Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cubdriver]

Sweet - another HP instrument number page.   



-Pat

[tautech]

Quick actual TE thing. I've started doing a full checkout on the D755 and it looks good so far. The only issue I've identified is the intensity is badly set up which is leading to inadequate blanking on flyback. Evidence suggests a meddler has been at the intensity controls. Will see if I can cal that out...

Edit: oh and timebase and amplitude are all over the shit but are proportional at least so it's just drifted cal rather than broken stuff.

Ahh yes hello old friend....D83 days.....
Looks like you have a good few adjustments to do however they are all simple enough. Trace rotation would be the first one I did as that shit drives me nuts !

BTW, what is option 66 ?

[mnementh]

Yes, and now you're back to being upset with them for acting like a corporation selling a luxury commodity rather than a public utility.

They don't have to do business the way you want them to. And all the lawsuits do is cement their position as a private club product, thereby ensuring those they cater to feel like they're fucking special. Add another dozen lawsuits, add another dozen dollars to the price of the cheapest models. All you're doing is pushing them further and further out of reach.

No matter how much you miss your Windows phone, expecting Apple to take their place is sheer folly. They made their market out of whole cloth, by being what rich people want. They don't care if you and I can't afford the product, and they don't have to care either. Period.

And then you bring up the king of Product Abandonment, Samsung, as an example of taking care of customers...? Puhhhh-leeeeze. 

mnem
*punt!*

You're putting a completely different slant on things, you could not further from the truth if you really tried, I don't want Apple to replace the Windows Phone, I never have and never said that either. I just liked the Windows phone when I had one and liked the features built into the OS and the camera did have some unique features that liked.

When it comes to it, I'm extremely happy with my current Huawei phone and that will continue to be my daily driver and the camera on it is superb, trust me. If I spend my money on something, then that thing becomes mine to do what I want to do with it, I don't expect or appreciate the maker deciding that they will remove my right to recharge my phone as a result of their ultra care package as you see it, or as I see it, building that wall around their garden even higher.

I have never seen in any agreement when you buy something that you cannot take it apart or anything. If I was leasing the item, fair enough, but I'm not. But clearly if you do take it apart and break it then you forfeit the right to a free repair and that is how it should be and in my defence (not that I've taken it apart), it is now almost 6 years old and long passed its warranty period.

Apart from, as someone else once said, you always put your view on everything as the definitive answer, you change your suit to suit yourself. I say this because this is the Dwagon we are talking about here is it not, and that Dwagon that we all love and is normally so anti corporation and establishment as its possible to get, even moving to the GWN to escape corruption in the USA 

Lets draw a line in the sand here and move on, I refuse to enter into an argument over something neither of us has any control over. 

This is the nutshell. Something neither of us have any control over.

I bought a new iPud for my daughter expecting to get at least 4 years out of it, being it was brand-new. When it died well short of that, I got mad... at first at them for them for acting like a corporation, but in truth I was deflecting the blame from myself. Hating a corporation for acting like a corporation is like hating a fish for living in the water.

I expected them to provide the premium dick-sucking service even tho I hadn't paid for it, then got mad at them because they didn't. Bottom line is I could've bought fAppleCare, but I was sure nothing would happen to MY iPud, what with me taking care of it and it living in a OtterBox from minute one.

But all of that grief and frustration was my own fault. For expecting a corporation to not act like a corporation.

And you know what? I've learned my lesson. Next time Apple makes a offer like the Christmas 2018 iPud for $329, I'll probably buy one. Or even two. But I will also buy the premium dick-sucking service, and keep it as in force long as I plan to keep the device. Or at least as long as it costs less than a good condition working used iWTF-ever.

mnem
"ooooooh.....shi-i-i-iny-y-y-y-y!!!"

[bd139]

Quick actual TE thing. I've started doing a full checkout on the D755 and it looks good so far. The only issue I've identified is the intensity is badly set up which is leading to inadequate blanking on flyback. Evidence suggests a meddler has been at the intensity controls. Will see if I can cal that out...

