EEVblog #1057 - Digilent Open Scope MZ Review - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 08, 2018, 09:28:57 pm
content: Dave looks at the Digilent Open Scope MZ Review, an $89 open source oscilloscope, logic analyser, and function generator.https://store.digilentinc.com/openscope-mz-open-source-all-in-one-instrumentation/

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2018, 10:09:31 pm
content: Does it work with sigrok-pulseview yet?Alexander.

author: Avacee
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 08, 2018, 10:20:52 pm
content: Excellent reviewenjoy and trust your reviews much more compared to the marketing driven/scripted ones that only show something working perfectly.Given it's open source I can't help but wonder how many weeks before the Chinese are pumping them out at a fraction of the price with links to Digilent's website for the software.Then it may be worth getting one as the UK Price is £83.27 from RS-Components so given its limitations and software that's currently a pass.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 08, 2018, 11:05:49 pm
content: Quote from: Avacee on February 08, 2018, 10:20:52 pmI'd be interested to know how much the cloners could sell an Analog Discovery for?

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 12:00:03 am
content: Why do they call it "professional" ? I can hardly see any professional wasting their time fiddling with it.

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 12:15:30 am
content: Dave, there is nothing wrong with a well implemented R2R DAC. It'll get it done.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 12:29:33 am
content: Quote from: Bud on February 09, 2018, 12:00:03 amYeah, forgot to comment on that.The Analog Discovery is certainly a "professional" education market, but this one is aimed at hobbyists really.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 12:29:55 am
content: Quote from: BillyO on February 09, 2018, 12:15:30 amSure.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 12:35:42 am
content: Quote from: Bud on February 09, 2018, 12:00:03 amWithout a real scope frontend including BNCs it is more like a data acquisition board.

author: imidis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 03:10:37 am
content: It seems unrealistic.

author: thmjpr
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 05:35:54 am
content: This was linked in the youtube comments:http://www.analog.com/en/design-center/evaluation-hardware-and-software/evaluation-boards-kits/ADALM2000.htmlhttps://wiki.analog.com/university/tools/m2khttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/analog-devices-adalm2000/For $99, hardware wise looks way better (10MHz, 100MS/S digital). Software mentions network analyzer and spectrum analyzer. But who knows if it will ever be released, and the software will be supported.Analog discovery used to be available at this price point, but now even with the student discount is much more expensive.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 05:48:50 am
content: Quote from: thmjpr on February 09, 2018, 05:35:54 amWow, that looks like a killer at $99Release date anyone?

author: ArdWar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 07:05:02 am
content: I guess using free I/O for DAC with a bunch of resistors is better(?) than spending additional ~60 cents for integrated DAC.Strange design decision indeed. Cost? Performance?

author: abraxa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 07:44:16 am
content: Quote from: firewalker on February 08, 2018, 10:09:31 pmThis thing is a toy, so I don't know any of the core devs willing to waste their time writing a driver for it. Digilent did get in touch with us regarding support for their devices in sigrok but as of now we have no idea how much support from their side this would entail. If it's a mere "here, have the hardware and the comm protocol" kind of deal then I'd expect the Open Scope MZ to be passed on. Simply because it's just not worth our time. However, drivers contributed by the community would of course be welcome.

author: abraxa
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 08:03:53 am
content: Quote from: thmjpr on February 09, 2018, 05:35:54 amThe software used is scopy (https://github.com/analogdevicesinc/scopy) and is in part based on PulseView, so it's open source. I'm pretty sure AD is serious about releasing the ADALM2000

author: prof
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 10:51:40 am
content: I was seriously laughing my ass off watching this video.I'm one of the Kickstarter backers and the whole thing is just a huge mess and a major letdown.The whole project is just all over the place. The project people are obviously overwhelmed. The engineers haven't even close to delivered the promised features and progress seems to be pretty much dead: you can count the software releases on one hand and they seem to be only slight bugfix releases (from looking at the source because no release notes -- who reads release notes anyway...). The current software is so buggy to the point of being totally useless. There's no offline support out-of-the-box (requires to manually install the Waveforms Live on the device which is a rather involved process). Capturing via WiFi only seems to work every full moon or so and even over USB is so quirky that you'll never know whether the DUT or the "scope" is at fault. In other words: Totally useless, a toy at best; but then again there're much better toys out there.Heck, even their shipping department messed up the shipping declaration and doesn't respond to inquiries I've been asked by other Digilent people to make.The only takeaway from this project is: Sometimes it takes a completely botched project like this to see the reality of a shitty company behind a brand with a supposedly good reputation. I'll make sure to stay the hell away from Digilent in the future.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 11:11:44 am
content: Quote from: prof on February 09, 2018, 10:51:40 amInteresting. I didn't think to check the Kickstarter updates and comments.QuoteHow is the Analog Discovery so well received then?Entirely different team?

