Re: issues with hardware 2.72:
The code I posted was not tested with and never meant to work with the newer HW2.72/SYS 1.60. File reads/writes
will likely fail with this version as cluster size used is different with the newer 8Mb drive it uses. One of the first things the
program does is read the config file, which will likely corrupt the menus, among other things, if not read properly.
Unfortunately, at this time, I donât have one of these later 8Mb version devices, so I canât test any possible
modifications to make it compatible. I just purchased another Quad (NOT from SEEED), but it turned out
to be a 2Mb version (with a sub-standard âcloneâ ADC that had to be replaced, I might add⌠Produced nothing
but garbage on one channel at the faster time bases) .
For those with the earlier version, hereâs a minor update, bug fix and performance improvement:
CHANGELOG TO VERSION W3.1:
-Fixed color background for FFT values being used from out of bounds array index, producing faint
blue background (or possibly something else if recompiled) instead of black. Also changed FFT
frequencies display to green to match channel D color (provides better visibility than red).
-Fixed inadequate buffer size being used under some conditions when using spectrograph function.
-Fixed a bug where meter readings of one channel would show up on another channel if it was turned
off and FFT turned on.
-Changed triggering selection logic to better integrate with FFT when not displaying trace.
When all channels are off, triggering will be set to FFT displayed channel. Also, trigger selection
shortcut will acknowledge FFT channels, if on, when switching trigger source, rather than channel D.
-Changed V/div shortcut: now if selection is already on V/div, will toggle channel on/off, rather than
going to other analog channelâs V/div and turning that one on, if off. Also if FFT is on with all
channels off, shortcut will go to the FFTâs channel V/div but will not turn it on (long press again
to toggle channel trace on/off if desired).
-Added V2 cursor = db in FFT mode, V2 cursor position added at top of screen. Helps calculate db
readings, particularly near bottom of screen.
-Changed graphics of FFT freq displays so peak trace can be clearly seen through them, providing
better visibility at top of screen.
-Changed most often called for background graphics refresh source from ROM constants to run time
loaded RAM arrays. Provides significant increase in frame refresh rate (specially in single frame
buffer mode) and reduction of ROM size allows program to still fit within 2 âslotsâ in spite of
increased size/complexity.
-Start/Stop will now pause spectrograph.
-Eliminated needless simultaneous drawing of hidden trace graphics while in spectrograph mode
(speeds up refresh).
-FFT summing mode now engages a bin earlier at the extreme left in the spectrum.
I just installed The Wildcat 3.1 app. (Hardware v2.6, SYS 1.50)
Thank you so much for this, Wildcat!!!
Itâs fantastic!
I just found one issue.
The frequency of the internal signal generator is 4 times higher than indicated.
The internal frequency counter and the FFT display the real frequency. e.g. with the signal gen set at 1 kHz the app displays 4 kHz.
I confirmed with another frequency counter and it also shows 4 kHz when the signal gen is set to 1kHz.
Any idea?
Sorry if this has been addressed before.
Regards,
Markus
Are you using the modified SYS that was designed for the community app? That will cause that effect with the WIldcat APP which is designed to use the standard stock SYS.
So⌠is there -any- firmware out there that works with HW 2.72? Or am I now stuck with an albatross?
Thanks for your answer!
Good question :oops:
On my display it says SYS 1.50 SmTech 1.6
Could you please target me to the correct SYS?
Edit: just found everything on page 1 of this thread.
Now thatâs embarrassing
Ok found everything on the DSO wiki
Works like a charm now!
HW 2.72 with 8M?
HW 2.72 with 8M?
I have HW 2.6
Having a new Quad with 2.72/8M I am wondering what to do about the community software.
Just a thought - would there be any way to reformat the 8M as a 2M and reduce the cluster size so it would not have the software issues? Or, could a small partition be copied onto the device with something like Partition Master?
-Cory
I donât think one would be able to make the 8M device behave like a 2M one. Itâs not about partitioning, itâs more about the fundamental hardware block size used when the device erases and writes new data. That means the routines that do writing have larger buffers.
