Owon HDS3102M-N Handheld scope review & teardown - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2011, 08:53:36 am
content: Teardown:

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2011, 12:03:33 pm
content: Kudos, Mike, this is among the best reviews I've watched. More later.

author: tinhead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2011, 12:38:26 pm
content: nice review, especialy the "some idiot put DMM module on top" part

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2011, 08:54:34 pm
content: Its good the quality of the assembly and some parts in the DSO side didn't impact the DSO performance, but it does look a lot less carefully constructed compared to the Rigol 1052e teardowns.Do you think the DMM module can be disconnected and the scope will still function? Not sure how much it weighs or how much power it consumes, but one could avoid having the scope portion suffer any malfucntion from using the DMM by simply removing it and sealing the jacks, reduce the traveling weight and possibly prolong operating time ?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2011, 10:20:18 pm
content: Quote from: saturation on June 24, 2011, 08:54:34 pmI would be surprised if it didn't work without the DMM board - gear like this generally doesn't bother with selftests. I will try it tomorrow.It wouldn't surprise me if it crashed when you hit the scope/dmm button though. However removing to save power or 'on principle' is going a bit OTT - at least the continuity tester is useable

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 24, 2011, 11:16:51 pm
content: Nice review Mike! The power button is quite funny, POW POW POW.You can get second hand Fluke scopemeters 123/124, 97, 99B on ebay UK for half the price of a new OWON and occasionally good deals for 190 series come up. Over the years I have got my hands on a 99B, 196B and now settled down on a 123.

author: tinhead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2011, 12:29:48 am
content: Mike,just out of curiosity, what is the exact part name of the Samsung chip ?

author: A Hellene
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2011, 06:53:06 am
content: Kudos, Mike!??!I especially enjoyed your spirit of passionate criticism!Very well done!-George: What happened to the Greek language support?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2011, 01:09:57 pm
content: Removing the DMM board saves only 10mA current draw. It does still work without it, but if you enter DMM mode it's even more sluggish to get out again - presumably long timeout on comms to the DMM chip.Main CPU isSamsung SC32442.DMM chip is Fortune FS9721-LP3

author: tinhead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2011, 01:49:59 pm
content: Samsung SC32442, yeah thats S3C244x with integrated memory. That's perfect, good to know thatOwon is using Samsung SoCs (with probably Linux) ... this could be my new hacking target.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2011, 02:27:43 pm
content: Thanks abunch Mike for those. Checking its manual, I noticed no mention of CAT level safety on the scope inputs; its listed as 300Vpp, that is apart from a volt vs frequency derating on the probes, do you have any added info?Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on June 25, 2011, 01:09:57 pm

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 25, 2011, 03:53:01 pm
content: It says CATII/400V on the scope inputs but nothing on the front apart from max figures of 1000VDC/750VAC/400mA/10A.

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 29, 2011, 12:26:07 am
content: MikeNice review. Good info for those, like me, considering a portable oscilloscope.Noted that I have the same PCB drillscheersJohn

