An HP 8770A Arbitrary waveform synthesizer. See HP catalogs
1986 pg 450 1st mention
1992 pg 455 OPT H12 digital data output.
1997 Last brief mention
Relatively cheap ($160) due to dented front panel, broken off power button, and front status "error" light lit.
I'd noticed in seller's pictures the two clock loop-back cables on the rear were absent, and hopefully that would be the reason for the "Fault" light.
Fixing the bent panel and broken button switch both met difficulties. That's another story.
Once done, with the loop cables in place now it powers up without the fault light. So hopefully it's working.
Still need to set up some kind of HPIB control system, to run it. It seems to have had a few versions of software for wave generation, that ran on various platforms. Does anyone know anything about those?
I aim to do a teardown. Especially since there _might_ be a screw and nut still loose somewhere in the machine, that had worked loose from the fan mounting. Missing, no apparent rattles in the case and hopefully they are gone. But it would be nice to be sure.
This machine is another instance of a manual with schematics existing, but when you check it turns out that HP chose to omit schematics for one or more crucial boards. With the manual claiming along the lines 'Board not repairable, return to HP for replacement.' Translated: "We just don't want to give out circuits for some boards, because secret."
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