I think the most fruitful approach is to use the SYS 1.60 which supports the 8M device and then adjust the apps to be compatible with this. The calls made to the SYS are pretty much the same with the main differences being in the memory allocation, so it should be relatively straightforward. This is also evidenced by the gabonator app which largely works with 1.6 except for storing data. I did start to look a this as a family member has a 8M model whereas mine is 2M, but have not had much time to pursue this further recently.
The 2.72 / 8M issues seem to be fixed, please see the last upload in this thread: <LINK_TEXT text=âhttp://www.seeedstudio.com/forum/viewto ⌠187#p19187â>http://www.seeedstudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5128&p=19187#p19187</LINK_TEXT>
New update:
Tentative support for 8MB devices. Integrated bobtideyâs mods. Note that this has not been tested
on other than 2MB units at this time.
Added persistence and map modes, BMP load, and 30db extra gain to all FFT functions.
Updated spectrograph and XY modes + many minor improvements and bug fixes. See
changelog in README.TXT for complete list and how to use these. Program still fits
within 2 slots.
Persistence mode of RF eye pattern
in RAW data mode
Persistence mode of a video signal
in NORMAL data mode
30db additional FFT gain with
auto scaling
Voice print of person speaking
MAP mode of video frame
XY display of stationary pattern
in persistence mode
I tried this latest on my 8MB 2.72 with 1.6. It seems to work though I donât understand how to operate it. After bringing up the meters on the right, are you able to change what is displayed as in the original app?
Also, I assumed, maybe incorrectly, that app1, app2, app3 refers to the slot residency? I tried that and it looks like they boot in the correct slot but I get a blank screen.
Anyway, I applaud what everyone has coded and love the little device. I wanted something for on my desk as sometimes the DDS freq generators and other equipment I have wonât start and I canât figure out what is going on without a scope. After purchasing this little unit, I also bought a larger inexpensive DSO as well so it was âscope weekâ at my house. Been using an oldy but goody 300mhz tek 2465 for years which had a ton of functions with cursors, etc, but no storage.
So please keep up the good work. I would love to be able to boot wildcat from 2 or 3 keeping the original in 1. I have gabonatorâs code in 4 which I like as well.
Jerry.
after installing the wildcat version and reinstalling the original factory app, I can no longer install the wildcat. It installs ok with .rdy message, but boots to a blank screen.
Any ideas?
App1, app2, etc do refer to slot residency. However, most apps, including mine and the originals occupy 2 slots.
So if, for example you have the original in slot 1, adding another version in slot 2 wipes off the last half of the one
installed in slot 1. Likewise, installing in slot 3 wipes off whatever program is in slot 4. The gabonator app installed
in slot 4 I believe adds the rest of the code in some undocumented part of the ROM. This needs to be kept in mind
when adding programs so they donât overlap and destroy each other and kind of limits it to only 2 programs unless
2 of them can fit in only 1 slot each.
There has been some effort to rewrite the code to all these apps so only the first part of each of the programs fit in 1 slot
only, the rest to the aforementioned undocumented area. However this was only compatible with the older 2M devices.
The meters in my version can be changed like the original app, but the controls to do so may be different. While the
first âpageâ showing displays for both ChA and ChB canât be changed, the 4 remaining pages, each set up for one
of the channels can be changed to any relevant meter with source from any channel, but only until the page is changed.
Change pages with long press left toggle center. To change the meter items or source, long press right toggle center,
this will change the focus (blinking) to the meters. Use the right toggle to change between meters and the left toggle to
change the meter item itself (Vdc, Frq, etc). With a meter highlighted (blinking) short press button 4 to cycle between the
different channels as the source (Item will change to the channelâs color). Note that voltage meters are not available for the
digital channels. Keep in mind what while you can cycle between small, large and no meters without changing the selected
items, changing pages will return the pages to their default settings.
Custom meter settings can be saved by saving the entire configuration to a different config file, but only 1 page can be
saved (the one showing), since changing between pages restores defaults. When recalled, the custom settings will be
restored. My version allows 9 additional config files to be saved/restored. Hold button 3 down to access config save,
then if desired, change file number with left toggle. Config #0 is the boot up file. In order for all this to work, 9 extra
config files MUST already be on the deviceâs flash drive as the program will only save them if a file already exists.