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 02:22:43 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on February 08, 2018, 11:05:49 pmI thought you said the AD's main chip cost about $100.What could "BTNP" and "BTNR" possibly stand for, I wonder?

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 03:16:56 pm
content: Seems to be neither fish nor fowl. And using JS doesn't give me any confidence in the product either. I'm a hobbyist and I think the 90 bucks for the Open Scope MZ could be spent on something more useful.

author: mrpackethead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 07:09:40 pm
content: Quote from: madires on February 09, 2018, 03:16:56 pm$90 woudl almost buy a nice dinner.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 07:18:30 pm
content: What's up with the wiggly J2 connector?

author: Rolo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 07:21:47 pm
content: Quote from: bitwelder on February 09, 2018, 07:18:30 pmThat a trick to get a good fit for a programmer header without soldering it. The header makes good contact because the slight offset of the holes. Seen it on more digilent products.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2018, 08:46:49 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on February 09, 2018, 02:22:43 pmSure, but why not make Prog and Reset text larger? Then the end user would read the important one first, and not the designator. They missed a lot of opportunity to put information on the silkscreen.Of course if whoever made the board expected it to be in a decent case, silkscreen info wouldn't be needed.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2018, 07:20:06 am
content: Quote from: thm_w on February 09, 2018, 08:46:49 pmYep, silly stuff.When shootign stuff on my camcorder screen screen it's easy to miss stuff like that, your eyes are drawn toward to big bold horizontal text, not the smaller side text.

author: G0MJW
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2018, 08:55:23 am
content: Quote from: Avacee on February 08, 2018, 10:20:52 pmThis is presumably why it is open source in the first place. To allow anyone to copy, improve on and develop the project.

author: G0MJW
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2018, 09:00:35 am
content: Quote from: mrpackethead on February 09, 2018, 07:09:40 pmOr a couple of rounds of drinks in a London pub. Perspective.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2018, 09:51:32 am
content: Quote from: G0MJW on February 10, 2018, 08:55:23 amFrom what I saw, I think they arerelyingon that.

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 10, 2018, 10:59:44 am
content: This looks like a product made by some intern that wanted to use some "nice components", like the PIC32MZ, Wifi module and USB comms, and made this project given those parts.Looking at the review and schematic it looks like ashockingly badvalue:NO input overvoltage protectionNO appreciable ESD protection on any I/ONO EMI filters on any I/ONO mechanical enclosureWhat update rate does it have? (intermittent by the looks of it, else at best 5Hz?)Only 32K sample depth even if you turn of all other features of the device? (PIC32MZ should have lots more available..)Why does it use a webbrowser as an interface?Okay, the product is open and people can take it to improve upon. But I don't see the point if the software is a turd as it is. I would only invest my time to build a compatible or improved hardware module if the software was any good, after all I think this is where the power of "open source" lays.Given that they used a PIC32MZ in BGA, doesn't help that fact to respin the board with a better analog front-end and/or ADC.(small note: this topic should be called episode 1056)

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 10, 2018, 11:22:15 am
content: Quote from: hans on February 10, 2018, 10:59:44 amFor the same reason we see web browser interfaces in a lot of stuff... the display engine is already built (and maintained by someone else) and the probability that there is one already installed is deliciously high.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2018, 12:39:08 am
content: Quote from: mrpackethead on February 09, 2018, 07:09:40 pmAlmost? For me, $90USD would easily cover 2 weeks of groceries from Whole Foods (a place apparently known for high prices) with room to spare.From what I can see, the most value the device provides to us is inspiration to make a better version.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 12, 2018, 01:04:14 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on February 12, 2018, 12:39:08 amIt's almost as if the only purpose of the thing is to get the chips out in the world.Make some chips that are probably half-decent and get them made up into a half-baked board.The response from many being "I can do better than that". So they go out, get the chips and make better versions of the hardware and software - and others build on that.I suppose that's one way for a chip manufacturer to get some differentiation in the marketplace.

