Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Neomys Sapiens]

That is obviously a very cheap try to recreate the feeling of a Babylonian data input system, where you engrave and subsequently burn clay tablets, which are then read by a image processing camera and software. I don't want to know how fervently the related user community discusses whether the 'clay sludge printing' method can stand up to the original robotic hand + stylus method for remote transmission.

[Neomys Sapiens]

@Saskia: Don't fret too much over the power supply - I'm buying T&M gear on Ebay since ~1999 and the total occurencies of such idiots is rather low, about 1% I'd say.
Is the other HP in already?

[drussell]

Speaking of character input devices, how about an excruciatingly impractical but fun example?

https://hackaday.com/2020/05/13/floppy-drive-keyboard-is-inefficient-fun/

OH!  Wow....

Now I want to build one!  It should probably be with 5¼" drives, though, for that true swappers'-elbow experience.

The younglings today don't understand what it was like to use 8" and 5¼", nay, even 3½" floppies.
They should be made to send their texts through this device!   

I'll even make a dual-bay version for double input speed for them! 
I have some external full height 5¼" SCSI enclosures I'm sure I could re-purpose one.... ha HA!   

I would use the 14" disk packs for the CDC Phoenix, but I only have 6 of those in total!   

[Saskia]

@Neomys Sapiens
I won't, I am eyeing the next one already. The 6236B is in, works fine and is spot on.

There's another small form factor HP 60V on offer right now and I am watching it.

[mansaxel]

Some people are insane.

As i tipped off upthread, there was a 427A going in the local auction house. It went for ~95 Euros. Plus shipping.  I've already got one, so I just observed.

And an Oltronix vintage PSU which was listed as untested, not even powered on, went for ~35 Euros. I was prepared, on account of it going to 70V, to chance 25€, but it went way past that. Insane.

Covid-19 must have people bored.

[Saskia]

Trashed hubby's internet terminal yesterday by mistake ...
His RockPi 4 fell off the pedestal and when trying to catch it I broke off the microSD card slot.

Now I am trying to get an ultrasmall form factor push pull microSD slot in to replace the broken part.
This will mean SMD soldering under the microscope and getting the part. Digikey has them, but fedexing a microSD slot from overseas seems to be a bit excessive.

I'll try China post ...

[duckduck]

Weapon grade keyboard.

We always called them "personal defense keyboards". Used one for years and loved it. I worked in a cube and didn't want to annoy the neighbors so I've stuck with a mushy keyboard for the past few decades. Now that I'm working from home until the USA gets vaccinated I think I'm gonna try out a cheap clicky keyboard.

[tggzzz]

The younglings today don't understand what it was like to use 8" and 5¼", nay, even 3½" floppies.
They should be made to send their texts through this device!   

Luxury.

At school there was a 5cps (or 10cps if you were lucky 10cps) 5 channel teleprinter.

Or a hand card punch machine which enabled you to send your program by snail mail to a local university. Like this, and estimate the chances of getting all 80 alphanumeric characters correct with that keyboard

[Saskia]

- .-. -.--  - ---  . -. - . .-.  - .... . ... - ..- ..-. ..-. ...- .. .- -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. .

[mnementh]

In Sweden, the parents share 18 months of paid parental leave per child. Wife took the first 12 and I finished off with 6, for both. During that time, it was no big problem, except from running laundry twice a day. Once both were in daycare, it got a bit more complicated. Soooo happy that we're through that and "taking children for a walk" means no stroller but instead carrying a power brick so the Pokemon can be caught.

That's right... just rub our mere mortal noses in it... 

I have no idea what you're talking aboot... Poh-keee-monng..?

mnem

[Cerebus]

- .-. -.--  - ---  . -. - . .-.  - .... . ... - ..- ..-. ..-. ...- .. .- -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. .

[Saskia]

tschiiiilllp

[drussell]

- .-. -.--  - ---  . -. - . .-.  - .... . ... - ..- ..-. ..-. ...- .. .- -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. .

