Siglent SDS2000X Plus - Using Sequence/History Mode

[CMASupra]

Hello. I recently purchased a Siglent SDS2104X Plus, and I'm trying to use History mode, but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work. I want to find the time delay between multiple falling edges of a signal.

I have set the oscilloscope up with a falling edge trigger at 1V. If I use the "Single" button, the trigger works perfectly fine. I then go to Acquire->Sequence to turn on sequence mode, set the number of sequences to 5, and then create the 5 falling edges. Once I have created all 5, I'm able to see them layered on each other in a single screen. However, I want to see them 1-by-1 with the elapsed time between each one. History mode sounds like the way to do this.

From the screen showing me the 5 falling edges at once, I go to Analyze->History. (I've also tried using the History button instead). The screen then shows me 1 falling edge and says "0/0" for the sequence number. I can't figure out how to see the edges 1-by-1. Am I doing something wrong?

I have updated my oscilloscope to the latest version from Siglent's website (1.3.5R10). It came with 1.3.5R7, which isn't listed on their site.

[tautech]

RTFM.
https://siglentna.com/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2020/01/SDS2000X_Plus_UserManual_UM0102XP-E01B.pdf

14.3 History P90
But expressly note this:
The oscilloscope automatically stores acquired frames. It can stores up to 90,000 frames but the number may vary due to the memory depth and timebase settings.

Sometimes using Zoom mode on a slow timebase setting and pan across/along the zoomed window placing cursors on POI can be the simplest solution to what you need.
You can enter cursor positions with the virtual keyboard and to bring it up press the multifunction control while the position box is highlit.
A mouse speeds up these sorts of operations immensely. 

[2N3055]

It seems you want to navigate from frame to frame and look at each individual capture.
Keyword here is Navigate. Take manual Tautech gave you link to, and search for "navigate" .

Soon you will see that you can get list of frames with times and navigate using this. Or you can go back and forth one by one by keypress,
Or you can set it to animate frames.. Same logic applies for sequence mode, history mode, even for search...

Time to make friends with manual. Put it on your computer and have it handy...

[CMASupra]

Thanks for helping, guys. I did read through the "Sequence" and "History" sections of the manual, but I hadn't looked at the "Navigate" section. While it wasn't directly helpful, it did get me to play around more with acquisition modes.

The trick was to add step 3 below.
1) Set up the trigger (falling edge, 1V).
2) Turn on Sequence mode, which automatically puts the scope in Normal acquisition mode.
3) Put the scope in Single acquisition mode with the Single button near the Ready LED.
4) Make the 5 falling edges occur.
5) Turn on History mode with the History button. No need to use the Navigate button from what I can tell.

I should have clarified that my falling edges are seconds apart from each other, so acquiring all of the data and then scrolling through the 5 edges would waste a lot of memory and force me to use a low sampling rate.

Now I just wonder why I have to use different acquisition modes to either see the edges together on a single screen or to see them 1-by-1 in History mode. I can see all of them on top of each other if I use Normal acquisition mode, and I can see them 1-by-1 if I use Single acquisition mode. No way that I've found to switch viewing modes without resampling the data.

[tautech]

Maybe the Search feature might better suit your needs ?
I did a little demo exercise with it here although it's with a SDS1104X-E it still might give some hints on how to use Search with the SDS2104X Plus:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds1204x-e-released-for-domestic-markets-in-china/msg1370717/#msg1370717

[Performa01]

Now I just wonder why I have to use different acquisition modes to either see the edges together on a single screen or to see them 1-by-1 in History mode. I can see all of them on top of each other if I use Normal acquisition mode, and I can see them 1-by-1 if I use Single acquisition mode. No way that I've found to switch viewing modes without resampling the data.

For slow events you don't need Sequence mode, just History is fine - and this is active all the time anyway.
There is no viewing mode that lets you see several history frames (overlaid) at the same time.

I really cannot understand where the difficulty is. With single trigger mode, you only get a single acquisition and then the instrument is stopped, so this certainly won't trigger on 5 subsequent edges.

The suitable trigger mode here is "normal", this will lead to 5 records in the history, after 5 trigger events, that is.

BUT: you need to make sure there is actually enough memory to allow for five history entries. at slow timebases, the scope uses all its memory for just one record. Go to the Acquisition menu, limit the record length (named Memory Depth there) to 1 Mpts and everything should just work without any further special setup.

After the five trigger events have occured, just enable History display mode and browse through the records (frames) recorded there. Switch History Mode off to proceed with the next recordings.

PS: Make sure the persistence in the Display settings is turned off.

[DL2XY]

...
I really cannot understand where the difficulty is. With single trigger mode, you only get a single acquisition and then the instrument is stopped, so this certainly won't trigger on 5 subsequent edges.
...

Sorry, but a single trigger in sequence mode gives "Seq Segment" acquisations overlayed per activation. You can even browse them in history.

[rf-loop]

There is no viewing mode that lets you see several history frames (overlaid) at the same time.

