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The Siglent SDG1000 and SDG800 thread

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ivan747:
I have noticed there is a lot of info and research on the SDG1000 series generators, but it is spread all over the forum, so it's hard to find. I'm starting this threads in hopes that people can find this information easily. If you make a finding in your SDG1000 series generator, give us a heads up. Sometimes information is buried on threads not directly related to the instrument, on those cases we will link the particular post that mentions the instrument. In cases where a forum thread or other resource has, for example, a review and a finding, there will be a reference to the thread or resource on each category.

Anyone can contribute, contributions are asked and welcome. You can also post small findings here, if you happen to find something big and important (like a hack), definitely tell us about it and give us a link so that can post that link for everyone to see your findings.

Let's get started:

SDG1000 series

Members of the series:
Siglent: SDG1005, SDG1010, SDG1020, SDG1025, SDG1050. The last 2 digits indicate the max. sine wave bandwidth in MHz.
The SDG1005 and  1010 appear to have slightly different hardware, this is known by the lack of a fan in them, except for the early versions.
See here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/function-generator-comparison-help-please/msg272666/#msg272666
LeCroy: WaveStation 2012, WaveStation 2022, WaveStation 2052. These are 10, 25 and 50MHz respectively.

Specs
Official datasheet http://www.siglent.com/2014EnglishWebsite/Documents/Datasheet/SDG1000_DataSheet_DS02010-E07A.pdf

Specs known but not officially listed
External modulation input sampling rate: 500ksps
External modulation input filtering: none, there is no Nyquist frequency filter, aliasing can occur. Feeding in a 250kHz sine wave, from Ch.2 (which is in phase) results in 2 discrete modulation values. In this condition, AM modulation looks like ASK modulation on a scope, and FM into FSK modulation on a spectrum analyzer.
Frequency response bode plots for the SDG1025 (also read the posts that follow): https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/the-sdg1000-and-sdg800-thread/msg612806/#msg612806

Firmware
Reportedly, Siglent's firmware versions always end in an odd number. LeCroy's firmware versions end in an even number. It is known that the LeCroy firmware can be uploaded to a Siglent unit (will void your warranty), and it gives you a more pleasing visual theme, swapped channels (Ch1 willl be the left BNC instead of the right and vice versa) and removes the built in counter. It will also enable you to work with LeCroy's LabVIEW drivers without editing header files, and possibly other PC connectivity things detailed in LeCroy's programming manual. More details on that on reply #1

 But please do not try until you read the related thread. Obviously, this voids your warranty.
Also, please note that as of April 2015, Siglent has released LabVIEW drivers. Details down below.

*Official Siglent firmware download center: http://siglenteu.com/gjjrj.aspx?id=15
*LeCroy's download center (WaveStation 2000 series, NOT 3000): http://teledynelecroy.com/support/softwaredownload/documents.aspx?sc=24
*Put LeCroy's firmware in a Siglent thread: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1000-(aka-lecroy-wavestation)-firmware-updates/

Manuals
*User manual: http://www.siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Documents/UserManual/SDG1000_UserManual_UM02010-E07B.pdf
*Service manual: http://www.siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Documents/service_manual/SDG1000_ServiceManual_SM02010-E01B.pdf
*Programming manual: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/the-sdg1000-and-sdg800-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=127867
*LeCroy's user manual (describes in MUCH more details the PC connectivity): http://cdn.teledynelecroy.com/files/manuals/wavestation_om-e.pdf
*LeCroy's programming manual: http://cdn.teledynelecroy.com/files/manuals/wsta_scpi_manual_reva.pdf

PC Software
Official EasyWave software:  http://siglenteu.com/gjjrj-xq.aspx?id=867&tid=14
*Lecroy's software is exactly the same.
*Siglent's LabVIEW drivers: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-technical-support-join-in-eevblog/msg656874/#msg656874

Authorized distribuitors (or anyone who offers a warranty)
Siglent offers a 3 year factory warranty, sellers listed provide this warranty. If they offer a different warranty, that will be pointed out.

*Forum member tautech, New Zealand: http://www.tautech.co.nz/
*Forum member rf-loop,Finland: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=413 He offers this warranty as a complement.

