Rigol DG2000 function generator - NIVISA with Win7/64bit - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2012, 10:03:52 pm
content: Hi,I tried to communicate with a DG2021A function generator via VISA/USB with Win7/64bit today, but I had not much success.Initially I somehow managed to get it installed as "DGX000", but each time I tried to connect ended in a bluescreen due to an issue with USBTMC.So I uninstalled the USB driver but then read a comment about VisaSharedComponents64_1.4.msi fixing the bluescreen issue with Win/64bit, so I installed that. As a result, the generator is listed as "USB Test and Measurement Device (IVI)" but neither UltraWave nor Ultra Sigma can detect in in any way. Also my own C# program doesn't detect the device at all.Now if I install the Agilent Visa (IOLibSuite_16_2_15823) on top, the "Agilent Connection Expert" as well as my own C# program detect the device and can connect, but the generator doesn't answer to any command (not even "*IDN?") and I get error codes like this:" ! VI_ERROR_NCIC: Not the controller-in-charge / Visa ErrorCode: 0xBFFF0060 (-1073807264)"I also tried to connect via LAN, but the behavior is about the same.Unfortunately, the whole driver and documentation situation is a little bit confusing to say the least. I tried several versions of several installers from several Rigol and other sites, but most of them either stopped or complained about wrong OS version or whatever. All in all it's not even clear to me if I need to install a dedicated USB driver or not - and if so, if there is a driver available for Win7/64bit at all. All the USB driver installers I found for the DG2000 series would not install in Win7/64bit.Don't ask how I managed to install that DGX000 driver. I really dunno.So was anybody succesful to get a DG2041A or DG2021A to communicate via VISA/USB?Any hint is appreciated...

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2012, 10:46:15 pm
content: I have the DG2041A and the USB connectivity never worked for me either. Some say it's a Windows 7/Vista thing, but I've also tried it with Windows XP and that didn't work either. At one pont I also got the DGx0000 name population in device manager, and other times it would restart my computer with a blue screen of death if I even plugged in the USB cable.Right now I am using a USB-to-RS232 adapter to communicate with it; it is slow and crappy, but it works.

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2012, 11:09:12 pm
content: Hm, ok, I kinda feared so.The frustrating thing is that I can see the device listed as USB and TCPIP and then either connecting or sending commands fails. This also seems to indicate that it's not a missing USB driver, but a general issue.Then again, remote control via the web interface works and my main interest was to load arb signals from an USB stick, so this is just a minor annoyance. Still, being able to remote control via VISA would have been nice. So I'll try my luck with the support again, but I'm not very optimistic.

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2012, 05:54:01 pm
content: I got a reply from Rigol support, but it's kinda worthless:"I'm afraid that you need to test on another PC which is not win 7".Dunno what this is supposed to mean. Does Rigol really refuse to support Win7 or is this just a "if it doesn't work, try something else" statement? Anyway, it's not very helpful.As a sidenote, I tried RS232, LAN and USB now and they behave all the same: the DG2021A is identified, but it doesn't respond to the *IDN? command. IMHO the DG2021A should answer to default SCPI commands over RS232 and LAN without any drivers.So I would guess that this is more an issue of the DG's firmware. Unfortunately my question regarding a possible firmware bug and availability of an update was ignored as well...

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2012, 06:42:22 pm
content: To continue my monologue:While the Rigol support was actually quite responsive and friendly, it wasn't very helpful.Anyway, in the meantime, I was able to connect the DG2021A directly through a terminal program via the RS232 interface.With this approach, the device reacts to SCPI commands as expected.I still don't fully understand why connecting via RS232 or LAN using the NI VISA layer doesn't work at all.My understanding was that NI VISA is just an abstraction layer to transport the SCPI protocol over a physical layer (e.g. RS232 or USB).As RS232 and TCPIP are supported without any driver and my success using a terminal program shows that the physical RS232 layer works as well as the SCPI implementation on the DG2021A, I'm kinda puzzled what exactly hinders the NI VISA layer from working.Anyway, I'm actually happy that I can remote control the device at all.

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2012, 02:54:19 pm
content: Just an update to this dead post: Rigol indeed has a new firmware for their DG1000/DG2000 function generators. The good news is that the new firmware (can't recall the version number, sorry) does fix the USB connectivity problem with my DG2041A. The (very) bad news is that the DG2041A won't allow the output to be enabled with this new firmwareI have been speaking with an engineer over at Rigol and they are working on a fix for this now, so hopfully anybody who has one of these units will soon be able to start using it to its full potential!

author: 0xdeadbeef
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2012, 07:58:12 pm
content: Indeed back then I asked the support lady if an update was possible at all and she said no. I suppose that following Rigol's customer support strategy, you only get the update if you ask for it. How does the update work? Via USB?

author: Tobi1981
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 05, 2013, 01:44:13 am
content: Hello everybody,I had the same Problem with my DG2021A.unfortunately i tried to solve this by a Firmware Update file which i found anywhere on the Internet.The USB Problem has not changed but now also the user calibration function does not work anymore (does not store the calibration values to the Flash Memory).Also the web Interface looks very Beta-like.So i need a new Firmware file. My Problem is that the german Rigol support says "A Firmware update on the DG2 Series is not possible" and the chineseSupport does not reply to my mails.Can anyone send me a actual and working Firmware file for the DG2021a ?Or at least tell me the actual firmware version number?

author: Tobi1981
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 06, 2013, 04:32:41 pm
content: Just a quick Update.Today i received an email from the german Rigol Support with a Firmware Update Version 04.06.01.03.03.The bad thing is that the Update stucked at about 90%. My DG2021a is still working but it lost it's MAC Adressand the user Calibration is still not working. Looks like a hardware Problem.The good thing is that the USB Port is now working with VISA and is useable in ULTRAWAVE.The second good thing is that my DG2021a now thinks he is a DG2041A and i can Output up to 40MHz.