Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[taste_tester]

They stood up to my high school electronics class ... I was definitely one of the gentler students (ie. with half a clue what I was doing, instead of no clue).  I want one only for that reason.  This US price is getting more reasonable, but the cross-border shipping kills the deal...

You had electronics in high school?! Jealous

[DC1MC]

I've noticed some interesting difference between these both videos (apart from the totally different styles of Dave and Shahriar):

Holly crap, it looks like my Rigol board  , how may thousands more is this crap ?!?!

[EEVblog]

Wow, the new Tek thread is turning ugly. 

There are some people that have a history of attacking me like this.
Doesn't matter what I say or how I say it, they'll find a way to misrepresent me.
I'm not allowed to like some things (the novel form factor) and not like other stuff about a product. If I don't 100% slam something they don't like then I'm a shill/whatever.
And heaven forbid if I have an opinion on what the company was thinking durign the desing or marketing process, that again makes me an instant shill 

[EEVblog]

I've noticed some interesting difference between these both videos (apart from the totally different styles of Dave and Shahriar):

Shahriar responded to my comment on his video, he used a prototype PCB they sent him. His PCB shown in the video did not come from the scope he was using, he didn't tear it down.
So I believe that mine is the newer PCB, probably close to, if not what production will have.
There are quite a lot of differences, including an entire extra memory chip on his.

[bd139]

Wow, the new Tek thread is turning ugly. 

There are some people that have a history of attacking me like this.
Doesn't matter what I say or how I say it, they'll find a way to misrepresent me.
I'm not allowed to like some things (the novel form factor) and not like other stuff about a product. If I don't 100% slam something they don't like then I'm a shill/whatever.
And heaven forbid if I have an opinion on what the company was thinking durign the desing or marketing process, that again makes me an instant shill 

One thing I’ve learned over the years is whatever you say on the internet, you’re going to piss someone off even if it’s factual, accurate and concise. It’s slightly depressing. I found your video to be on point.

I don’t really like the product but then again I’m not the market really, as I’m a complete cheap ass. I can see exactly where it’d fit though and Tek did a reasonable job of filing that position as they always do. They did completely flop the marketing release though 

[Robert763]

A bit of TE now.

Had this old PSU I was given. It's very heavcey and ugly and looked like a home made project... so I stored it away and didn't think too much of it.

But I dug it out today and spent some time on it. After brushing off all the dust inside, and looking more closely.. it didn't look home made any more.
There is even a sticker on it... says it's made by ADTECH Power " PSU, model TAPS4-2, in the US of A.

Then as I was cleaning it, I noticed a piece of paper trapped between the chassis and the underside of the transformer... pulled it out and oh.... what do you know, a nice double sided A4 size original spec sheet for the thing ! Oh I just love old tech paper, I was over the moon. 

Looking at that sheet, I now understand why it looks home made... it's not. But, it's a "budget" PSU, so comes bare bone... you just get a giant piece of folded thick sheet metal that serves both as a sturdy chasis, and a big heat sink. Then they put the circuit board ni place, bolt down the big filter caps... and that's about it. Then it's up to you to fit binding posts, and wire them up to the circuit board etc.
So in this case 4 rubber feet wre added, as well binding posts with markings using a sharpie... blac sharpy on a black chassis, how clever  . That's all for a "front panel"... Then a metal bracket was added to support the power cable, power switch and fuse holder and earth connection. Also a piece of plexiglas was added to cover the side of the chassis where all the TO3 pass transistors are mounted.

So that gives it an uglty loook... but if you go past that anc just concentrate on the PSU itself, before it was "modded", then it's actually quite nice. Nice looking PCBs, nice rigid chassis. 3 output : 5V 12amps, and twin 12-15V 3 Amps. The "front panel" make sit look like it's a symmetrical / common ground  +/- 12V supply but looking at the terminals on the board, and reading the datasheet... the 3 supplies are floating. There is no common ground. So I could potentially put the two 12V supplies sin series, say, so that's cool.

Wghat's cool as well, are the voltage regulator chips... we wxere just discussing these 723 chips from Tesla in that TO round metal can... AVG saying they are nice sealed units. Well... this PSU uses a 723 for each of the 3 outputs, and they are the TO can type.. aren't they beautiful, with gold plated legs as well ! 

Also... as AVG said, they are cool because sealed... and I guess it was cool even back in the day, because lookj at the spec sheet / marketing at the top of the first page... look what they proudly state : " ALL IC's and transistor HERMETICALLY SEALED, NO PLASTIC !!! "   

Oh I just love it. I am now loving this PSU more and mode.

