TDS 1000,2000,3000 BW Hack

[james_s]

Any number of programs will work. A really simple one  you might already have is the serial monitor tool built into the Arduino IDE.

[Jwalling]

This is the first C model I've seen with the BW upgrade. I didn't think it was possible!
https://www.ebay.com/itm//333459642909?

[Galen]

For those who have a TDS3000 without ethernet or the comm module, I have reverse engineered the RS232 portion of the module which someone has used with success. All you need to do is buy the mating connector for around $10 and wire up a 3.3V serial level shifter or USB to LVTTL serial module and you're good to go.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/reverse-engineering-tektronix-tds3gv-module-for-tds3000-series-oscilloscopes/msg2748914/#msg2748914

Hi, yes, I read that post and it's really great. I'm planning to get a TDS3012/4, but, what software I should use to send the magic command through the serial port (linked to RS232 to USB module) ?
Thanks in advance.
Galen

Thanks a lot.  I will have a try when get a TDS3012. Now the TDS3000 series too expensive.

[james_s]

I think they will be expensive for the foreseeable future. They are well loved, nice instruments to work with and most people know by now that they can all be upgraded to 500MHz and even the cheapest new 500MHz scopes still cost thousands. Despite being an old design you can still buy a brand new TDS3054C but the cost is over $20k.

[daveyk]

Hey James, in January, I bought a TDS3014 on eBay for $1000.  It has they GPIB interface in it, both option modules (trigger and FFT), four new scope probes (probably 100MHz ones) , a bunch of Pomona cables, BNC to clip lead adapters, terminators, from cover, etc.. A fully loaded purchase for $1000.00!  I performed the BW and Digitization  rate upgrade.   It just passed full yearly certification/Data at Spectrum Technologies as a TDS3054.  I re-labeled it as a TDS3054 and let spectrum know it was upgraded.  They told me it passed all the bandwidth tests for a TDS3054.  So, I am quite happy with it.

[james_s]

I'm shooting myself in the foot here, I really should be telling people they're terrible, a pain to use and unreliable, go buy a new Rigol or something.

The test equipment situation on ebay lately has been pretty crap in general though. Most stuff seems to be sitting there with BIN prices 50%-100%+ higher than the same stuff sells at auctions so of course a lot of it just sits, and sits.

[volvo_nut_v70]

And they don't budge even after a year or more on Ebay..............

[Gniske]

Yep, works great with TDS3012B. Upgraded to TDS3052B.

But one thing: you DON'T have to install the OpenChoice talker program. Just use the NI-488.1 Communicator. I am using a USB interface with the scope. Start "NI MAX" up and find the interface and find the scope connected. Press "Communicate with Instrument". And then just send the two commands using the "Write" buttom. As easy as it can be :-)))

I have verified the signal amplitude on a R&S SMIQ signal generator. And yes, the BW  is bigger. Before the upgrade I had 830mVpp on a 300MHz, now I have 2,6Vpp. The source is 1Vrms (2,82Vpp)

I really would like to have known about this 3 years ago ;-) (or 15 years ago! ohhh!)

Peter

[stevewind77]

I tested but no success. The TDS3032C I only have the 4.25 as oldest firmware. Has anyone a model C with older fw where the hack could work?

[stevewind77]

In my model was a USB 2.0 Type B hidden under a sticker where the parallel port should be. If I plug it in, nothing happens.
Another interesting thing is the two JTAG connectors and one BDI interface.
I have a segger JTAG debugger but unfortunately it is not supporting the Power PCs yet and the pinout is missing too.
I wonder if these interfaces could help me do the BW hack?
Has anybody a schematic for this TDS3032C model?

[pmercier]

If you ever get your hand on them, i would gladly beg for them !!!!

I've the same "useless" USB connector on the back on my C model, tested it too, but no chance. Didn't found an usb endpoint :\

[hoangduongo]

TDS3014B upgraded to TDS3064B and all applications activated. Thank you everyone!

Hi,
I know you posted this long time ago but I can see a BWU module installed, is there a BW dongle hack (aside from the SCPI command method) that I'm unaware of?

Thanks,
Duong

[gamalot]

TDS3014B upgraded to TDS3064B and all applications activated. Thank you everyone!

