Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[0culus]

On another topic altogether...one of my resolutions now that I've almost finished my degree (computer science focusing on cybersecurity, MS) is to get serious about being an EE autodidact (which is partially the reason for TEA, but I also just like old boat anchors). I ended up getting AoE 3rd ed and the lab companion as a starting point. I mean it kind of was born from a "volts for dolts" course at Harvard but it's way more fun than taking formal classes and I can eventually get specific texts that do more in depth treatments of areas I'm interested in.

My undergrad is in CS and math, but damn if chapter 1.7 isn't kicking my butt. Complex analysis and differential equations was too long ago. 

Check appendix A in the book - handy refresher. There was a 20 year gap between learning it and using it here so I know how you feel. On a positive note it's less painful when you revisit it than when you first learn it.

That is definitely true. It's mainly a matter of looking it up and then I remember it. Appendix A is a good fast reference it looks like, but I really need to crack open my old DEs texts.

On another topic altogether...one of my resolutions now that I've almost finished my degree (computer science focusing on cybersecurity, MS) is to get serious about being an EE autodidact (which is partially the reason for TEA, but I also just like old boat anchors). I ended up getting AoE 3rd ed and the lab companion as a starting point. I mean it kind of was born from a "volts for dolts" course at Harvard but it's way more fun than taking formal classes and I can eventually get specific texts that do more in depth treatments of areas I'm interested in.

My undergrad is in CS and math, but damn if chapter 1.7 isn't kicking my butt. Complex analysis and differential equations was too long ago. 

Good for you. Keep at it.  A goal which will certainly benefit you. Unlike my lazy ass next door neighbor.

Haha, thanks! 

[mnementh]

On another topic altogether...one of my resolutions now that I've almost finished my degree (computer science focusing on cybersecurity, MS) is to get serious about being an EE autodidact (which is partially the reason for TEA, but I also just like old boat anchors). I ended up getting AoE 3rd ed and the lab companion as a starting point. I mean it kind of was born from a "volts for dolts" course at Harvard but it's way more fun than taking formal classes and I can eventually get specific texts that do more in depth treatments of areas I'm interested in.

My undergrad is in CS and math, but damn if chapter 1.7 isn't kicking my butt. Complex analysis and differential equations was too long ago. 

Heh... big-endian or little-endian? I loved my computer forensics class... we had a little clean-chamber for popping the hard-drives' skulls open and poking around inside their brains. (Muahahaha!!!  ) Had a hard time with the sector addressing math though. I'm totes math-defective³.    Yes, I know they don't do it that way anymore unless they absolutely have to. But it was still fun, so 

In Other News...

Found the bag with my modular power supply cables. It was right where I feared; in a bin approx 2 feet from a sleeping SWMBO's head. At 2AM.
I do believe my strategic withdrawal was definitely the smarter move. 

Currently making the ends with 4-pin Amphenols into 6-pin Amphenols so I can plug them into the 8-pin Amphenol adapter that came with the card.

mnem
"I love the smell of hot solder in the morning... smells like VICTORY!!!"   

[bd139]

Something TEA related for a change. I think I spied me some unicorn shit on eBay.  Nicely lacking listing with no attention drawn to the item’s unicorn horn either. Stay tuned. Unless someone reams me at the last second

[0culus]

On another topic altogether...one of my resolutions now that I've almost finished my degree (computer science focusing on cybersecurity, MS) is to get serious about being an EE autodidact (which is partially the reason for TEA, but I also just like old boat anchors). I ended up getting AoE 3rd ed and the lab companion as a starting point. I mean it kind of was born from a "volts for dolts" course at Harvard but it's way more fun than taking formal classes and I can eventually get specific texts that do more in depth treatments of areas I'm interested in.

My undergrad is in CS and math, but damn if chapter 1.7 isn't kicking my butt. Complex analysis and differential equations was too long ago. 

