DSO Quad Quick Start Guide

INSTALL AND CHARGE THE BATTERY

To open the case, push the back lid to your left as shown in the photos:

 

More take-apart photos: miniDSO, flickr

When installing the battery, make sure the polarity is correct (the orientation of the red/black wires) as shown in the photo. There has been reports about the plug being installed backwards.

Red= positive polarity; black= negative polarity. In case you doubt the polarity of the battery, here is how it looks in the board: (photo from flickr – I didn’t want to take mine apart :-))

You can charge the scope with the appropriate USB cable connected to a PC’s USB port. Photos from left to right: battery level as shipped from the factory; charging with USB port; after approx 45 minutes of charging.

A post at Seeestudio Forum explains the function of the LED:

• Red: Battery is charging (note: if the scope is powered up, the charging circuitry is disabled)
• Green: Scope is power-save mode. This happens after 10 minutes of no activity

UPDATE YOUR FIRMWARE

The first batch was shipped with the following firmware:

Factory firmware:

Is available from miniDSO and also from Seeedstudio. Seeedstudio’s WiKI link is probably most convenient to get all the things you need. Now there is a permanent place for firmware updates: [link]

Parts of the firmware:

Program files. These are .hex files

• SYS_xxx.hex (update first)
• APP_xxx.hex files (update next -the manual doesn’t say these have to be upgraded in order, but it is probably a good idea to update the device driver (SYS) first before the application (APP))

FPGA files. Consist of a pair of files: a .ADR file and a bin file

• CFG_FPGA.ADR (update first) -every new version of the FPGA file comes with its own .ADR file
• FPGA_Vxx (update next -the manual specifies these are to be updated in this order)

The LOGO files. This is the power-on logo. Consist of a pair of files: a .ADR and a bin file

• LOGO_00B.ADR (update first)
• LOGO_000 (update next -the manual specifies these are to be updated in this order)

Trace Capture Template files. There are two template files: a DAT file and a bmp file and are used to save captures into a file that can be exported to a computer

• FILE000 (DAT file)
• FILE000 (bmp file)

Follow the instructions in the Seeedstudio user’s guide to update the firmware. The steps illustrated here follows the user guide.

1- Hook up scope to PC with USB cable and turn on DSO while pressing the >|| button on the upper left side of the scope. The DSO will boot up in “firmware upgrade” mode and you will see a USB directory where you will drag/copy the files to.

2- You copy one file at a time and wait for the directory to “auto reset” before you  copy the next file. “Auto reset” means the USB directory will temporary disappear and then reappear. If it doesn’t reappear, look for it in the drive directory in “computer”. After copying the fpga files, the SYS file and the APP file, you will see the following files in the directory

3- Reboot the scope by turning the scope off and then on. You are done.

Note: I updated the files in the following order (it worked well):

• LOGO_00B.ADR
• LOGO_000
• CFG_FPGA.ADR
• FPGA_Vxx
• SYS_xxx.hex
• APP_xxx.hex

There is no need to update all the files; only the ones needed. Sometimes an APP file may require updating the SYS and the FPGA files.

THIRD PARTY COMMUNITY FIRMWARE (Highly Recommended)

It is highly recommended to download a 3rd party application based on the currently available released source code:

Historical info:

Marco Sinatti version (superseded by Pedro Simoes version) [link]

Check out the site for additional information

Pedro Simoes version

Pedro Simoes has taken the latest contribution of Marco Sinatti (version 1.8) and has improved it further (discussion thread). You can download the latest APP from here: [link]. Make sure you read the readme file which list the required firmware.

Use the following:

– FPGA_261 (factory) [link]
– SYS_1.50-1.6 (Marco modified, version 1.6 of the base SYS 1.50) [link]
– APP_xxx (the latest application from Pedro) [link] As of 4/26/12, the latest version is APP_G251 version 1.24

Note: it will also work with the factory SYS_1.51, but will give you wrong output frequencies if you use the built-in generator [link]; there are no reports yet (as of 10,15,12) of using Pedro’s community firmware with factory SYS_152.

