Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[xrunner]

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 stack of manuals that come with any TEA-compliant item should, when laying flat next to the TEA-unit, try to reach or exceed the same vertical dimension of the unit they support (excluding feet) .

Bonus TEA-points if they are 2X the height.

 

[grizewald]

Understandable, but some forms of programming are more interesting than others. Personally I like close-to-the-Si stuff with hard realtime constraints and without an OS in the way.

I used to do lots of embedded stuff many years ago and I like it just as much as you do. Just using my brain, a C compiler and some bare metal is uniquely satisfying.

Definitely complain to the seller.

I suspect you might also need a cable. Now you can get displays on fleabay, but the connector is stunningly expensive: £45 each with a minimum order of £150m IIRC https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/group-buy-fischer-connector-plug-s104-a053-130/msg1538426/#msg1538426. And then you would like PTFE cables and good banana/spade connectors. And then you will need a sufficiently accurate 10V source and resistors to calibrate it. At which point you will be be descending into the depths of voltnuttery.

Other bits are more difficult, however it may be your lucky day... I'm currently fiddling around with two 7075s and expect to have bits available, probably after Christmas. I was planning on keeping the display and repurposing it for something, since I just can't bear the thought of the Panaplex displays being unused. However, if you would use it...

They are rather nice displays...

My cable has Fischer connector but not the same as on your 7075: the pin arrangement is different. I also have the matching front-panel connector, so itshould be easy to replace the socket in the front panel with the socket from my 7075.


And yes, I expect to have other bits you might like: top and bottom covers, the orange plastic window, bezels around the switches, and other bits from the carcass

Oh yes, welcome. It sounds like you are already fitting in just nicely.

I had seen the various discussions about the unobtanium Fischer connectors. I found a company in Denmark which stocks them, but apart from an auto-reply, they haven't responded to my request. So, I had a browse around on mouser and found a plug and socket from Lemo which would be a perfect replacement for the original Fischer parts. They are just as expensive (94 Euro) for the plug, connector and strain relief, but are at least in stock and would be in my hand within days at zero cost for shipping.

If you do have anything left over after your current repair, please let me know! It's very kind of you to think of a newcomer like this. I'm sure I can manage to make one working 7075 out of mine and what you have left over.

The display on mine had a big area of old glue from some tape right over the digits on the display window, but fortunately, it cleaned up perfectly with some pure benzene. I am missing a couple of switch bezels though and some spares would save me from having to design and 3D-print an entire set of replacements.

[Mr. Scram]

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.

That thing has severe structural damage and isn't operable. Even a "for parts or repair" label without pictures or an additional description what's broken would seem dishonest.

[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.

That thing has severe structural damage and isn't operable. Even a "for parts or repair" label without pictures or an additional description on what's broken would seem dishonest.

Agreed.

I still want to give the seller a chance to offer a satisfactory compromise though. There's no point going straight to eBay without giving him a chance first, otherwise it makes me look like a con artist.

[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, 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.

   It has two  calc apps actually... the plain-jane 4-banger that came with Windoze CE, and the HP OmniSolve app that has multiple modes seen here. The feel of the business modes is much like like the old PeachTree suite; a spartan high-contrast and utilitarian interface reminiscent of Windoze 3.1 and CE itself.

@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. 

Fuck... I had one of the FedUPS Lixx powered Zebra thermal printers with IR interface for years... finally gave up and sent it off to the goodwill a few weeks ago, as I just KNEW I'd never find any software that could connect to it.

   I still have one of the Symbol PPT 2800 Win CE powered PDAs buried here somewhere... I used to dig it out when I needed to do some eBay to validate my home-printed barcodes before I shipped.

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.

I know, right? It's like nobody even knows what the word "cribbing" means anymore...   

mnem
"When all you have in your toolbox is a hammer..."

[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. 

Adverts? What are they?

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

I actually have UBlock Origin and Privacy Badger installed but somehow their ad got through.  Maybe it was something hosted on their own server...

[Specmaster]

Finally got to the CD drive on the Aiwa system on the bench, quick question for you all, I did see the answer once but google fuh is letting me down today, does anyone  know the location of track 1 on a audio cd, is it the outermost or the innermost track please?

[tggzzz]

Understandable, but some forms of programming are more interesting than others. Personally I like close-to-the-Si stuff with hard realtime constraints and without an OS in the way.

I used to do lots of embedded stuff many years ago and I like it just as much as you do. Just using my brain, a C compiler and some bare metal is uniquely satisfying.

