TDS3000 Dallas RTC RAM Init - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2023, 03:40:01 pm
content: I've got a Tek TDS3012B for $150 CAD, I hacked it to TDS3052B and sure enough the RTC battery was almost dead. I dug the old one out and installed a new one on the board, I didn't have the strength and/or the will to desolder it. I would like to reload the ~10K hours of operation and I would like to know if:- Is it possible to do it through a command? I know I can erase it in Development mode but I'd like to load back the real time.- Is there such thing as TDS3062? I see people hacking TDS30x4B to TDS3064B but nothing about TDS30x2B. Would it have any ill effect?Cheers,Miti

author: rauldm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 03:21:01 am
content: In this point even your lost your mac address, this scope can't connect to network because hasn't valid mac address

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 03:24:50 am
content: To initialize it, hold down the B-trig button while you power up the scope.I don't know off hand if there's a way to set the power on hours using a console command although I suspect it is possible. I was able to work out where those values were stored and write them manually when I had the NVRAM out. I install a socket making it easy to swap in the future.$150 CAD is a steal for a working TDS3000, even if it's only 2 channels. Fantastic instruments.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 10:23:05 am
content: Must be other infos in the tds 3k threads here

author: luis garcia
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 04:41:01 pm
content: Miti, i own the 3014B upgraded to 600Mhz. If you own the 6139A/B probes, as I do, dont bother to upgrade to 600Mhz. In my tests there is no difference compared side to side with my TDS3054 against a 600Mhz signal. Interestingly the original TDS3064B came as well with 4x 6139A probes. I wonder if TDS 600Mhz probes ever existed.In the TDS3000B original documentation there was an illustrative comparative between TDS3054B and TDS3064B using different signals (using in both cases the 6139A probes) measuring rise time and amplitude, but I was unable to replicate these results.

author: alm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 05:41:44 pm
content: To replicate the results you'd likely need a special adapter that adapts the probe tip to an RF connector like BNC or Gr874 and terminates the signal into 50 Ohm as close to the tip as possible to minimize the unterminated stub length.But for most measurements in that range you wouldn't be using passive high impedance probes like the P6139 anyhow. The capacitance causes too much loading at high frequencies. You would use either a passive low impedance probe (you can also make those yourself) or an active probe. Both would work with the inputs set to 50 Ohm instead of 1 MOhm.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 07:04:03 pm
content: Quote from: rauldm on May 17, 2023, 03:21:01 amI don’t know about that, I think the MAC was still there. I will check tonight.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 07:12:39 pm
content: Good point, I do have a 6139A probe. I recovered it from work, the tip was broken and I repaired it with some epoxy.

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 07:58:07 pm
content: QuoteWhat you see in the "Instrument Setup" is not enough.There must be at nvram address 0x6f0 a mac address like 08:00:11:xx:xx:xx or you will never be able to get ethernet working.

author: luis garcia
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 08:41:24 pm
content: I bought some time ago the Dallas replacement board that sells one member of this forum, sorry but dont remember the name.It is mounted on a socket and comes pre-programed. Mounting takes some time but in your case it should be easy now that you have the scope taken appart.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 17, 2023, 10:52:42 pm
content: Quote from: picburner on May 17, 2023, 07:58:07 pmYeap, I cannot connect even though I see a MAC, but I don't think it is valid.Damn, I didn't record the original MAC. Is it written anywhere?Edit: Found it, I forgot I took a picture with the settings when I've got the scope.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 12:05:00 am
content: I have a TL866II Plus but it doesn't support DS1742W.

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 05:55:24 am
content: You can choose another similar NVRAM (same capacity and pinout) and lower the Vcc to 3.3V in the TL866II+ setup.

author: picburner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 06:22:38 am
content: QuoteNo, this is the default mac that appears in all tds3000 family setups when the nvram battery is empty.Mine too, just arrived with empty nvram, had the same mac (see picture).Put numbers large enough so as not to catch the same mac of another scope, not being able to know what numbers Tektronix has arrived at, there is no other choice.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:02:47 am
content: Quote from: luis garcia on May 17, 2023, 04:41:01 pmPassive probes are useless at 600MHz, you shouldn't expect useful performance above about 250MHz really and even that's pushing it. At the higher frequencies you need either an active probe or a direct connection to the circuit under test.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 10:12:40 am
content: Quote from: picburner on May 18, 2023, 06:22:38 amI know but I found the correct one in another picture.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 10:23:37 am
content: Quote from: picburner on May 18, 2023, 05:55:24 amI have a Xeltek Superpro 5000 at work but just in case, can you suggest one?