This is sad there is not this feature available in History View mode. (independent of if frames are form normal bacround history or from fast sequence mode.
Of course fast playback can partially do it but still it is not at all same.
More surprise this is because in Siglent very first implement of sequence/history there was some kind of overlay segments and user can even select how many is overlaid except it was not pure overlay, it was like "waterfall" display.

I have asked more than once that Siglent implement this pure overlay function, so that user can turn it on or off in history view mode when playback segments. It helps lot of for finding anomalies. It is not even difficult. All is ready there for it.

I do not know SDS2000XPlus situation now but SDS1000X-E  do also segments overlay in one situation.
It do it in Sequence mode. Btw, and there need use Single shot!!! (Other way ist start new sequence after last one is finished.)
Set Sequence mode. Select amount of segments.
Start sequence using Single. In sequence mode it start single sequence, not single trig.
Now as long as it is capturing it do not display anything but progress bar.
After selected amount of segments are trigged it stop. As long as not touch anything all captured segments are displayed and overlaid. All together.
Now after push History it show only one segment, last one amnd user can search manually or with adjusted speed playback captured segments.
So after Single shot whole sequence SDS1000X-E display all captured segments overlaid.
I do not know if SDS2000XPlus do same.

Please Siglent, add user  selectable overlaid display mode to History view to manual search mode and auto playback mode.
And do not even try this waterfall mess. How you waterfall display 90000 segments. But direct overlaid mode is useful and important (of course it need also clever intensity gradation what is adaptive to amount of overlaid segments.

[Performa01]

I do not know SDS2000XPlus situation now but SDS1000X-E  do also segments overlay in one situation.
It do it in Sequence mode. Btw, and there need use Single shot!!! (Other way ist start new sequence after last one is finished.)

Thanks for the thorough explanation - so I obviously missed that feature.
I rarely ever have the need for sequence mode, whereas the automatic background history is regularly used - that might explain why I didn't discover it yet.

[rf-loop]

I do not know SDS2000XPlus situation now but SDS1000X-E  do also segments overlay in one situation.
It do it in Sequence mode. Btw, and there need use Single shot!!! (Other way ist start new sequence after last one is finished.)

Thanks for the thorough explanation - so I obviously missed that feature.
I rarely ever have the need for sequence mode, whereas the automatic background history is regularly used - that might explain why I didn't discover it yet.

It is very important mode. It is only mode where you do not need quess it it have missed example one pulse or not (if user know guaranteed speed with used settings (Channel(s), t/div and current used memory length) and he know his signal under test minimum pulse interval. 
In normal background History what ever pulse can loose much more easy. Example if user look wfm/s speed is 5000 wfm/s with his used setup. Then he may think it can take all pulses when interval is say example 5ms and width 10us. And surprice after he look time stamps he find there are some times loosed pulses when he know his pulse is enough constant and he is just looking small variations and then surprise he find one or many pulse interval pauses in record.  All who know how it is working of course know why this happen...
In sequence mode it do not happen as long as pulse interval is more long than guaranteed speed. (what is not published but what is easy to check when is designing some test setup for some test case). I have made public table for some Siglent scopes.
(in only one setup SDS2000XPlus have 500ksegment/s guaranteed speed in sequence mode
min 2us trig interval.

What is guaranteed trigger interval in normal mode. Even when average wfm/s is 100000 with some setup.
Example in 1kX-E it is amazing low. (because it capture burst and after then "all stops" when it update collected wfms to display, every around 40ms. In this period normal mode loose all signals what meet trigger settings.
So, normal mode with history can use as sequence mode, but more slow. And then - it need carefully know that it can loose pulses or what ever you are triggering...
but Sequence mode is lossless as far you stay lower or equal with guaranteed speed what are true with used settings.

Here is just only for simple example guaranteed speed table with SDS1202X-E (note OLD FW version)
Also not tested speeds with different memory limits.
Of course with SDS2000XPlus performance is lot of better.





 

[CMASupra]

I just discovered today that I can't zoom in on all 5 segments when they're overlaid on each other (after capturing 5 segments in Normal acquisition mode). If I try to zoom in, they disappear. The oscilloscope is also still trying to capture more segments after the 5 when in Normal acquisition mode; it never stops trying to capture more.

After selected amount of segments are trigged it stop. As long as not touch anything all captured segments are displayed and overlaid. All together.
Now after push History it show only one segment, last one amnd user can search manually or with adjusted speed playback captured segments.
So after Single shot whole sequence SDS1000X-E display all captured segments overlaid.
I do not know if SDS2000XPlus do same.

Thanks for the info. The SDS2000X Plus is slightly different. After using Single acquisition mode to capture the 5 segments, it only shows 1 segment, not all of them overlaid on each other. Pressing the History button lets me scroll through them 1-by-1.

[rf-loop]

I just discovered today that I can't zoom in on all 5 segments when they're overlaid on each other (after capturing 5 segments in Normal acquisition mode). If I try to zoom in, they disappear. The oscilloscope is also still trying to capture more segments after the 5 when in Normal acquisition mode; it never stops trying to capture more.