My preference is for xC on the XMOS xCORE processors: they are the modern incarnation of Occam/Transputers (up to 32 cores and 4000MIPS), with "fpga-like" IO and an IDE that guarantees cycle-accurate timings. Yes, you can capture 100Mb/s ethernet serial data lines in software

I had seen the various discussions about the unobtanium Fischer connectors. I found a company in Denmark which stocks them, but apart from an auto-reply, they haven't responded to my request. So, I had a browse around on mouser and found a plug and socket from Lemo which would be a perfect replacement for the original Fischer parts. They are just as expensive (94 Euro) for the plug, connector and strain relief, but are at least in stock and would be in my hand within days at zero cost for shipping.

If you do have anything left over after your current repair, please let me know! It's very kind of you to think of a newcomer like this. I'm sure I can manage to make one working 7075 out of mine and what you have left over.

The display on mine had a big area of old glue from some tape right over the digits on the display window, but fortunately, it cleaned up perfectly with some pure benzene. I am missing a couple of switch bezels though and some spares would save me from having to design and 3D-print an entire set of replacements.

I'm sure I will have bits left over. I mentioned those specific bits since it looked like you would need them

Bits not available will be:

• the plastic carcass; I've already reclaimed that room in my house
• the analogue boards 5 and 6; faulty and I've stripped the interesting components
• the board 4 with the switches on them; an RAF jackass had built a custom hardwood box with a support that broke the stem of the "local" switch

My cable/connector comes with the wires attached, so it ought to be easy to attach it to the PCB 5. However on my PCB 5 the pop-on connectors were soldered in place, so I simply snipped the wires at that point. Hence they would need to be soldered on and will be ~5mm shorter than before; I expect there's enough slack to stretch them.

The reason "my" connector is available is odd. It came with my first 7075. When I got the next pair I was assuming that I would simply use that cable with them. But my new pair had the same cable as yours and as my 7081. I haven't seen any other 7075 with "my" cable and it didn't look bodged in. I'm not unhappy, since I can use my new cables (when I get around to fabricating the second) with both the 7075s and the 7081.

[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

I actually have UBlock Origin and Privacy Badger installed but somehow their ad got through.  Maybe it was something hosted on their own server...

I've got Privacy Badger and Facebook Disconnect as well, but haven't looked at UBlock Origin. Noscript is great at letting you see how many different companies are trying to track you.

Memo to self: create a Firefox "Tinfoil Hat" plugin. Functionality: nothing, except a soothing pulsating icon.

[bd139]

ublock origin is the only thing I use.

If I'm really being paranoid I use curl 

[Kosmic]

But I'm not sure about this one. I probably should return it out of principle. But the shunt resistors measure good and look fine (not fried). The switches should clean up and operate well thereafter. The rest of the enclosure is in good condition. I'm inclined to keep it and post neutral feedback since it was packed well and the seller's response was prompt. But finding a replacement foot for these ancient things is going to be a long journey.

In the meantime, I suppose I could move that goofball foot to the rear. Out of site, out of mind?

I'm a bit late and you probably decided already but I think you should keep it. Personally the feet, I don't care too much as long as the casing itself is in good shape.

[med6753]

Finally got to the CD drive on the Aiwa system on the bench, quick question for you all, I did see the answer once but google fuh is letting me down today, does anyone  know the location of track 1 on a audio cd, is it the outermost or the innermost track please?

As I recall innermost track is track 1 and it goes outward to the end.

[Kosmic]

Talking about returning item to ebay seller, I had to do it too last week.

I was shopping for a null meter and found a cheap Fluke 845AB. Was sold as "used" and the description was saying "working and in good shape". I received the device. Physically it was not bad but it was dead and a lot of screws were missing all around. Someone probably tried to fix it and openned it to look around.

So I wanted to contact the seller first but the ebay web site pointed me directly to open a case and ask for a return. Immediately after I opened the case the return was accepted by the seller (accepted automatically ?). I received a message from ebay telling me that I should receive a return shipping label in 1 to 2 business day. After waiting for 2 days it look like I was automatically refunded. I never received any shipping label nor any message from the seller.

So in my case it was a happy ending. Look like I got a broken Fluke 845AB for free 

[Specmaster]

Finally got to the CD drive on the Aiwa system on the bench, quick question for you all, I did see the answer once but google fuh is letting me down today, does anyone  know the location of track 1 on a audio cd, is it the outermost or the innermost track please?

As I recall innermost track is track 1 and it goes outward to the end.

