Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

Yeah, I saw that and the big box of assorted knobs, he also has a Gould scope that blatantly has the guts missing and yet he states untested, similarly with the D83, many parts are missing so it can't power up anyway.

[Cerebus]

I love books... but like all personal possessions, they're a trap.


mnem
“Moderation in all things, especially moderation.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
― William Morris

[mnementh]

 

https://www.banggood.com/promotion-ElephoneS8Smartphone-6344.html

Just thought I'd pass this along... if you're thinking of joining the "China-Direct Android Phone" explosion... this is a great price on one of the highest-rated of the lot at about half the release price 8 months ago. Crazy specs for $150. I'm seriously thinking about it, and I'm still in love with my BLU XL2.

Usual caveats re:Chinese Android security, etc. apply; while they haven't been implicated yet in any of the malware shenanigans I've heard of yet... it's probably just a matter of time.

I love books... but like all personal possessions, they're a trap.


mnem
“Moderation in all things, especially moderation.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
― William Morris

I have children. While I do believe both of them to be the most beautiful things in my life; In my heart I know them and most of the things which accompany them to be pretty much the opposite of useful. 

mnem
No further comment.

[Brumby]

Lemme know if you want a red one to demonize similarly... 

The only way I could get it past SWMBO is if was income generating.  If I were to do otherwise, I might suddenly disappear... 

I weren't planning on it costing you anything...  I was going to drop it in the post just for the sake of the joke. 

I understand that.  What I was saying is that if I put any time into tarting it up, SWMBO would be expecting me to receive some financial benefit for my efforts - and we both know that's not what this is about.
Personally, it's been a bit of fun doing what I have so far and a healthy distraction - but too many more such distractions and it will become unhealthy.  Also, while I'm OK with people sending me stuff, I don't have a need for a box full of crap meters - and I can't see me starting up a Youtube channel that would find such things entertaining.  However, if someone wants to send me something like a 34401A, I might be tempted to accept - but hacking a front panel on something like that is not a task I would undertake lightly.  Respect.

Looking at the one I've done, I think I will change a couple of the range labels.  For example 2M instead of 2000k.  Why all the zeroes?

[med6753]

This is odd. For 3 days USPS tracking sez it was waiting for the X10 attenuator to arrive at Phoenix, Arizona. Now suddenly it's in New Jersey.    Not that I'm complaining....it will be in Albany, NY tomorrow and my PO by Wednesday. I just find it weird that the tracking for 3 days was never updated.

And notice....it arrived in NJ at 5:59PM and left NJ at 6:00PM.     

[mnementh]

I weren't planning on it costing you anything...  I was going to drop it in the post just for the sake of the joke. 

I understand that.  What I was saying is that if I put any time into tarting it up, SWMBO would be expecting me to receive some financial benefit for my efforts - and we both know that's not what this is about.
Personally, it's been a bit of fun doing what I have so far and a healthy distraction - but too many more such distractions and it will become unhealthy.  Also, while I'm OK with people sending me stuff, I don't have a need for a box full of crap meters - and I can't see me starting up a Youtube channel that would find such things entertaining.  However, if someone wants to send me something like a 34401A, I might be tempted to accept - but hacking a front panel on something like that is not a task I would undertake lightly.  Respect.

Looking at the one I've done, I think I will change a couple of the range labels.  For example 2M instead of 2000k.  Why all the zeroes?

Fair enough. I understand all too well the terror of having to deal with a house full of crap one has acquired just for shits & giggles and/or "on speculation". It is a horror that I'm living on a day-to-day basis right now, even as we speak. 

Honestly; one doesn't even need to play the SWMBO card in this particular case... simple self-preservation is valid enough. *LOL*


mnem
I just bought a sapphire from Thailand. Pray for me.

[bitseeker]

Looking at the one I've done, I think I will change a couple of the range labels.  For example 2M instead of 2000k.  Why all the zeroes?

'Cuz 2000k looks a lot bigger than 2M, and bigger is better (especially when you're a freebie DMM with leftover heat shrink for a label). Nevertheless, the BRM830BY should be practical, not fauxtastic. So, +1 on the label optimization.

Same goes for:

2000mV
2000
2000µA

And while we're at it, what's with some of the maximum jack limits being suffixed with "max" and others not?

[Brumby]

Looking at the one I've done, I think I will change a couple of the range labels.  For example 2M instead of 2000k.  Why all the zeroes?

'Cuz 2000k looks a lot bigger than 2M, and bigger is better (especially when you're a freebie DMM with leftover heat shrink for a label). Nevertheless, the BRM830BY should be practical, not fauxtastic. So, +1 on the label optimization.

Same goes for:

2000mV
2000
2000µA

Already done and printed.

And while we're at it, what's with some of the maximum jack limits being suffixed with "max" and others not?

No more.  The shine has worn off this puppy.  Besides:

Already done and printed.

[bitseeker]

No worries, Brumby. Just havin' fun. So, how's it look?

[Specmaster]

This is odd. For 3 days USPS tracking sez it was waiting for the X10 attenuator to arrive at Phoenix, Arizona. Now suddenly it's in New Jersey.    Not that I'm complaining....it will be in Albany, NY tomorrow and my PO by Wednesday. I just find it weird that the tracking for 3 days was never updated.

