Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

ON THE BENCH TODAY: Modded TK Siglent MSO --> HP Pod Adapter

So the boi brings in the mail, and my eBay package is in it. One HP Pod #7, complete with original baggities. The tails for the clips are a bit stiff, but the coax are all still nice & supple. Included were a full set of 16 HP grabbits, all delightfully tiny and smoooth like buttah.

Suhweeet! Now I just need my adapter PCB...

mnem
 

Last week I received my package from eevBlog member TK; to my surprise, he included two adapters. One complete and assembled, and another in components. Guess he was feeling generous.

TK's adapter posted in the Siglent SDS2000X thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds2000x-plus-coming/msg3079002/#msg3079002

My intent is to use TK's adapter PCB directly with the HP LA pod, bypassing the HP braided cables, as I don't need to be able to reach around to the back of a 1-2U rack-mount boat anchor.



I'm hoping this will work similarly to TK's project; as the HP Pod cable ends themselves incorporate a compensation/tip isolation network, I'm pretty sure it should be reasonably safe to use this way.

The leads on the pod are 13"/330mm long; add the body of the pod and adapter and that's 15"/380mm from the front of the scope. This is more than enough reach for most any of my tinkery projects; the last I used a LA it was with flight controllers I was kibbutzing on that were 35mm square. 



To do this, I'll be edge mounting a 2x20 0.100" socket header; this can be achieved instead of the normal 90° TH orientation by using the following technique. 

First step is to prep the PCB so that one row of pins can reach the inner row of TH vias. To this end, I've ground ~3-4mm off the edge of the PCB; right down to the edge of the first row of TH vias.




Next, I need to trim the pins on one row of the socket header; these will be soldered to the outer row of TH vias. I hold the header in place, then score across the pins with a knife to make witness marks I can follow with my flush cutters to make a nice neat line of pins.




But before I start soldering, I put a strip of Kapton tape over the outer row of holes on the opposite side. This is to keep the solder from bubbling through the TH via and shorting the pins on this side.




Here I've trial-fitted the socket header on the PCB; you can see now how the pins align with the TH vias. Note that the short pins go on the side of the PCB with the silkscreen printed on it. If you put it the other way, not all of the inputs will work, as the pin assignments are offset. Next I'll tack the end pins in place; I'll do this while pressing down on the socket header so the pins are tight against the PCB.




If I've done the work right, there will be a nice ~0.5mm air-gap between the pins on the other side and the PCB. This is perfect, since these are the signal pins.




And here's the finished adapter after scrubbing with IPA and a toothbrush; nice tidy soldering if I do say so myself.




The Money Shot!

Here I've alternated inputs on my Cheap & Cheerful Chinesium™ PWM generator and the Cal signal from my T3DSO2102; like DefPom, I'm not exactly pleased with the way it puts D0 under/between D13 & D14, so I just turned D0 off for the demonstration.




One thing that is a bit annoying is that without the braided cable, the pod has to be plugged in upside-down. This means that there is no legend, and the numerical order is bass-ackwards. Fortunately, a little heat from a hot air gun is all that's required to peel the label off, with adhesive intact...




...and applied to the other side. Now all that remains is to design and print a plastic shell so the adapter PCB has support inside the hole in the case, instead of all load being on the connector socket itself.

Cheers!

mnem
*toddles off to RTFM*

[tautech]

Nice one mnem,  go double post here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/diy-logic-analyzer-probe-and-pods-for-siglent-scopes/

[mnementh]

I thought about posting it there first, but that's oz2cpu's thread and I was worried I'd step on his toes.

Also, as you can see, the MSO features on my T3DSO2102 appear to be enabled; or is that just a trial which expires after a certain number of uses? 

mnem
 

[tautech]

I thought about posting it there first, but that's oz2cpu's thread and I was worried I'd step on his toes.

OK then quote TK's post instead:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds2000x-plus-coming/msg3079002/#msg3079002

Also, as you can see, the MSO features on my T3DSO2102 appear to be enabled; or is that just a trial which expires after a certain number of uses? 

mnem
 

Normally only 30 trial uses without licensing or a hack. Go look in the Options menu within Utility.
Use your trial option uses wisely. 

