Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

I tend to agree with that, its always a comfort when you read a review or see a video of one in use. I looked around for something on the 3390B but found nothing apart from a video showing it doing an autocal - useful NOT and another showing limited measurements on one, useful - sort off but not really. In the end I just went with the company's reputation for producing good quality gear and so far not been disappointed.

Today while playing with it, I also fired up the HP1740A and ran some signals through them both in tandem and I have to say that the 1740A didn't disappoint either, although it's officially only a 100MHz scope, it displays a good steady sinewave right upto 160MHz. 

[bd139]

Have a search around for sister models of the 3390B. There was a 3394B, 3390B, 3384B and 3380B in the same series. Probably same documentation and feature set but with different options/bandwidth.

I like the 1740A scopes. Just feels nice.

Currently hunting down an HP/Agilent/Keysight E3631A as it has a serial port and I don't fancy dropping £1k for the new version of it even if it is black, sexy and has a nice colour screen on it. Also don't want to buy a Rigol DP832 if I'm honest. The UI is boiled shit.

[tggzzz]

Today while playing with it, I also fired up the HP1740A and ran some signals through them both in tandem and I have to say that the 1740A didn't disappoint either, although it's officially only a 100MHz scope, it displays a good steady sinewave right upto 160MHz. 

HP1740s are pleasant, aren't they; I feel they are underrated.

My Tek485, nominally 350MHz, displayed a sinewave and triggered on it up to >1GHz. Of course the amplitude was somewhat reduced

[bitseeker]

TEA Remission!?

After an exhaustive search for the word remission on this site, I only found a few occurrences of some beating some real and serious stuff (awesome, guys!) but nothing talking about TEA remission.

I was looking at buying some used test gear that I really didn't need for more money than I should be spending, but the deal fell through.  Telling my wife about the defeat (coincidentally the same day she gets a big bonus at work  ) she actually suggested I just buy a new one.  (yeah, I know!  But that's not the strangest part of this story)

I actually told her, "Nah, I really don't even need it and probably wouldn't even use it too much right now."  There was a moment of silence as both of us were taken back by my utterance. She didn't even respond, and I think I saw some worry in her eyes as she walked away.

Is TEA Remission real?  Or do I now have some other affliction that is merely masking my TEA symptoms?           

Probably the reason there's no talk of TEA remission is because it doesn't exist. What you're experiencing is just TEA fatigue, a temporary condition that can fool you into thinking you're in remission, only to have your TEA return just when you think you're cured.

Sorry, Bill, it's not that easy to escape. It's like Hotel California.

I've had TEA fatigue a few times. In fact, I just got over it the other day when I bought an HP 6114A precision power supply that was in need of TLC. For less than $30 with the 10-turn current pot, how could I not?

[BillB]

It’s a trap!
...
Hmmmmmm what will it really cost me? 

Yeah, I hadn't thought of that. She did seem to offer it up rather quickly.   

Probably the reason there's no talk of TEA remission is because it doesn't exist. What you're experiencing is just TEA fatigue, a temporary condition that can fool you into thinking you're in remission, only to have your TEA return just when you think you're cured.

That must be what's going on. 

[Specmaster]

It’s a trap!
...
Hmmmmmm what will it really cost me? 

Yeah, I hadn't thought of that. She did seem to offer it up rather quickly.   

Probably the reason there's no talk of TEA remission is because it doesn't exist. What you're experiencing is just TEA fatigue, a temporary condition that can fool you into thinking you're in remission, only to have your TEA return just when you think you're cured.

That must be what's going on. 

Does your wife drive your car, if so check it for new dings, might explain a lot 

[bd139]

TEA fatigue definitely exists. Been there.

It occurs at these points for me:

1. When all your scopes are broken, again.
2. When you've applied the third sticky plaster after something has drawn blood.
3. When you nearly get shot in the face by a cap.
4. When you've got so many cardboard boxes and packaging floating around from deliveries that you can't actually move.
5. When your wife gives you "the look" after something explodes on the dining table.
6. When you find someone else has been at what you've just bought and used a pozidrive on the all the philips screws and buggered them.
7. When you bang your head on the desk after something fell out of the scope you are working on and you go and fetch it.
8. When you find that the one critical page you want in the service manual you downloaded is more pixelated than some Japanese genitals.