Edit: oh and timebase and amplitude are all over the shit but are proportional at least so it's just drifted cal rather than broken stuff.

Ahh yes hello old friend....D83 days.....
Looks like you have a good few adjustments to do however they are all simple enough. Trace rotation would be the first one I did as that shit drives me nuts !

BTW, what is option 66 ?

Ah yes. Trace rotation sorted. As is intensity which was a simple pot tweak. Plenty of adjustment range in the intensity so it looks like nothing has drifted. It's the later revision with the Mullard VR series resistors fortunately 

Looking better already after ten minutes on the bench:



The picture doesn't do it justice. Pin sharp.

[Zucca]

Preparing the inventory for the relocation company.
Yes I have a Keithley 2001 and yes it costs new 6603.80 USD inc. taxes. 

I test them to see if they ask about my Keysight Oscilloscope MSOX3104T with SW Bundle License which goes for 21865.25 USD 

[mansaxel]

Sweet - another HP instrument number page.   



-Pat

Such beauty! Must wake my Solartron and snap a pic of it.

[Zucca]

Anybody out there willing to sponsor me with 10 millos ?
https://www.bernard-gallay.com/buy-yacht-for-sale/hugo-boss

*Sigh* *dream*

https://de.gofundme.com/Saskia/

[mnementh]

But up until this morning I felt like I had. Back spasms returned with a vengeance so bad that I almost called ambulance services. But I feel I've finally turned a corner on this and today almost pain free. Taking it easy and even though I have a that Type 1A1 plug-in needing cleaning and the transistors for the Type 321A not touching any of that until at least tomorrow. The replacement round rubber thing showed up from T(i)re Rack.com and I'm going to be calling my son to help me getting that and the flat down to my mechanic. Also possibly get the Type 547 up here and on the cart.

I'll tell you. Back problems suck BIG TIME. 

There... FTFY. 

No, seriously tho... Uggh. I hate to hear of friends suffering the way I have. Take their advice. Take my advice... take is extra-easy for much longer than you think you need. It is so easy to re-injure right after an initial injury... and nobody ever does take it extra-easy... and they always wish they had.

But I'm still gonna tell you to, anyways. Just in case it works. Like it dinn't with me. 

mnem
*hobble-hobble... shuffle-shuffle... scuttle-scuttle...*

[capt bullshot]

Still digging into the PM3300:



https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/voltech-pm3300-power-meter/msg3525104/#msg3525104

[bd139]

Heads up for UK people. Screwfix's line of cheap mains plugs has turned to shit. I've just thrown two away. Screw clamps are drilled slightly offset so it's impossible to clamp the conductor without it slipping out of the hole 

[tautech]

Quick actual TE thing. I've started doing a full checkout on the D755 and it looks good so far. The only issue I've identified is the intensity is badly set up which is leading to inadequate blanking on flyback. Evidence suggests a meddler has been at the intensity controls. Will see if I can cal that out...

Edit: oh and timebase and amplitude are all over the shit but are proportional at least so it's just drifted cal rather than broken stuff.

Ahh yes hello old friend....D83 days.....
Looks like you have a good few adjustments to do however they are all simple enough. Trace rotation would be the first one I did as that shit drives me nuts !

BTW, what is option 66 ?

Ah yes. Trace rotation sorted. As is intensity which was a simple pot tweak. Plenty of adjustment range in the intensity so it looks like nothing has drifted. It's the later revision with the Mullard VR series resistors fortunately 

Looking better already after ten minutes on the bench:



The picture doesn't do it justice. Pin sharp.

Oh nice. 
All the M ohm resistors in the D83 mainframe I had were toast and drifted way outta spec. 
IIRC there were some catches setting the intensity just right in order to get sufficient trace brightness when the dual timebase is used.

