Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[BU508A]

Found a weird one. Spot what’s weird about this philips scope:

Prize is a picture of a gerbil.

It's a Hameg. They didn't even change the colour of the cover.

Specifically a HM205

Not exactly.
Yes, it's a Hameg.
No, it is not a 205. It is a 208.



Source (scroll down)

[25 CPS]

Found a weird one. Spot what’s weird about this philips scope:

Prize is a picture of a gerbil.

Yeah, that's no Philips, that's a rebadge job.

Well, the auction site lists it as "2 canal scope" but other than that I have no clue. 

I've never even seen a Philips scope in the flesh.

I ended up with two.  One was a writeoff from work and it's the analog scope I use the most at home.  It's an interesting machine because it's actually a floating scope.  The manual goes to some lengths to explain how the power supply is fully isolated, double insulated, and floating on the output side or fed by a DC source (i.e. run off an external battery) so the whole scope floats with a stern warning that the chassis is live with whatever voltage you apply to the BNC shields.  It's the only scope I have where you don't get any continuity if you ohm from the BNC connector shields to the ground prong on the plug.  Anyways, for that reason, this is a very useful scope to have around.  I've never done it, I don't know why people feel compelled to do it, but with this one, I could scope a wall socket without blowing anything up.

The other Philips, I bought from a friend at work who got it but never really used it.  I got this strange phone call from him one night asking if you can hook scopes up to stereo amplifiers.  I said yes, that's what scopes are made for...what's going on...turns out his brother blew up an amplifier pretty badly.  Anyways, the guy at work decided to list it on Kijiji after trying to probe the amplifier and realized he had a steep learning curve in front of him.  I ended up buying it from him for what he paid for it.  I've never done this since the other one is a purpose built floating scope so that takes care of my need for that but out of curiosity, I should ohm the BNC shields to the ground prong on the power cord on this one too and see if it's build the same way with the double insulated isolated power supply and floats or if it's a regular grounded chassis scope the way most of them are.

I don't know Philips' scope line well so I can't say how common the AC powered floating design was in their product line but as I said, that one is useful to have on hand knowing that the probe ground won't pull whatever you connect it to down to earth ground.  The inputs aren't isolated though so that does leave the one gotcha that the probe grounds are all common so you're measuring from one reference and that's reference is shared, but it's not earth ground unless you connect it to earth ground.

[Kosmic]

So guys n gals, as an enthusiast and RF noob, in order to protect my spectrum analyzer (9kHz-3Ghz) input , with just DC Block series with the manual adjustable step attenuator I just bought, and just put them permanently both, this should be enough, fine and dandy right ?   CMIIW

Especially I tend to be clumsy  when connecting RF stuffs.

Also which first ? Attenuator then DC block ? Or the other way around ?

Other than an TypeN to SMA adapter, I don't have anything permanently screwed to the input of my Spectrum Analyzer. Everything you but in between the source and the spectrum analyzer will change the signal a little bit.

Instead, I follow a strict process. Ex, before plugging something om my SA, I always validate the configuration (always check the reference level). If I expect a signal at +-10dBm, I just set the reference level accordingly. This will activate the internal attenuator and protect the mixer. If I'm unsure of the source then I add a dc block up front. If the source is higher than the SA limit, I add external attenuation.

If I have no idea what the source transmit, I hook it up to my scope first, then setup the SA accordingly.

It's all about double checking everything.

Edit: Most SA have internal limiter on the lower band to protect the mixer. So if something goes wrong you should only fry the internal attenuator.

[med6753]

Found a weird one. Spot what’s weird about this philips scope:

Prize is a picture of a gerbil.

It's a Hameg. They didn't even change the colour of the cover.

Specifically a HM205

Winner.

Have a gerbil at the local art gallery

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

[SilverSolder]

Don't knock rats - a very successful species of mammal that might outlast us!

[Kosmic]

Edit: Most SA have internal limiter on the lower band to protect the mixer. So if something goes wrong you should only fry the internal attenuator.

