Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[sarahMCML]

This is an intriguing looking boat anchor, not sure I can justify the price just to satisfy my curiosity though...   

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nuclear-Enterprises-Ltd-Pulse-Height-Analyzer-PHA1/293389789876

We called them "Kick Sorters" back in the Physics department at Kings, London in the '70's and 80's, although that's a later model than ours were.

Sarah.

[Vgkid]

This is an intriguing looking boat anchor, not sure I can justify the price just to satisfy my curiosity though...   

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nuclear-Enterprises-Ltd-Pulse-Height-Analyzer-PHA1/293389789876

You would use it with a proportional(,geiger mueller)radiation detector in which you would use the various pulse heights to discriminate the radiation type/amplitude.

[mnementh]

Mnem....I regard you as a friend and I enjoy your contributions to this thread but you need to bring it down a few decibels. Perhaps you don't realize it but you do try to impose your political views on others. I will say no more.

And since we are airing out our dirty laundry what are my general views? Middle of the road with a conservative slant. But I detest the ultra-right (Trump and Co) just as much as I detest the ultra-left that accuses me of being “non-inclusive”.  And since I don't agree with many of their opinions I'm a “bigot” and a “racist”. Now I ask you...would I be able to have a loving and long term relationship with an independent black woman if I were any of the above? Duh.               

None of this has anything to do with asking you politely not to use a term that has been made into hate-speak by a reprehensible extremist. "I don't agree with that definition" isn't a reasonable argument; if you don't want people to think you're their kind of intolerant you need to not use their language. Please.

It is one of few terms I consider "well over the line", just like the original anti-conservative term "fucktard", which I shamefully admit to having used myself, but have refrained from since gaining some perspective thanks to the love of a good woman and parenthood.

mnem
"Honey, where are my paaants...?"

[bitseeker]

FYI Arrow is having a sale on some Rigol products. The DG831 is 161$ (more than half price). Only 2 units left!

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/dg831/rigol-technologies-inc

the MSO2102A is also really cheap compared to the regular price (318$ vs 969$)

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/mso2102a/rigol-technologies-inc

Ugh! Now I have a DG831 on the way. I guess I'll be "upgrading" it in the new year. Thanks, Kosmix. Couldn't resist at that price (and I got 10% off).

[mnementh]

Does it have any arb functionality, or such that can be "hacked"...?

mnem
*on-topic*

[bitseeker]

It can be hacked to two channels and I think the full frequency and functionality of the 900 series. Yes, it does arb, too. It's just some mighty funky lookin' TE.

Looks like at least to a DG952, per this thread: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-rigol-16-bit-function-generators-dg800900-series/msg2428524/#msg2428524

The hack may be closed on the latest firmware, so if you get one, don't update.

[Saskia]

I'll skip on the Rigols, I got that GW Instek AFG2225 for about 70 EU-Rubles and now have this fancy keysight gizmo in that over-the-top Windows CE implement.

[Saskia]

btw has anybody ever tested out that red pitaya gizmo ?
https://www.redpitaya.com/

if so: what is your honest opinion ?

[bitseeker]

Yeah, nice score on the Keysight, Saskia.

[mnementh]

Ooooh... shiny....



mnem
*wibble*

[bitseeker]

Fresh invitation link for TEA on Discord:

https://discord.gg/GhVwvaB

[bitseeker]

Ooooh... shiny....

mnem
*wibble*

Indeed!

[capt bullshot]

btw has anybody ever tested out that red pitaya gizmo ?
https://www.redpitaya.com/

if so: what is your honest opinion ?

Yes. Stay away from it. If you want a multi-instrument like it is supposed to be, better use an Analog Discovery. It might be useful as a Zynq dev kit, or for some SDR experiments.
The supplied apps are mediocre at best

[Cerebus]

btw has anybody ever tested out that red pitaya gizmo ?
https://www.redpitaya.com/

if so: what is your honest opinion ?

Dave did a video on it a ways back. I seem to remember he was a bit down on it, but I suggest you dig out the video and form your own opinions.

[bitseeker]

now 73.

We are getting famous!

How much of them are studying us? I imagine some customer profile marketing crap from some big TE companies....

Big TE companies are welcome to send samples my way for TEAnalysis.

[worsthorse]

It can be hacked to two channels and I think the full frequency and functionality of the 900 series. Yes, it does arb, too. It's just some mighty funky lookin' TE.