You are correct and that is where the player is struggling to play track 1, track 2 plays but the slightest touch on the unit and it skips like a bastard, tracks 3 and higher, no problems. Mechanism looks to be nice and clean, no sign dried grease, dust or fluff on the gear wheels etc 

I'll pull it out again and perhaps try a small amount of lube in that area where the head has to be tracks 1 and 2 and see if that help? Cant be much because if I lean the unit to the left or right by a few degrees it plays just fine?

[xrunner]

Talking about returning item to ebay seller, I had to do it too last week.

I was shopping for a null meter and found a cheap Fluke 845AB. Was sold as "used" and the description was saying "working and in good shape". I received the device. Physically it was not bad but it was dead and a lot of screws were missing all around. Someone probably tried to fix it and openned it to look around.

Man, I don't buy unless I see pics of ALL sides of the thing. If I don't - I don't buy. If I really want it bad I'll ask to please take all the pics, or I won't consider it.

[Kosmic]

Man, I don't buy unless I see pics of ALL sides of the thing. If I don't - I don't buy. If I really want it bad I'll ask to please take all the pics, or I won't consider it.

Yes there a lot a of marginally honest seller on ebay. Also I noticed after that the guy ony had 40 feedbacks on his account. I guess I'm getting careless since I had only few problems and they were all solved by ebay quickly.

[med6753]

Finally got to the CD drive on the Aiwa system on the bench, quick question for you all, I did see the answer once but google fuh is letting me down today, does anyone  know the location of track 1 on a audio cd, is it the outermost or the innermost track please?

As I recall innermost track is track 1 and it goes outward to the end.

You are correct and that is where the player is struggling to play track 1, track 2 plays but the slightest touch on the unit and it skips like a bastard, tracks 3 and higher, no problems. Mechanism looks to be nice and clean, no sign dried grease, dust or fluff on the gear wheels etc 

I'll pull it out again and perhaps try a small amount of lube in that area where the head has to be tracks 1 and 2 and see if that help? Cant be much because if I lean the unit to the left or right by a few degrees it plays just fine?

Sounds like an alignment issue. In my experience trying to align a CD player without proper equipment usually results in frustration but if you are real careful and just bump the alignments you may get lucky.

[Specmaster]

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.

That thing has severe structural damage and isn't operable. Even a "for parts or repair" label without pictures or an additional description on what's broken would seem dishonest.

Agreed.

I still want to give the seller a chance to offer a satisfactory compromise though. There's no point going straight to eBay without giving him a chance first, otherwise it makes me look like a con artist.

Totally agree with you, I'd be mad as hell if someone went straight to Ebay first when I selling. I have in the past referred a buyer to Ebay when I was convinced that they were conning me, they left me positive feedback for excellent packaging and then a couple days later raised a claim directly with me for £10 with a photo showing the damage to the casing. Positive feedback and athen a claim for self inflicted damage, I don't think so.

[mnementh]

Finally got to the CD drive on the Aiwa system on the bench, quick question for you all, I did see the answer once but google fuh is letting me down today, does anyone  know the location of track 1 on a audio cd, is it the outermost or the innermost track please?

As I recall innermost track is track 1 and it goes outward to the end.

Innermost track is media descriptor and FAT, then audio tracks moving outward. You can see this yourself, as the disc will spin slower as you advance tracks.

Be mindful that many of the audio-only CD mechanisms are very sensitive to ambient light, particularly fluorescent or LED. You can make them so they never initialize just by taking the lid off the unit. Note that "sector zero" is actually so close to the hub that it never has anything printed on the back side to block ambient light; this can make it have trouble initializing, but once the head moves to where there is printing blocking ambient light, it has no trouble reading.

Finally got to the CD drive on the Aiwa system on the bench, quick question for you all, I did see the answer once but google fuh is letting me down today, does anyone  know the location of track 1 on a audio cd, is it the outermost or the innermost track please?

As I recall innermost track is track 1 and it goes outward to the end.

You are correct and that is where the player is struggling to play track 1, track 2 plays but the slightest touch on the unit and it skips like a bastard, tracks 3 and higher, no problems. Mechanism looks to be nice and clean, no sign dried grease, dust or fluff on the gear wheels etc 

I'll pull it out again and perhaps try a small amount of lube in that area where the head has to be tracks 1 and 2 and see if that help? Cant be much because if I lean the unit to the left or right by a few degrees it plays just fine?

Take a look at the rack & pinion that moves the head, and at the intermediary gears in the reader with a bright flashlight and magnifier. Sometimes there is just a single grain of sand that makes it bind up. The rack gear will have a spring-loaded backlash mechanism; make sure it has no more than one tooth or two of preload, and that it moves smoothly.

