Cheap Oscilloscope? Voltcraft DSO-3062C

[Armageddon]

Voltcraft DSO-3062C 2-channel digital oscilloscope with 60MHz bandwidth and 1GSa/s samplerate.
It is based on the Samsung S3C2440 (ARM9 SoC) and runs Linux, can be modified to a 200MHz bandwidth scope via a software change.

See this web: http://www.randomprojects.org/wiki/Voltcraft_DSO-3062C

What do you think? Anyone have it?  

[metal]

appears to be similar to Uni-T UTD2062C. Not necessarily the same exact copy, I can't remember all Uni-T models, but i 've seen similar Uni-T oscilloscope that looks like it, I mean larger screen.

[optikon]

here is my low end scope. Been very happy with it. Another popular hackable type.

http://www.rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/ds1000e/ds1052e/

Im friends with a Rigol dist. and got it for $299 USD and later upgraded to the 2 ch 100MHz.

[Armageddon]

Yes, there are similar oscilloscopes from other manufacturers, that can be modified via software.
Currently I have a HP1222A, the latest technology LOL.



I would like to buy one new but they are so expensive...

[bbarney]

here is my low end scope. Been very happy with it. Another popular hackable type.

http://www.rigolna.com/products/digital-oscilloscopes/ds1000e/ds1052e/

Im friends with a Rigol dist. and got it for $299 USD and later upgraded to the 2 ch 100MHz.

How long ago did you do this because I've read where it's not working on the ones shipped with newer firmware and guy's are wrecking their new scopes . also read it still works so does the hack still work ?
with only a $70 difference in price between a DS1052E &  DS1102E now is it worth the risk of bricking your new scope?

[Armageddon]

I also read the same thing in another forum. But I don´t have very clear if the hack continue working for the new firmware version.
If after the hack it stops working. There is any way to get it working again?

[optikon]

Gentlemen,
Regarding the Rigols and their hacks... I can confirm
1) I saw the firmware hack 50MHz to 100MHz actually work. so yes it works, have no fear!
2) I did not do the hack to my own unit because I didnt care about a hacked 100MHz -> I upgraded to the supported 100MHz (1102E) anyways. (and paid more $$$)
3) The hack does not work on any models shipping today (darn, they fixed the vulnerability)
4) It would not have mattered if I bricked it, I know the apps/distro guys, they offered me a firmware re-flash anytime I want one free of charge. They told me if I break it with the hack, they'll fix it.

BTW: I have the software and firmware images for the older (hackable) and the newest. --- should anybody care.

Anyways, I really like the 2ch 100MHz and had no complaints with the 50MHz either.. seems just right for hobby work with price & performance.

[sarah90]

I have the DSO-3062C and hacked it to 200mhz. It is more than ok for the price. Firmware is still buggy after 3 years of updates.

[optikon]

I have the DSO-3062C and hacked it to 200mhz. It is more than ok for the price. Firmware is still buggy after 3 years of updates.

Is the front end capable of that Bandwidth? how was it verified?

[sarah90]

Is the front end capable of that Bandwidth? how was it verified?

The front end is the same for the 60, 100 and 200 MHz models. Software limits the bandwidth in the front end. Read more in the "official" thread: http://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/hantek-tekway-dso-hack-get-200mhz-bw-for-free/

You need to buy better probes than what they supply with the 60Mhz model.

[Gallymimu]

I have the DSO-3062C and hacked it to 200mhz. It is more than ok for the price. Firmware is still buggy after 3 years of updates.

Do you know off the top of your head what kind of problems the firmware has?  Otherwise it sounds like a pretty good buy.

[sarah90]

Do you know off the top of your head what kind of problems the firmware has?  Otherwise it sounds like a pretty good buy.

There are many, but it is indeed a very good buy. I do not regret buying it at all. I bought it a year ago, it was even cheaper then.

The eevblog topic maintainer documents all these problems and corresponds with hantek about them. You can find the list (pdf) at the end of the first post in the topic.

If I needed to buy again, I would probably go for the 2000 series rigol. But for now this is sufficient.

[bigtoy]

To answer the original question....

I have one of these (mine says Hantek on the front, but it's the exact scope). I've had it for a little less than a year. Been quite happy with it for the price. I have access to much more expensive Tektronix, Agilent & LeCroy scopes, but this one sits on my desk and is used for day-to-day tasks. One of the reasons I bought this one in preference to some of the other cheap scopes (like the Rigols) was its large display and that's proved a good decision. My scope seems to be regularly borrowed, and someone else at the company liked it enough to buy one as well.