Looks like at least to a DG952, per this thread: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-rigol-16-bit-function-generators-dg800900-series/msg2428524/#msg2428524

The hack may be closed on the latest firmware, so if you get one, don't update.

That looks pretty interesting, especially for 161USD shipped...

[BU508A]

Fresh invitation link for TEA on Discord:

https://discord.gg/GhVwvaB

Ähm, now?  On Monday?
Didn't I got the memo by any chance?   

[bitseeker]

You're all terrible 

Seriously considering the FA-2 because the 5334B is too damn big. I don't have a lot of space and it eats it:

Size has been a limiting factor for me, too. That FA-2 is mighty tempting.

[worsthorse]

You're all terrible 

Seriously considering the FA-2 because the 5334B is too damn big. I don't have a lot of space and it eats it:

Size has been a limiting factor for me, too. That FA-2 is mighty tempting.

I moved the RF gear to another table... because my bench is about your size. I have to lug gear out of the furnace room when I want to use it and put it back when I am done. I feel your pain... 

[bitseeker]

HP 3410A AC Microvoltmeter teardown.

It appears this sample was built in 1978 or 79 (based on chip date codes).  Found a few weak caps, I'll likely replace all AE's.  It basically tries to work, but it has some glitches, I will go over it thoroughly and restore it to good working order, then have it takes its place on the shelf next to its matching vintage HP siblings. 

Added to the POI.

[mnementh]

FYI Arrow is having a sale on some Rigol products. The DG831 is 161$ (more than half price). Only 2 units left!

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/dg831/rigol-technologies-inc

the MSO2102A is also really cheap compared to the regular price (318$ vs 969$)

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/mso2102a/rigol-technologies-inc

Ugh! Now I have a DG831 on the way. I guess I'll be "upgrading" it in the new year. Thanks, Kosmix. Couldn't resist at that price (and I got 10% off).

Yeah, on paper the MSO2102A looks like a pretty good deal at that price, given the 2GS/S rate. I was looking at the OWON MSO7062TD ($274) and MSO7102TD ($306), but at those prices with 1GS/S rate they didn't seem like that earth-shattering of a deal.  Probably why they're still lingering. 

Oh, and would you lookit those tasty probes the MSO2102A supports...

mnem

[bitseeker]

Fresh invitation link for TEA on Discord:

https://discord.gg/GhVwvaB

Ähm, now?  On Monday?
Didn't I got the memo by any chance?   

It's just an updated link for those who didn't already get set up on the server. The previous link I posted expired.

[Specmaster]

No new toys for me to play around with over the holidays, zero news from DPD about my missing K7105 scope, it looks like it was collected from the drop off shop but never made it back to the dept for sorting  Found myself a real cracking bargain for 2 almost mint condition ex NATO Avo 8's and then the seller decided it was too much trouble to configure them for safe transit 

Then I managed to locate yet another almost mint Avo 8, seller is away till after Christmas. Found myself a reasonable TTi single Power Supply but seller has stuck a reserve on it, twice the auction ended, I was the highest bidder but the seller has I believe put a stupid high reserve on it and now relisted it again, I'm again the highest bidder but it doesn't finish till after Christmas 

So it looks like I'll be watching boring TV and socialising with the in-laws this Christmas unless a miracle happens and the K7105 turns up tomorrow, which I doubt 

[Wolfgang]

btw has anybody ever tested out that red pitaya gizmo ?
https://www.redpitaya.com/

if so: what is your honest opinion ?

Yes. Stay away from it. If you want a multi-instrument like it is supposed to be, better use an Analog Discovery. It might be useful as a Zynq dev kit, or for some SDR experiments.
The supplied apps are mediocre at best

Fully agree. These people dont know how to design proper analog stuff. SDR is usable, though, rest is toy class.

[bitseeker]

I've re-organized the thread's original post a bit, pulling together several sub-sections into the About section and adding the latest Discord invitation link to top of the TEA Around the Web list.

On the Discord server, I added a voice channel named "TEA Time" for the upcoming live voice chat/streaming/mayhem. Topics and schedule still to be worked out.

If anyone wants to suggest topics for the premiere of TEA Time, feel free. I think it'll be good to have a list to work from so we don't end up running out of things to talk about (is that even possible?) nor get stuck for too long on a single topic.