[Vince]

TV REPAIR

Just received the new LED strips to fix the backlight on that 55" monster TV I was passed the other day, for those who remember.

14 Euros shipped from China direct, received in only 10 days, I am in luck...

Happy to see that

1) I did receive the proper part
2) it's intact
3) They did put 2 strips in the tube not just one... you never know 
4) appears to be an exact match, not some "compatible fits them all"... so that's good.

Basically it's as advertised, an incredible thing these days...

So... well, hoping these strings will work, and do so for more than 5 minutes.

Then will put the LCD back on, and hope it's not damaged 

Wish me luck.

Result coming soon...

Getting the old strips off,  won't be fun 

[tautech]

Oh and mnem, about the now with a minute I dug out an old forum pic of the first SDS2000 models with the SCSI MSO socket:



https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/spotted-new-birds-(siglent)/
Some ditched the gawd awful SCSI ribbon cable for the much nicer SCSI round cable version.

I had a SDS2304 in late 2013 and replaced it with a SDS2304X that's also been moved along for a SDS5054X, recently also moved for a SDS6204A .....which for all X and A models use the PCIe MSO connector.

Your LeCroy is one of these later 2000X models:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-864-siglent-sds2000x-series-oscilloscope-teardown/

[mnementh]

TV REPAIR

Just received the new LED strips to fix the backlight on that 55" monster TV I was passed the other day, for those who remember.

...Wish me luck.

Result coming soon...   

Getting the old strips off,  won't be fun   

We'll pray for ya, V!

mnem
 

[mnementh]

I thought about posting it there first, but that's oz2cpu's thread and I was worried I'd step on his toes.

OK then quote TK's post instead:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sds2000x-plus-coming/msg3079002/#msg3079002

Also, as you can see, the MSO features on my T3DSO2102 appear to be enabled; or is that just a trial which expires after a certain number of uses? 

mnem
 

Normally only 30 trial uses without licensing or a hack. Go look in the Options menu within Utility.
Use your trial option uses wisely. 

Yeah, I linked to his post at the top of my writeup. Should I add it to the end of the SDS2000X thread?

Thanks... that's what I was going to toddle off and RTFM for.  Yup, trial licenses on all of it. 

I guess it's not going to stay a T3DSO2102 for long.   

mnem
 

[Vince]

TV REPAIR

Just received the new LED strips to fix the backlight on that 55" monster TV I was passed the other day, for those who remember.

...Wish me luck.

Result coming soon...   

Getting the old strips off,  won't be fun   

We'll pray for ya, V!

mnem
 

Quick sanity check of the new strips, before I even attempt to remove / unglue the old ones : FUCK ME IT'S BRIGHT !!!! 

The old strips were blinding, the new strips are 10 times worse, my eye balls feel like boiled eggs ! 

OK, that's a good start. Now on to the long painful tedious part, removing the old glued strips 

[tautech]

Should I add it to the end of the SDS2000X PLUS thread?

Just as you like bud, but probably best as SDS2000X models are now discontinued. 
You'll get to like that LeSiglent, that I am sure of. 
Sent you a PM.

[mnementh]

FUCK ME IT'S BRIGHT !!!! 

The old strips were blinding, the new strips are 10 times worse, my eye balls feel like boiled eggs ! 

OK, that's a good start. Now on to the long painful tedious part, removing the old glued strips 

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

mnem
"The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades..."

[mnementh]

Should I add it to the end of the SDS2000X PLUS thread?

Just as you like bud, but probably best as SDS2000X models are now discontinued.     You'll get to like that LeSiglent, that I am sure of.     Sent you a PM.

I got it. Still looking over the thread.

I think, since I'm planning to continue this project with some 3DP goodness, and I also have a tertiary project in mind, that I'll start a new thread as an alternative approach to those already in play.

Cheers,

mnem
 

[Neomys Sapiens]

Now that is what I call a pleasant surprise: the battered, shabby looking Danbridge resistance decade box which I bought for below 50€ does not have any real defect in it's 6 decades. Nothing that some Tunerspray couldn't fix.

