Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Buzz39]

I put in a lot of hours using the Tektronix 454 scope as an IBM Customer Engineer servicing IBM  System 360 mainframes and associated equipment. When IBM came out with the System 360 series of computers, the Tektronix 310A scopes (single channel) were not fast enough to scope the signals in the 360 equipment. They went to Tektronix with a set of  specifications for a scope (had to be small and portable, SS no tube stuff)   and that is how the 454 came about. There was a rumor that some IBM engineers even designed some of the  circuits in conjunction with the engineers at Tektronix but not sure if that is true. I saw someone mention how the scope was built like a tank.  It had to be pretty rugged because every account Customer Engineer who had a System 360 account was given a 454 as part of their "tool kit" which meant these things would be bounced around in the trunks of cars and could experience some rather rough handling. I just acquired a 454 that has some vertical problems and one of the output transistors on the vertical output board is defective. Since the parts list in the manual only list  transistors by a Tektronix number, does anyone know of a cross reference to the manufacture transistor type or know what the  vertical output transistor type is?

Bill Harris
Colorado

[neo]

Hey! I resemble that remark!!! 

While I may be a bit loquacious and prone to alliteration, obfuscation, aberrant mellifluousness,  and generally disruptive verbocity, and occasionally I may even pontificate, I pride myself on being at least marginally mondaine, with a predominately positive disposition!

mnem
I may be a dwagon, but I don't bite; at least not without permission. 

I understood that rant, all i have to say is; damn i have a big vocabulary.

[Brumby]

I sense the possible use of a thesaurus on the workbench - for propping up test gear to get better angles on the front panel and/or display (of course).

[Housedad]

I sense the possible use of a thesaurus on the workbench - for propping up test gear to get better angles on the front panel and/or display (of course).

I always thought that was what the Complete Works of Shakespeare was for.

[tautech]

I put in a lot of hours using the Tektronix 454 scope as an IBM Customer Engineer servicing IBM  System 360 mainframes and associated equipment. When IBM came out with the System 360 series of computers, the Tektronix 310A scopes (single channel) were not fast enough to scope the signals in the 360 equipment. They went to Tektronix with a set of  specifications for a scope (had to be small and portable, SS no tube stuff)   and that is how the 454 came about. There was a rumor that some IBM engineers even designed some of the  circuits in conjunction with the engineers at Tektronix but not sure if that is true. I saw someone mention how the scope was built like a tank.  It had to be pretty rugged because every account Customer Engineer who had a System 360 account was given a 454 as part of their "tool kit" which meant these things would be bounced around in the trunks of cars and could experience some rather rough handling. I just acquired a 454 that has some vertical problems and one of the output transistors on the vertical output board is defective. Since the parts list in the manual only list  transistors by a Tektronix number, does anyone know of a cross reference to the manufacture transistor type or know what the  vertical output transistor type is?

Bill Harris
Colorado

Welcome aboard Bill.

Check the Sphere Tek parts website and there are cross reference resources there. One takes a bit to find and they ask that it not be linked as it's 22 MB. Yell if you can't find them and I'll did out the right page. 

[Carl_Smith]

Hey! I resemble that remark!!! 

While I may be a bit loquacious and prone to alliteration, obfuscation, aberrant mellifluousness,  and generally disruptive verbocity, and occasionally I may even pontificate, I pride myself on being at least marginally mondaine, with a predominately positive disposition!

mnem
I may be a dwagon, but I don't bite; at least not without permission. 

I Googled "mondaine" and the first thing I got was a page of results about a watch company.  So I went to an online dictionary to get a real definition and got this:

mondaine
noun

1.    a woman who moves in fashionable society

[bitseeker]

LOL. Check the adjective sense, Carl.

[mnementh]

Fine, fine... I didn't wanna have to do it, but y'all MADE ME drag out MY old HP calculator...  Yes, it has the 16MB RAM upgrade. And 32MB Genuine HP CF card. And the original stylus is nestled softly in its bed, and it is chugging along quite happily under its own power, completely unaware of all that has changed in the last 18 years. 

mnem
 

Wow, have not seen one of those for a while. What flavor of Windoze does it run?

I put in a lot of hours using the Tektronix 454 scope as an IBM Customer Engineer servicing IBM  System 360 mainframes and associated equipment. When IBM came out with the System 360 series of computers, the Tektronix 310A scopes (single channel) were not fast enough to scope the signals in the 360 equipment. They went to Tektronix with a set of  specifications for a scope (had to be small and portable, SS no tube stuff)   and that is how the 454 came about. There was a rumor that some IBM engineers even designed some of the  circuits in conjunction with the engineers at Tektronix but not sure if that is true. I saw someone mention how the scope was built like a tank.  It had to be pretty rugged because every account Customer Engineer who had a System 360 account was given a 454 as part of their "tool kit" which meant these things would be bounced around in the trunks of cars and could experience some rather rough handling. I just acquired a 454 that has some vertical problems and one of the output transistors on the vertical output board is defective. Since the parts list in the manual only list  transistors by a Tektronix number, does anyone know of a cross reference to the manufacture transistor type or know what the  vertical output transistor type is?

