Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[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 

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

Thanks. I’ve got a Farnell basket going which isn’t being paid for until the 3478A turns up and is evaluated so will Chuck a couple in there. I had one MK one at £3.33 at the moment which is a bit much for an MK 

[factory]

I think this is the right page to leave this hp 3440A, if only I could get to it to take a better picture. 


David

[mnementh]

The case is a Matrexx 70 from DeepCool; so not a no-name case.

CoolerMaster is not any better; I've seen exactly this before with them, only they never bothered to design it right in the first place. Tho not a single panel connected to ground (aside from the one the PSU is screwed to) does have to be some kind of record, at least to my experience.

No such problem with my previous Matrexx 55 case; it was my good experience with that case that prompted me to move further up the product ladder. 

I personally wish they all actually had the screws that were designed into this one; just can't trust aluminum rivets in ferrous metal to keep good contact, even if they have it when first assembled.

Haven't bought Corsair in a long while; they hosed me on a shipping damaged unit. I wound up paying for both the damaged one and the replacement because they claimed customer damaged even though I produced photos of the damaged box and every step of opening and the damaged case inside. I think they just didn't want to be arsed to file a claim with the carrier. 

By the time PayPal sorted them out, I was well and truly sick of their customer support.

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

I have the Corsair Obsidian 750D full tower case, its a beautiful case to look at and to work on, but is huge and heavy, but there is a ton of space inside for whatever cooling, size of power supply and graphic cards you want to use, no restrictions whatsoever, I got mine in 2013, and it is still available today.

https://www.novatech.co.uk/products/corsair-obsidian-series-750d-full-tower-case/cc-9011035-ww.html?utm_source=affiliatewindow&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Kelkoo

[Brumby]

...Edit: does the one on this pallet of old TEA look familiar?
https://www.grays.com/lot/0251-3018323/manufacturing/assorted-electronic-test-equipment   

David

Looks like your unit has... provenance!!!

mnem
 

Yep.  That's it.  Right down to the stickers and dust.

Make sense too.  That auction was pickup from a location in Victoria - and the eBay seller is in Victoria.

[Brumby]

Seems Newport are now part of Omega Engineering Inc.

A lead!

[Cerebus]

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

He's still got the same 'orrible wallpaper though. I can spot one of his eBay listings from the background. 

[Cerebus]

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

Thanks. I’ve got a Farnell basket going which isn’t being paid for until the 3478A turns up and is evaluated so will Chuck a couple in there. I had one MK one at £3.33 at the moment which is a bit much for an MK 

Go Crabtree - Back in the early 80s, Tony and I picked up a bargain bucket of Crabtree 13A plugtops from the local electrical factors. When the job they were for was over, I took home the leftovers and have been steadily working my way though them ever since, until I used the last one up a couple of years back. Aside from a tiny bit of tarnish on the brass that came off with a light wipe with steel wool they were as good as they were when first purchased 35 odd years ago.

Edit: fixed horrible run-on sentence.

[mnementh]

I have the Corsair Obsidian 750D full tower case, its a beautiful case to look at and to work on, but is huge and heavy, but there is a ton of space inside for whatever cooling, size of power supply and graphic cards you want to use, no restrictions whatsoever, I got mine in 2013, and it is still available today.

https://www.novatech.co.uk/products/corsair-obsidian-series-750d-full-tower-case/cc-9011035-ww.html?utm_source=affiliatewindow&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Kelkoo

   

Ewwww..... that's a server case. No tempered glass side/front, no PSU basement/channel... all those exposed 5.25 in bays...

And the airflow is all wrong for a dual-radiator build. You can't do a reverse-flow build so both rads get fresh air.

I mean sure, it's fine for a server. That you're going to stick in the back of a closet, or under a desk. It is NOT a gamer case, or designed for the bits a gamer (in my case, VR) uses.

mnem
 

[tggzzz]

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 

You buy mains plugs?

Not salvage them from other stuff destined for landfill, nor use "kettle" leads?

[Brumby]

Not salvage them from other stuff destined for landfill, nor use "kettle" leads?

My main source!!!

In fact, in the last 10 (or is it 20) years, I've only bought two IEC leads - and that was because I needed a right-angled plug (equipment end) going in a particular direction and as low profile as possible ... and a spare    Such specific requirements means that a successful natural encounter would be rather unlikely over the next 10 or 20 years, so I parted with the cash.

[Cerebus]

Not salvage them from other stuff destined for landfill, nor use "kettle" leads?

My main source!!!

In fact, in the last 10 (or is it 20) years, I've only bought two IEC leads - and that was because I needed a right-angled plug (equipment end) going in a particular direction and as low profile as possible ... and a spare    Such specific requirements means that a successful natural encounter would be rather unlikely over the next 10 or 20 years, so I parted with the cash.

I just leave a few in a box somewhere warm and dry and let them breed. I'd swear that I've more IEC C13 cables in the house than have ever come in through the door.