[mnementh]

That is the same position here. I surely could design something with bang up to date modern tech but I'm not being paid to so I'm doing it with what feels good to use

Software I like to avoid also having enough problems with that during the day 

(unless it's something mucky like machine code)

If you think machine code is good and mucky then bit twiddling in an FPGA is positively filthy.

C'mon big boy, hit me with that logic probe again, hit me, hit me. J'adore, Ich leiber dich. Hit me, hit me, hit me. Hit me slowly, hit me quick...

mnem
what...?

[Zoli]

O.... K......               

* withdraws quietly *

Not an Ian Dury and the Blockheads fan I take it?




Possibly my favourite hit single of all time. I remember being in the back of Dave Fellingham's car when I heard it for the first time. It came onto the radio, my mate Dougie (now guitarist for Saxon) goes "Oh, this is brilliant, you've got to listen to this. Turn it up Dave!". It knocked the spots off anything lese that was in the charts in 1978.

It has more cocaine then Neil Young in his whole career.

[duckduck]

New acquisition:

(hp) 5254L Electronic Counter (NIXIES! ) with 5253B Frequency Converter plugin

Talked the seller down to USD100. Did not come with a power cable. I have no idea if it works but at least (upon casual inspection) it has not been molested. I have no rational need for such a device, but the promise of glowing wire digits beckons. This boat anchor scares me because it is old enough to have grandchildren and I have never even seen it plugged in.

Assuming that I can get it going, I will probably bite the bullet and buy an HP oval power cord for it. Looks like the going price is USD40. I just can't see chopping up the case to install an IEC power entry module. It would be like replacing the engine in a Ford Model T with a Hyundai 1.6T.

More to come.

[Cubdriver]

Nice!!!  A 5245L was my first hit of the Nixie Madness.   



Welcome to the orange glowy side!

-Pat

<edit to add - installing a C14 mains inlet wouldn't be nearly as sacrilegious as putting a Hyundai mill into a model T - HP built the 5245L for many years, and later iterations had C14s rather than the old PH-163.>

[Cubdriver]

Oh, and you'll want to turn the 'storage' switch on the back panel to 'on', otherwise it will count up from zero with each new measurement rather than updating the previously displayed one with the new value.

-Pat

[Robert763]

New acquisition:

(hp) 5254L Electronic Counter (NIXIES! ) with 5253B Frequency Converter plugin

Talked the seller down to USD100. Did not come with a power cable. I have no idea if it works but at least (upon casual inspection) it has not been molested. I have no rational need for such a device, but the promise of glowing wire digits beckons. This boat anchor scares me because it is old enough to have grandchildren and I have never even seen it plugged in.

Assuming that I can get it going, I will probably bite the bullet and buy an HP oval power cord for it. Looks like the going price is USD40. I just can't see chopping up the case to install an IEC power entry module. It would be like replacing the engine in a Ford Model T with a Hyundai 1.6T.

More to come.

Put a C6 "mickey mouse" inlet in it. No hacking of chassis should be required, just a adaptor plate at most.

[Brumby]

O.... K......               

* withdraws quietly *

Not an Ian Dury and the Blockheads fan I take it?

Some lyrics are just not my cup of tea.

[duckduck]

Nice!!!  A 5245L was my first hit of the Nixie Madness.   

<SNIP>

Welcome to the orange glowy side!

-Pat

<edit to add - installing a C14 mains inlet wouldn't be nearly as sacrilegious as putting a Hyundai mill into a model T - HP built the 5245L for many years, and later iterations had C14s rather than the old PH-163.>

Thank you.

Re C14: Really? Good to know.

I hit up ebay in search of some pictures and found a 5254L that had a C14 that looked like it was born with. I found another 5254L that had been converted to a built-in cable.

Oh, and you'll want to turn the 'storage' switch on the back panel to 'on', otherwise it will count up from zero with each new measurement rather than updating the previously displayed one with the new value.

Done. I wondered what that switch did. Still haven't RTFM yet.

Put a C6 "mickey mouse" inlet in it. No hacking of chassis should be required, just a adaptor plate at most.

Reversible modification. Smart.

EDIT:

Added the pictures from ebay.