author: imidis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2018, 02:45:57 am
content: It's gotta be. I had stopped watching halfway through the video, but decided to continue watching the other half just to make sure he wasn't impressed by it.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2018, 04:09:57 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on February 12, 2018, 01:04:14 amBut how many would use the same chips if they're tasked with making a better version from scratch? At the least, the 802.11g module is way outdated.I would take the Pocketbeagle, which already has some coprocessors that can do 100MHz logic capture, and add an ADC, AFE, and mux to give it mixed A/D capability. There's plenty of RAM to get a decent memory depth and a good amount of bandwidth for real time streaming. If you want wireless, add an off the shelf USB 802.11ac adapter.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 12, 2018, 06:17:04 am
content: Oh, I agree - absolutely ... but then they wouldn't be "improving" something. They'd be doing something completely different.Some people don't think past the parts that are presented to them - so they'll use those chips.Other people might wonder what these chips might actually becapableof - so they'll use those chips.... and some people will just like to be able to say they could do something better than a known brand name.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 10:39:22 pm
content: One of these arrived on my desk a few days ago.I can only express my reaction has been similar to that in the video. At first I was worried it wouldn't work without an internet connection, but once you've configured it it can be run without the internet. Sadly though though I can't seem to figure out if you can get the WiFi run as an AP, which means that in the field it'll need to be physically tethered to the laptop unless I mess about setting up my own mobile AP.I really, really, don't like the numerous compromises on the UI compared to the full fat Waveforms. Things like not being able to change all setting without stopping the scope, slow response (particularly when running on a tablet), and fundamentally being tied to run through a browser rather than a proper app has clipped its wings badly. I'd much rather they'd got it to work with the full Waveforms software than this Frankenstein mix of browser, agent and dependency on an AP of some sort for WiFi.This'll just be thrown in the drawer, until (if) the software and whole user experience is improved very significantly: just because you can run stuff through a browser doesn't mean you always should, and this is a stark reminder of why. The good news is that it's proved to me that last dwindling thoughts I had of moving to a browser UI for one of my products (which is also very interactive and video-rich) can be laid to rest, and I'll stick to my tried and tested thick app method.

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2018, 11:17:10 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on February 12, 2018, 01:04:14 amDigilent academic price list suggests that they are targeting universities. Obviously manufacturers want to push their products to be on university bench, not competitor's.Regarding "better than that" -ADI is preparing much better product, at least in my opinion. Most likely I/O protection is not "top notch" as well, but such kind of products rarely are properly hardened for rough use/environments. They are happy that user blows I/O - can sell replacement

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2018, 08:42:58 am
content: Quote from: ogden on February 15, 2018, 11:17:10 pmOn paper, the AD device looks very similar to the Analog Discovery 2. Its success or failure will be down to the software, and whether they actually deliver. I’ve had an ADALM-PLUTO on order for six months from Mouser. Seems like that intro price of $99 has crept up to $149 if you buy direct from AD, who do have stock.

author: inventhouse
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 02, 2018, 05:13:25 am
content: While we're down in the <$100 performance range, I've been playing with the Xprotolab Plain from Gabotronics:http://www.gabotronics.com/oscilloscopes/xprotolab-plain.htmhttps://www.amazon.com/Xprotolab-breadboard-Oscilloscope-Waveform-generator/dp/B00HWZSAPI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519965766&sr=8-1&keywords=xprotolab2 analog + 8 digital channels, 8-bit 2MS/s, 200KHz, MSO for $20I'd definitely recommend it as a starter / ultra-low budget, but good for some basic audio or arduino stuff.Open source enough I was able to hack the app to run on a RasPi, too.