Hi,
I know you posted this long time ago but I can see a BWU module installed, is there a BW dongle hack (aside from the SCPI command method) that I'm unaware of?

Thanks,
Duong

No, It's just for fun! 

[hoangduongo]

No, It's just for fun! 

Thanks, you really got me there 

[smaultre]

Hello my friends  got a TDS2012B update the firmware to 22.16 . Trying with all combinations via OpenChoiseTalker but no sucess.
Send:
*IDN? -querry (works)
PASSWORD PITBULL (any other passwords from here)
MODEL TDS2022B (any combination B, no B, spaces..)

then reset power

try to run SPC during power reset..

[madao]

Checked on TDS3012 with old firmware: 1.17
It works.

How can i save firmware? (Floppy disc is not problem for me. )

[volvo_nut_v70]

On the 3000 series no need to save the firmware since once the upgrade is applied it stays. You can upgrade to the latest firmware with no issues.

If there ever is an issue you can downgrade to 3.39 do the upgrade and then go back to the latest firmware:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tds-1000-2000-3000-bw-hack/msg1540352/?topicseen#msg1540352

[graybeard]

I am reporting success too, with my TDS 3014B converted to a TDS 3064B
I got this scope in an auction sale, and now I have a really fast sampling rate, thanks for the hack!

I just used this method to upgrade a TDS3012B to a TDS3052B.





Thank You

[Kibabalu]

It also worked for my TDS3034, it´s now a TDS3054. I checked the sampling rate, 5Gsa/s now, and also the analog bandwidth: A measured rise time of approx. 630ps gives a analog bandwidth of at least 555MHz.

Thanks to all the people here!

[fredboivin]

Anyone has the v3.41 firmware package? For some reason, the one that we can download from Tek's website is corrupted.

Thanks,

[Kibabalu]

I did the download and the upgrade one month ago. It's still in my download folder. See attachment.

[Arn]

I can confirm that the BW hack works on a TDS3012 (now 3052).

I didn't have a serial module for my scope, so I used a MC74HC245A transceiver to write a byte onto the data bus and a cheap eBay USB to TTL CP2102 UART Module to interface with a windows10 machine. On the PC side, I used The Tek Vista listener application to send the upgrade commands.

To establish a connection, I had to tie the cts/rts lines together.

I have pictures, diagrams and schematics from the project and if anyone is interested I can post them.

[volvo_nut_v70]

It'd be great if you did post them, it will probably some other poor soul of a test equipment junkie   

[mankan]

@Arn: Could you not run the serial port without HW flow control instead?

[Arn]

Hi everyone.
I thought it might be useful to post my experience with upgrading my TDS3012 using the much-publicised bandwidth hack.
I followed the method published here… https://hackaday.io/project/172242-extension-card-for-tds3000-scopes
I didn’t have access to a communication module, so I hacked together a circuit to write a byte to the 3012’s data bus, I used a 74HC245AN as it is through-hole (and it was what I had).
Setting up the communication proved to be pretty simple; I left the scope coms settings at their default values and configured my cheap eBay usb-ttl module for 9600 baud.
At first I had problems establishing a link but this was solved by tying together the CTS/RTS lines coming from the scope.
After sending the password and upgrade command I immediately shut down the scope and, on restart, it reports that it is a 3052 -success!

The next phase of the project was to evaluate the actual scope bandwidth. I hooked up a mercury-wetted relay to my scope and got a rise time of about 1.5nS (not bad for a rat’s-nest build and using my ‘100Mhz’ ebay probe) but this was hardly definitive so I tried feeding square waves from various signal generators I had lying around the lab but the best I could manage was 1.35nS (using the sync output from a Hantek 1025g)
I decided to build an avalanche pulser as I had a HV PSU.
I used the schematic shown here:
I soldered the components directly onto a BNC plug and tried to keep the connections as short as possible:
Amazingly it worked first time (O.K… second time) and despite being a total lash-up, generated really nice sharp pulses, oscillation began at about 103V (with the values given f=~10KHz)
As you can see, I’m getting around 950pS rise times which around equates to around 400Mhz bandwidth.
Now I’m seriously toying with the idea of buying one of Leo Bodnar’s 40pS pulsers (http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=295)