It's got to be useful in the lab.... 5V 12A and twiun floating 12V 3A outputs, adjustable up to 15V as well. So beefy 5V for your TTL and CP%U stuff, and twin 12/15V supllies for your analogy AOP fun.

Yes... I like this PSU a lot. I think I will strip it from all the ugly crap that was bolted to it, to "clean it up", then make a nice cabinet for it, so that the guts aren't exposed anymore/at risk, and so I can make a nice front panel for it, and integrate it more easily in the lab with the rest of the TE.

Yeah.... I think I have just added myself yet another project to the list ! 

Hi Vince,
That is not a "budget" power supply. It is a high performance professional "open Frame" PSU. It's intended to be built into a piece of equipment. They are a standardised basic design with interchangable models made by many manufacturers. Specification and quality is high They will run rated output 24/7 for years (some need a bit of fan cooling or heatsinking for full output). They are still made bu not not so common as SMPSUs have become popular. Still used for low noise and legacy applications. A new replacement for yours will cost £200-300 depending how many you buy.
https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/Bel-Power-Solutions/HDCC-150W-AG?qs=gCHJnwMCk7Ta3xAQtQTxFQ%3D%3D

They make great triple output bench power supplies but MUST be in a proper case for safety. Bringing the voltage trimmers out to pots on the panel will give some flexibility.

[McBryce]

Bought this at the recent hamfest. What should I control with it?

An electric chair?

I suppose you could use it to vary the velocity by using it as a "bang-bang" PWM control. The elderly/disabled and everyone else on the pavement would find that, um, exciting. 

Not a wheel chair, an electric chair. The one where you get to wear a damp sponge on your head.

McBryce.

[tggzzz]

Bought this at the recent hamfest. What should I control with it?

"It lives!, It lives, I tell you!"------(Cue crazed laughter)

Griffin and George's target market is school (not university) science labs.

I hope kids aren't in a position to utter that quote. They will be in a couple of decades, when CRISPR technology has trickled down.

Inspiration: computer malware, and the radioactive boy scout.

[ch_scr]

Bought this at the recent hamfest. What should I control with it?

An electric chair?

I suppose you could use it to vary the velocity by using it as a "bang-bang" PWM control. The elderly/disabled and everyone else on the pavement would find that, um, exciting. 

Not a wheel chair, an electric chair. The one where you get to wear a damp sponge on your head.

McBryce.

The challenge there is not the switch, but to get just the right people to voluntarily sit onto it...

[tggzzz]

Bought this at the recent hamfest. What should I control with it?

An electric chair?

I suppose you could use it to vary the velocity by using it as a "bang-bang" PWM control. The elderly/disabled and everyone else on the pavement would find that, um, exciting. 

Not a wheel chair, an electric chair. The one where you get to wear a damp sponge on your head.

I chose to deliberately misinterpret you My mother did, towards the end of her life, sometimes refer to her buggy/scooter as a chair

[Specmaster]

I've noticed some interesting difference between these both videos (apart from the totally different styles of Dave and Shahriar):

Shahriar responded to my comment on his video, he used a prototype PCB they sent him. His PCB shown in the video did not come from the scope he was using, he didn't tear it down.
So I believe that mine is the newer PCB, probably close to, if not what production will have.
There are quite a lot of differences, including an entire extra memory chip on his.

Yes, one of the more noticeable differences was the lack of the extra metalwork around some BNC sockets. Yours was indeed the more polished version.

[m k]

@Vince
Graphoplex 612 HP
https://www.leboncoin.fr/collection/2058381905.htm

No money, and already have an electronic calculator that's much better   

That guy also has 2 other slide rules for sale. Another cheap one at 10 Euros also, but a third one that he says is " VERY RARE, BRITISH "... "Made of Bamboo".. no price for this one, just " Make me an offer" .... yeah sure.

Don't know if he thinks it's rare because it's English, or because it's made of Bamboo. Or both.

I've browsed easily over 100 sellers and one thing is clear, they generally have no idea what they are selling.

What I don't understand is why take many almost equal pictures and none with specifics.
With slide rules the case seems to be that the whole thing must be in the picture.

I understand that gear may be limited, I know I have, and lighting seems to be near dungeon, no matter what.
But shouldn't specifics be even more in center then.

[m k]

A bit of TE now.

Had this old PSU I was given. It's very heavcey and ugly and looked like a home made project... so I stored it away and didn't think too much of it.

But I dug it out today and spent some time on it. After brushing off all the dust inside, and looking more closely.. it didn't look home made any more.
There is even a sticker on it... says it's made by ADTECH Power " PSU, model TAPS4-2, in the US of A.