Hope it serves you well. 

[mnementh]

Urrrk.

Testing revealed no continuity between any of the 4 major metal chassis components of my new PC case, even though they are in principle connected. None. Nada. Zilch. Also true of the 2nd chassis, still waiting in the box to go back to Amazon.

Black may be beautiful, but black epoxy paint is a fuggin' bitch. 

mnem
 

   

So after tearing carefully removing all the plastic bits off my case, I find that every major assembly lap joint in the panels has at least one hole present in the outer layer, but not populated by screw or rivet. As the case is assembled with pop rivets, I can only assume that the engineer who designed the case put them there for screws to ensure proper grounding of all chassis panels, but some dillweed bean-counter decided they didn't need to be there and omitted the manufacturing step to cut costs. 

After installing the usual 6-32 self-tapping/serrated shoulder screws in all those unpopulated holes, there is now proper continuity to ground across the entire case and all metal parts.

Fuckwits.

mnem
 

[Robert763]

Preparing the inventory for the relocation company.
Yes I have a Keithley 2001 and yes it costs new 6603.80 USD inc. taxes. 

I test them to see if they ask about my Keysight Oscilloscope MSOX3104T with SW Bundle License which goes for 21865.25 USD 

I had fun when a car drove into mine (Iwas stationary at lights) and I had a Tektronix 491 Spectrum analyser in the boot. Analyser front panel controls were damaged and insurance wanted a quote for repair. Tek obliged with a "Not Reparable" and quote for a "suitable replacement" 2794  at £25k odd without seeing the SA.  Iasked for £3000 to get a second hand SA. The asked me to send it to their "expert" who turned out to be a TV repair shop who called me for help. I sent him the Tek quote and also a quote for a used 492 from Johns Radio. H told the inrance company it was BER and they then tried to claim it was "professional" equipment and I should not have it in my car as it was not insured for work. I said it was my hobby, I was on my way to a friend to check their equipment and in any case their (at fault) driver having no business cover was irrelevant to my car, and my insurance did cover business anyway. They settled on £2000 for a used analyser (I could not be bothered arguing, I'd only paid £300 for 2 491 and got one working, the other had a blown mixer). About 3 months later the TV shop clled and asked if I wanted the damaged SA back or should the just dump it. I had it back of course and put the mixer into the other one.......

[Robert763]

Urrrk.

Testing revealed no continuity between any of the 4 major metal chassis components of my new PC case, even though they are in principle connected. None. Nada. Zilch. Also true of the 2nd chassis, still waiting in the box to go back to Amazon.

Black may be beautiful, but black epoxy paint is a fuggin' bitch. 

mnem
 

   

So after tearing carefully removing all the plastic bits off my case, I find that every major assembly lap joint in the panels has at least one hole present in the outer layer, but not populated by screw or rivet. As the case is assembled with pop rivets, I can only assume that the engineer who designed the case put them there for screws to ensure proper grounding of all chassis panels, but some dillweed bean-counter decided they didn't need to be there and omitted the manufacturing step to cut costs. 

After installing the usual 6-32 self-tapping/serrated shoulder screws in all those unpopulated holes, there is now proper continuity to ground across the entire case and all metal parts.

Fuckwits.

mnem
 

That case won't be doing much to keep the EMI down then. 

[bd139]

Quick actual TE thing. I've started doing a full checkout on the D755 and it looks good so far. The only issue I've identified is the intensity is badly set up which is leading to inadequate blanking on flyback. Evidence suggests a meddler has been at the intensity controls. Will see if I can cal that out...

Edit: oh and timebase and amplitude are all over the shit but are proportional at least so it's just drifted cal rather than broken stuff.

Ahh yes hello old friend....D83 days.....
Looks like you have a good few adjustments to do however they are all simple enough. Trace rotation would be the first one I did as that shit drives me nuts !

BTW, what is option 66 ?