[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

Thanks. I’ve got a Farnell basket going which isn’t being paid for until the 3478A turns up and is evaluated so will Chuck a couple in there. I had one MK one at £3.33 at the moment which is a bit much for an MK 

Go Crabtree - Back in the early 80s, Tony and I picked up a bargain bucket of Crabtree 13A plugtops from the local electrical factors. When the job they were for was over, I took home the leftovers and have been steadily working my way though them ever since, until I used the last one up a couple of years back. Aside from a tiny bit of tarnish on the brass that came off with a light wipe with steel wool they were as good as they were when first purchased 35 odd years ago.

Edit: fixed horrible run-on sentence.

I can second that with the Crabtree plugs, having worked at Crabtree for 15 years, I know that their quality is 2nd to none and way better than MK but like MK they are pricey. Personally, I have used up all of my Crabtree one's years ago but as the gear I have is low current anyway, I'm happy to recycle plugs from stuff that is going to landfill, but if I need more than I have in stock, then those from CPC do perfectly.

[Specmaster]

I have the Corsair Obsidian 750D full tower case, its a beautiful case to look at and to work on, but is huge and heavy, but there is a ton of space inside for whatever cooling, size of power supply and graphic cards you want to use, no restrictions whatsoever, I got mine in 2013, and it is still available today.

https://www.novatech.co.uk/products/corsair-obsidian-series-750d-full-tower-case/cc-9011035-ww.html?utm_source=affiliatewindow&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=Kelkoo

   

Ewwww..... that's a server case. No tempered glass side/front, no PSU basement/channel... all those exposed 5.25 in bays...

And the airflow is all wrong for a dual-radiator build. You can't do a reverse-flow build so both rads get fresh air.

I mean sure, it's fine for a server. That you're going to stick in the back of a closet, or under a desk. It is NOT a gamer case, or designed for the bits a gamer (in my case, VR) uses.

mnem
 

Why is it not a games case then? I can fit 2 120 or 140 mm single rads and 2 240 or 280 twin rads in it. Singles at back and bottom twins in front and top, surely enough cooling for anyone? Currently, I have 1 x 240 mm twin rad at the top  with 2 x 120 fans on it, 2 x 140 fans at the front, 1 x 140 mm fan in the rear and a 120 mm fan in the bottom and a 850W PSU at the bottom.

Edit:
In the 5/25" bays, I have DVD rewriter, a BluRay rewriter and in the 3rd bay I have a hot swappable bay for 3.5" spinning rust disc and 2.5" SDD, each with its own power switch and the case also supports custom water cooling.

[mnementh]

Just take my word for it. Different cases for different purposes. Yes, a lot of it is style; but there are also functional differences.

Most gamer boxes, for a start, now have zero drives. One or two NVMe gumsticks right on the MB. All those drive bays are just ewwww!!! to a gamer. What's hot now is tempered glass, and the more of it the better. While I'm not a fan of the kilowatts of bling lighting, I do like a little sedate accent illumination. In ONE color.

For a reverse-flow build you need a huge filter at the bottom of the case, like mine which is literally all filter. And now I've got hold of it, that filter pulls out from the front, so you don't procrastinate until it starts beeping "FUCKHEAD, CLEAN MY FILTERZZZ!!!"

There's oodles of nuance too... I get it, but I don't subscribe to a lot of it. Just trust me... if you showed up at a Linus event or PAX Con widdat, they'd snicker you to death.

mnem
 

[mnementh]

Not salvage them from other stuff destined for landfill, nor use "kettle" leads?

My main source!!!   In fact, in the last 10 (or is it 20) years, I've only bought two IEC leads - and that was because I needed a right-angled plug (equipment end) going in a particular direction and as low profile as possible ... and a spare    Such specific requirements means that a successful natural encounter would be rather unlikely over the next 10 or 20 years, so I parted with the cash.

I just leave a few in a box somewhere warm and dry and let them breed. I'd swear that I've more IEC C13 cables in the house than have ever come in through the door.

Yup. Just like coathangers. Paper clips are the larval form; drop a handful of them in a empty box in the back of a closet on a full moon, the next full moon you have a box full of coathangers. 

mnem
Never could understand why washcloths only grow up to be hand-towels, never bath towels tho... maybe some special fabric softener...?

[Specmaster]

Thats ok, you can take my word for, you would not want to take thing anywhere with it fully loaded, it weighs a bloody metric ton, honestly so from the portable gaming rig point of view I see where your coming from, but as a personal gaming rig it has awesome potential. I really don't see spinning rust discs as a negative either. I have 512GB SSD and 3TB of mechanical drives as well and plenty of other drives to be used in the swappable bay for backups etc.

[mnementh]

That beast is good for the daily driver/media server PC. Fill it up with every bit of storage you have lying around that isn't already going in something else. Also good for holding up one end of the door you have for a desk/worksurface. Other end lying across a filing cabinet you use for your most-often-used-tools box. 

mnem
*veteran of a thousand psychic wars workbench PC builds*

[vk6zgo]

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 

You buy mains plugs?

Not salvage them from other stuff destined for landfill, nor use "kettle" leads?