This was done for compatibility with older devices which had systems that corrupted files. Copying these files and
putting them early in the file allocation table prevented the corruption. The 8Mb devices I believe fixed the corruption
problem, as did the Alterbios add-on for the 2Mb devices. Simply copy 9 instances of the xxxxx.WPT file with a
Windows machine, then rename them CONF001.CFG to CONF009.CFG.
For further info on operation, check out the changelogs and other info in the readme.txt enclosed in the archive.
A brief description on how to use the different functions is included. Holding down button 1 on the device will show
a chart of button functions. Iâve started to write a comprehensive âuserâs manualâ for my version. When I can find the
time to finish it, I will post it, along with some likely further updates (finishing up an additional log amplitude screen
option for the FFT function). The program is getting a bit complex, hopefully this will be of help.
wildcat, thanks, all that above really helps.
Why do you think it wonât install? If I use app1 and have nothing in #2, I still get a blank screen when I load your program. It worked the first time. It is almost like it is stuck in standby mode???
Now that I know how to change the meter pages I would like to install it in slot 1.
Thanks.
wildcat, thanks, all that above really helps.
Why do you think it wonât install? If I use app1 and have nothing in #2, I still get a blank screen when I load your program. It worked the first time. It is almost like it is stuck in standby mode???
Now that I know how to change the meter pages I would like to install it in slot 1.
Thanks.
What happens when you boot up? Do you see the startup screen with hardware,
FPGA, system version, program version and so on? Or does it just go directly to a blank screen?
If it shows the startup screen, there will be a message showing whether the
program loaded a config file: if it found a file it will read âReload parameter from diskâ.
If no file is found you will see âParameters not foundâ or something like that.
If a config file is loaded and it freezes up after that, you should delete any
XXXXX.WPT on the flash drive; you will need to boot up to a running program
and connect to a computer via USB to do this. Itâs possible a corrupt config
file may be causing this. Earlier versions used a WPT extension for their
config files, but I think the later (with 8Mb devices) versions use a different extension.
If it goes directly to a blank screen something likely got corrupted.
Can you load any other programs into slot 1 (or any other) and have them work?
I take it you get the .rdy file after copying the hex file when you instal the program
with the bootloader? If other programs load/run OK and there is no WPT config file
on the device maybe the HEX file got corrupted somehow?
I deleted the .wpt file, reloaded, and off it went. Thanks again.
How do you save screenshots and buffer with wildcat. I have 3.2 installed and accourding to the readme it appears it has the capability but my searches have turned up nothing.
How do you save screenshots and buffer with wildcat. I have 3.2 installed and accourding to the readme it appears it has the capability but my searches have turned up nothing.
The same way you do with the original apps. Didnât write specific info as most were familiar with them already.
Select file menu: shift right toggle to the right until file menu appears in the notification area. You can just hold
the right toggle to the right until the selection stops the end with the file menu. The default from boot up will be
to âLOAD FILE000.CFGâ This is to make it easy to select different config files. Button 4 will cycle between LOAD,
FILE000, and .CFG. With LOAD blinking, use left toggle to change it to SAVE. Select different files with
FILExxx. Cycle through the file types with left toggle, then save by center pressing left toggle.
CFG are configuration files.
BMP are screenshots of anything displayed on the screen, including the FFT, MAP and spectrograph,
etc. (you can use the load function to view these on the device or view them via USB on a computer),
DAT files save the screen trace buffer from all 4 channels (you view these by first loading them back into the
device with the LOAD function. This then makes them available to recall and display from channel D via
âREC_A, REC_B etcâŚâ selecting the saved ch A, B, C, or D trace).
BUF files, unlike the DAT files which save only what is shown on screen, save the entire buffer. After loading
these back up, the device will be in PAUSE with the saved trace displaying. You can use the XPOS control to scroll
through the buffer, if it was saved with the full buffer. Pressing RUN will return the device to itâs previous state.
CSV files are a comma delimited readout of the entire buffer for all 4 channels, used to export the waveform
data to external programs that can then reconstruct the waveforms. These cannot be loaded back into the device.
Note that saving more than a few files on the early (2MB) devices will quickly corrupt them unless the Alterbios
add-on is installed. This is a problem with the early operating systems used on these devices and not the program.
Alterbios patches the OS so the files are saved correctly.