Reviews
*Video review by Connor Wolf:
*Some Amazon reviews: http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00EJ9BKO8
*Some TEquipment reviews: http://www.tequipment.net/Siglent/SDG1025/Function-Generator/?readReview=75c58#tab-reviews
*My humble opinion: http://www.tequipment.net/Siglent/SDG1010/Fully-usable-AWG-at-a-very-low-price/c629c3f1890b4/

Teardowns
*SDG1010 photo teardown https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/siglent-sdg1010-function-generator-teardown/
*Another teardown, with text description: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1025-arbitraryfunction-generator-under-some-tests/msg129024/#msg129024
*Video teardown:
*Teardown of an early SDG1020 (2012) with fan: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1020-waveform-generator-teardown-pics/

Issues (unsolved) Potentially outdated!!!
*(2-jan-2015) USB driver is partially broken in Windows 8 by the lack of driver signature. A workaround is the following: The SDG1000 series have 2 USB modes. One is a device-specific protocol called USBRAW by the user interface. This mode requires proprietary drivers to work. Unfortunately, these drivers are not signed despite the manual sugesting they are, so Windows 8 will refuse to install or work with them under normal circumstances. There are two workaroundsL temporaly disable driver signature enforcement in Windows 8, which is re-enabled after a restart or use the second USB mode. This second mode, USBTMC is similar to how HID devices, such as USB mice, joysticks and keyboards work. It requires no device-specific drivers. Just like HID, Windows comes with a general TMC driver, that it can use to communicate with the SDG1000. The included software works with USBTMC.
*The PC software is lacking waveform clipping, amplitude normalization, compression etc: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/looking-for-reasonable-dds-function-gererator-need-opinions-please/msg577154/#msg577154
*There is no readouts in dBm, you can input values in dBm, but these get converted to volts and displayed as volts, not as dBm. A workaround is to print a table with volts and dBm conversions.

Issues (solved)
*SQUARE WAVE GLITCH Solved only for newer units. (in brief, the work-aroundis to use the pulse function when working at low frequencies, either that or a hardware mod): https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1020-arbitrary-fungen-first-impressions-and-a-possible-signal-glitch/
As far as I am aware, the SDG800 does not have this problem, thanks to the EasyPulse technology.
*Sometimes your firmware will come in Chinese, this is how you change it to english: press utility button. Press 5th blue button once. Press 2nd blue button three times.
*TFT contrast issue, solved in subsequent firmware upggrade (download the latest firmware): https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/siglent-sdg1010-function-generator-teardown/msg140663/#msg140663
*TFT contrast issue, detailed: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1025-arbitraryfunction-generator-under-some-tests/msg126941/#msg126941

Findings
*Sine wave purity and modulation tests using spectrum analyzer: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1025-arbitraryfunction-generator-under-some-tests/msg126941/#msg126941
*Jitter tests (pulse mode): https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1025-arbitraryfunction-generator-under-some-tests/msg127312/#msg127312
*Same as previous 2, by the same poster, but with more pictures: http://siglent.freeforums.org/tests-sdg1000-function-arbitrary-waveform-generator-t5.html
*You can probably rack mount the instrument if you wish, buy the LeCroy accesory: http://cdn.teledynelecroy.com/files/manuals/wavestation_rackmount_assembly_instructions.pdf
*You can install LeCroy's firmware on your Siglent: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdg1000-(aka-lecroy-wavestation)-firmware-updates/
*Overshoot measurements and some USBTMC discussion: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/new-siglent-sdg1020-vs-used-fluke-281-wavetek-39a/msg137823/#msg137823
*External modulation input sampling frequency (correction: the maximum internal modulation frequency is 20kHz) (starts halfway into the review): http://www.tequipment.net/Siglent/SDG1010/Fully-usable-AWG-at-a-very-low-price/c629c3f1890b4/
*There is a method for loading CSV files directly into the SDG1000 series, that aparently does compression: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/looking-for-reasonable-dds-function-gererator-need-opinions-please/msg577256/#msg577256
*There is a way to add a temperature controlled crystal oscillator (TCXO) for higher accuracy:
*Of course, you could also get a 10MHz reference, as accurate as you'd like, put it in a nice project box and connect it to the external 10MHZ input. Just remember there will be jitter on the output anyways, because it's a DDS.

