Tonghui TH2830 LRC meter serial port, HOW ? BRAKE THRU, ALIVE - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2022, 08:33:17 pm
content: did any one figure out how to connect a PC to its serial port ?nothing seems to workplease tell me how you did it ?

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2022, 10:13:55 pm
content: Hi,We got the ST2830 from Sourcetronic, which seems to be 1:1 the same.https://www.sourcetronic.com/shop/de/kompaktes-lcr-meter-st2830.htmlYou can download usb driver, but the software isn´t for free.Maybe it will work with the one from member HKJ.Nevertheless, I could call the german support and ask them for the RS232 interface(not mentioned in the manual), would post the answer here.Martin

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 07:50:52 am
content: I am only interested in the serial port, since my PC is too far away from the instrument for USB connections.a serial cable can easily be 10meters, but usb can not.RS232C in a DB9 connector should be a very simple industrial standard,some variations exist, so for clarify it could have been nice to see the pinout and handshake requirements explained in the user manual,i dont get any answers on *IDN? i am in 8n1 9600 baud and scpi modei also tried the talk only mode, and still dont see any kind of data out,double checked with a scope.any kinds of help you maybe able to come up with, is much appreciated,

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 10:57:46 am
content: Usb can if you have an usb cable repeater or extender, some have 15 feet in length ... or you can use usb to fiber converters an can go to higher distances ...

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 11:07:08 am
content: using usb, is not going to solve my question ; how to make serial port work

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 11:12:45 am
content: Apart from usual DTE/DCE confusion (straight or null modem cable) if it uses hardware handshake there is a good chance it uses classic RTS/CTS system.. Also, maybe there is an option in config to disable hardware handshake...

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 11:19:39 am
content: thanks 3055 i tried all possible combinations of handshakingas explained in several web documents about rs232 9pin connectori see no info in the manual about handshakingi see no way to turn it on or off in the settingsanyone with a similar unit ?please see if you can get it to reply to *idn?or say anything in talk only mode ?maybe just use a scope, and what signals need to be correct for it to say anything at all ?this was supposed to be a 10 min challenge (normally this stuff is that darn simple)

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 11:21:19 am
content: Quote from: oz2cpu on June 01, 2022, 11:19:39 amScope time, seems to me....

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 11:25:45 am
content: YES IT IS SCOPE TIME :-)but so far.. no sign of life on any pins,feel so much like a looser for not beeing able to solve this lo-mo-challenge.. yet

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 11:48:38 am
content: Any activity as the unit powers up?Since they are charging for software, worst case would be a secret unlock code sent to the device before it will talk to you.

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 01, 2022, 11:51:15 am
content: great idea.. i rebooted many times, not a glitch that could look like a serial byte seen..but i got a few ideas now, i will try to switch it into usb mode, and then back to serial, maybe it is stuck in odd configured state some how

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 03, 2022, 10:48:37 pm
content: Quote from: Martin72 on May 31, 2022, 10:13:55 pmI got an answer today.Well...It won´t help a lot, but I tell it here.The RS232 interface you can reach with the software ST4 and you can run SCPI commands via it.Then they tell me to use a datacable with crossed connections (RX,TX) and obey the baudrate (9600 or 19200).That was it from them, I can do some tests when we got our LCR back from calibration in the next week.Martin

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 08:10:35 am
content: thanks a lot,I only tried 9600 8n1 scpi modei crossed the signals,verified with scope the tx signal is not connected to the other side tx, of course.no reply on *idn?and nothing come out in talk only modeI also tried to wire all handshake signals as explained in the rs232c documentations found online2-3 rx-tx3-2 tx-rx5-5 gndon the TH2830 side i tried 4 to 6 and 7 to 8and also 1-4-6 , 7-8 connected together as suggested by many sitesstill no luck, so i feel we need some one else to please try too, please folks ?I had the idea so many people had this unit ? or the ST2830

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 10:18:55 am
content: In the answer, they told me also something I don´t understand:QuoteOur ST2830 should arrive next tuesday/wednesday.

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 10:24:48 am
content: >Pay attention to CR and LF when transmitting and receiving.dont we just love help like that ??

