Oscilloscope firmware unlock tracker
Several hobby scopes ship with bandwidth, memory or decode options gated in firmware — and the community routinely ungates them. This is a living summary of what's unlockable and where it stands. It lives outside the 175-page forum threads so you can check status before you buy or update.
| Scope | Stock | Community unlock (reported) | Status note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigol DHO804 | 70 MHz, 12-bit | Community firmware hacks raise bandwidth (100 MHz on fw 1.01; 250 MHz + CAN/LIN decode reported on fw 1.02) and memory to 50 Mpts. Firmware-version cat-and-mouse: updates can relock. | thread → |
| Rigol DHO802 | 70 MHz, 12-bit | Same platform as the DHO804 — same firmware-hack story (bandwidth/memory), same relock risk. | thread → |
| Rigol DHO814 | 100 MHz, 12-bit | Same platform/hack family as the DHO804. | thread → |
| Rigol DHO914S | 125 MHz, 12-bit | Same DHO platform hack family; the 900s ship with more stock memory (50 Mpts). | thread → |
| Rigol DS1054Z | 50 MHz, 8-bit | The classic: mature, stable keygen unlock to 100 MHz plus all software options. A solved problem for a decade — no firmware cat-and-mouse. | thread → |
| Siglent SDS804X HD | 70 MHz, 12-bit | Community bandwidth unlock to 200 MHz reported for the SDS800X HD family (EEVblog). | thread → |
| Siglent SDS814X HD | 100 MHz, 12-bit | Same family unlock story as the SDS804X HD. | thread → |
| Siglent SDS1104X-E | 100 MHz, 8-bit | Long-known license unlock to 200 MHz + options; mature. | thread → |
| Hantek DSO2C10 | 100 MHz, 8-bit | Community-documented unlocks within the DSO2000 family (bandwidth/AWG-variant features); quality varies — research your exact revision. | thread → |
Community/EEVblog-sourced, checked July 2026 — the fastest-moving data on this site. If a method has been patched or a new one landed, "report an error" below and it gets updated.
The pattern to understand
Within a model family, the cheaper variant is often the flagship with firmware-limited specs — same ADC, same front end, different licence. That's why a DHO804 can be coaxed toward DHO924S territory, and why the whole thing is a cat-and-mouse: each firmware update is the manufacturer reasserting the licence. The mature, low-drama unlock is the decade-old DS1054Z keygen; the DHO scene is livelier and version-sensitive. See how the models relate in the decoder guide.