EDIT EDIT:

I just grabbed a mickey mouse cable (off of an old HP laptop) and it easily fits in the existing hole in the chassis. I assume that the screw holes wouldn't line up, hence the "adapter plate". This is now my "Plan A" for powering the unit, after it's up and running. Thanks.

[mansaxel]

I have no rational need for such a device,

It has Nixies, and with a good external frequency source, it's as accurate as one could want. Do you need more?

I just can't see chopping up the case to install an IEC power entry module.

I have 2 instruments with that PH-163 crapola; and I have 2 cables for them. I do not like them, not at all. I also have a bag of Schurter C6 inlets for when I get a round tuit circular enough.

The inlet is not the problem. The issue I have is with the female cable connector, which is right bloody unsafe and not at all suited to our slightly friskier mains voltages on this side of the Atlantic.



There is no real protection for the live conductors (do note that either/both L and N may be live in Europe, we have a lot of non-polarized 2-conductor+Earth mains systems, and some (Norway and offshore) are 2 legs off a Delta supply, making both 127V off the ground); so even non-protruding fumbling with a connected cable will get the handler stung.

Edited to add:  My 5245L came with a C14 inlet original, but broken. I'll be diving in trying to get it swapped out any day now.

[duckduck]

I have no rational need for such a device,

It has Nixies, and with a good external frequency source, it's as accurate as one could want. Do you need more?

I just checked my Wilson WFC-500-E (frequency counter with an OCXO) and it has a 1 MHz output. The 5245L has an input for a 1 MC external frequency standard.

Hey! Let's send the intern to the shop manager's office to get a MegaHertz to MegaCycle converter. Shh! Here he comes.

I just can't see chopping up the case to install an IEC power entry module.

I have 2 instruments with that PH-163 crapola; and I have 2 cables for them. I do not like them, not at all. I also have a bag of Schurter C6 inlets for when I get a round tuit circular enough.

The inlet is not the problem. The issue I have is with the female cable connector, which is right bloody unsafe and not at all suited to our slightly friskier mains voltages on this side of the Atlantic.

<SNIP>

There is no real protection for the live conductors (do note that either/both L and N may be live in Europe, we have a lot of non-polarized 2-conductor+Earth mains systems, and some (Norway and offshore) are 2 legs off a Delta supply, making both 127V off the ground); so even non-protruding fumbling with a connected cable will get the handler stung.

<SNIP>

Live conductors: good for orchestras, bad for mains cables that lack protection. You have convinced me to remove the PH-163. I'll have to rounden my tuits and resist any urges to stack the 5245L on The Shelf On The Other Side Of The Room.

[mansaxel]

Live conductors: good for orchestras, bad for mains cables that lack protection. You have convinced me to remove the PH-163. I'll have to rounden my tuits and resist any urges to stack the 5245L on The Shelf On The Other Side Of The Room.

Actually, I wrote like so, because as soon as you get into 3-phase mains, the rôle of the neutral vs phase conductors is much more critical. But in everyday single-phase, it does not matter. Consequently, devices with one leg directly connected to chassis are, and have been so for considerable time, illegal here.

Until I learned about the All American Five and similar radios, the idea of doing this was simply preposterous to me. Not real. Now it, sadly, is both.

[grizewald]

5372A update:

Needs new battery. Other than that, as advertised. To a maths half-wit like me, it does take some time to get into the device to actually comprehend it, but I've gotten a lot of insights already. My FeelTech FG has a pretty bad oscillator, that's the first thing I've learnt. If I plot the frequency from it as a graph, it flips between two frequencies, one slightly above, one slightly below 10MHz. The average is some 45kHz off.

I perhaps should buy one of those 10-packs of CTI OXCO too. The 8316 counter needs one too. And, as soon as I get to borrow the GPS-steered Rb reference from work, I'll get to characterising the OXCO in my Meinberg LANTime, which is displaying tendencies to deviate too.

If your FeelTech FG is one with a 10MHz internal reference, you could always hack it to add a BNC at the rear of the unit ready to accept 10MHz from a BG7TBL GPS locked reference. They are not particularly expensive and once they have a solid lock will give you all the accuracy you need. Pair it with a distribution amp to feed everything you have that accepts a 10MHz timebase.