[Armageddon]

Voltcraft DSO-3062C is no longer available, the Voltcraft DSO-1062D seems equivalent, but I'm not sure...  
Apparently the Voltcraft DSO-1062D is an improved version. Anyone know anything?  

I'm looking the highest possible quality without passing the 400 € of price (not easy). My old HP1222A is no longer up to it, LOL ...

[metal]

As long as more than oscilloscope has been mentioned here, any one used UTD2062C/2102C or CM series?

[Armageddon]

As long as more than oscilloscope has been mentioned here, any one used UTD2062C/2102C or CM series?

They look similar in specifications and price to Voltcraft, but with a real time sample of 500MS/s.


I really do not know what to do.

- Owon SDS7102V have a well priced, VGA, LAN ... but does not convince me, inside looks very seedy.
  Here you can see the specifications: http://www.owon.com.hk/SDS-en.asp#nogo
  These images are of the SDS6062 is very close to the SDS7102:
  See attached bad1.jpg, bad3.jpg and bad4.jpg

- Voltcraft DSO-1062D is like Hantek DSO5062B and Voltcraft DSO-3062C.
  Here you can see the specifications: http://www.hantek.com.cn/english/produce_list.asp?unid=78
  Voltcraft DSO-3062C:
  See attached 800px-Voltcraft_dso-3062c_pcb_front.jpg and 800px-Voltcraft_dso-3062c_pcb_back.jpg

-SIGLENT SDS1102CML: http://www.siglent.com/en/product/list.aspx?nodecode=119008001
  See inside: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBuASZzQsZA
  Siglent company is the OEM manufacturer of LeCroy and ATTEN oscilloscopes.

All these "cheaper" (300-400€) have some tara, whether in design (HW/SW) or in the quality of the parts. Would be interesting to find the best price/quality ratio. For now the only that convinces to me are:
 -Voltcraft DSO-1062D
 -SIGLENT SDS1102CML

Another story is support for NI-VISA, at these prices I think it's impossible.  

Sorry for my bad English!

[sarah90]

Voltcraft DSO-3062C is no longer available, the Voltcraft DSO-1062D seems equivalent, but I'm not sure... 
Apparently the Voltcraft DSO-1062D is an improved version. Anyone know anything? 

The DSO-3062C was planned to be and has always been marketed by Conrad as a 500 MSa/sec scope. However Hantek never made the 500 MSa/sec versions, and the 1 GSa/sec version was supplied instead.

After a long time Conrad found out that is not a good idea to sell a 1 GSa/sec scope as 500 MSa/sec.  So they replaced it with the DSO-1062D. It is exactly the same scope, however now correctly marketed as 1 GSa/sec and about 15% more expensive. Smart thinking 

If you zoom in on the images you will see that they still have trouble labelling the beast (it reads DSO-1062D, 100Mhz, 500 MSa/sec). But the description is correct.

[Armageddon]

Voltcraft DSO-1062D is similar to the Voltcraft DSO-3062C, but has HW changes (new fpga version) and yes they changed the sticker too.
This new version (Voltcraft DSO-1062D) also can be hacking to get a BW of 200MHz, but the probes included are of poor quality.
With best probes certainly it works well at least up to 100MHz of BW. Above that BW would only be useful for periodic signals.

I attached the schematics of a previous version.

Inside Voltcraft DSO-1062D:
  4 x AD9288 ADCs (yes, for 1GSs overclocked to 125MHz in 8ns, 4ns and 2ns)
  2 x AD8370 amps (750MHz bw - input stage like Rigol)
  2 x LMH6552 amps (1.5GHz bw - input stage like Rigol)
  ADCMP562 ECL comparator (for trigger)
  Altera Cyclone III FPGA (ADC sampling control and data acquisition)
  Altera Max II CPLD (long/short memory management - copy protected)
  Samsung S3C2440 (user i/o, UI interface, TFT control)

The power supply is poor, but the rest is not so bad...
SIGLENT SDS1102CML is very similar to Voltcraft DSO-1062D, especially in the power supply and the input stages, the rest is different.
The Voltcraft DSO-1062D have the possibility of enable the LAN, see attached (eagle file), there are also several options to enable this feature.