After selected amount of segments are trigged it stop. As long as not touch anything all captured segments are displayed and overlaid. All together.
Now after push History it show only one segment, last one amnd user can search manually or with adjusted speed playback captured segments.
So after Single shot whole sequence SDS1000X-E display all captured segments overlaid.
I do not know if SDS2000XPlus do same.

Thanks for the info. The SDS2000X Plus is slightly different. After using Single acquisition mode to capture the 5 segments, it only shows 1 segment, not all of them overlaid on each other. Pressing the History button lets me scroll through them 1-by-1.

Ok. 
SDS1000X-E and SDS2000X Plus both can do same, but Siglent have selected 2kX+ do not this. Also I do not even know if latest SDS1kX-E do it.

My opinion is that it is best if Siglent can add user settable overlay function inside History viewer and also (other)overlay on/off after one sequence is ready independent of if it is in Single run or continuous sequence mode. 

Example in SDS1kXE when Sequence mode is continuous it make it very slow repeating. After sequence ready, example 80000 segments, it take really long time before all data is ready for display. Really lot of lines (Sinc or linear) need calculate between single samples and stack with intensity gradient, even in dots display mode it takes long time.
In worst case there can drink cup of coffee before it is ready and can start new sequence. Without this overlay it can continue new sequence nearly immediately.  Now both cases have pros and cons.
This is why my opinion is that it need be user settable even in this case.

So it need be user settable if it overlay after sequence ready in single and in continuous mode.

And then inside HistoryView function there need be user settable overlay on or off. If overlay is on it works so that when user start playback or manually scroll through segments it stack (overlay) them. This is fast way for see if there is any anomaly in wave shapes.

But also it is important to add some kind of search/find function for History viewer but it far more complex.

Even tens of years old HP "old school" DSO segmented acq. have this settable overlay because very experienced design engineers know themselves it is very useful feature and no one need teach them in some blogs how oscilloscope need work.

[Bravo]

Hi Tautech,
Excellent scope !!!
I tried downloading the manual from the link you have provided. It does not seem to open with Adobe.
Does this happen to others ?
Cheers
Bravo

[tautech]

Hi Tautech,
Excellent scope !!!
I tried downloading the manual from the link you have provided. It does not seem to open with Adobe.
Does this happen to others ?
Cheers
Bravo

Hi G. 
Yes, quite an upgrade from your previous SDS1102X.
Try this one:
https://int.siglent.com/u_file/document/SDS2000X_Plus_UserManual_UM0102XP-E01B.pdf

[Specm96]

Does any know if there is a way to save and/or download the sequence data for this scope?  Both saving to a USB drive and pulling data over the LAN with :waveform:data? only save a single trace.  I also did not see a way documented to select a specific sequence trace through SCPI to support downloading the traces one by one.

Thanks!

[DL2XY]

Does any know if there is a way to save and/or download the sequence data for this scope?  Both saving to a USB drive and pulling data over the LAN with :waveform:data? only save a single trace.  I also did not see a way documented to select a specific sequence trace through SCPI to support downloading the traces one by one.

Thanks!

It is quite simple:

Switch to History Mode with :HISTORy ON
Read number of frames with :HISTORy:FRAMe?
Repeat
 :HISTORy:FRAMe  n  to show frame[n]
 :WAVeform:DATA? to download frame[n]
for all number of  frames
Continue sampling with :HISTORy OFF

good luck...
 
 

[Electro Fan]

But also it is important to add some kind of search/find function for History viewer but it far more complex.

+1

I have a Rigol scope but based on the many good threads here I believe Siglent has jumped in front of Rigol and is making good progress with various improved ways to search, navigate, and review signals.  I think Siglent is making very good strides toward dialing in the user interface for these functions. 

I think it's possible and likely that with a combination of their touch GUI and probably also a mouse and keyboard plus some further input from the user community that Siglent's existing scopes via firmware upgrades, and almost for sure their next gen scopes, will make MSO functionality further close some of the UI gap with USB/PC logic analyzers for digital signal analysis.  Equally or more important Siglent is on the path to doing this while retaining and continually enhancing the benefits of oscilloscope functions - which altogether should lead to unleashing the benefits of better integrated visualization and time correlated management of analog and digital signals.

Go Siglent!   And I hope Rigol and others can get/stay competitive on functionality and price/performance.  I have to believe that the manufacturers have someone who spends some amount of time trying to decipher the input on EEVblog, as well they should.     

[DL2XY]

Thanks for the info. The SDS2000X Plus is slightly different. After using Single acquisition mode to capture the 5 segments, it only shows 1 segment, not all of them overlaid on each other. Pressing the History button lets me scroll through them 1-by-1.

This happens only if you press SINGLE while acquisition is running.
If you stop before SINGLE or simply press SINGLE twice all frames will be shown overlayed.

[Specm96]

Thank You!  I found the references in the command manual after reading your reply. I don't know how I missed them before.