Then as I was cleaning it, I noticed a piece of paper trapped between the chassis and the underside of the transformer... pulled it out and oh.... what do you know, a nice double sided A4 size original spec sheet for the thing ! Oh I just love old tech paper, I was over the moon. 

Looking at that sheet, I now understand why it looks home made... it's not. But, it's a "budget" PSU, so comes bare bone... you just get a giant piece of folded thick sheet metal that serves both as a sturdy chasis, and a big heat sink. Then they put the circuit board ni place, bolt down the big filter caps... and that's about it. Then it's up to you to fit binding posts, and wire them up to the circuit board etc.
So in this case 4 rubber feet wre added, as well binding posts with markings using a sharpie... blac sharpy on a black chassis, how clever  . That's all for a "front panel"... Then a metal bracket was added to support the power cable, power switch and fuse holder and earth connection. Also a piece of plexiglas was added to cover the side of the chassis where all the TO3 pass transistors are mounted.

So that gives it an uglty loook... but if you go past that anc just concentrate on the PSU itself, before it was "modded", then it's actually quite nice. Nice looking PCBs, nice rigid chassis. 3 output : 5V 12amps, and twin 12-15V 3 Amps. The "front panel" make sit look like it's a symmetrical / common ground  +/- 12V supply but looking at the terminals on the board, and reading the datasheet... the 3 supplies are floating. There is no common ground. So I could potentially put the two 12V supplies sin series, say, so that's cool.

Wghat's cool as well, are the voltage regulator chips... we wxere just discussing these 723 chips from Tesla in that TO round metal can... AVG saying they are nice sealed units. Well... this PSU uses a 723 for each of the 3 outputs, and they are the TO can type.. aren't they beautiful, with gold plated legs as well ! 

Also... as AVG said, they are cool because sealed... and I guess it was cool even back in the day, because lookj at the spec sheet / marketing at the top of the first page... look what they proudly state : " ALL IC's and transistor HERMETICALLY SEALED, NO PLASTIC !!! "   

Oh I just love it. I am now loving this PSU more and mode.

It's got to be useful in the lab.... 5V 12A and twiun floating 12V 3A outputs, adjustable up to 15V as well. So beefy 5V for your TTL and CP%U stuff, and twin 12/15V supllies for your analogy AOP fun.

Yes... I like this PSU a lot. I think I will strip it from all the ugly crap that was bolted to it, to "clean it up", then make a nice cabinet for it, so that the guts aren't exposed anymore/at risk, and so I can make a nice front panel for it, and integrate it more easily in the lab with the rest of the TE.

Yeah.... I think I have just added myself yet another project to the list ! 

Back in the day I had to repair more than few Taiwanese CRT monitors, without any papers of course.
Usually they were very simple and easy fixes but then there are those exeptions.

That adjustable resistor/coil beside the spider is one of those exceptions.
Not so long ago I spotted one in a bag, its other end was burned and it was with other parts so not a random scrap.
Must have been hard to find back then.
I scrapped it.

BTW,
seems that PCB is less important than it used to be.
Maybe I've mentioned it earlier but once I had a repair job where module had so much wrap wire traces that components were hardly visible.
The module was obviously scrapped but maybe it was an early case where end user was used as a final tester.

[srb1954]

Problem is, it does not matter how much I ask... I am not the one developing the S/W so I have to make do with what's out there, like everyone else.
I am happy that you are happy... I am not and wil never be by the way IT is going. t me computers have long stopped being interesting and fun... now they are just a necessary evil to me, that I try to live with, spend as little time as possible messing with as it's not enjoyable, and spend as little money on them as possible. My PC is 15 years old and if I could I would keep it another 15 or 30 years. Sadly it's starting to look less and less feasible due to S/W bloat and this race for silly high picture and movie resolutions / bandwidth.  The race for clock speed stagnated, so now they have invented a new race, for pixels, to keep the industry going 

Anyway sorry, I will just go and hide in a corner, with my Thomson TO-7 and optical crayon that goes with it !   Blip.... blip !

It is not just the race for picture resolution and bandwidth that is causing S/W bloat. These days everything S/W related seems to be expanding and consuming all available resources much like the alien amoeba in the classic 1985 horror film The Blob.

Example, I just bought a new wireless mouse and downloaded the driver for it; all 300MB of it. It is totally beyond my comprehension as to why it is necessary for a mouse driver to require 300MB of code to operate.

Logitech I'm guessing. 

Correct.