It would probably be easier to enter via most methods of entering Morse code, even without a speed key or anything, even a 0/1 toggle and a <SEND> would be easier than floppy-disk-entry magnetic-keyboard.

The floppy drive version would be way worse than THIS thing:

https://www.amazon.ca/Leapfrog-Fridge-Phonics-Magnetic-English/dp/B00JLHVX36

...although it probably wouldn't sing the little letter songs...

[worsthorse]

* worsthorse wanders into the space and looks around...

hmmm... everything looks about the same as always. that's good. probably won't be able to catch up on twenty pages of posts, though...

* worsthorse ambles away.

[drussell]

* worsthorse wanders into the space and looks around...

hmmm... everything looks about the same as always. that's good. probably won't be able to catch up on twenty pages of posts, though...

* worsthorse ambles away.

Try reading backwards from the end until something looks vaguely familiar.... 

That's really the only way, my friend... 

[mnementh]

- .-. -.--  - ---  . -. - . .-.  - .... . ... - ..- ..-. ..-. ...- .. .- -- --- .-. ... . -.-. --- -.. .

It would probably be easier to enter via most methods of entering Morse code, even without a speed key or anything, even a 0/1 toggle and a <SEND> would be easier than floppy-disk-entry magnetic-keyboard.

The floppy drive version would be way worse than THIS thing:

https://www.amazon.ca/Leapfrog-Fridge-Phonics-Magnetic-English/dp/B00JLHVX36

...although it probably wouldn't sing the little letter songs...

My daughter used to beat the ever-loving SHIT out of her brother with those letters. One in each hand, smash 'em together like cymbals on his face & extremities... 

*mnemories*

[mnementh]

The younglings today don't understand what it was like to use 8" and 5¼", nay, even 3½" floppies.
They should be made to send their texts through this device!   

Luxury.   At school there was a 5cps (or 10cps if you were lucky 10cps) 5 channel teleprinter.  Or a hand card punch machine which enabled you to send your program by snail mail to a local university. Like this, and estimate the chances of getting all 80 alphanumeric characters correct with that keyboard

Yeah, I think I saw one of those in here:           
 
mnem
 

[mansaxel]

That's right... just rub our mere mortal noses in it... 

I have no idea what you're talking aboot... Poh-keee-monng..?

I was born into this un-suck and did not need escaping to it. *rubity*

I have no idea aboot that Pokemon stuff, other than it apparently consumes insane amounts of phone battery. My phone can live for two full days on a charge if I'm careful, but the young'uns get a beep beep warning as soon as they go out the door.

Non-contextual comic:

[mnementh]

Can't wait 'til my son's old enough... 

mnem
"Parenthood: Like being pecked to death by a duck."

[Neomys Sapiens]

Dang! I saw a Keysight 34970 on Ebay for 190.-€. It was gone while I was looking for cards. Hmpf.

[bitseeker]

AA leak-tube provided for scale

I like this terminology.

[bitseeker]

Packing is such a simple concept - why is it incomprehensible to so many?

Because common sense is incorrectly named?

[bitseeker]

* worsthorse wanders into the space and looks around...

hmmm... everything looks about the same as always. that's good. probably won't be able to catch up on twenty pages of posts, though...

* worsthorse ambles away.

Try reading backwards from the end until something looks vaguely familiar.... 

That's really the only way, my friend... 

Hmm? The forum always returns me to where I last left off, even when that's 30+ pages behind.

[bitseeker]

Remember that HP 3456A that was listed for $1000? I guess the seller figured out that it might've been a bit overpriced. I got a notification today that the price was reduced to $100.

[beanflying]

Multiple pages of dribble about keyboards selling self created two legged debt and self flagellation I diagnose this. 




Get outside you lot and take in some Vitamin D and raise the heart rate and make some Endorphins