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 10:57:10 am
content: you have a thread hereTDS3014 adventureshttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/tds3014-adventures-(seeking-75-75mhz-oscillator)/msg2702250/#msg2702250it explain a few things for the mac address ... and the count hours reply #16

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 06:48:55 pm
content: Quote from: picburner on May 18, 2023, 05:55:24 amBeen there, tried that, it doesn't work. You can read the NVRAM but you can't write to it properly, sometimes you end up getting it into test mode where it puts out a clock signal on one of the IO pins and then it doesn't work in the scope until you get it back out.

author: rauldm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:32:52 pm
content: I bought this nvram from ebayhttps://www.ebay.com/itm/293776182478?hash=item44666cccce:g:U~gAAOSwjfBfgfa1&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4AXQYLElJ8jSjlKc%2FpN%2FWlY%2F3Ap9wEbY7cdsXbScwtxKiYJ57Ztnix5oYCxia6kNtSdBQw4DZLQz9wlvtTO9Lv9b0hKorgsi8MWxPfxCc%2BkrDgYq4f7jAoDG1d2Px1GcKEar8PbQCf42lNDW4hMZw%2Fwjls6Y6aOQpHrMLJsOnw8k8%2FRGToJ4Jhb44RmA43ALkVn0UWPQg5u3UdMUdU6vXbHFw%2B5r9YppPolmlbtOCKZLqlufOTP5dt4PEDLSsxsK9IHvsgKbNRhU%2FDIgoghIHRva2W8xt1QiJBQUvuH8K2PS%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8rzn4iGYgI will try it in a TDS3034B, this scope only lost time, but if I remove batt, MAC address will damaged like your scope, I had that problem in a TDS3014B, I sold it to buy a MDO3024 but, again I bought two TDS3014B with batt and mac problem solved and tds3034B, also I have tds3012B, this scope hasn't problem but is probably in future happend it.

author: rauldm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:36:14 pm
content: I think this scope still worth it because boot time is very short compared with MDO or dsox by agilent, memory can be a problem but I mainly use this scope for repair power electronics and industrial control panels.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:48:42 pm
content: Quote from: rauldm on May 18, 2023, 08:32:52 pmThat looks like a nice solution, I'm sure it will work just fine.You can also use the still-available DS1744WP, I designed a carrier board to use that part in my scope some time back, several others here have made and used them. Not quite as tidy as that replacement on ebay but easy to make and a bit cheaper.https://github.com/james10952001/DS1744WP-to-DS1742W-adapter

author: rauldm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 02:11:52 am
content: Perhaps in future you want upgrade your scope for get more features with TDS3ENG module, you only need tds3fft or tds3trg modules, even with 24C02 eeprom soldered to SIM card socket you can put in lateral slot of your scope.If you using CH341 programmer with tds3fft or trg only need put 4 wires, Vcc, SDA, SCL and short to ground A0 and A1 more gnd of stick, you can programing without open the stick module. I attach my bin file for this. You must change txt extention to bin.

author: rauldm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 02:15:04 am
content: Quote from: james_s on May 18, 2023, 08:48:42 pmYes, I saw this solution but really I like nvram circuit from ebay, but I think would like testing the link module in TDS3012B when fails.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 02:52:29 am
content: Ok, I've put back the original MAC address and the hours of operation but still no luck. When I press test connection I get no response.I know it worked before because that's how I hacked it, over the Ethernet.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 03:02:08 pm
content: Can you erase this device? I tried to erase it but it still has some garbage left.

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 10:34:16 pm
content: Ok, I don't know what was missing or at what location but it is not only the MAC address that's needed to connect over the Ethernet. It only started working again after I loaded the bin attached in the link below. I modified the MAC and the hours of operation and it is good now.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tek-tds3000-series-and-dallas-nvram/

author: rauldm
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2023, 05:09:46 am
content: Very nice, you remove the chip from scope?

author: Miti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2023, 01:13:32 pm
content: Quote from: rauldm on May 20, 2023, 05:09:46 amYes, I have and I installed a socket.