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 12:19:05 pm
content: little video to explain where we are:https://youtu.be/pi1_lMlIY_Qas far as i tell by this experimentonly pin 2 and 3 are used in the serial connector..so no hardware handshaking is used at all

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 01:41:43 pm
content: BRAKE THRUhttps://youtu.be/D_BnIYA0njYend of line must be 10 (also called LF)use Tera Term to see it is workingNO HARDWARE HANDSHAKE USED.talk only, dont work,so far no luck figuring out how to read measurement values,manual is very hard to understand.. will update if/when we solve that.

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2022, 02:20:48 pm
content: QuoteAha...

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 11:25:45 am
content: QUESTION :can you show an example, how to read the measurement values of capacity and impedance?or whatever the mode of measurement that is selected..I do not understand:the page commandthe display commandthe line commandthe display:line commandnone of it seems to work, all i get is a beep,need examples in the manual that works..also the listed page examples listed is not what the instrument reportsit seems like i need to select a screen page, and on that page, select the correct line,and then read out that line, no luck..what i have working :the frequency command worksfrequency?reports the current frequencyfrequency 100sets the frequency to 100hzand so on..

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 08:42:40 pm
content: Tomorrow our ST2830 should arrive ( after over 5 weeks...) at last.If I get the time I could try something on it.How did you transfer the commands to your lcr, via the commandline from HKJs Testcontroller software?

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 09:06:17 pm
content: Hi martinI used TERA TERMwith the settings and wirings explained in the last videoi look so much forward to hear if you are smarter than me :-)please figure out how to read measurement dataso we can make a cool curve tracer with Test Controller..

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 09:23:28 pm
content: Well, let´s see...When I don´t get the chance at work, I´ll "loan" the meter for a weekend (can´t promise the forthcoming weekend) at home.Not exactly the same, but I have more or less the same problems with my ET4410, you can do some things on the commandline, but the script won´t work as expected.Martin

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2022, 09:47:08 pm
content: i think we need to start from the bottom,understand the command line, document it, share all our findings,then we have a place to direct other users, and our skilled script helpers,if we all have a deep understanding of how the commands are truely working towards the instrument,we have a fair chance creating a cool program / driver

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2022, 08:16:10 pm
content: >from the manual>7.1.1 DISPlay subsystem commands>MEASlay subsystem commands are mainly used to set the display page for the instrument.>The :DISPlay? Query returns the current page.DISPlay?RETURNS ERROR BEEPdisplay:page?returns< MEAS DISPLAY - 1 >wich is NOT one of the listed posibilities ?? see page 72 manualDISPlay:PAGE MEASurementDISP:LINE "Resistor meas"DISPlay:LINE?returnsResistor measDISPlay:RFONt?returnsLARGEDISPlay:RFONt TINYset the result size to tiny (but dont change measurement time)so some of that seems to work>7.1.2 FREQuency subsystem commandsall the listed examples here, seems to work. as explained erlieri am still not able to read a single type of measurementchina support really try to help,when i ask a and ask b, they answer c and dso i have not learned anything usefull from them yet.anyone else with more luck ??BY THE WAY : the instrument dont contain a bullet prof incomming values / range / command handler,with timeout and all that.so there are a few ways to freeze it..play a bit with disp:line and parameters to figure out how to read data via their examples, and you get frozen unit.power off/on restore normal opperation.

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2022, 08:37:23 pm
content: I´ve asked the sourcetronic support, if there is a demo version of their ST4 software avaible, just to play around.No, only full for nearly 300 bucks..Nevertheless, our ST2830 is back again, at last.When I get the chance at work I´ll do some tests, otherwise take it to home like mentioned it before.

author: JeffreyLatter
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 05:41:47 pm
content: Hi,If you send the unit a trigger command by sending a *TRG command, does it not reply with current mesurement result?

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 05:43:58 pm
content: no clue mate, please tell me how to do this ?and how to get the two different values it displays ?

author: JeffreyLatter
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 05:51:41 pm
content: Just like sending it the *IDN command, as you did in your youtube video, but type *TRG instead - This should trigger a measurement.It should return the current displayed measurement value to the output buffer.Does it not reply with anything?

