February 17, 2017
The Rigol DS1054Z Oscilloscope
This oscilloscope is amazing.
It is by far the best scope I have ever used, and I have used some nice
Tektronix scopes (from a previous era).
I bought mine lightly used off of Ebay for $340 (plus $20 shipping)
in July of 2016.
Once you unlock it, it essentially becomes an 1104Z if I understand it right.
The 1052 is the 2 channel predecessor to the 1054.
The 12 tips for the 1052are quite good, here is my summary:
- NEVER push Auto (it changes almost all the settings).
- Push the knobs (they are buttons) and learn what they do.
- Storage -- Default restores normal defaults
There is some software called "Ultrascope" that allows remote control
(via a USB cable) via a virtual oscilloscope.
To access the RS323 (or i2c) decoder, first do a single capture of whatever it is
you want to analyze. Then push the Math button and select the appropriate Decode.
Manual
Go fetch the 1000Z manual, which covers this scope (281 page PDF) along
with its brothers and sisters.
Ultrascope
One of the online tutorials mention this. It is supposed to come on a floppy
with the scope. It allows remote control via USB with a "virtual scope" as
a GUI on your screen.
Screen capture (to USB stick)
- Insert USB stick - usb symbol appears at lower right on screen
- Press run/stop to freeze waveform you want (so it lights up red)
- Press the "storage" button
- select a Storage "type" using top button (probably "picture")
note that pressing the intensity knob confirms choices
- select "PicType" using next button (PNG seems fine)
- Press Save, New File, OK
- Press the "storage" button to stop the whole business
This saves as NewFile1.png -- and increments the number automatically.
You can try to use the painful keyboard, but it is far better to just let it
pick filenames, keep track of them, and rename them youself later.
The PNG "picture" captures are 800 by 480 images.
Have any comments? Questions?
Drop me a line!
Tom's Auto repair pages / tom@mmto.org