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2018, 10:28:46 am
content: Quote from: inventhouse on March 02, 2018, 05:13:25 am2 MSps logic analyzer? To do what? - Look at LED blinker signal?Add few dollars and get much better,24MSps/3MHz analyzer/scope. There'ssigroksupport as well.

author: inventhouse
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 03, 2018, 03:58:48 pm
content: OOoo nifty!! I hadn't seen that, might (who am I kidding?) have to pick up one of those...

author: chris_leyson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2018, 03:25:33 am
content: Damn, shame about the crap GUI. I had hoped it would solve an instrumentation problem I'm having. If it will run off a small external USB power bank and doesn't need a USB connection then I might give it a try despite the GUI. I'm trying to debug parts of a PCB whilst testing immunity to fast transients, up to 7kV, and that is before I've done surge testing ! There is no way you can use a conventional scope for this sort of application so the open scope MZ might be worth a shot. Looks like it might need some protection diodes though. Just exactly how do you measure signal integrity with several kV of fast transients all over the place ?

author: Crazy_Pete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2018, 03:59:07 am
content: > Why is the Analog Discovery so well received?Good Question. Especially since the Analog Discovery and Analog Discovery2 use the same hideously crappy software. (I honestly am not sure if the problems you demo'd in your video are all hardware, all software or a mix.) I spoke to the chief engineer responsible for the waveforms software for ALL three devices (OpenscopeMZ , AD and AD2) I was flabbergasted. I wrote offering to help them fix the bugs in the AD2 software since it is very very well received. The standalone software crashes on startup if you don't give it any arguments. I explained to the engineer what the problem was and his answer was "You need to look further into this, argument processing is handled by the QT Classes". Yes the QT framework handles the arguments for you, but if you don't tell the QT classes how many arguments to expect it can't "handle" them. :-) IOW these guys (as i told them) don't know enough to pass a first semester "intro to programming" class, and yet they insist that their software is so precious that only they can look at it. I explained a path to open source this based on some work others interested in the AD2 have already done and heard only mocking responses.Basically this is the old "Hardware Genius, Software Idiot" syndrome. My honest opinion is that you hardware gurus are 1000x smarter than us software gurus. Hardware design is more difficult on many levels and the consequences are more severe. (I let the smoke out of a $100 chip. Now i have to find the money and buy another!!!! AGGH! Versus "I segfaulted a $100 tablet, now i have to wait 20 seconds to reboot! AGGHHH!" :-)For some reason (maybe for THAT reason :-) ) hardware gurus simply do not trust software engineers and over and over again we see excellent hardware designs literally bricked by the engineer refusing to let anyone but himself write software for the device. I have offered to help Digilent fix this mess and they simply shrug it off. (I am sorry for the lack of modesty but i honestly believe i am as good at software as you guys are at hardware) :-)Watching these guys scream and cry that they will go broke if they open source their useless software reminds me of Gollum (sp?) in Lord of the Rings "The Precious! You are only here to steal my precious" Uh Gollum we were just passing through and your 'precious' is just a stupid rock. Except that these Hardware Gurus are Gandolf not Gollum! Hey if anyone wants to design a REAL open source scope, there are thousands like me waiting to write the software for it.ThanksCrazy Pete

author: Crazy_Pete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2018, 08:32:41 am
content: Some final thoughts on all this:I want to apologise to Siglent for the comment: "Hey if anyone wants to design a REAL open source  scope, there are thousands like me waiting to write the software for it." It seems Siglent has done just that with their 1000x series of scopes. They run Linux internally and are SCPI and LXI compliant.I did send a PM to the Analog Discovery 2 software developer and offered to help fix these software problems. He never bothered to respond. I sent him a second email pointing out that the demo program crashed on an error that COULD have been caught in the 1 line shell script that calls the program. Forgive me for repeating myself but although the Digilent Hardware is EXCELLENT, the programmer who wrote the closed source software is so skilled at software development that he cannot even write a 1 line shell script to call his own program! And that's their CUSTOMER DEMO! Good Lord "Script Kiddie" used to be an insult, the Digilent programmers can't even rise to that level!To make matters worse, he claims the OTHER reason they can't open source it is because it uses a Xilinx FPGA for the main MCU. Funny thing is, the Siglent uses a Xilinx FGPA as well. Funny that Siglent could do it and doesn't even think it is important enough to put it in the market literature, but Digilent says it is "Technically impossible" :-) But what i do know about hardware? On the other hand, i don't market that i can write a 1 line shell script that doesn't crash and Digilent seems to think that is "Technically impossible" as well. :-) Interestingly the OpenScope will work with waveforms live (the software Dave ridiculed) a javascript front end. I can't even get javascript to operate email correctly from Browser to Browser and they write their TEST INSTRUMENTATION IN IT? Any thoughts?ThanksCrazy Pete