That's basically where my ones come from, but the "kettle leads" source has dried up with the present insane fashion for "cordless" kettles with nice hard wired "kid trap" bases.

Back in the day, when I worked at the TV Studio, Panasonic would supply their "240v" Pix Monitors with Shuko plugs on the "IEC" leads, & the local importer would just chuck some Oz ones in as well.

The Schuko ones didn't go to waste, though, we just cut that end off & fitted Oz rewirable plugs.
That replenished our spares for when someone left a power cord behind somewhere.

[Cubdriver]

I think this is the right page to leave this hp 3440A, if only I could get to it to take a better picture. 


David

Ooooh, sweet - you have the plug in extender.  I recall seeing one, once, several years ago on our favorite auction site.  It was being sold along with a 3440.  I stupidly didn't bid on it.      

Here's mine after I cleaned it up:


Lots of orange goodness in the 34xx instrument range!

-Pat

[mansaxel]

Not salvage them from other stuff destined for landfill, nor use "kettle" leads?

My main source!!!

In fact, in the last 10 (or is it 20) years, I've only bought two IEC leads - and that was because I needed a right-angled plug (equipment end) going in a particular direction and as low profile as possible ... and a spare    Such specific requirements means that a successful natural encounter would be rather unlikely over the next 10 or 20 years, so I parted with the cash.

I have an old beer crate full of CEE 7/7 -> IEC C13 cables, one smaller crate full of travel leads (Various international plugs to C13, C7 and C5) and one crate for C14 -> C13 "PDU cords".  They do breed. And they're like deer, they turn up in flocks. You either have too many, or none. Being determined to never be left in the latter state, I maintain this cache. Of course, since it is in the garage, I always find I'm one short inside the house. In the old days when I did sound for a living, it was standard practice -- learned the hard way -- to toss one extra in the pack.

Then there's the stack of IEC 60309 blue plug cables, some with Neutrik Powercons on them. And the three-phase cables. And so on..

[mansaxel]

Just trust me... if you showed up at a Linus event or PAX Con widdat, they'd snicker you to death.

I find the bling case concept completely and utterly uninteresting, and a detraction from the work at hand. If you want blinkenlichten, get an IBM1401.

15 years ago I did some work (actually! a research project!) at the largest LAN gaming festival then known, Dreamhack, and learned a few things:

• ~13000 bling computers generate a fascinating drone, and some heat
• Their owners, on day three of the event or so, generate a less fascinating smell. Like hobo hams, just younger, and more neon colours. I had a hotel room. Value of which is not to be underestimated
• The most rad thing to carry there would have been a Real Computer, like a Sun E450 or so, and a VT510 terminal.
• An Extreme Networks large-format switch/router, which has a purple front panel, will glow if lit with neon case-modding lights in the rack cabinet.

Edit: To add onion to the salmon, I also worked at the biggest Volvo-blingers event in Sweden a few times. The only part of it I did not find repulsive was the quiet corner where old gentlemen displayed their 1950s and 1960s Volvos, in as-new showroom condition. The rest was just puerile crapola. No, the Bertone work on the 262C will not be improved by a fool with an angle grinder and some plush dice..

[bd139]

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

He's still got the same 'orrible wallpaper though. I can spot one of his eBay listings from the background. 

That is being ripped out after lock down. Had enough of it. It was there when I moved in its that old.

[bd139]

Not salvage them from other stuff destined for landfill, nor use "kettle" leads?

My main source!!!

In fact, in the last 10 (or is it 20) years, I've only bought two IEC leads - and that was because I needed a right-angled plug (equipment end) going in a particular direction and as low profile as possible ... and a spare    Such specific requirements means that a successful natural encounter would be rather unlikely over the next 10 or 20 years, so I parted with the cash.

I just leave a few in a box somewhere warm and dry and let them breed. I'd swear that I've more IEC C13 cables in the house than have ever come in through the door.

I suffer from a big problem in the IEC lead department. Firstly due to the high throughput of items I tend to ship them with an IEC outgoing. But of course no one gives me an IEC lead on the incoming. I have actually had to buy 5 or so at a time from CPC before to keep stocks up.

Similarly with plugs they’re either moulded onto the IEC leads or are captive leads and the plug is buggered in some way. Buggerage here is defined as “mushed”, an unfortunately regular problem with our delivery imps, or “dangerous as hell” as most of the kit is really old. The D755 comes into both categories as the plug is cracked and has full metal pins for live and neutral so isn’t finger safe.

[Saskia]

re computer cases:
I hate blinkenlights that are only there for *bling* and serve no additional purpose.
A light should carry information. In the christmas trees of computer cases the stuff distracts from actual information carrying lights. Which is a no go and tiresome if you actually have to "work" with that stuff (see cockpit blinking lights on boats, airplanes, etc ...)

I try to grab high quality cases. I only grab cooler master cases if they are less than 20€ new. Normally I go for Fractal Design, Corsair, Bequiet, but only if I can grab them for a reasonable amount of money (i.e. less than 50% of MSRP). Unfortunately due to this unholy permanent lockdown madness my source has dried up (which means that I am currently not buying cases or other stuff)