I attached too the tool to set the BW, I am not responsible for any damages that this tool could cause.

For 300€ it has nothing to envy to many other more expensive, and with similar features (It is my opinion).
it not support NI-VISA, but has its own communication protocol USB-PC: elinux.org/Das_Oszi_Protocol

Here are the correct sticker, see aftached.  

[sarah90]

Voltcraft DSO-1062D is similar to the Voltcraft DSO-3062C, but has HW changes (new fpga version) and yes they changed the sticker too.

Are you sure about that? The pcb in my 3062C is identical to the new hw revision photo in your archive (= rev 1007). The fpga version in the DSO-1062D is reported to be 83e8 and is older than the 83e9 version in the latest hanteks and (my) Voltcraft DSO-3062C.

Here are the correct sticker, see aftached. 

 

[Armageddon]

Are you sure about that? The pcb in my 3062C is identical to the new hw revision photo in your archive (= rev 1007). The fpga version in the DSO-1062D is reported to be 83e8 and is older than the 83e9 version in the latest hanteks and (my) Voltcraft DSO-3062C.

 

Yes you're right, I misunderstand, the Voltcraft DSO-1062D has the "DN_HW1007_83E8_DATExxxxxx.RBF" in it. And I also found this:

   The hwrev=1007 with 83E9 FPGA design is however very hard on limit, to fix a littlebit the skew is no room anymore, an FPGA overclocking is not possible as well (max cloc in 105MHz).
   With older, but slower, FPGA design 83E8 the FPGA was working with no issues with 125MHz input clock, giving max sample rate of 1,25GS/s.

Watch this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=x1phUe93ZeQ is a Voltcraft DSO-1062D.
Do not ask me what it says, I don't speak German.  

I've been watching the schematic, and to convert it to 200MHz also need to change some components in the input stages.

[sarah90]

Do not ask me what it says, I don't speak German. 

He's only showing how to apply the software hack and tells that he has been using the scope to test some pull-up resistors.

I've been watching the schematic, and to convert it to 200MHz also need to change some components in the input stages.

I have been told that there could be differences between the input sections, but generally there are none. Could you elaborate on what you found in the schematics?

[Armageddon]

I have marked in red the necessary changes. It is possible that I missed one. I recommend reviewing the schematic with more care.
But attention this schematic is of another version/model. Would be nice to find their own schematic.
Although, I am sure that there are not many differences. 

[Armageddon]

Cheap Oscilloscope and expensive probes that's right?

http://www.biasedlogic.com/index.php/hantek-dso1062b-dso1102b-dso1202b-vs-5gss-lecroy-waverunner/

http://www.tmworld.com/design/characterization/4394475/Sharpen-rising-and-falling-edges?page=2


Guys, all these cheap oscilloscope seem toy:

  -Pay attention to the poor quality of the interior of Owon SD7102.
   see this: http://depositfiles.com/files/l2yomlfoq

  -The Voltcraft DSO-1062D has 8 ADC (4 x AD9288 @ 125MHz) and the SIGLENT SDS1102CML has 10 ADC (5 x AD9288 @ 100MHz), imagine the interleave distortion.

I think I will buy the cheapest of all, the Voltcraft DSO-1062D (300€), and modifies it for a BW of 200MHz. Although, I believe that it can be used only up to 100MHz.

And when I can, buy one of these (damn crisis):

  -Rigol DS2202: BW=200 MHz, SR=2GSa/s, Memory=14 Mpts ...
  
  -TEKTRONIX TDS2022C: BW=200 MHz, SR=2GSa/s, Memory=2.5k ...

Why the hell are so expensive? 

[h0nk]

I made some measurements on the HRPWM* of a TMS320C28027 with a only SW-modified
DSO-3062 and PP-200 Probes.
There is a increment of ten to the HRPWM-Register between the 3 plots on the bottom.
Not to bad for a scope of this class i think.

*) High Resolution PWM

[sarah90]

DSO-3062 and PP-200 Probes.

I'm also using the PP-200 probes. I also use tek 200mhz and uni-t 200mhz probes. All performing very well on the 3062. The supplied PP-60 are a no go.

There is a increment of ten to the HRPWM-Register between the 3 plots on the bottom.

Could you explain a bit more what we are seeing here?  And for my curiosity how did you get the 2 white waveforms on the screen?  Seems that I am not yet using it to its full potential.