Anyone tried "hacking" one of these cheap Chinese DRO displays? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: ckambiselis
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2025, 07:32:55 pm
content: So I got one of these cheap Chinese DRO displays, it does what it's suppose to do, but the menu texts and graphics could be a bit refined, pretty sure most of them use the same controller board/chipset inside.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2025, 03:05:53 am
content: You could start by showing the front of the thing, so people can see what sort of product it actually is.With DRO, I'm thinking of "Digital Read Out", I.e, a box to show the numbers from those glass scales. I bought one of those (a Sino clone), and it "just works" without any desire to reverse engineer it. It seems a very old design with an FPGA in it, which was quite surprising to me.I do not see much benefit in reverse-engineering these. STM32 has hardware support for quadrature signals, and there are plenty of projects on git repository websites to create your own. But if the cost of the total box with content is similar to ordering a PCB, putting it in a box with an LCD and such, then it may still be worth to reverse engineer it. Getting the display to work is probably the most effort, and you can snif the protocol with a Logic Analyser, if it has enough pins. Is there a datasheet available from that LCD controller? And if it works, similar models can have different LCD controllers, or it can change each year. There are no guarantees for such things.My older type DRO has 7-segment LED displays. Plenty good for in the workshop and nicely readable.

author: ckambiselis
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2025, 04:56:32 pm
content: It's actually the first attached picture, not sure why it didn't load the thumbnail since it's a smaller picture.I know making one with an Arduino for example would be pretty easy, but lets say that lately time is something that I don't have.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2025, 03:19:45 am
content: even though that long filename twice has.jpgin it's name, it's not a valid jpg picture.

author: rteodor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2025, 04:52:48 am
content: Quote from: ckambiselis on August 03, 2025, 04:56:32 pmYou uploaded twice the same image and it is not a jpg:S29b808fde7df440f90cd282bbbeda04ev.jpg_960x960q75.jpg: ISO Media, AVIF ImageQuote from:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVIF?useskin=vector

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2025, 06:28:48 am
content: Here is the converted image

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2025, 09:09:17 pm
content: I have this unit (HS800-2):https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002808504431.htmllooks the same inside.You can read out the data on U4 (FT24C256A eeprom) and U7 (flash).This would likely let you change some graphics and fonts, if you had the ability.To me it works OK.http://www.ikaru-dro.com/pic/other/2019-12-18-01-25-115.pdf

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2025, 10:00:43 pm
content: i would be curious by populating the usb pcb pads and see if it appears in windows or "nixsinwit ic :https://www.synwit.cn/servicesupport/356.htmlTechnical ColumnDevelopment Board-SWM181SWM190SWM260SWM341SWM166SWM221Development Tools and SoftwareCore ClassroomSWM34SRET6 display development boardDecember 20, 2023, 9:57:36 AM Author: Huaxin Microtech Views: 2687 Second-rate1. ARM Technology's "Star" STAR-MC1 core 150MHz2. Micro USB 5V power supply, MCU voltage 3.3V;3. Support RGB interface, can connect 800x480 or 480x272 RGBDisplay screen, universal 40P interface or 4342 interface;4. Lead out all ports of the chip to facilitate expansion and debugging;5. External 16MB SPI Flash, can store UI materials;6. External audio amplifier IC, connected to the DAC pin to connect to the speaker;7. SWD burning port, 3.3V, ground and other ports;8. CH340 USB to serial port debugging module;9. Buttons and LEDs can be connected to any IO test;10. External reset button and crystal oscillator;11. Support USB as U disk or read U disk, support SD card;12. Highlights: 341RE and 34SRE have the same pinout. 34S has 8MB of SDRAM and supports displays with SPI or 8080 interfaces.13. MCU model: SWM34SRET6_LQFP64