And notice....it arrived in NJ at 5:59PM and left NJ at 6:00PM.     

That's not unusual at all, someone didn't update the computer or it wasn't scanned on departure somewhere but it was on arrival and the rest was automatically updated from there, who knows? Just keep your fingers crossed that the rest goes smoothly.

[Brumby]

No worries, Brumby. Just havin' fun. So, how's it look?

I did some prints on my colour laser and my inkjet.  Checked the scaling on the inkjet before turning on the photo quality settings and it all looked good.

The inkjet image is miles ahead of the laser - so I sat down and picked the best print, carefully cut it out by hand and cleaned up a couple of edges.  I removed the bulk of the double sided tape left on the meter case, but left enough sticky to do a fitting before sealing and securing....

but...

I found out my inkjet prints 3.6% larger in photo quality mode than it does in fast mode.

   

I have re-scaled the image and re-printed.  It is the right size now - but I don't trust myself with the scalpel right this moment.

[tggzzz]

I have children. While I do believe both of them to be the most beautiful things in my life; In my heart I know them and most of the things which accompany them to be pretty much the opposite of useful.

Wait until you get old And don't forget they will choose your nursing home

[tautech]

It is the right size now - but I don't trust myself with the scalpel right this moment.

You can jimmy up some insulation for it if the printer's to be stabbed.
Do it, you know you want to. 

[bd139]

HP 54645D arrived. Very well packaged and in excellent condition. No screen burn at all! Passed all self tests and calibration tests. Can’t find anything wrong with it. Will post some pictures later.

The thing is orders of magnitude faster than the rigol. Analogue scope sort of interface response. Had forgotten about that

So working 100Mhz megazoom MSO for £120. Win!

Dallas NVRAM probably needs swapping out though. Will do that in due course.

[bd139]

And fibre just enabled! 61 down. 20 up.

And PCBs from China arrived.

Today is happy day 

[Brumby]

The printer is safe.  I don't often do things with critical dimension requirements - and this just reinforces the challenges.

Anyway, here it is.



It's not finalised yet.  I still have to seal it and affix it to the case (it's just sitting there at the moment).

[bd139]

That actually looks pretty good. 

[Specmaster]

And fibre just enabled! 61 down. 20 up.

And PCBs from China arrived.

Today is happy day 

Good win on the HP54645D scope there, its a nice unit that. Rigol going on sale soon?

Your fibre speed is not to shabby either, its faster up then mine but slower by a mile on the download.

No the big question is what do you play with today, PCB's, scope of the fibre?

[Specmaster]

The printer is safe.  I don't often do things with critical dimension requirements - and this just reinforces the challenges.

Anyway, here it is.



It's not finalised yet.  I still have to seal it and affix it to the case (it's just sitting there at the moment).

Its looking brilliant, you would never know from that view that there was a transistor socket beneath the label, well done.

[bd139]

And fibre just enabled! 61 down. 20 up.

And PCBs from China arrived.

Today is happy day 

Good win on the HP54645D scope there, its a nice unit that. Rigol going on sale soon?

Your fibre speed is not to shabby either, its faster up then mine but slower by a mile on the download.

No the big question is what do you play with today, PCB's, scope of the fibre?

No Rigol is staying. It's still a far superior scope. It has 20 years of progress behind it. Just a lag monster. The 54645D will probably go, and for a lot more than I paid for it.

5x faster down, 15x faster up is good enough for me 

Fibre first. Doing that now. Then scope. Then PCBs. Not sure I can be arsed to populate a PCB; too hot!

[VK5RC]

The printer is safe.  I don't often do things with critical dimension requirements - and this just reinforces the challenges.

Anyway, here it is.



It's not finalised yet.  I still have to seal it and affix it to the case (it's just sitting there at the moment).

Looks great! Cra**py Meter Envy! Perhaps new abbreviation has been born CME !

[med6753]

No Rigol is staying. It's still a far superior scope. It has 20 years of progress behind it. Just a lag monster. The 54645D will probably go, and for a lot more than I paid for it.

5x faster down, 15x faster up is good enough for me 

Fibre first. Doing that now. Then scope. Then PCBs. Not sure I can be arsed to populate a PCB; too hot!

Too many toys and not enough time. 

[Specmaster]

Yep, its 26C in my box room at the moment and it stayed at 24C upstairs last night, way to hot to get a good nights sleep, keep cat napping, even now.

Looking forward to seeing the photos of the scope, will you be getting the special plug and leads to enable the other digital channels before parting company with her? Certainly would increase the value if you could?

[Brumby]

Now I'm just itching to put "TEApproved" on there!   

 

[bd139]

Yep, its 26C in my box room at the moment and it stayed at 24C upstairs last night, way to hot to get a good nights sleep, keep cat napping, even now.

Looking forward to seeing the photos of the scope, will you be getting the special plug and leads to enable the other digital channels before parting company with her? Certainly would increase the value if you could?

Yep 26 in here. Fortunately we bought oodles of CPC fans when they were cheap. Overnight it goes down to 22 which is bearable. Having lived in many cold places I prefer ambient about 17 degrees

Will post photos later. I will scout around for a cable when I can. The thing is relatively specialist as it has a twisted pair cable terminated with 16 mini 100K scope probes. I recently dug out my old z80 single board computer so will use it to debug that first as it never worked quite right. I may get attached to it yet