Purchased a DS1054Z/DP712 and need advice - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: ExodusEffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 04:57:33 pm
content: Ok so the scope I purchased from the electro meter off eBay as they’re local to me and I was able to pick it up, I managed to get both for $840 CND ( open box ds712 which is mint and still has 2 years of the warranty left which I also was able to take over ) I then went and purchased the BK precision 3011B so I have a function generator as wellPurchased them to help me with troubleshooting and I also build guitar pedals as well as amplifiers and it’s really handy for setting up phasers, delays and LFOS. I have the full three year warranty on the scope and it came with everything unlocked besides the 100MHz.Is it worth me doing the hack and potentially voiding my warranty for just the 100MHz feature for what I’m doing or would it make more sense to wait until the warranty runs out.For the DP712 is there known specs for a replaceable fan or a way to get the resolution hack. I bought the gelid 5 for the scope but the power supply could definitely use a silent fan as well, probably more soThanks for your help as this is my first post on here and I’m definitely a green horn, I know there’s a lot of extremely intelligent people on here and I would greatly appreciate your guidanceSincerelyJesse Bélanger

author: ttelectronic
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 05:23:56 pm
content: I've read of people uninstalling it for warranty repair and they had no problem. But, mine. Unless I really need the extra BW I haven't bothered with it, as I haven't yet.

author: JS
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 05:34:45 pm
content: As said, you could uninstall them after. The other missing option in the package is the 500μV/div wich does come usefulwhile teoubleshooting the kind of stuff you are talking about. I've done mine right out of the box, but warranty would be a bitch in my case if I have to ship it back to CN...JS

author: ExodusEffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 07:23:56 pm
content: Ok the 500uv/div does sound like it could be useful. I’m going to assume that they don’t really break down within the first three years typically. The odds a failure will happen within the warranty period probably slim to none.I’m going to do a little more reading up on the 500uv/div option then most likely install the hack. Seeing as how I’ll already be cracking it open to replace the fan I might as well. I know I’m the states those warranty void stickers mean nothing but I don’t think that’s the case here in Canada ( correct me if I’m wrong ).I’m reallly curious about hacking the DP711/712 but there seems to be aereo interest in the unit because of the 832. I was surprised I couldn’t even find information of a replacement fan on the unit as most the Rigol stuff seems to have a fairly large following.I think that’s my favourite part about having this as my first scope. There’s a plethora of information out there regarding the DS1054Z and some videos to assist me learning to use the unit effectively. Even ensuring the ground from the probe is hooked up properly was all new to meThanks again for all of the help so far guys!

author: JS
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 07:40:01 pm
content: Be careful with the grpund on the probe, hooking it to the wrong place makes your scope blow, while you are pretty safe hooking the 10X probe anywere that your finger is safe being close to. The ground provides a low impedance to ground so if you connect it to anything not floating and capable of delivering any cpnsiderable current and you have a problem.Building a differential probe comes handy but it is tough to build anything good. A few for different ranges of applications is usually the way to go. Insulated probes provide a good way to measure small signals on top of big common mode signals. For anything mains related the safety is a concern so be sure before going there. For small hacks if you need to measure some mains level signals using a transformer is nice, 120V to 12V are 10X which is nice for math. The freq response only goes upto few kHz but usually good enough for measuring on a 60Hz fundamental.JS

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 08:52:24 pm
content: Quote from: JS on August 11, 2018, 05:34:45 pmDON'T - this is bad advice!As stated about 50 times on this forum, the 500µV/div is not useful at all with the DS1000Z scopes. Already the 1mV/div mode is generated purely by stretching the digitized 8-bit values on the display. The 500µV setting does not add any useable information, and has been reported to cause offset issues.@JS - how long have you been using your scope?@ExodusEffects - while all options can be uninstalled again, I would recommend that you gain a few weeks of experience with your scope first. The scope has enough to offer (and can feel a bit overwhelming at first if you have not used digital scopes before). Play with RIGLOL and the 100 MHz upgrade when you need it, or when you have explored the general functionality of the scope and are getting bored.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 09:09:17 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on August 11, 2018, 08:52:24 pmThe only valid configuration which enables everything is 'DSER' and that isn't included in the list. Don't get creative! It's been tried and it fails!

author: ExodusEffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2018, 10:34:24 pm
content: Thank you so much, I’ve printed this off and posted it on my benchI’m just going to leave my scope stock for now and if I ever notice the bandwidth become a problem then I’ll do the hack. Thank you so much for giving me an explanation about the ground clip, last thing I was to do is damage my scope

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2018, 12:29:21 am
content: You need to watch Dave's "How Not To Blow Up Your Scope" video. There will be a test later!