Heh... big-endian or little-endian? I loved my computer forensics class... we had a little clean-chamber for popping the hard-drives' skulls open and poking around inside their brains. (Muahahaha!!!  ) Had a hard time with the sector addressing math though. I'm totes math-defective³.    Yes, I know they don't do it that way anymore unless they absolutely have to. But it was still fun, so 

[snip]

mnem
"I love the smell of hot solder in the morning... smells like VICTORY!!!"   

Heh, mostly little-endian but occasionally big endian. Tearing things apart is fun! Additionally electronics knowledge is pretty nice to have in the security field. 

[bd139]

Talking of which, I found a web page in my travels this week with two three string parameters. First one was the COM object name. The second one was the method, the third the parameter. Ooooh bingo ..... ?a=Wscript.Shell&b=Run&c=Anything%20I%20Want  ... not only that it turned out the IIS pool was running as administrator on that box. WHYYYYYYYY

Just got outbid of a 3478A. Bit knocked up, untested past "powers up". I put £67.53 down which was enough to clean it up, fix it, pay for cal and break even. It went for £117. If anyone here bought it, you're more daring than me!

[tggzzz]

I managed to get a capacitor that had its actual value marked to 5 digits, and a resistor marked to 9 digits ±10ppm.

[tggzzz]

Just got outbid of a 3478A. Bit knocked up, untested past "powers up". I put £67.53 down which was enough to clean it up, fix it, pay for cal and break even. It went for £117. If anyone here bought it, you're more daring than me!

My problem is I only look at DMMs with 6.5 or more digits.

[bd139]

Yes like this one I forgot to bid on the other day  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183646136802

I only wanted the 3478A as I can shift one for £175 I reckon and then use that cash to buy something better

[mnementh]

Holy Fu**ing A**crackers... My smashed iPwn X sold last night for $175. To a US buyer with 100% (+) feedback over 3 years. And who paid promptly, and the money is in my PayPal (NOT PENDING) right now.

 

Okay... so I described in painstaking detail just how fucked-up this iPwn is... and stated flatly that it probably is iCloud locked.

Before I drop it in the mailbox... How can the buyer screw me on this?

SMASHED model A1865 256GB iPhone X for parts/repair. DOA, non-responsive, battery removed due to possible puncture. Clean IMEI. EVERYTHING included in phone except battery.

All internals including mainboard, jack, speakers, IR sensor, cameras front & rear appear intact. No visibly damaged connectors. All buttons have smooth, crisp feel, and entire circumference of frame appears straight and nearly pristine, aside from a few scratches by the speakers as seen in photos.

Free shipping via Priority Mail to Continental US. International shipping via eBay's Global Shipping Program at additional cost calculated during checkout.

Just to be perfectly clear:

This iPhone is smashed. It doesn't work and it doesn't have a battery. It is being sold AS-IS FOR PARTS OR REPAIR. If you bid on it, you buy it, and it is NOW YOURS. I am not accepting returns on this iPhone.

I've received several requests for the IMEI. I am not going to share that with anyone but the winning, paying bidder. This iPhone came to me DOA. Owner didn't want to pay for parts just to see if it can be resurrected and abandoned it, neither do I. I don't know whether it is iCloud locked; I assume it probably is. Bid accordingly.

I ran the IMEI on imei24's IMEI check just before I posted the listing, it's clean. They told me it is a 256GB model.

Please don't hassle me with PMs asking to run the IMEI on this or that site. I have a life. To me it's just salvageable parts for somebody who does a lot of iStuff and that is how I'm selling it, to recover something for my time.

mnem
    

[bd139]

Might be a repairer recycling it for parts. There are a lot of people out there who didn't get AppleCare with their shit so go to hooky repair shops to get them fixed. Might just be a weirdo. The dude who bought my old car which was totally fubar was super happy.

Bought some nice ceramic trimmer capacitors to cheer me up about being outbid.

Edit: NEVER hire Hermes to send anything in UK test gear wise. Check this out: https://twitter.com/Weltregierung/status/1088507627406004225

[mnementh]

Oh yeah, I considered those things. Just was wondering if anybody knew about a new scam that can outwit even the next-level paranoid ass-covering that I engaged in above after my 3rd non-paying iPwn buyer in a row. 