[dl6lr]

Example, I just bought a new wireless mouse and downloaded the driver for it; all 300MB of it. It is totally beyond my comprehension as to why it is necessary for a mouse driver to require 300MB of code to operate.

This is not as unusual as it seems. They are bundling all kind of drivers for several operating systems with support programs for all supported languages in one installer. Often they do not have separate resource packs for the languages, but just create complete packages for each language, combining all of them to one installer. So you end up with i.e. 4 OS versions with 10 languages each, resulting in 40 versions. So each pack is "only" 7.5MB in size. Often 95% is just fancy GUI for configuring mouse resolution and speed, key assignments etc. (where a lot can be done using the Windows settings)
I use a logitech mouse but never installed a driver for it, as Windows has a generic mouse driver.

[Cerebus]

While I agree with the analogy of the RR V12 etc, but I have never seen that style of advert from them, but I do recall seeing one many years ago from BMW saying that they employ a counterbalance shaft to iron out all vibrations and IIRC they had a coin standing on its edge of the rocker cover while the engine was running?

Ehhh... countershafts have been a thing since forever in engine design; not exactly a revelation. Coulda been that ad, though I remember it being much more "old-school"; some huge prewar land-yacht for people who never drove themselves. Maybe a Deusenberg...?

mnem
 

They were used in the Mitsubishi  "Stigma".

Also the Honda 400-4 "plastic pig".

[Cerebus]

That actually reminds me of a French woman I know/knew. She is eternally trying to make England more French because of course everyone really loves it when you go to their country and tell everyone how shit it is and how it needs to be more like your superior country.

Karma! -------It makes up for generations of Poms doing the same thing to Australia!
.

Well, unless you speak Yugambeh-Bundjalung, Wiradjuri, Gamilaraay, [rest of list of 46 native languages omitted] that would surely make you one of those Poms, wouldn't it? 

[Cerebus]

Bought this at the recent hamfest. What should I control with it?

An electric chair?

I suppose you could use it to vary the velocity by using it as a "bang-bang" PWM control. The elderly/disabled and everyone else on the pavement would find that, um, exciting. 

Not a wheel chair, an electric chair. The one where you get to wear a damp sponge on your head.

McBryce.

If you'd seen the way our mate Patrick drives his electric wheel chair you'd suggest a nice cold sponge on the head to calm the driver down for those too.

[Kosmic]

I've noticed some interesting difference between these both videos (apart from the totally different styles of Dave and Shahriar):

Shahriar responded to my comment on his video, he used a prototype PCB they sent him. His PCB shown in the video did not come from the scope he was using, he didn't tear it down.
So I believe that mine is the newer PCB, probably close to, if not what production will have.
There are quite a lot of differences, including an entire extra memory chip on his.

Because you took the time to dissembled the unit I definitely enjoyed your video a lot more. Was great thanks! 

[med6753]

I will be off the blog for a few days. Going on a short, but much anticipated, vacation (holiday). It's been a few years since my last get away and last Summer was a complete bust due to my now resolved medical issues.

There might be several vices involved but there will be no pictures, no evidence, no social media. And my lips will be forever sealed.     

[Kosmic]

Bought this at the recent hamfest. What should I control with it?

Put it in your spaceship, the perfect device to engage the warp drive!

[Kosmic]

I will be off the blog for a few days. Going on a short, but much anticipated, vacation (holiday). It's been a few years since my last get away and last Summer was a complete bust due to my now resolved medical issues.

There might be several vices involved but there will be no pictures, no evidence, no social media. And my lips will be forever sealed. 

Have a good one Med!

[Kosmic]

I'm bringing the kids to Ocean city in 2 months. Can't wait.

[Specmaster]

I will be off the blog for a few days. Going on a short, but much anticipated, vacation (holiday). It's been a few years since my last get away and last Summer was a complete bust due to my now resolved medical issues.

There might be several vices involved but there will be no pictures, no evidence, no social media. And my lips will be forever sealed.     

Have a good time then you bloody killjoy, deny us any pleasure in seeing what you get upto  , hopefully lady cop will going with you?

[bd139]

I will be off the blog for a few days. Going on a short, but much anticipated, vacation (holiday). It's been a few years since my last get away and last Summer was a complete bust due to my now resolved medical issues.

There might be several vices involved but there will be no pictures, no evidence, no social media. And my lips will be forever sealed.     

Have a good time then you bloody killjoy, deny us any pleasure in seeing what you get upto  , hopefully lady cop will going with you?

I’m hitting Vegas in November. I’ll make up for med with photos you don’t want to see