Siglent Bench DMMs SDM3065X, SDM3055 and SDM3045X

[tautech]

Well the new firmware didn't fix the problem i've had from day one with the boot screen.

Maybe someday it'll happen 

Is other functionality OK?

I'll point Siglent to your post.

[Pieh0]

Yea it works fine apart from that, just the "Kernel starting" image that's screwed.

Thanks

[tautech]

Yea it works fine apart from that, just the "Kernel starting" image that's screwed.

Thanks

Tech support says your start screen is representative of a power failure during a FW update.

They suggest you contact your supplier for warranty repair.

[Pieh0]

Ok, thanks :/.

[4cx10000]

I was working on an amplifier this morning and for the first time - let's say just for fun - I used the "hold measurement function". It will keep 8 measurements in total which probably is, just about what most of us need. What came to my mind is that the beep that comes, when the figures has settled, is not especially loud and the pitch is not the very best for me, with other words, quite hard to hear. In addition, it can also - by us people not having normal, functional ears - be masked by fan noise from the DMM and of course, other types of noise in the surrounding. It would have been a nice feature if the user could change both pitch and volume or at least the latter. If it is not possible to add in the firmware, the only thing I will have to do is to put a microphone near the beeper inside the DMM and connect it to an amplifier 

[tautech]

I was working on an amplifier this morning and for the first time - let's say just for fun - I used the "hold measurement function". It will keep 8 measurements in total which probably is, just about what most of us need. What came to my mind is that the beep that comes, when the figures has settled, is not especially loud and the pitch is not the very best for me, with other words, quite hard to hear. In addition, it can also - by us people not having normal, functional ears - be masked by fan noise from the DMM and of course, other types of noise in the surrounding. It would have been a nice feature if the user could change both pitch and volume or at least the latter. If it is not possible to add in the firmware, the only thing I will have to do is to put a microphone near the beeper inside the DMM and connect it to an amplifier 

It should be, let's see if others also need a higher volume beeper as it adds weight to any suggestions that might be forwarded to Siglent.
In the meanwhile I'll have a play with my unit to check beeper sound levels.

Thanks for the feedback. 

[tautech]

IMHO the beeper IS too quiet.
Sure in a quiet lab it might be very acceptable but with any significant background noise it needs be ~ 50% louder.
Adjustable would be nice, let's see what Siglent can do. 

[tautech]

Tech support have informed me beeper volume is already set at max in FW. 

I have suggested a HW and FW change to increase overall volume and to also make it user adjustable.


In the meantime the VMC out BNC can be set to provide a positive or negative trigger out that may suffice for those wanting to trigger an external beeper circuit as a work-around.

If I get a chance I'll investigate a simple HW mod to increase beeper volume. With luck we only need to change some gain settings. 

[4cx10000]

Thanks so much tautech for your support! 

It would be very helpful being able to adjust the beeper volume, after all it is of great significance - at least for me - when you use the "hold measurement function". You can safely keep your eyes on the object without slipping your probe tips and wait for the beep without watching the display.  Yes agree, in a quiet lab its quite okay. Good idea, if not this issue can be solved in another way, to use the VMC, did not think of that. 

[tautech]

Thanks so much tautech for your support! 

It would be very helpful being able to adjust the beeper volume, after all it is of great significance - at least for me - when you use the "hold measurement function". You can safely keep your eyes on the object without slipping your probe tips and wait for the beep without watching the display.  Yes agree, in a quiet lab its quite okay. Good idea, if not this issue can be solved in another way, to use the VMC, did not think of that. 

It was a bright idea I had in a rare moment  but I may have come to grief as try as I might I can't enable the functionality I expected.

More emails to tech support........

[tautech]

Thanks so much tautech for your support! 

It would be very helpful being able to adjust the beeper volume, after all it is of great significance - at least for me - when you use the "hold measurement function". You can safely keep your eyes on the object without slipping your probe tips and wait for the beep without watching the display.  Yes agree, in a quiet lab its quite okay. Good idea, if not this issue can be solved in another way, to use the VMC, did not think of that. 

It was a bright idea I had in a rare moment  but I may have come to grief as try as I might I can't enable the functionality I expected.

More emails to tech support........

Low beeper volume......

At this time the VMC BNC output is NOT configured to provide any output that is part of the UI beeper, whether it be the Hold or Continuity beep.

BUT IT COULD BE with new FW, I'm told, IF there is sufficient demand.

SDM3055 owners/users please put your hands up if you'd find this functionality useful.