Wildcat’s version (proper triggering)

Based on Pedro Simoes’s version 1.7 (which means this version does not have have the later changes from Pedro Simoes) but using the factory SYS file. Discussion on this version is on the same thread as Pedro Simoes version [link]

Use the following:

– FPGA_261 (factory) [link]
– SYS_1.52 (factory) [link], [link]
– APP_xxx from Wildcat [link]

Gabonator Version (mostly GUI improvements)

has another version of the firmware parallel to Pedro Simoes version -developed from scratch that focuses on the GUI part and calibration for now (discussion thread). You can download it from here: [link]

Use the following:

– FPGA_261 (factory) [link]
– SYS_1.50-1.6 (Marco modified, version 1.6 of the base SYS 1.50) [link]
– APP_xxx from Gabonator [link]

Note: Gabonator’s version is also called APP_G251 (but not related to the version from Pedro Simoes) This version has very little functionality and focuses mainly on the GUI. Gabonator will add the rest of the functionality once he gets the GUI part and calibration working well. Check the discussion thread to see the latest info.

Current Versions (as of Feb, 2013)

Pedro Simoes and Wildcat’s versions (by Pedro Simoes)

This the the latest version of all the contribution from Marco Sinatti, Pedro Simoes and Wildcat.  This is version 1.27. You can find the information here: [link]

SW UPDATE TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEMS with downloaded s/w?

Download it as a zip file if possible. If not possible,

1. Download the file
2. Open it with notepad++
3. Edit>EOL Conversion > Windows Format.

Caution: Do not use Mac OSX to update the DSO. It will mess up your internal storage memory [link]

ADJUST PROBE COMPENSATION

Link: seeedstudio forum. The latest manual (as of Feb 2012, the latest manual is v0.92b) also gives instructions for calibration

“One needs to know that the probes that come with the unit are not compensated. After quick schematic review I figured out that C3A and C5A adjust compensation for channel A, and C4A and C6A for channel B. These trimmer caps are accessible under the battery, btw”

• Use the built-in signal generator to generate a square wave. 10KHz is a good frequency to see the overshoot
• Connect one probe to the signal generator output and one probe to channel A or channel B (there is no need to connects the GNDs but you can connect them if you wish). Feed the signal to channel A (or channel B)
• In order to adjust the compensation capacitors you need a plastic screwdriver. Since I did not have one, I took a pen cap and sharpened the little plastic stick of the pen cap with sand paper
• Turn/adjust the caps until the overshoots are eliminated as shown in the picture below

Note: there are some doubts that the built-in signal generator is adequate for calibration. If you have an external source, use the external source to calibrate

CALIBRATION

Follow the instructions in the manual (as of Feb 2012, the latest version of the manual is 0.92b)

H/W MODS

Improving digital inputs (inputs C and D): replacing/removing the input protection diodes [link]

Examples of before and after:

2 MHz square wave with and without the protection diode (removing diode will remove the ESD protection which is not recommended. Must replace with low capacitance part)

Recommended RClamp0502: http://www.semtech.com/circuit-protection/low-capacitance/rclamp0502ba/
Installation:  (replacing the 2-diode protection for pins 24 and 25) -Must be a dual diode device since it is to protect both inputs.

Results:

A larger device (SOT-23) is more proper to use: TPD2E009DBZR. Datasheet: http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tpd2e009.pdf

 

Users have reported excellent fit and positive results [link]:

OK. So I have fitted this part (TPD2E009DBZR) now replacing the previous one. It is a perfect fit and was fairly easy to do, but obviously one needs a very fine tip soldering iron, good magnification and a steady hand. I actually found the most time consuming bit was getting the unit back into the case juggling all the buttons. Initial tests show high frequency logic now goes through but I haven’t explored the limits yet.

Another user:

I’ve just done mine as well with the same part… I’ve been using mine for a week or so with no diode. Adding this diode didn’t seem to be any difference, which is good! An 8mHz square wave generated by my Arduino displays perfectly. I haven’t got a higher frequency signal to look at, that’s basically the bandwidth I needed though…

Here is a link with detailed instructions on how to remove (change) the diode: [link]. Althouth this website indicates that it is pretty safe to operate without the diode, I would recommend it because without the diode you don’t have protection against ESD (Electrostatic discharge)

RESOURCES

• Video review and other: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRUTSitNpxYcLQXyfJgFYCanWeD8X_150
• Latest firmware: Seeedstudio DSO Quad Resource Page and here
• Discussion forum (in Chinese): MiniDSO forum [link]
• Discussion fourm (in English): Seeedstudio forum [link]