[BillB]

Does your wife drive your car, if so check it for new dings, might explain a lot 

Well she did mention this evening that she's already earmarked her bonus for saving up for some piece of jewelry. 

Seriously though, I can't complain.  We're co-enablers for each others addictions... 

That's probably not good thing.   

[Specmaster]

TEA fatigue definitely exists. Been there.

It occurs at these points for me:

1. When all your scopes are broken, again.
2. When you've applied the third sticky plaster after something has drawn blood.
3. When you nearly get shot in the face by a cap.
4. When you've got so many cardboard boxes and packaging floating around from deliveries that you can't actually move.
5. When your wife gives you "the look" after something explodes on the dining table.
6. When you find someone else has been at what you've just bought and used a pozidrive on the all the philips screws and buggered them.
7. When you bang your head on the desk after something fell out of the scope you are working on and you go and fetch it.
8. When you find that the one critical page you want in the service manual you downloaded is more pixelated than some Japanese genitals.

Item 8 explains a lot about your viewing habits 

[Specmaster]

Have a search around for sister models of the 3390B. There was a 3394B, 3390B, 3384B and 3380B in the same series. Probably same documentation and feature set but with different options/bandwidth.

Yeah, I'm going to do that later, currently I'm working my way through the users manual which gives a tutorial on how to use it, hell I never knew that you can so much with digital processing, this thing is so amazing, it can even store several user defined setups and can also make digital mode almost look as if its in analogue mode with traces that are so noise free its almost impossible to tell them apart.

Maybe one of these scopes could be the solution to your on/off relationship with your Rigol scope and 465's, both in the same unit and from what I've seen with regard to the traces on a Rigol, it would be a far superior setup at reduced cost?

[bitseeker]

TEA fatigue definitely exists. Been there.

It occurs at these points for me:

1. When all your scopes are broken, again.
2. When you've applied the third sticky plaster after something has drawn blood.
3. When you nearly get shot in the face by a cap.
4. When you've got so many cardboard boxes and packaging floating around from deliveries that you can't actually move.
5. When your wife gives you "the look" after something explodes on the dining table.
6. When you find someone else has been at what you've just bought and used a pozidrive on the all the philips screws and buggered them.
7. When you bang your head on the desk after something fell out of the scope you are working on and you go and fetch it.
8. When you find that the one critical page you want in the service manual you downloaded is more pixelated than some Japanese genitals.

And of course,

9. When everyone on (insert favorite auction site here) overbids on every piece of gear you've had on your watch list for the last 10 days.
10. When all the equipment you want on (auction site of choice) has exorbitant listing and/or shipping prices.
11. There's nothing good on (that auction site) for the past x months.

[Specmaster]

TEA fatigue definitely exists. Been there.

It occurs at these points for me:

1. When all your scopes are broken, again.
2. When you've applied the third sticky plaster after something has drawn blood.
3. When you nearly get shot in the face by a cap.
4. When you've got so many cardboard boxes and packaging floating around from deliveries that you can't actually move.
5. When your wife gives you "the look" after something explodes on the dining table.
6. When you find someone else has been at what you've just bought and used a pozidrive on the all the philips screws and buggered them.
7. When you bang your head on the desk after something fell out of the scope you are working on and you go and fetch it.
8. When you find that the one critical page you want in the service manual you downloaded is more pixelated than some Japanese genitals.

And of course,

9. When everyone on (insert favorite auction site here) overbids on every piece of gear you've had on your watch list for the last 10 days.
10. When all the equipment you want on (auction site of choice) has exorbitant listing and/or shipping prices.
11. There's nothing good on (that auction site) for the past x months.

Well those last 3 additions sum up Ebay perfectly for the last 5 months since Christmas its been pants 

[Brumby]

TEA Remission!?

After an exhaustive search for the word remission on this site, I only found a few occurrences of some beating some real and serious stuff (awesome, guys!) but nothing talking about TEA remission.

