Infinium 54820A running very slow - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: macgeorge
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 21, 2013, 06:13:28 am
content: Hello all!I have an Agilent Infinium 54820A oscilloscope in my lab, which is currently running very slow, so I would appreciate any suggestions, since I believe it' s a pretty good machine (500MHz 2GS/s) and don't have currently the budget to buy a new one.There has been a message in the past that "fine interpolator has failed" and the oscilloscope would stop the acquisition. After a restart or two, it would operate again normally. I overrode this problem by disabling the sinx/x interpolation and afterwards entirely disabling the interpolation (by setting the screen to display only dots).However during the following years the oscilloscope started to operate very slowly, for example when I change the time scale, it needs 5 seconds to display the new time scale etc. All of the functions, or even the Windows menus, the graphics etc also have a very large display delay. Agilent provided me with a new version of OS (Windows 98 whereas the original had Windows 95). During the restore, the hard disk check showed that it had bad blocks so I changed the hard disk. However, the problem was not fixed.So, do you have any suggestions of what should I try?Thank you in advance!George

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2013, 08:58:28 am
content: CPU overheating and going into thermal throttling? Check heatsink/fan/thermal compound...

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2013, 10:59:53 am
content: The interpolator failure is most likely the problem.Pop the cover off and take two pictures , one from the top , one from the bottom. I may be able to help.I need to know the VIN (label on the back)I need to know if it has the intel or the via motherboard ( intel has the big linear regulator on a heatsink)Then i need to know if the scope board uses the ceramic chip or the hybrid module for interpolator.If its the ceramic : it may be dead because of heat.I have the hybrid.

author: macgeorge
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 21, 2013, 07:55:40 pm
content: Thank you guys for your immediate answers.So, the oscilloscope is the first version 54820A with no VIN # (the one with the mechanical floppy disk eject button).I am attaching two pictures. If it's not very clear please tell me what more info you would like. I can see an ez1083 regulator with a big heatsink(bottom right).Since I opened it, I changed the thermal compound, just to be sure. Based on the jumpers, it's already clocked to the maximum 200MHz frequency.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2013, 11:29:43 pm
content: Ok i know what machine you have. It is the intel motherboard.And the scope board is using the old ceramic chips. These sometimes fail. The newer machines use a hybrid module with a tqfp bolted onto a pin grid array.Let the machine warm up for half an hour. Go to the help menu and runthe selftests. See what happens ( if there are no errors)Post any errors here. That way i can tell you which of the two chips is bad.Itseither the chip with the two labels on ot or the one with the label in the center.

author: macgeorge
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 22, 2013, 09:22:27 am
content: Thanks for your help!I can see which chips you are referring to.Ran the self test and I got the following errors:Test offset Dac FAILEDTest pattern trigger FAILED

author: scroky
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 02:09:22 pm
content: Hello all,i also have a big problem with my Agilent Infinium model 54810A.At the first, the only ch2 has a problem: about 35kHz of big sinusoidal internal oscillation in the input offset chain...But then, suddenly at the startup appear "Fine interpolator handshake failed: service is required".I think that the problems are in the acquisition board...Can someone help me, please?Thank you in advance!Alessandro

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 02:41:17 pm
content: The interpolator sits on the ceramic modules. those are unobtainium. ...my stock is depleted.

author: mmatic
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2023, 03:21:05 pm
content: MY 54820A disk died. Is there anyone who can share disk image?

author: mankan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 25, 2023, 03:58:39 pm
content: @mmatic I have some images, see your messages inbox on this forum.