It could be used for triggering a louder external beeper or pass/fail or as your needs demand.

[4cx10000]

Hi tautech and thanks again for being very responsive on this and other issues!  Yes, for me it would be nice to have the option to do so, but guess most people around got much better ears than I have  So, there was not any possibilities to make changes in the firmware to increase the volume? Sometimes wrong pitch along with low amplitude could be the culprit to not perceive sound from all those built in, small beepers. I will wait and see how it goes, thanks again! 

[Performa01]

Being able to configure the VMC output as latch/continuity indicator could certainly be useful for several tasks.
Since by now we know of at least one user who would greatly appreciate it in order to overcome some UI design weakness, i.e. the silent beeper, why not just implement it?

I really doubt that a bunch of SDM3055 users will jump in just to vote for that feature, particularly as they might not have an urgent need for it right at the moment. But it will come in handy some day for sure...

[cnkz]

I am now also a SDM3055 owner. I really like the Display. This Display was one reason i prefer the Siglent over the Rigol in the same price range. Accuracy seems to be very good  ...

I would like to point out two interesting features that i hadn't seen mentioned in the forum and elsewhere but might be interesting for potential buyers:

a) The AC range is really AC coupled, so DC offset does not impact the result as in cheap meters where they have saved the expensive high voltage decoupling cap.

b) The shunt resistor impedance is 1.2Ohm only in the µA and mA current measurement ranges! That gives a nice low voltage drop during current measurements. One of my multimeter has here 1kOhm for example in the µA range.

[flash2b]

I also bought a SDM3055, and I like it a lot.

Yesterday I've managed to get EasySDM v1.1.1.2 working using the NI VISA driver: http://download.ni.com/support/softlib/visa/NI-VISA/15.5/Windows/NIVISA1550runtime.exe . This runtime contains the Visa Shared Components v.5.6.0.

But there is a problem....

The top of the screen of the EasySDM does not update and stays black, see attachment.

I am using Windows 10 Pro 64bit. Do other also have this problem, or how to solve this ?

[tautech]

I also bought a SDM3055, and I like it a lot.

Yesterday I've managed to get EasySDM v1.1.1.2 working using the NI VISA driver: http://download.ni.com/support/softlib/visa/NI-VISA/15.5/Windows/NIVISA1550runtime.exe . This runtime contains the Visa Shared Components v.5.6.0.

But there is a problem....

The top of the screen of the EasySDM does not update and stays black, see attachment.

I am using Windows 10 Pro 64bit. Do other also have this problem, or how to solve this ?

Did you select the Control dropdown and then Connect?

[flash2b]

Yes,it connects and works as I see the measurements. But the top line of the screen is screwed up and only shows a very small part of the characters. It changes text when I switch selection, but is stays a small part of the characters.

[tautech]

Yes, it works but the top line of the screen is screwed up and only shows a very small part of the characters. It changes when I switch selection.

How are you doing the selection, with the PC control I hope.

Attached is a screenshot of the Easy SDM UI before an active connection is enabled. Notice the highlighted Connect. After selecting Connect you need then select the type of connection be it USB or LAN.



What are you using?

[flash2b]

I am using USB.

Yes, I am changing selection using the EasySDM since the SDM3055 is on "remote" once it is connected.

My meter runs the latest firmware: P01.16R2 (It came with P01.16 from the factory).

I will show a picture how is is shown when my meter is connected and running.

I think it has something to do with the new GUI design of the meter in the latest firmware.  P01.16R2 changed the position of the text on the screen of the SDM3055, see attachment.

Once again I will post a picture for you when I have the meter connected again to the PC. It is currently not.

Does it work with your SDM3055 with the same firmware ?

[tautech]

Yep, same FW.

I think I see your point now......part of the DMM GUI is missing in the EasyDMM remote connection GUI.
You can see it missing in this screenshot too at the top and blacked out. I will inform the factory.

[flash2b]

YES!

That is exactly what I mean, thanx !!

May be they can also change cosmetic bugs:

Change Histongrom --> Histogram
Change UI colors on the screen to match those on the real SDM3055
Change the Led color on the left from red to green (like on the real SDM3055)
Change '2nd' button on the picture to 'Dual' (like on the real SDM3055)
Change 'Scaner' text above 'Temp' button on the picture to 'Scanner' (typo)
Add text "Display" above the "Math" button on the picture (like on the real SDM3055)

[tautech]

I got this reply message from Siglent Tech support just after they got to work today:

We release new EasyDDM Just Now.
    I test it, You can see:
     


    We are so sorry that Too long time no update.