I was looking at buying some used test gear that I really didn't need for more money than I should be spending, but the deal fell through.  Telling my wife about the defeat (coincidentally the same day she gets a big bonus at work  ) she actually suggested I just buy a new one.  (yeah, I know!  But that's not the strangest part of this story)

I actually told her, "Nah, I really don't even need it and probably wouldn't even use it too much right now."  There was a moment of silence as both of us were taken back by my utterance. She didn't even respond, and I think I saw some worry in her eyes as she walked away.

Is TEA Remission real?  Or do I now have some other affliction that is merely masking my TEA symptoms?           

When I first began reading that, I started having a panic attack and soon felt a bit nauseous.

Probably the reason there's no talk of TEA remission is because it doesn't exist. What you're experiencing is just TEA fatigue, a temporary condition that can fool you into thinking you're in remission, only to have your TEA return just when you think you're cured.

Sorry, Bill, it's not that easy to escape. It's like Hotel California.

I've had TEA fatigue a few times. In fact, I just got over it the other day when I bought an HP 6114A precision power supply that was in need of TLC. For less than $30 with the 10-turn current pot, how could I not?

I'm glad of bitseeker's clarification.  Feeling better - but still a bit "off".  Need to buy something.....

[bitseeker]

Need to buy something.....

Spoken like a true addict.

[Berni]

Yep havent found any good bargins on ebay lately.

Last week i was so close to scoring a nice Tek signal generator but i got my snipe bid beat out by a single bid increment.

[bd139]

It certainly has been a bit pants. I nailed a power supply however and am camping a couple of dumbass sellers at the moment. Might be fruitful.

Best time from experience is August to November. Think people are shifting crap to make some Christmas money.

[bitseeker]

Last week i was so close to scoring a nice Tek signal generator but i got my snipe bid beat out by a single bid increment.

If it's any consolation, when you come in second, you always lose by up to one bid increment. eBay won't auto bid higher than that. You don't know how much the winner's bid amount was, only that it was more than yours.

For example, if the bid increment is $1 and your maximum bid is $10, whether the winner bids $11 or $123456, the closing value will be $11, just enough to outbid yours.

[tggzzz]

Last week i was so close to scoring a nice Tek signal generator but i got my snipe bid beat out by a single bid increment.

In auctions the price isn't determined by the highest bidder: it is determined by the second highest bidder.

Corollary: given 0,1,many buyers, the worst case for a seller is 1 buyer.

[Berni]

Yeah i know but on this item where there was around 10 people bidding on it. So just one guy out all of them had deeper pockets then me. Usually on such popular bidding items the price just ends up going past what i want to pay.

[Specmaster]

It certainly has been a bit pants. I nailed a power supply however and am camping a couple of dumbass sellers at the moment. Might be fruitful.

Best time from experience is August to November. Think people are shifting crap to make some Christmas money.

I can't argue with that logic except I'd add in early December as well.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[bd139]

Yeah i know but on this item where there was around 10 people bidding on it. So just one guy out all of them had deeper pockets then me. Usually on such popular bidding items the price just ends up going past what i want to pay.

That’s one reason I used to like yahoo auctions. It wasn’t very popular. I’d buy stuff on yahoo and sell it on eBay instantly for a markup 

[Specmaster]

Yeah i know but on this item where there was around 10 people bidding on it. So just one guy out all of them had deeper pockets then me. Usually on such popular bidding items the price just ends up going past what i want to pay.

Maybe, then if it always happens your bidding maximum might be set to low. Next time bid what you would normally and then add on a tiny bit extra as a contingency plan if you need it. You might find you start winning. If you don't win then have knowledge that you cost the other bidder I bit more money than if you hadn't increased your maximum bid.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[bitseeker]

Usually on such popular bidding items the price just ends up going past what i want to pay.

I see. Coming in second was the issue. Better to be first or way behind the pack. Fair enough.

[bitseeker]

If you don't win then have knowledge that you cost the other bidder I bit more money than if you hadn't increased your maximum bid.

There is some entertainment in that, too.

[Specmaster]

Yeah i know but on this item where there was around 10 people bidding on it. So just one guy out all of them had deeper pockets then me. Usually on such popular bidding items the price just ends up going past what i want to pay.

That’s one reason I used to like yahoo auctions. It wasn’t very popular. I’d buy stuff on yahoo and sell it on eBay instantly for a markup 

Yahoo, didn't Ebay buy their Auction side?

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]