author: JacobPilsen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2013, 07:58:05 am
content: Quote from: tinhead on June 25, 2011, 01:49:59 pmFirst of all, could you "wiretap" configuration for FPGA while start-up, or later via JTAG, and from CPLD via JTAG ?FPGA may be cipher with U22.FPGA may be locked, but I hope isn't.There is some split-line jumpers on PCB, but not enough to disconnect digital 3V3 supply of one component from each other.IC's datasheets from OWON HDS2062M-N:U?: Sipex sp202CN (MAX232CSE equivalent)http://www.mcu-memory.com/gg/sram.pdfU86: XilinX XC2C64A (CPLD CoolRunner-II) VQG100AMS0929http://www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/data_sheets/ds311.pdfhttp://www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/application_notes/xapp389.pdfU21: Sunplus SPLC2475A-P1Driver for LCD (conn U23)http://www.ic72.com/pdf_file/-/428438.pdfU10: XilinX Spartan XC3S400A FTG256AGQ0929 D3656537A -4C (FPGA BGA)www.xilinx.com/support/documentation/data_sheets/ds529.pdfU4: Samsung SC32442BL-43 (SoC Processor)http://read.pudn.com/downloads98/sourcecode/others/400707/um_s3c2442b_rev12.pdfU9, U43: HWD9481 (ADC)http://bbs.ednchina.com/uploadedn/Blog/2009/6/9/0b43ecd6-f1ad-4ebb-bb69-7b1401ac6677.pdfU6: WCH CH375B (USB Interface)http://docs.teguna.ro/CH375DS1.pdfhttp://wch.cn/download/down.asp?id=13U37: 2041B (USB OCP)http://www.ti.com/product/tps2041bhttp://www.ti.com/lit/ds/slvs514l/slvs514l.pdfU1: F0851G 3202DH (LCD backlight?, conn U29)U11,U18: A&O 4405 (P-FET)http://aosmd.com/pdfs/datasheet/AO4405.pdf"H507T" (near U18)R1224N502H (5-Volt step-down)http://www.ricoh.com/LSI/product_power/mark/ME-R1224N.pdf"H333G" (near U11)(3V3 step-down)propably:http://www.ricoh.com/LSI/product_power/mark/ME-R1224N.pdfU17: (silkscreen under package, between L3 and C17)"S40A" = LM2611AMFhttp://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm2611.pdfU22: AT88SC 0104C (Cipher EEPROM)http://www.atmel.com/devices/AT88SC0104CA.aspxhttp://www.atmel.com/Images/doc8664.pdfQ1, Q7, Q9: SMD TRANSISTOR SOT-23 "L Y"http://www.semicon.toshiba.co.jp/info/docget.jsp?type=datasheet&lang=en&pid=2SC2712U36: 4913 AFA (Unknown double MosFET)U7: CK0 (bq24103ARHL, Li-ion charger)http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/slus606o/slus606o.pdfU2: TPS65051http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/slvs710a/slvs710a.pdfDISPLAY: Sharp DUNT B0017... MADE IN JAPANAnalog parts:U?, U33: (silkscreen under package)AD8139 ARDZhttp://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/data_sheets/AD8139.pdfU32,U35: AD8370 AREZhttp://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/data_sheets/AD8370.pdfU39,U40: AD8184ARZhttp://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/data_sheets/AD8184.pdfU56: AD706JRhttp://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/data_sheets/AD706.pdfhttp://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/data_sheets/AD8622_8624.pdfU26,U34: NEC UD2-4, 5NUhttp://www.nec-tokin.com/english/product/pdf_dl/mini_data/relay_uc2_ud2_e.pdfU15,U30: NAIS AQV254Ahttp://doc.chipfind.ru/pdf/nais/aqv254a.pdfhttp://pewa.panasonic.com/assets/pcsd/catalog/aqv-dip-1500v-load-catalog.pdfU25, U45: "LTVV"LT1715U44, U47: UTC VDAA MC34072Lhttp://www.unisonic.com.tw/datasheet/MC34072.pdf

