Yes. In 2018, Jason Gin got Doom II running locally on a Keysight DSOX1102G oscilloscope, whose normal interface concealed Windows Embedded CE 6.0. The game ran slowly, but it was a real game running on the instrument—not a video streamed to its screen.
Can you run Doom on a Keysight oscilloscope?
Yes—but the documented result is specific to one model and one experiment. Gin used a DSOX1102G, a Keysight 1000 X-Series digital oscilloscope he had won in the company’s “Scope Month” giveaway. Hackaday reported the achievement on October 18, 2018; Gin’s detailed account describes the Windows CE recovery workaround and the game result.
The oscilloscope normally presents its own instrument interface, not a Windows desktop. The unusual part of the project was first finding a way to expose and control the underlying Windows Embedded CE 6.0 system.
Is Doom running on it?
Yes. Gin’s account says Doom II ran on the DSOX1102G in a 320 × 240 window at about 3 frames per second. The result was modest by gaming standards, but the account describes local execution on the oscilloscope, with a keyboard and mouse used for input.
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- Product is intended for professional use only
- Has four N2140A 200 MHz 10:1/1:1 switchable passive probes
- See more signal detail with 50,000 wfms/sec update rate
- Mask, math, FFT, analog bus, protocol triggering/decode
- Built-in help and training signals
| Detail | Reported result |
|---|---|
| Oscilloscope | Keysight DSOX1102G |
| Operating system exposed | Windows Embedded CE 6.0 |
| Game | Doom II |
| Window and performance | 320 × 240 pixels; approximately 3 frames per second, as reported by Gin in 2018 |
| Memory reported by the exposed system | 100 MB, according to Gin’s 2018 account |
| Input | USB keyboard and mouse |
How did Gin expose Windows CE?
The breakthrough came from an intermittent startup failure. Gin found that leaving an external floppy drive attached to the oscilloscope’s USB port during startup could trigger a repeatable crash that briefly exposed Windows CE interface elements. Reaching the desktop required switching quickly between the USB device used to trigger recovery and the keyboard and mouse used to control the system, so he built a USB A/B switch from an old USB cable, a dead hub, and a DPDT switch.
Gin’s detailed account describes using a USB flash drive formatted as FAT or FAT32, with infiniiVisionStartupOverride.txt at its root, to reach Explorer through the recovery state. From there, the procedure stopped processStartupFolder.exe and recoverInfiniiVision.exe, restored the taskbar, and enabled Command Prompt through a registry change. Gin says the Scope Liberator archive included files and instructions; the account does not establish that these steps are safe or suitable for other instruments.
Rank #2
- Product is intended for professional use only
- 100 MHz
- 2 analog channels
- Easily view your signals on the 8.5-inch WVGA display
- Capture more data with up to 4 Mpts memory
What does the Windows CE Doom build need?
The Chocolate Doom project’s Windows CE documentation says a Windows CE build needs an ARM binary and a Doom IWAD—the game data file. Its device list identifies the DSOX1102G as a Windows CE Doom device associated with Jason Gin in October 2018. A keyboard and mouse were also needed in Gin’s setup to operate the exposed desktop and provide input.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does this work on other Keysight scopes or survive a reboot?
Gin says he tested the files only on his own DSOX1102G. He suspected the approach might work on other 1000 X-Series instruments or Keysight scopes capable of firmware recovery, but that is not a confirmed compatibility claim. The account also describes volatile RAM behavior; it does not establish that the exposed desktop or game setup survives reboot. Treat this as a model-specific experiment, not a general feature or a validated modification procedure.
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Rank #3
- Product is intended for professional use only
- Has four N2140A 200 MHz 10:1/1:1 switchable passive probes
- See more signal detail with 50,000 wfms/sec update rate
- Mask, math, FFT, analog bus, protocol triggering/decode
- Built-in help and training signals
The project took Gin a year and a half to reach the Doom milestone, according to his account and Hackaday’s report. Gin warns that attempting the procedure could damage the instrument or cause unpleasant failures. The reported result is a striking demonstration of what was running beneath the oscilloscope’s usual interface, not a risk-free way to turn any Keysight scope into a game system.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Product is intended for professional use only
- Frequency range of 10 MHz – 6 GHz
- LAN connectivity with wide dynamic range of -70 to +26 dBm for small signal measurements
- Fast real time measurement of 50,000 readings/sec
- Real-time measurement with zero dead time to ensure every single continuous pulse is measured
Rank #4
- Product is intended for professional use only
- Easily view your signals on the 8.5-inch WVGA display
- Capture more data with up to 1 Mpts memory
- See more signal detail with 50,000 wfms/s update rate
- Expand your measurement capabilities with an upgrade
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