Ah yes. Trace rotation sorted. As is intensity which was a simple pot tweak. Plenty of adjustment range in the intensity so it looks like nothing has drifted. It's the later revision with the Mullard VR series resistors fortunately 

Looking better already after ten minutes on the bench:



The picture doesn't do it justice. Pin sharp.

Oh nice. 
All the M ohm resistors in the D83 mainframe I had were toast and drifted way outta spec. 
IIRC there were some catches setting the intensity just right in order to get sufficient trace brightness when the dual timebase is used.

Hope it serves you well. 

Yes this one seems like a good one (touch wood). Hopefully it'll be more successful than the "ass transplant" D83...

Reminder of the carnage...

[factory]

Cleaned up the HP 5216A today, fitted the missing readout bulb, hp logo and replaced the Macroni knob with a slightly knackered HP one.

Before & after pictures, test source in the second picture was the Racal 836 standard output.



Some pictures of the insides showing the boards fitted all over the place.




On the left of this picture is a reminder that Cinch is a brand of connector and not some shitty website flogging vehicles (really fed up of hearing their adverts shitverts on the shed radio).


David

[bd139]

Looking good. That Marconi knob was completely wrong. Looking much better now 

[factory]

It was only needed for a quick check when it arrived (was missing & stuck in stop position) to see if it required major repairs or not, took a bit more searching for the proper part. A previous owner had already replaced several of the unreliable display driver IC's

David

[Specmaster]

Heads up for UK people. Screwfix's line of cheap mains plugs has turned to shit. I've just thrown two away. Screw clamps are drilled slightly offset so it's impossible to clamp the conductor without it slipping out of the hole 

Hmm, I buy from CPC https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/9248-blk-3a/plug-3a-black-quickfit/dp/PL13153 if you buy 10+ they are 94p inc VAT

[Specmaster]

Yes this one seems like a good one (touch wood). Hopefully it'll be more successful than the "ass transplant" D83...

Reminder of the carnage...

Been back to Ikea then? they look nice

[bd139]

Gah no that was two years ago. Vastly simplified since then.

[mnementh]

Urrrk.

Testing revealed no continuity between any of the 4 major metal chassis components of my new PC case, even though they are in principle connected. None. Nada. Zilch. Also true of the 2nd chassis, still waiting in the box to go back to Amazon.

Black may be beautiful, but black epoxy paint is a fuggin' bitch. 

mnem
 

   

So after tearing carefully removing all the plastic bits off my case, I find that every major assembly lap joint in the panels has at least one hole present in the outer layer, but not populated by screw or rivet. As the case is assembled with pop rivets, I can only assume that the engineer who designed the case put them there for screws to ensure proper grounding of all chassis panels, but some dillweed bean-counter decided they didn't need to be there and omitted the manufacturing step to cut costs. 

After installing the usual 6-32 self-tapping/serrated shoulder screws in all those unpopulated holes, there is now proper continuity to ground across the entire case and all metal parts.

Fuckwits.

mnem
 

That case won't be doing much to keep the EMI down then. 

Glass side & front covers kindof ensure that. 

I'm a lot more concerned with the potential for the MB to be the one thing tying all the grounds together. That is not how a PC is meant to be assembled.

mnem
Pun intended.

[bd139]

Which case vendor is this so I can not buy their shit?

Using Fractal and Cooler Master here. I notice both are riveted then painted.

[Saskia]

Using Fractal mostly, Cooler Master, Corsair and bequiet ...

[factory]

Heads up for UK people. Screwfix's line of cheap mains plugs has turned to shit. I've just thrown two away. Screw clamps are drilled slightly offset so it's impossible to clamp the conductor without it slipping out of the hole 

Hmm, I buy from CPC https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/9248-blk-3a/plug-3a-black-quickfit/dp/PL13153 if you buy 10+ they are 94p inc VAT

There is always more than enough free plugs attached to barely used stuff that people chuck out at my brothers place.

David