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2018, 09:19:12 am
content: Quote from: Crazy_Pete on November 01, 2018, 08:32:41 amCould you please provide URL to source code of Siglent 1000x series of scope? Note that Linux inside some device does not automagically make it open source  device. There are loads of Linux applications that areproprietary, thus not open source. The same withapplication softwareof most commercial Linux-based embedded devices.

author: Crazy_Pete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2018, 11:21:32 am
content: >Could you please provide URL to source code of Siglent 1000x series of scope?"They run Linux internally and are SCPI and LXI compliant." That is honestly all i asked for. You want a url for the source for linux:http://www.kernel.org:-)A siglent rep kindly showed me how to get into the Linux internals and poke around. Ms. Amanda Harris at Saelig also called Siglent and obtained the same information for me. (Which is why i turned into such a Saelig fanboy. She went out and GOT that information for me.)There is no simple way (AFAICT) to write your own PC software for this Digilent stuff. You can do it with a siglent right from the box. (Unless the siglent rep is lying, which i really doubt.) So whats on the Siglent that you can't get to? Besides open source or not, if you can't write a one line shell script without crashing a machine, (Digilent) i don't need to get involved with your software.thankscrazy pete

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2018, 11:48:49 am
content: Quote from: Crazy_Pete on November 01, 2018, 11:21:32 amFact that you can compile Tetris and run it on Siglent scope does not make it open source  scopeIf I need Linux, I run it on a normal computer anyway. OK, OK. Kidding. Obviously I agree that this is more than nothing and by some reverse engineering you can do lots of fun stuff and not only, with it. What are your plans regarding this scope?

author: Crazy_Pete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2018, 12:48:39 pm
content: What are your plans regarding this scope?>Well like any self respecting Schizoid, i intend to breed an army of nanobots and take over the world! :-) Seriously i have 2 plans.1) I want to use it to play with Arduino, ESP32 boards and the like. (The fact that i won't be looking at signals above 10MHz anytime soon motivated me to get a 100MHz Scope.)2) I hear so much about crappy OScope software that i am hoping to write a really cool (tm) open source PC based OScope application. As i said in my "newbee intro" this entire foray into electronics is sort of "stave off senility" move on my part. Electronics was always my weakest point in science so i that is where i am focusing in my old age.IOW, this scope, this forum, and electronics in general is my new Jack Shack! (I think down in Oz they call them Man Sheds?) Since i have the experience already in writing numerical and scientific software, things like FFTs and Bode Plotting software are something i can attempt. I don't know that i will actually do anything useful but i would like to give one more thing back to the world before i return to my fiery kingdom below.ThanksCrazy Pete

author: Inverted18650
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2018, 04:58:53 am
content: Dave,The Amazon store link under this video is not working.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2019, 10:21:57 am
content: Quote from: Inverted18650 on December 29, 2018, 04:58:53 amhttps://store.digilentinc.com/openscope-mz-open-source-all-in-one-instrumentation/Working fine here, although Quote page:"Digilent uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our websites. By using our site you agree to our use of cookies."Explanations here >https://store.digilentinc.com/privacy-policy/

author: chris_leyson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 13, 2020, 10:27:34 am
content: Well it seems Digilent pulled the Opensope MZ because it was so unreliable, not surprising really. It was no help when trying to debug electrical fast transients because I just couldn't get it to trigger not even once.Red Pitaya would do the job of debugging transient events where you need galvanic isolation.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 14, 2020, 07:19:59 pm
content: Quote from: chris_leyson on November 13, 2020, 10:27:34 amIt was quite a mis step IMHO, considering the Analog Discovery series are so good.How is the Red Pitaya these days? I used in on one project some time ago, but the whole ecosystem was unfinished, and they kept redesigning it so documentation, builds and APIs had the lifespan of a mayfly, it was a very frustrating experience, and one that made me think any design using it was going to be nigh on impossible to maintain ongoing.