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

Yes like this one I forgot to bid on the other day  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183646136802

I only wanted the 3478A as I can shift one for £175 I reckon and then use that cash to buy something better

Don't worry, I was watching that one myself and the listing was taken down by the seller according to the message I got from eBay so it might reappear again soon?

You reckon £175 for a 3478A, I wonder how much a rarer 3468A in VGC might fetch?

[bd139]

Yes like this one I forgot to bid on the other day  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183646136802

I only wanted the 3478A as I can shift one for £175 I reckon and then use that cash to buy something better

Don't worry, I was watching that one myself and the listing was taken down by the seller according to the message I got from eBay so it might reappear again soon?

You reckon £175 for a 3478A, I wonder how much a rarer 3468A in VGC might fetch?

Yeah if you clean it, show it passing self test, show it next to a calibrated meter and have some patience it will go for that. 3468A less probably. The portable cases don't stack well.

Oh yeah, I considered those things. Just was wondering if anybody knew about a new scam that can outwit even the next-level paranoid ass-covering that I engaged in above after my 3rd non-paying iPwn buyer in a row. 

Reckon it'll be fine. It's difficult to claim against what you put.

I just looked up going rate for one that has, as yours has been, smashed to fuck. It's about right price. Should be fine!

Edit: some research. It's possible for an IMEI swap so someone may have a nicked working iPhone X that has carrier blacklist (this is worth nothing!). You can apparently reprogram them with a good IMEI and it'll work again. Plus the sensors / camera might be good. Hooky business the black market phone organ market

[Specmaster]

Might be a repairer recycling it for parts. There are a lot of people out there who didn't get AppleCare with their shit so go to hooky repair shops to get them fixed. Might just be a weirdo. The dude who bought my old car which was totally fubar was super happy.

Bought some nice ceramic trimmer capacitors to cheer me up about being outbid.

Edit: NEVER hire Hermes to send anything in UK test gear wise. Check this out: https://twitter.com/Weltregierung/status/1088507627406004225

He's a lazy bastard that one,  must be related to your local driver, oh and by the way, the baby that on the balcony died after some dickhead threw a boat anchor over the bleeding wall 

On a sensible note, I have successfully used them before.

[Specmaster]

Those portable cases do stack ok, here's my 3466A with heavy stereo units stacked on top, those cases are strong as hell as long as you don't try and drive nails in with em 

[Specmaster]

If anyone else here is thinking about making one of those Mr Carlson's Super Probes, you might like to hang on a bit. He is redesigning it and will be releasing details of it this year on his Patreon channel only.

[mnementh]

Reckon it'll be fine. It's difficult to claim against what you put.

I just looked up going rate for one that has, as yours has been, smashed to fuck. It's about right price. Should be fine!

Edit: some research. It's possible for an IMEI swap so someone may have a nicked working iPhone X that has carrier blacklist (this is worth nothing!). You can apparently reprogram them with a good IMEI and it'll work again. Plus the sensors / camera might be good. Hooky business the black market phone organ market

Ahhh... so I did EXACTLY as I should have; by refusing any and all requests for the IMEI, I actually made the phone itself with its non-blacklisted IMEI valuable. Fuck me! I did it right by accident for a change!

Yeah, everything but the front/rear glass/LCD appears intact. I'm sure genuine fApple parts have some value, especially if the buyer can clone the IMEI if he can't get the mainboard to respond. That stupid USB/Charging chip alone costs $10.

mnem
"The sun even shines on a dog's arse." ~ my grand-dad used to say that in situations like this. 

[0culus]

If anyone else here is thinking about making one of those Mr Carlson's Super Probes, you might like to hang on a bit. He is redesigning it and will be releasing details of it this year on his Patreon channel only.

Good to know, thanks!

[bd139]

If anyone else here is thinking about making one of those Mr Carlson's Super Probes, you might like to hang on a bit. He is redesigning it and will be releasing details of it this year on his Patreon channel only.

I'm suspicious of the utility of anything that comes from that direction. A lot of it is wank.