Pictures from a SA I fixed a while ago. Initially was completely deaf in the lower band (0-2Ghz). Look like someone connected something way more powerful than the specified maximum of 30dBm. The internal attenuator and limited were damage in the the process, but the rest of the SA was still working fine. I ultimately found some replacement parts and was able to fix it.

[bd139]

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

Yep. I had two gerbils as a kid. The mental fuckers didn't sleep and cost me two years of being awake all night every damn night. I was soooo glad when they snuffed it. I considered hurrying them along a bit on numerous occasions but decided that it'd probably make me look like a psychopath.

[mnementh]

So you grew out of caring if you looked like a psychopath then...?

mnem
 

[med6753]

And now for something different. Sony ICF-5500W three band receiver. Had gone deaf on FM and PSB bands due to issues with the band switch (black knob sticking out right side). Had to giggle and play with band switch. So.....some deoxit and definitely helped. But the real issue is that those multiple 46 year old levers are getting worn. But it at least plays consistently on all bands now. But sometimes you have to switch past then back to get absolute contact. I'm sure taking it apart will result in disaster so gonna call it good enough.

[bd139]

So you grew out of caring if you looked like a psychopath then...?

mnem
 

Correct 

[med6753]

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

Yep. I had two gerbils as a kid. The mental fuckers didn't sleep and cost me two years of being awake all night every damn night. I was soooo glad when they snuffed it. I considered hurrying them along a bit on numerous occasions but decided that it'd probably make me look like a psychopath.

Wasn't there some internet story about a gerbil, a cardboard tube, and an entry way that was violently abused? 

Edit, actually it was supposed to be an "exit only".   

[Neomys Sapiens]

...Had to keep them somewhere isolated because, for the life of them, they couldn't brew a proper cup of tea and we had to protect the natives from being offended by the sacrilege - you do not boil the tea leaves in a billy can and you don't put the milk in from a live sheep!

Ummmm... so the correct way would be milk from... a... dead sheep...? 

One buys a bottle of milk from the shops like a civilised person; sheep's milk if that is one's fancy. One does not dangle the poor sheep, bleating, over one's billy can full of hot tea and squeeze the poor thing in places a lady should not be squeezed, at least not until one has been properly introduced and most certainly not in public over a cup of tea. There are also the employment effects to be considered - it would have been ungentlemanly to deny the dairy maids of 1940s Wales their living.

Just what kind of pervy tea clubs do you hang out in, earth-pig? 

I drink coffee, beer, or red wine, not tea.

Provided that they DID know that they have to use a lady sheep for this!

[Martin.M]

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/fnirsi-1013d-100mhz-tablet-oscilloscope/msg3230968/?topicseen#msg3230968

a brand new DSO 

[bd139]

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

Yep. I had two gerbils as a kid. The mental fuckers didn't sleep and cost me two years of being awake all night every damn night. I was soooo glad when they snuffed it. I considered hurrying them along a bit on numerous occasions but decided that it'd probably make me look like a psychopath.

Wasn't there some internet story about a gerbil, a cardboard tube, and an entry way that was violently abused? 

Edit, actually it was supposed to be an "exit only".   

It’s called gerbilling. Apparently.

Just bought an ass end Lenovo T495s off eBay new in unopened box with 2BD Lenovo service until 2023 for my middle one. Ryzen 5 and AMD Vega 8 in a laptop. 8gb soldered RAM is a bit poo but should be fine for her use cases. But decent 256gb SSD.  Total price £470 after £50 eBay discount code and £50 cash back off credit card  . Think that’s a winner.

[Ice-Tea]

8gb soldered RAM is a bit poo but should be fine for her use cases.

With a free expansion slot? If not..🤮

[McBryce]

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

Yep. I had two gerbils as a kid. The mental fuckers didn't sleep and cost me two years of being awake all night every damn night. I was soooo glad when they snuffed it. I considered hurrying them along a bit on numerous occasions but decided that it'd probably make me look like a psychopath.

Way back then when you still worried that people might think you were a psychopath?

McBryce.

[bd139]

8gb soldered RAM is a bit poo but should be fine for her use cases.