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 06:11:33 pm
content: HAHA, you F-ing RULE THEM ALL !!and thew winner is : JeffreyLatterYES it return BOTH display itemswhere is this explained in the manual ? i go look for it now :-)

author: JeffreyLatter
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 06:19:35 pm
content: Great - Happy to help!It's a rather common GPIB command and documented on page 106 in the manual.But perhaps the correct way would be using the FETCh command documented on page 89?

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 06:39:19 pm
content: This command worked on my ET4410 :https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-et4410/msg4060138/#msg4060138

author: oz2cpu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 06:39:33 pm
content: fetch does the same,trig start a manual measurement in single shoot mode (not needed in internel free run mode)fetc? returns the displayed two values (not sure where the difference is from *trg)no one told me i needed to use GBIB commands :-)and i am not familiar with GBIB in general, only SCPIand in fact I usually get someone else to make the low level drivers ..but big time thanks.. we are now officially started to make curve trace program

author: JeffreyLatter
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2022, 06:45:03 pm
content: The manual is - as you mentioned - NOT great at explaining the commands and how to use them.I worked a bit with GPIB and remote device control a few years back and especially with a few chinese brands, so I just remembered something about doing manual triggered measurements.Anyways - Happy to be a help!Best of luck with the programming

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2023, 02:28:53 pm
content: This is an old thread but thought we should include something related.We couldn't get remote readings returned no matter what we tried, always just a bunch of zeros. After numerous email exchanges with Tonghui we've finally got the meter to respond with a reading that is displayed on the LCD.Under "TOOLS" menu, the command "NULL" needs to be set toOFF. On our meter is was "ON" and prevented getting proper remote readings, altho the LCD readings weren't affected.Best,

author: Alain MIZREH
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 10, 2024, 08:56:31 am
content: Good Morning,I am new to the forum, because I am trying to find a solution for the TH2830's we have in my factory...So far, they are all used as bench equipments.However, we'd like to "connect" them to a PC in order to generate test reports.I asked TONGHUI for drivers, because the ones I downloaded from their website doesn't work. Actually, Mr Windows says it is not the right one.To my understanding, the USB on the back panel of TH2830 seems to be a USB to SERIAL interface. No problem for us...But to make it recognized by the computer is key, to be able to send commands, and run automatic tests...Does someone knows where / how to find this driver ?Thanks in advance for your assistance...AlainElectronics Tech from France!

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2024, 11:09:54 am
content: Hi,It's no secret that TongHui and Sourcetronic are identical apart from the name.So this software might be something for you:Quotehttps://www.sourcetronic.com/shop/en/st-meter-4-0.html

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2024, 12:19:56 pm
content: We mostly use the RS232 port and a generic RS232 to USB cable, don't forget the Null Modem RS232 Adapter.Best,

author: KungFuJosh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2024, 01:48:12 pm
content: I had no issues connecting with this cable:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075YFS64T/I used the attached drivers on Windows 11. As Martin said, the SourceTronic and TongHui drivers are the same.

author: mow
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 23, 2024, 03:01:05 am
content: Quote from: Alain MIZREH on July 10, 2024, 08:56:31 amIf the PC is able to connect to windowsupdate, it should auto-install the generic usb-serial driver.Did you set the mode to USBCDC? USBTMC is only for NI VISA/LabView (which provides its own generic driver).

author: aronake
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2025, 04:36:13 pm
content: I have a Tonghui TH2830 i want to connect with USD. I do not get the Tonghui driver to work. It seems the link on the Sourcetronic webpage to the USB driver has been removed. Would anyone have it? Either a link, or if you want to be less visible, get if someone can send me a PM.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2025, 05:01:07 pm
content: attached here remove the dot txt extension

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2025, 08:10:01 pm
content: Quote from: aronake on July 21, 2025, 04:36:13 pmIf you are planing on programming the LCR Meter, check out the plotting routines we created, there's some interface methods in there. Don't have time to locate them now, but you can search for LCR Plotting Routine.Best

author: KungFuJosh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2025, 01:49:22 am
content: There's more info in the other thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/th2830-vs-th2832/new/#new