Reckon it'll be fine. It's difficult to claim against what you put.

I just looked up going rate for one that has, as yours has been, smashed to fuck. It's about right price. Should be fine!

Edit: some research. It's possible for an IMEI swap so someone may have a nicked working iPhone X that has carrier blacklist (this is worth nothing!). You can apparently reprogram them with a good IMEI and it'll work again. Plus the sensors / camera might be good. Hooky business the black market phone organ market

Ahhh... so I did EXACTLY as I should have; by refusing any and all requests for the IMEI, I actually made the phone itself with its non-blacklisted IMEI valuable. Fuck me! I did it right by accident for a change!

Yeah, everything but the front/rear glass/LCD appears intact. I'm sure genuine fApple parts have some value, especially if the buyer can clone the IMEI if he can't get the mainboard to respond. That stupid USB/Charging chip alone costs $10.

mnem
"The sun even shines on a dog's arse." ~ my grand-dad used to say that in situations like this. 

No accident. You've been burned as many times as everyone else has now

Genuine apple parts make a lot of money. I sold the completely fucked up screen and lid from my old MBP for £100 

[Specmaster]

If anyone else here is thinking about making one of those Mr Carlson's Super Probes, you might like to hang on a bit. He is redesigning it and will be releasing details of it this year on his Patreon channel only.

I'm suspicious of the utility of anything that comes from that direction. A lot of it is wank.

I take it from that comment then that you never watched that video I linked to? The thing actually works very well and could even be of use to you with the radio waves, seeking out the source of the noise in the circuits and not just you blowing things up 

[bd139]

But I like blowing things up 

It’s a wideband receiver disguised as an anal probe. More seriously you can trace out any of the use cases with simpler generic kit. Sit gen, diode probe, AC voltmeter and you’re sorted.

[beanflying]

Carrot and stick approach to Patreon is a bit sucky but I get it in a $ sense as it forms part of his income now. It is a shame a medium sized youtube channel can't make enough or more from add revenue to see patreon disappear up it's own clacker.

Time to break out the new HV Differential probe on the AC Calibrator and see how the waveform actually is at 1200V because I am really getting bored with one of yesterdays other arrivals. May the smoke stay on the inside

[mnementh]

Edit: NEVER hire Hermes to send anything in UK test gear wise. Check this out: https://twitter.com/Weltregierung/status/1088507627406004225

  ....

Why in the world would you do that shit? If the door's locked and nobody answers, you just mark it as "Undeliverable" and go on your way; making an Olympic event of getting it up there is just volunteering for misery. And then when the recipient doesn't find it by the door or in the foyer, guy will still get bitched out for misdelivering, because NOBODY is going to look on a 2nd floor porch.   

Guy must be high on coke. Seriously. Only thing that ever makes doing something like THAT seem like a good idea. 

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

But I like blowing things up 

It’s a wideband receiver disguised as an anal probe. More seriously you can trace out any of the use cases with simpler generic kit. Sit gen, diode probe, AC voltmeter and you’re sorted.

Anal probe  , the point is that it is contactless and is self contained meaning it is good to go in no time at all and in lots of cases no need for a sig gen either if your working on audio gear with its own source of signals, i.e. broadcast radio etc. so the DUT needs minimal tear down to get access to the components and it that is only the top component side in the case of a TH board, then thats all that is required to trace through the signal path to locate where the problem is.

[Mr. Scram]

Might be a repairer recycling it for parts. There are a lot of people out there who didn't get AppleCare with their shit so go to hooky repair shops to get them fixed. Might just be a weirdo. The dude who bought my old car which was totally fubar was super happy.

Bought some nice ceramic trimmer capacitors to cheer me up about being outbid.

Edit: NEVER hire Hermes to send anything in UK test gear wise. Check this out: https://twitter.com/Weltregierung/status/1088507627406004225

Standards for packaging often include drop heights, but usually something around 1 or 2 metres. This is a solid 5 or 6 metres, twice. No packaging is designed with this in mind and why would it? It's an idiot.