With a free expansion slot? If not..🤮

No expansion slot. I was a bit wary but I checked her T440 and that has 4Gb in it so its an improvement at least. The most complicated thing it does is SIMS 4, word and google classroom and it’s got to be less shit than the current one which doesn’t even have a battery in it at the moment because the charge circuit is broken.

[bd139]

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

Yep. I had two gerbils as a kid. The mental fuckers didn't sleep and cost me two years of being awake all night every damn night. I was soooo glad when they snuffed it. I considered hurrying them along a bit on numerous occasions but decided that it'd probably make me look like a psychopath.

Way back then when you still worried that people might think you were a psychopath?

McBryce.

Are you my therapist? 

[Kosmic]

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

Yep. I had two gerbils as a kid. The mental fuckers didn't sleep and cost me two years of being awake all night every damn night. I was soooo glad when they snuffed it. I considered hurrying them along a bit on numerous occasions but decided that it'd probably make me look like a psychopath.

Way back then when you still worried that people might think you were a psychopath?

McBryce.

Are you my therapist? 

If you need a therapist, I recommend Dr. Sbaitso. Worked really well for me in the past. Apparently, it was all my mother fault.

Talking about Dr. Sbaitso, I need to find the floppy back. Lost him 10 years ago.

[bd139]

Oh I remember that  . Felt like I was living in the future back then 

[McBryce]

Nothing but a rat with a slightly bushy tail.

 

Yep. I had two gerbils as a kid. The mental fuckers didn't sleep and cost me two years of being awake all night every damn night. I was soooo glad when they snuffed it. I considered hurrying them along a bit on numerous occasions but decided that it'd probably make me look like a psychopath.

Way back then when you still worried that people might think you were a psychopath?

McBryce.

Are you my therapist? 

Nope, that's what MY therapist says to ME

McBryce.

[Ice-Tea]

8gb soldered RAM is a bit poo but should be fine for her use cases.

With a free expansion slot? If not..🤮

No expansion slot. I was a bit wary but I checked her T440 and that has 4Gb in it so its an improvement at least. The most complicated thing it does is SIMS 4, word and google classroom and it’s got to be less shit than the current one which doesn’t even have a battery in it at the moment because the charge circuit is broken.

A few weeks ago, I finally ditched the i7-laptop with 8GB (that should never have been called an i7 with that pitifull dual core...) and got a six-core i7 with 16GB.

A few days later, I landed a job that forces me to use their laptop. An earlier i7 dual core with 8GB  .

The thing offers a slide show when Teams is open and I'm trying to get something done in Altium.

Eh, just to say no more 8GB machines for me if I can avoid them.

[bd139]

A few weeks ago, I finally ditched the i7-laptop with 8GB (that should never have been called an i7 with that pitifull dual core...) and got a six-core i7 with 16GB.

A few days later, I landed a job that forces me to use their laptop. An earlier i7 dual core with 8GB  .

The thing offers a slide show when Teams is open and I'm trying to get something done in Altium.

Eh, just to say no more 8GB machines for me if I can avoid them.

Yeah I couldn't get away with 8GB myself. My desktop is 64Gb and my work laptop (which I don't use because it's so fucking noisy) is an i9 with 64GB and a quadro RTX  . These things are supposed to run a full k8s cluster.

But for average users, meh 8GB is fine.

[tautech]

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/fnirsi-1013d-100mhz-tablet-oscilloscope/msg3230968/?topicseen#msg3230968

a brand new DSO 

Ya didn't. 
Really ?

50mV max sensitivity will take some getting used to compared to the old Tek gear you have.

[Specmaster]

Question for you all, I've been playing around with computers for a quite a while now and have built a few as well but over the weekend I was made aware of something that I genuinely did know existed and when I saw it, I just knew that if possible I had to have it and I'm delighted to be able to say that today, I managed to secure it, it is 8 volumes, containing many hundreds or possibly over a thousand pages with 2 volumes of supporting software, what is it? It's called The Windows Advisor and covers all versions of Microsoft Windows from Windows98 right through to Windows7. The discs look as if they have

I just don't know where to place a value on it, it is as far as I know pretty rare, as I said, I've seen one before and now I own it and struggling to really put a real world value to it