Rarely, but sometimes, audio player readers will have a leadscrew mechanism instead of a rack/pinion. Same story as far as looking for grit. If the drive for either type has a belt, remove it and look for it being gummy, hard, or deformed into an egg shape.

As your unit appears to be angle/shock sensitive, odds are one or more of the rubber isolation bobbins has hardened, cracked out, or compressed to the point it is useless. Disassemble the big flat-headed screws that hold the reader to the elevator mechanism and inspect to see if any are bottoming out when in the normal play-mode orientation.

Removing the assembly will also allow you to inspect the head drive mechanism more carefully.

Good hunting!

Talking about returning item to ebay seller, I had to do it too last week.

I was shopping for a null meter and found a cheap Fluke 845AB. Was sold as "used" and the description was saying "working and in good shape". I received the device. Physically it was not bad but it was dead and a lot of screws were missing all around. Someone probably tried to fix it and openned it to look around.

Man, I don't buy unless I see pics of ALL sides of the thing. If I don't - I don't buy. If I really want it bad I'll ask to please take all the pics, or I won't consider it.

fleaBay 101: Adventures in TE Shopping

mnem
*Back to the salt mines*

[Carl_Smith]

Totally agree with you, I'd be mad as hell if someone went straight to Ebay first when I selling.

If someone is unfamiliar with eBay they can end up opening a case without intending it.  I once bought a pair of sunglasses and received the wrong item.  Seller just grabbed the wrong ones -- ones that had a very similar part number.

I went to eBay just to let him know what happened.  I figured that since he was selling them for something like $8 with free shipping, the glasses couldn't have cost him more than a couple dollars, and he might just say never mind sending back the wrong ones, it's not work the shipping cost, I'll just send the right ones.

But when I went to send him a message eBay asked why I wanted to contact the seller.  I thought I'd be helpful and click the box that said "Item not as described."  It immediately kicked me into a return case and I had no way to get out of it or cancel it or even contact the seller outside of the return case anymore.  I ended up having to ship them back at his cost and wait for him to get them and send the correct ones.

So don't be "helpful" and check any of the reasons.  Just click the one that says something like "I have a question about the item."

[Kosmic]

But when I went to send him a message eBay asked why I wanted to contact the seller.  I thought I'd be helpful and click the box that said "Item not as described."  It immediately kicked me into a return case and I had no way to get out of it or cancel it or even contact the seller outside of the return case anymore.  I ended up having to ship them back at his cost and wait for him to get them and send the correct ones.

Yeah same thing happen to me. It's almost has ebay don't want the seller to directly talk to the client other than in their case resolution system.

[mnementh]

Okay... looks like my Jornada 540 has decided to go finicky... I don't have time for this bunk, so it needs to go to someone who wants one in their collection.  Issue does appear to be pressure-sensitive, so hopefully a FPC header or connector that needs to be cleaned. Same as the Tek 454; free to a good home, I can even help with shipping. I just wanna keep 'em out of the landfill. PM me.

mnem
*Back to the hole I'm digging myself into*

[Brumby]

But when I went to send him a message eBay asked why I wanted to contact the seller.  I thought I'd be helpful and click the box that said "Item not as described."  It immediately kicked me into a return case and I had no way to get out of it or cancel it or even contact the seller outside of the return case anymore.  I ended up having to ship them back at his cost and wait for him to get them and send the correct ones.

Yeah same thing happen to me. It's almost has ebay don't want the seller to directly talk to the client other than in their case resolution system.

EBay is very aware of the fact that it is the buyers who have the cash and they are extremely mobile with it.  They want to ensure the buyer has the least amount of stuffing around in getting a problem resolved, so eBay directs their efforts down the shortest possible path - whether you want to be that hard-nosed or not.  You have to actively seek out the less aggressive path.

[Brumby]

Finally got to the CD drive on the Aiwa system on the bench, quick question for you all, I did see the answer once but google fuh is letting me down today, does anyone  know the location of track 1 on a audio cd, is it the outermost or the innermost track please?

As I recall innermost track is track 1 and it goes outward to the end.

I always remember it by the fact that both the standard and mini CDs start at the same point.

[Brumby]

I know, right? It's like nobody even knows what the word "cribbing" means anymore...   

"A self-injurious tendency of certain horses to swallow air while slobbering and biting onto objects in and about their enclosure; cribbing and windsucking are regarded as equine forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder."

 




This might answer some questions, though.