Bill Harris
Colorado

I have one that works with the ubiquitous intermittent HV fault that needs a good home. Perhaps your time would be better spent there. Drop me a PM.

Alternately, I've attached a there's this .pdf of a Tek X-Ref I stumbled across some time ago; I think I found it from a link on KO4BB's archive, also a great resource for all sorts of boat anchors. And then of course, there's the BAMA archive.

Cheers,

mnem
*Just fell back onto the internet after my old '55 went blurfy*

[mnementh]

Hey! I resemble that remark!!!     While I may be a bit loquacious and prone to alliteration, obfuscation, aberrant mellifluousness,  and generally disruptive verbocity, and occasionally I may even pontificate, I pride myself on being at least marginally mondaine, with a predominately positive disposition!

mnem
I may be a dwagon, but I don't bite; at least not without permission. 

I Googled "mondaine" and the first thing I got was a page of results about a watch company.  So I went to an online dictionary to get a real definition and got this:

mondaine - noun 1.    a woman who moves in fashionable society

mondaine - adj: cosmopolitan, cultured. Synonyms: worldly, experienced, wise, urbane.  Pejorative: disillusioned, jaded, cynical.

mnem
I did say marginally so... 

[Carl_Smith]

The site I looked it up on tricked me by putting a large advertisement below the noun definition, so I never saw the adjective definition. 

[Carl_Smith]

Ooh a voyager! Nice purchase 

HP 50g until recently here as well. Got rid of that and was missing RPN
 *snip*

Thanks! Really enjoying it so far and reading through the manual to learn how to use it!

I like my 50g except that the enter key is just all wrong. It would be nearly perfect if it had a full size enter key like the 35s and pretty much any classic HP calculator. RPN has a bit of a learning curve if you've only ever used infix notation but I'll never go back. Way more keystroke efficient!

I was going to make a similar comment.  My first thought seeing the pics of the HP 35s was "Yeah! The enter key is back where it belongs."

I used an HP 48GX for several decades until one day I happened across an "hp 48gII" at a pawn shop for $40.  And yes, the name is printed in lower case like that.     The enter key is located at the bottom right.  But I put up with that until I got used to it because it has a larger better contrast screen and is much faster than the 48GX.

Anyone have any experience with the HP Prime calculator?

[Vgkid]

*snip

That unit keeps getting more impressive. Mann Componentd resistors

[Ero-Shan]

From what I understand, these displays are made from pure unobtanium. This is a real shame. Despite the damage to the meter's exterior, the circuitry (as far as I've dismantled the machine) seems to be in good nick. Even better, the chassis has a Solartron sticker saying that it was repaired and re-calibrated in 1985. Judging from the date codes on the chips that I can see, they repaired it by replacing all the boards inside the machine as most of the chips are from mid 1984, which must be around when they stopped making the 7075. The BCD interface unit which was attached to the rear has chips with date codes from '75, '76 and early '77 which lends some weight to the idea that it has a 'new' set of boards inside the machine itself.

Does anyone have any idea as to where I can find a new display? 

First off: Welcome!

These Panaplex displays were used in quite a lot of meters. Earlier this year I bought two Nordmende DIVO 3362. Thought I could use one as a donor for the other. It turned out that with both the same double-digit Panaplex was kaputt. But I found the same type in a Weston panel meter that I had laying around and took it from there.

Have some patience. Every once in a while gear with these displays turns up. Buy them all. Eventually you'll find a replacement. And as a byproduct, your collection will grow, as befits anyone taking part in this thread.

[Specmaster]

[...]      Slightly distracted first as my new toy has arrived:

   Hah! So I'm not the only "new calculator day"! So I now have three HP calculators. My trusty HP50g, a reissue HP35s just like yours, and the latest addition is one I've always wanted. A classic HP16C which arrived today:

Fine, fine... I didn't wanna have to do it, but y'all MADE ME drag out MY old HP calculator... 

Yes, it has the 16MB RAM upgrade. And 32MB Genuine HP CF card.

And the original stylus is nestled softly in its bed, and it is chugging along quite happily under its own power, completely unaware of all that has changed in the last 18 years. 

mnem
 

Wow, I think that is predominantly a PDA with a calculator programme installed. I used to have one if those but not a colour version, it might still be lurking somewhere and surface one day.

[tggzzz]

Since the parts list in the manual only list  transistors by a Tektronix number, does anyone know of a cross reference to the manufacture transistor type or know what the  vertical output transistor type is?

See the Tektronix Semiconductor Cross Reference and RAR on this page: http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/Reference_material

You'll then get sucked into the rest of the site

[tggzzz]

The site I looked it up on tricked me by putting a large advertisement below the noun definition, so I never saw the adjective definition. 

Adverts? What are they?

Adblock Plus, Ghostery, and NoScript (from least to most intrusive) are your friends

[bd139]

Ooh a voyager! Nice purchase 

HP 50g until recently here as well. Got rid of that and was missing RPN
 *snip*

Thanks! Really enjoying it so far and reading through the manual to learn how to use it!