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 12, 2018, 12:41:37 am
content: Quote from: rstofer on August 12, 2018, 12:29:21 amAh ... You beat me to it!

author: ExodusEffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2018, 10:52:46 pm
content: I have a bunch of times now but I still find myself having to double check before I hook up anything new for the first time. I’m going assume it’s just nerves and inexperience on my partI’m extremely happy I’ve found this forum though as I really don’t have any friends or family in my life that understand or care about this kind of stuff. It’s definitely a huge help and I look forward to reading through the forum and experimenting with some of the new found knowledge!

author: JS
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 12, 2018, 11:31:00 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on August 11, 2018, 08:52:24 pmI didn't knew about the low range issue, the bit stretching was pretty obvious, and the self noise for sure, but not usuable at all haven't cross me yet.QuoteNot long enough, for sure, I got it a short time ago and only made a few measurements I actually needed for real applications, pretty little play around to test things before to get used to the interface and that's it. Working with audio the lower range seemed useful to me as you are sometime playing with pretty low signals and even if it's only useful in long averaging might help to see things a bit bigger when offset is not the problem, I haven't really used yet.This is not the first time I use a scope, and I'm very used to do post processing on the PC from the samples so I make a lot of my math there, being able to capture directly from matlab or octave in real time is really nice for me. Do whatever script I need there. Even then this scope has proven to be much better than the cheap lecroy we have on the university for most uses, every once in a while we get to use a better one but nothing too fancy or modern for general use.I did used quite a bit of the digital decoding and will some more as soon as I grab a repair I have on the shelf of a PC controller for audio. Already fixed some of it but I think there are a few ICs on the thing still messing things. Non of this seen on the university, I think is something really missing there.One thing I'm missing are the diff probes for which I've done some research but haven't find time to work on them, as there are too many applications as one single one won't cut it I rather experiment a bit and build a few than buuing one that only works for some applications. I work mostly on induatrial applications and some on audio gear. For industrial I would need an isolated probe for sure to measure power drivers and a differential probe I might buy for safety, so far I been getting away with a transformer as I mentioned. For audio some small CM low noise is required, 30V of CM is plenty, some gain like a 0.1X is nice mainly to avoid the 1mV/div on the scope so the noise of the scope is not a limiting factor. Nothing to do with high speed which makes them pretty DIY friendly. For the embedded side of things differential probes aren't so essential so I can live without them. Other problem I'm facing is some work on a boat, to hunt some noises but the reference of the boat isn't the mains earth reference but the water, so I'm not completely sure how to deal with that.@ebastler If I'm missing something let me know, I'm always open to learn, I know I need a few things around my scope to be able to work confortably with it, way too many probes on the world to get them all, I'm just trying to figure out which ones I actually need. Too long so I leave it here. Thanks in advanced.JS

author: JustMeHere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2018, 05:32:41 am
content: Hack it. It's easy to clear. I really don't think the manufacturer cares that much. They have even sold it "hacked" at times.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2018, 07:50:58 am
content: Quote from: ExodusEffects on August 11, 2018, 04:57:33 pmIMHO, Not worth the effort to unlock the 100MHz for guitar effects/audio amplifiers etc.

author: Adrian_Arg.
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 08:38:08 pm
content: I bought my rigol with all the licenses, except 100 mHz, I enabled them, and to prove it I went back to factory mode and I released it again. I did it by means of USB connection. It remains the same as DS1104z but with two 2 bit less. I am really very satisfied with the team, I use it in electronic and arduino project. I had a single problem with the equipment which was 100% solved with advice from the people of Rigol, after waiting a month or so for them to respond to my problem.

author: ExodusEffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 11:18:40 pm
content: You’re %100 correct, I couldn’t be happier with rigol and their subsidiaries

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2018, 07:05:01 am
content: ExodusEffects, did you mean to post your follow up on the DP712 problem in your other thread, instead?https://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/rigol-dp712-doesnt-seem-to-start-up-normally/There wasn't mention of a problem here, previously.

author: ExodusEffects
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2018, 09:57:19 pm
content: Thank you for catching that for me, yet another reason I’ll only make one new post per question from now on. Total newbie mistake sorry guys!

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2018, 12:51:51 am
content: No worries. You'll get the hang of it. One thread per topic is a good thing.