    There is the Download URL:
    http://www.siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Firmware&Software/firmware/EasyDDM-P1.05.rar

I have not tested it to see how many of the issues raised have been fixed.

YES!

That is exactly what I mean, thanx !!

May be they can also change cosmetic bugs:

Change Histongrom --> Histogram
Change UI colors on the screen to match those on the real SDM3055
Change the Led color on the left from red to green (like on the real SDM3055)
Change '2nd' button on the picture to 'Dual' (like on the real SDM3055)
Change 'Scaner' text above 'Temp' button on the picture to 'Scanner' (typo)
Add text "Display" above the "Math" button on the picture (like on the real SDM3055)

BTW these ^^^ have been forwarded to the Siglent software engineers.

Thanks for your feedback flash2b. 

[flash2b]

WOW, that is quick. Will test it tonight on my SDM3055.

Change Histongrom --> Histogram is also fixed !!

[flash2b]

Tested the new EasyDMM:
Version Tested: V100R001B01D01P05
OS Used: Windows 10 Pro 64bit
VISA drivers: NI Visa Shared Components v.5.6.0
Meter/Firmware used: Siglent SDM3055 with P01.16R2.

Fixed (compared to EasySDM v1.1.1.2) :
+ Screen update problem in the upper part of the display
+ Change Histongrom --> Histogram

Not fixed (compared to EasySDM v1.1.1.2) :
Major (new)
- Pressing Shift/Local on the SDM3055 will show the reading on the actual display of the meter, however after doing this changing range (e.g. from DCV-->ACV) on EasyDMM leads to "Program Not Responding" so application hangs and needs to be killed. SDM3055 stays at connection status (Top Right) "Remote" and also does not respond anymore until EasyDMM is killed and then goes to connection status "Local".

Medium (new)
- Pressing Run/Stop on EasyDMM will set SDM3055 from trigger status (top left) "Immed Trig"  {green color}  to "Stopped" {red color} and the measurement reading is shown on the actual display of the meter. Pressing Run/Stop on EasyDMM again will show trigger status "Immed Trig" {white color} on SDM3055, so in white color instead of (previous) green color and also does NOT blank out the (previous) measurement reading on the actual display of the meter back to ".. ....." (like it was before pressing Run/Stop). (a work around is to switch the range and switch range back)
- The Rel On/Off on EasyDDM is shown on the 5th function key whereas this function is implemented and displayed on the 6th key of the SDM3055 meter (may be minor, but I find this annoying)
- The Range button on EasyDMM is only there for show there is no functionality. You cannot set "Manual" range like on the SDM3055 meter. You can however use the 1st function key in EasyDMM to select Auto or a specific range (e.g.2V, 20V etc) but not toggle between Manual and Auto. The + and - range buttons are also there for show and do not function as the SDM3055 meter.  (may be minor, but I find this annoying)

Minor / Cosmetic (new)
- Branding "Siglent" on the Top Left of EasyDMM is now blank instead of the nice Siglent Logo of the previous version (branding guys, I know that is important !!)
- Branding "SDM3055 Digital Multimeter" on the Top Left of EasyDMM next to the Siglent Logo is now blank instead the previous version

Minor / Cosmetic (already reported)
- Change 'Scaner' text above 'Temp' button on the picture to 'Scanner' (typo)
- Change UI colors on the screen to match those on the real SDM3055
- Change the Led color on the left from red to green (like on the real SDM3055)
- Change '2nd' button on the picture to 'Dual' (like on the real SDM3055)
- Add text "Display" above the "Math" button on the picture (like on the real SDM3055


Overall I am happy with the new version, but I hope the Shift/Local bug will be fixed soon.

[tautech]

Thanks very much flash2b for your feedback and well written analysis of the latest EasySDM software. 

If I may I'd like to comment on these:

Minor / Cosmetic (new)
- Branding "Siglent" on the Top Left of EasyDMM is now blank instead of the nice Siglent Logo of the previous version (branding guys, I know that is important !!)
- Branding "SDM3055 Digital Multimeter" on the Top Left of EasyDMM next to the Siglent Logo is now blank instead the previous version

Siglent rebrand some of their equipment and I'd imagine the branding has been purposely omitted but I do agree as OEM of the SDM3055 the Siglent branding and model# should be included in Siglent supplied software.

It goes without saying that your comments will be considered by the software engineers.

Thanks.