I like my 50g except that the enter key is just all wrong. It would be nearly perfect if it had a full size enter key like the 35s and pretty much any classic HP calculator. RPN has a bit of a learning curve if you've only ever used infix notation but I'll never go back. Way more keystroke efficient!

I was going to make a similar comment.  My first thought seeing the pics of the HP 35s was "Yeah! The enter key is back where it belongs."

I used an HP 48GX for several decades until one day I happened across an "hp 48gII" at a pawn shop for $40.  And yes, the name is printed in lower case like that.     The enter key is located at the bottom right.  But I put up with that until I got used to it because it has a larger better contrast screen and is much faster than the 48GX.

Anyone have any experience with the HP Prime calculator?

Yes I have the iOS version of it. Complaints about the prime:

1. Battery vampire
2. CAS is poorly integrated
3. RPN sucks on it.
4. Programming language sucks.
5. Smudge screen.

It’s basically a 38/39/40g series on steroids. Ick.

@mnem: nice to see windows CE around. I actually wrote a massive POD system for CE back in the day used by one of our major couriers. First one of its kind world wide. Got into some patent trouble with the signature capture algorithm on that one. 

[tggzzz]

Slightly distracted first as my new toy has arrived:

I had to dig out my hp95lx from 1991. As you can see, the manual is much larger than the '95lx, and the display is very visible in full sunlight.

MSDOS 3.22, Lotus 1-2-3, an "hp19", in a palmtop with a very usable HP "calculator keyboard" (it was made in Corvallis, the calculator mob). There was nothing as good for years afterwards.

[bd139]

Ah yes. I remember those. My father had one. Very nice little machine. The built in calculator was similar to the higher end HP BASIC calculators (as used by the DWP for claim calculations!).

I miss utilitarian devices that don’t and can’t call home to their vendors and had a comprehensive manual with them!

[xrunner]

Now that's a manual! 

[bd139]

HP manuals are always pretty good even today.

The HP 50g had a quick start guide and two (!) ~1000 page manuals. For a calculator!

[GreyWoolfe]

I sense the possible use of a thesaurus on the workbench - for propping up test gear to get better angles on the front panel and/or display (of course).

I always thought that was what the Complete Works of Shakespeare was for.

Now I feel like such a pillock, I use small blocks of scrap wood from the garage.

[tggzzz]

HP manuals are always pretty good even today.

The HP 50g had a quick start guide and two (!) ~1000 page manuals. For a calculator!

The 95lx also had a quick start guide, and a guide for the connectivity pack which enabled files to be copied to/from a PC over RS232.

This morning I found I'd left 2*AA Duracell alkalines in the 95lx. Dead as a dodo, of course, but no leakage; dodged that bullet

I also replaced the cr2025 in the 1MB ram disk drive, and did the traditional "format a:".

[0culus]

Fine, fine... I didn't wanna have to do it, but y'all MADE ME drag out MY old HP calculator...  Yes, it has the 16MB RAM upgrade. And 32MB Genuine HP CF card. And the original stylus is nestled softly in its bed, and it is chugging along quite happily under its own power, completely unaware of all that has changed in the last 18 years. 

mnem
 

Wow, have not seen one of those for a while. What flavor of Windoze does it run?

I put in a lot of hours using the Tektronix 454 scope as an IBM Customer Engineer servicing IBM  System 360 mainframes and associated equipment. When IBM came out with the System 360 series of computers, the Tektronix 310A scopes (single channel) were not fast enough to scope the signals in the 360 equipment. They went to Tektronix with a set of  specifications for a scope (had to be small and portable, SS no tube stuff)   and that is how the 454 came about. There was a rumor that some IBM engineers even designed some of the  circuits in conjunction with the engineers at Tektronix but not sure if that is true. I saw someone mention how the scope was built like a tank.  It had to be pretty rugged because every account Customer Engineer who had a System 360 account was given a 454 as part of their "tool kit" which meant these things would be bounced around in the trunks of cars and could experience some rather rough handling. I just acquired a 454 that has some vertical problems and one of the output transistors on the vertical output board is defective. Since the parts list in the manual only list  transistors by a Tektronix number, does anyone know of a cross reference to the manufacture transistor type or know what the  vertical output transistor type is?

Bill Harris
Colorado

I have one that works with the ubiquitous intermittent HV fault that needs a good home. Perhaps your time would be better spent there. Drop me a PM.

Alternately, I've attached a there's this .pdf of a Tek X-Ref I stumbled across some time ago; I think I found it from a link on KO4BB's archive, also a great resource for all sorts of boat anchors. And then of course, there's the BAMA archive.

Cheers,

mnem
*Just fell back onto the internet after my old '55 went blurfy*

Windows CE, interesting. Also that's a nice old boat anchor 

[grizewald]

Many thanks to you all for the warm welcome and the sensible advice!

I'll start a gentle conversation with the seller and play it by ear. I'm glad to hear that my interpretation of what 'used' should mean is on the mark. I'll let you all know how it goes.