Architecturally, the DSO6000A series shares common designs with 54830 series oscilloscope and 54640 series oscilloscopes. I noticed the Acq board numbers for my DSO6052A start with 54672 and the my M/DSO6104A starts with 54684. Looks like the 5467X means 500Mhz and 5468X means 1Ghz while the X is the number of analog channels.
This is ‘confirmed’ by a slip up in the documentation (user guide) which they forgot to update the model number in their vector graphics:
I think I’m getting a hang of Agilent’s oscilloscope’s hardware to do deep level board repairs as I have various model to compare. I used If you need yours repaired, please reach me at 949-682-8145.
Turns out Agilent instruments do not use the same defaults for the RS-232 in their instruments.
54600 series uses 1 stop bits (most common):
RS-232 modules used in old 54600 series54620/54640 series (newer 54600 series)
However other bench instruments such as power supplies (E3640 series 663X series) and 33120A arbitrary waveform generator uses 2 stop bits (fixed regardless of parity), which is usually NOT THE DEFAULT for most terminal clients:
E3640 series and 33120A’s RS-232 configuration. Parity only trade away one data bit, so it does not affect stop bit663X series powers supplies’ programming manual aren’t explicit about that except in code example
Regular full blown Windows-based Infiniium oscilloscopes takes any AutoProbe 1 probes (as long as the shape fits), but I noticed my DSO6104A (InfiniiVision 6000A series) do not take my 1152A (2.5Ghz) probes nor my fancy 1168A (10Ghz) and 1169A (12Ghz) probes.
Turns out the more compact, embedded (VxWorks) Agilent scopes that boots almost immediately. It’s called the InfiniiVision Series, which covers 1000 X-, 2000 X-, 3000A/T X-, 4000 X-, 6000 X-, 5000, 6000, and 7000 Series.
I’m not rich enough to get my hands on the X series, but I know from the architecture that 5000, 6000 and 7000 series are basically the same scope. 5000 and 6000 series looks almost identical while the 7000 series adds a giant screen and a slightly different keypad layout (the BNC ports do not align with the channel buttons and dials).
Turns out the datasheets shows two caveats:
100Mhz model uses different hardware. They don’t take Autoprobe interface as there’s absolutely no reason why you need an active probe to get 100Mhz single ended. Agilent skipped the hardware for it (thus the autoprobe pins) altogether although they kept the recessed space reserved for Autoprobe so they don’t have to mold a different front bezel just for the 100Mhz models.
They basically take only Generation I AutoProbe I, namely the 1130 series
Gen 0 (not an official name) AutoProbe 1 does not work: 1152A (2.5Ghz single ended) for 54845A. These differential probes: 1153A, 1154A, 1155A, 1159A are also considered too old. They were intended to work with old Infiniiums such as 54845A
Gen 2 AutoProbe 1 (only 10Ghz 1168A/B and 12Ghz 1169A/B models) does not work. These embedded scopes usually max out at 1.5Ghz, with the exception that 6000X goes up to 6Ghz, which is still way below 10Ghz
N2800 series are Autoprobe I, but it’s Gen III (has a bigger butt extending away from the AutoProbe I hole), so it doesn’t work
The rest are Autoprobe II and III that’s beyond our mortal souls (and way out of the league of InfiniiVision scopes)
Got a second customer coming in today with a E507XB series network analyzer that does not turn on. Looks like it’s a common problem within the model series.
If the unit turns on without the CMOS battery but it doesn’t turn on the 2nd time after the CMOS was cleared, you have a very expensive problem which likely I’m the only person who can solve it because it’s months of effort tracing the circuit and the timings inside. I regretted chasing down the rabbit hole and spent more labor than 3 good unit’s costs for the few grands I’ve charged, but I might be able to recoup the labor in the future as more of the E507XB fails the same way.
UNLESS it’s a SC815E (there are 2 revisions that uses different motherboard), it’s NOT the motherboard or the power supply. I’ve seen some faulty SC815E doing the same on other model series, but not the VP22s (I replaced 4~5 different VP22s, they all do the same thing). It’s some good timing issues that’s hard to pinpoint to a specific module (you can replace everything on the digital side and it still doesn’t work) which I had to design, build and test a special circuit to correct it.
If you have a unit E5060 series or E5070 series VNA (Vector Network Analyzer) that doesn’t boot, I’m likely to have the exact experience fixing it. Of course I’m open to solving other problems with the analyzer as well. I offer free eval (no fix, no fee). Please email me at owner@humgar.com or call me at 949-682-8145.
The cutoff frequency of 10Hz on the datasheet is a typo. Better scopes at the time claims 90Hz. 10Hz is just too good to be true.
Found the specs from the service manual:
Don’t be fooled by the -3dB cutoff and ignore how wide the transition band can be (depends on the filter type and the order). Turns out this model has a very primitive filter that AC couple mode still messes square waves below 3kHz up despite the specs says the -3dB is at 90Hz. You better have a 30+ fold guard band for old scopes!
Remember square wave pulse train in time domain is basically a sinc pulse centered at every impulse of the impulse train in frequency domain superimposed. Unless you have a tiny duty cycle (which is not the case for uniform square waves, they are 50%), the left hand side of the sinc function at 1kHz fundamental still have sub-1kHz components that can be truncated by the AC coupling (high pass filter).