Other information of interest
*Siglent has released a Power Amplifier with a bandwidth of up to 1MHz and a power output of 10W (when ouputting between 500Hz and 200kHz). It's tailored towards their signal generators.
    Product page: http://www.siglent.com/ENs/prodcut-fjxx.aspx?fjid=1071&id=145&tid=16&T=2
    Manual: http://www.siglent.com/2014EnglishWebsite/Documents/UserManual/SPA1000_UserManual_UM60010-E01A.pdf
*SDG1000 and SDG5000 series comparison: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/siglent-equipment-old-or-new-design-!!/
*Opinions on Rigol vs Siglent generators: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/best-cost-effective-option-for-arbitrary-function-generator/
*3 mods you can do: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/looking-for-reasonable-dds-function-gererator-need-opinions-please/msg579056/#msg579056
*Wiki-style page, including IC names, and teardown photos. The Wiki belongs to an open source project, which I recommend you check out: http://sigrok.org/wiki/Siglent_SDG1010





SDG800 series

Members of the series
(pending)

Specs
Official datasheet http://siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Documents/DataSheet/SDG800_DataSheet_DS02008-E02A.pdf

Specs known but not officially listed

Firmware
*Official firmware download center: http://siglenteu.com/gjjrj.aspx?id=15
Verify that the model number is correct before downloading

Manuals
*User manual: http://www.siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Documents/UserManual/SDG800_UserManual_UM02008-E02B.pdf
*Service manual: there is no service manual officially published online. If there's one on the CD, please upload it for us. Thank you.
*Programming manual: http://www.siglentamerica.com/USA_website_2014/Documents/Other/SDG800_RemoteControlManual_RC02008-E02A.pdf

PC Software
Official EasyWave software: http://siglenteu.com/gjjrj-xq.aspx?id=868&tid=14

Authorized distribuitors (or anyone who offers a warranty)
Siglent offers a 3 year factory warranty, sellers listed provide this warranty. If they offer a different warranty, that will be pointed out.

*Forum member tautech, New Zealand: http://www.tautech.co.nz/
*Forum member rf-loop,Finland: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/profile/?u=413 He offers this warranty as a complement.


Reviews
(pending)

Teardowns
*Teardown of the SDG805 with photos of the internals: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/teardown-of-siglent%27s-sdg805-arbitrary-waveform-generator/

Issues (unsolved)
(pending)

Issues (solved)
(pending)

Findings
*You can probably rack mount the instrument if you wish, buy the LeCroy accesory: http://cdn.teledynelecroy.com/files/manuals/wavestation_rackmount_assembly_instructions.pdf

Macbeth:
Nice thread  :-+

--- Quote ---I am not aware if the LabVIEW thing is possible with Siglent's firmware
--- End quote ---

I can confirm it is possible to get the LabVIEW interface running with Siglent's firmware by modifying the LeCroy LabVIEW "code". IIRC you need to look for the *IDN? SCPI command in the "code" (or WTF you call that OO GUI crap?) and replace the strings from "Wavestation nnnn" to "SDGnnnn". Of course LabVIEW is a total dogs dinner, I only got to play with the trial version and it had me tearing my hair out.

Stick with something more natural to a programmer, like Visual Studio, Excel even, or MATLAB which I have not had the pleasure of using yet, but Shahriar (thesignalpath) seems to use all the time. Also make sure you download and install the FULL NI-VISA and not just the runtime version.

Oh, one other thing that got my piss boiling for at least a day  |O was not knowing that the SDG1000s defaulted to a USBRAW format, and if you want to use NI-VISA, you have to change to USBTMC in the Utility panel. ;)

ivan747:
I edited the post, thank you  :)

ivan747:

--- Quote from: Macbeth on January 02, 2015, 08:10:25 pm ---Nice thread  :-+

--- Quote ---I am not aware if the LabVIEW thing is possible with Siglent's firmware
--- End quote ---

I can confirm it is possible to get the LabVIEW interface running with Siglent's firmware by modifying the LeCroy LabVIEW "code". IIRC you need to look for the *IDN? SCPI command in the "code" (or WTF you call that OO GUI crap?) and replace the strings from "Wavestation nnnn" to "SDGnnnn".

--- End quote ---

Specifically, what you have to do if you want a LabVIEW driver for the SDG1010, SDG1020, SDG1025 or SDG1050 (yes, this is for search engine ranking :P ) is: install LeCroy's "driver" as usual (that is, unzipping the folder and copying it to C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2014\instr.lib\), open the labview project file called "Teledyne LeCroy WaveStation.lvproj", then in the project explorer, look for a file called "LCWS Initialize.vi", double click, then open the block editor by double clicking one of the UI controls just in the right spot, look for a pink block called "WST," and change the text to "SDG,", voila. Done  :-+

commongrounder:
Hi ivan747.  Thanks for starting this thread. I know it will very useful.  I just wanted to mention, in the interest of being thorough, that there is a model SDG1005, too. This is the model I have.  Not surprisingly, it has no fan, which is great for the audio work that I do.
Is there any other user that wishes there was a way to change the output level readout, say from volts to dbm, without having to reenter a value?

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