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 05:54:39 pm
content: I am in danger of being accused of necroposting here, I have a quick comparison between the Owon and the Hantek DSO1062B and a quick warning note about the Owon.I won't even start to redo Mike's review other than to add a few of my own additional comments that I don't remember seeing in his review, but I will do a short comparison with the Hantek DSO1062B.In general for quick diagnosis I find the HDS3102M-N really pretty handy, it takes up minimal desk space, although the UI takes a bit of getting used to. The Owon's UI itself is very responsive, and the version of firmware I have on mine doesn't wait for you to press a button on turning on. Owon advertises a 640x480 screen, but if it is it's only used in 320x240.To compare, I also have a Hantek DSO1062B upgraded to 200MHz, and although the Hantek has a larger screen and proper 640x480 resolution, it is subject to even more glare than the Owon's. The Hantek is also a massive device in comparison, although it comes with a slightly more sensible carry case than the infamous Owon "look like a dick" case. The Hantek also doesn't need the silly adapters for things like USB sticks and probe calibration.The screen update rate on the Hantek is much lower than the HDS3102M-N, even with the deep memory reduced to the minimum. I should note though that the Hantek has 1Mpt memory compared to the Owon's diddly squat. The UI is marginally easier to use on the Hantek mainly because there are more physical controls, and the Hantek UI looks more modern if that's important to you. Boot time for the Owon is 9s compared to 20s for the Hantek.Regarding build quality, they're of a similar ilk, but the Hantek's multimeter bolt on in my example has never worked properly. I did have it open for a couple of hours to try to fix it, and it seemed to work if the stars were aligned, but I never figured out what the problem was with it so gave it up as a bad job. The Owon's works, but I can't say I'd be in a hurry to use it. Battery life between the two is similar, you'll get about five or so hours out of each. Thankfully, both seem to hold there charge for a few weeks at least when switched off. The stand on the Owon doesn't seem to have the same options afforded to the Hantek. You're pretty much limited to one setting of about 40 degrees off the horizontal, and one at about 15 degrees of the horizontal, so not the best working angle in a lot of desktop scenarios.The Hantek uses a weird 2-4-8 sequence for the timebase whereas the V/div is the more generally accepted 1-2-5. The Owon uses the standard 1-2-5 on both the vertical and the horizontal.If you do choose to update your Hantek to 200MHz, you'll need to shell out for some new probes too I'm afraid, those included aren't great. What is pretty rubbish on the Hantek is the noisy trace, even with 20MHz LPF switched on, in fact it doesn't seem to make any difference to the noise level whether it's on or off. The Owon doesn't appear to have a 20MHz LPF by the way.So which do I pick up when I need a portable scope? Just purely down to form factor, it would be the Owon. For general probing about and quick diagnostics it just makes sense.As an aside, surely we must be due a really decent reasonably priced scope with a decent touch UI? Velleman's tablet WiFi attempt is a joke by the way, maybe I should do a review of that POS to show just how bad it is.Anyway, back to what happened today.Although I don't have a day to day need for a truly portable scope, and I very rarely do mains stuff, too hard to get all the approvals. But today I used the Owon for diagnosing a PSU problem within a bit of test equipment so because it's battery powered it's isolated.However, there is isolated and isolated. Firstly, the two inputs are not independently isolated from each other, despite the plastic BNCs. No biggie, I pretty much expected that, and measured that before using it on this repair job, but it is worth keeping that in mind.Anyway, while using it today, the battery was starting to get a bit low, so I plugged it into the supplied charger.The 10V PSU that came with the scope is an inline mini-brick like and I incorrectly assumed that it was isolated. If you use this scope with its AC adapter plugged in to the mains, it is NOT isolated. The brick uses a 3 pin IEC connector for its AC input, and the IEC earth goes all the way through to the ground of the scope's probes.I managed to make one repair job into a much worse one as a result, and blew up (at least) a high voltage MOSFET that I don't have anything close to in spec in stock. It also tripped my house RCD and AC circuit, as well as the 2A fuse I had in the DUT's mains plug.(For the avoidance of doubt, the Hantek's power supply/charger is isolated by the way).Of course, all of this is covered in the manual... for those of you who do RTFM. The moral of the story is: know your test equipment, and if in any doubt always check. And a 3 pin IEC lead is a good indicator that you should check.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 06:18:16 pm
content: Quote from: Howardlong on March 28, 2015, 05:54:39 pmInteresting - IME it's fairly unusual for in-line PSUs to ground the output, but just checked my OWON PSU and it is grounded. BTW if considering replacing it, note the plug is centre negative!

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2015, 08:17:45 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 28, 2015, 06:18:16 pmWell, that's what I thought too, but I am somewhat relieved, I don't feel like quite the dick I thought I was then, despite owning the requisite oscilloscope carrying case for the part.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2015, 02:52:15 pm
content: Thanks, this is an important story, one that was theorized a while back in archived reviewed of these Chinese brand portable scopes vs a Fluke Scopemeter. Beware the isolation, a cautionary tale.Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 28, 2015, 06:18:16 pm