discharging batteries, so something like a 1 hr/div sweep would seem appropriate.

After writing that, I wonder if using X-Y mode and manually controlling the sweep would work? (I'm away now).

 

It seems like the wrong tool for the job to me. Do you really want your 'scope to be tied up for days doing something like monitoring a battery?

Why not use something like an Arduino instead? It has more ADC bits, uses less power, less space, connects directly to a PC, etc. There's a ton of data logging software available for them, etc.

[borjam]

It seems like the wrong tool for the job to me. Do you really want your 'scope to be tied up for days doing something like monitoring a battery?

If it's a tool you're familiar with, why not?

Why not use something like an Arduino instead? It has more ADC bits, uses less power, less space, connects directly to a PC, etc. There's a ton of data logging software available for them, etc.

The problem with such approaches is that the measurement itself soon becomes an end rather than a medium.

If you have the tool, you are already familiar with its limitations and features, what's wrong? The familiar user interface of an oscilloscope makes it a very good tool for many data capture applications.

I remember the comments to a post by myself wondering about the µCurrent. Suggestions for a diy route while I needed to make a reasonably reliable measurement, period, not to get involved into designing a current measurement system.

[ebastler]

It seems like the wrong tool for the job to me. Do you really want your 'scope to be tied up for days doing something like monitoring a battery?

Why not use something like an Arduino instead? It has more ADC bits, uses less power, less space, connects directly to a PC, etc. There's a ton of data logging software available for them, etc.

Agree. Or use a multimeter with logging functionality (either on-board or to a PC via USB or Bluetooth), which comes complete with a front end for monitoring voltage, current ... over wide ranges. If the software supplied with the meter does not cut it, Sigrok can log data from many meters, including low-cost options.

[Fungus]

Why not use something like an Arduino instead? It has more ADC bits, uses less power, less space, connects directly to a PC, etc. There's a ton of data logging software available for them, etc.

The problem with such approaches is that the measurement itself soon becomes an end rather than a medium.

 

I'm not the one asking for a 'chart recorder' function to be added to the DS1054Z or trying to make it talk to Microsoft Excel.

[metrologist]

If I understand your request, then I would like that too. I think I will try to configure Microsoft Excel to communicate with the scope using the example in the programming manual.

I would like to get a screen plot of a long event, such as charging/discharging batteries, so something like a 1 hr/div sweep would seem appropriate.

After writing that, I wonder if using X-Y mode and manually controlling the sweep would work? (I'm away now).

 

It seems like the wrong tool for the job to me. Do you really want your 'scope to be tied up for days doing something like monitoring a battery?

Why not use something like an Arduino instead? It has more ADC bits, uses less power, less space, connects directly to a PC, etc. There's a ton of data logging software available for them, etc.

I may use an Arduino since I have 'em, but will need to design a circuit so I can accurately measure high voltages. The scope, if it had that feature, would just be an easy way to get a complete plot without any work, ordering parts, and waiting, etc. Not days, just a couple few hours for the measurement. I do not have any other instruments (like a DMM) that can interface with a PC, but that would be my choice if I had one.

[metrologist]

Or use a multimeter with logging functionality (either on-board or to a PC via USB or Bluetooth), which comes complete with a front end for monitoring voltage, current ... over wide ranges. If the software supplied with the meter does not cut it, Sigrok can log data from many meters, including low-cost options.

The best meter I have is an original Fluke 87. I don't recall if it has data logging, but I could manually take readings.

I'm not sure why, but it seems to be somewhat offensive to desire a much longer sweep period than 50s/div. Is it really unreasonable?

[Fungus]

I may use an Arduino since I have 'em, but will need to design a circuit so I can accurately measure high voltages.

Resistors+trimmer as voltage divider?

The DS1054Z spec says it's only about 5% accurate in voltage readings (perfectly normal for 'scopes in this price range). An Arduino has the potential to do much better than that.

PS: https://www.adafruit.com/product/1141 - datalogging with timestamps.

[2N3055]

Literally ANY cheap  DMM with PC link will be safer and more accurate than a scope for that job....