PicoScope Pico6402A 6404D teardown - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: wldshy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2017, 05:30:49 am
content: Photo First:AFE top:AFE Bottom:BB Top with Memory:BB Top without Memory:BB Bottom with Memory:BB Bottom without Memory:

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2017, 02:21:20 pm
content: Thanks, interesting to see what's inside these.

author: fcb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2017, 02:50:21 pm
content: Thanks for posting this. The PicoTech scopes do offer a lot of bang-for-buck.That ADC comes from a local company with serious UK herritage:https://www.e2v.com/products/semiconductors/adc/ev8aq160/The product range appears to use the same 5G/S ADC, so would be interesting to see if they are at the same BW limiting game as the other manufacturers (there is 2x price differential) between the 250MHz and 500MHz BW units:https://www.picotech.com/oscilloscope/6000/picoscope-6000-overviewAlso, interesting lack of flux removal after the through-hole soldering. What are peoples opinions of this?

author: rhb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2017, 03:01:09 pm
content: Quote from: fcb on November 19, 2017, 02:50:21 pm*Very* disappointing!I've "repaired" a number of pieces of consumer gear simply by cleaning the flux off. It's hygroscopic so in humid environments it's a guaranteed recipe for trouble. This is especially true with low voltage logic.My Walmart brand microwave gets all stressed out when the humidity is high for an extended period. I've not opened it up. The air dried out and it calmed down and behaved properly. I'll have to take it apart and clean it eventually.

author: _Wim_
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2017, 08:59:40 pm
content: Thanks for posting this.What was the exact model, is het the 6402A or the 6404D? I am also wondering if picoscope are just software limited or have different hardware

author: fcb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2017, 08:35:08 am
content: Quote from: _Wim_ on November 19, 2017, 08:59:40 pmI suspect that the different bandwidths have different front ends - hence part of the reason for the pluggable two board build. Even if the different BW boards are the same layout, it is likely they have different BW limiting parts rather than a switched varicap etc..

author: wldshy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2017, 02:51:00 pm
content: seems have different front-end, same more time and I'll take a pic to 500MHz version 6404D

author: wldshy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2017, 03:27:17 am
content: Here comes 6404D front end photo

author: _Wim_
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2017, 07:03:37 pm
content: Quote from: wldshy on November 21, 2017, 03:27:17 amThanks for posting this. That is indeed quite a difference. Are these the same age? It almost looks like another generation and not only a bandwidth upgrade.

author: 4CX35000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2017, 08:21:16 pm
content: Quote from: fcb on November 19, 2017, 02:50:21 pmLooks to be part of the tin shielding and relays. Probably not worth cleaning manually once the shielding has been soldered into place.

author: MrW0lf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2017, 08:57:15 pm
content: 6404D can theoretically stuff 2GB full at 5GSa/s - quite a beast if need that sort of thing. How you use these if not secret?

author: wldshy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2017, 06:44:50 am
content: only theoretically, Unless you write your own software using provided SDK.

author: MrW0lf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2017, 10:10:29 am
content: Quote from: wldshy on November 22, 2017, 06:44:50 amFound this in description:"The 2-gigasample buffer on the PicoScope 6404D can hold two 200 ms captures at the maximum sampling rate of 5 GS/s."Suppose max 1G single capture then with PS6 software.

author: wldshy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 22, 2017, 02:41:43 pm
content: yes