GPIB FUNSome of the current DVD/BD writers still support CD writing, and it can be adapted thru SATA/IDE bridge. USB: the lowest possible addition is a PCI(not PCI-E) card, if the motherboard doesn't has included. If you need any software for those cases, let me know, and I will dig out something for you.
Hmm yes, a USB interface card that sounds like a feasible plan...
I just made an effort and dug out my GPIB computer. IBM APtiva circa 1996. Pentium Win95.
It has a mix of ISA and PCI slots. x5 ISA + x2 PCI.
One ISA at the top occupied by the OEM sound card.
Another ISA at the very bottom is the GPIB card... took it out, appears to be the exact same model that I just got from Robert the other day !
Oh well, you can never enough genuine NI GPIB cards, I say !
So this is the appropriate card that's required to run the Tek TDS calibration S/W, that I could never get to do anything IIRC....
Looking closely my card is younger, 1991 rev 'E' versus 1990 rev 'B'.
Then one PCI slot occupied by a lovely Matrox Millenium graphics card that I put because... IIRC the on-board graphics adapter didn't cut it for my then 17" CRT.
Second and last PCI slot is occupied by.. a network card !
Had forgotten I had put that in !
I sure didn't do anything with it, that I can remember at least, but it's there !
Then it's got everything it needs onboard; just get it a network card and off you go. Do you have a free PCI slot? Then a 3Com 3c905-tx would be a good choice.
See above, yeah I already got a PCI Network card in there !!
I took it out to show you... looks like it's exactly what you advised me to get ! 3COM 3C905-tx !
Now that memories are coming back slowly, IIRC I did download the driver for that card, back then. Must be on the "Desktop". Can't remember if I did install it or not... will soon find out ! though !
So if I can find an Ethernet cable in my stock, that's long enough to connect to the ADSL box, or to the nearest RJ45 socket in the living room.... I could try as a first step to see if I can get it on the internet !
Then work it some more and try to connect to my main computer to access files or my // port printer or god knows what.
The firmware file is 4096Kb, so would need a few floppies, it crunches down to a little over 1000Kb with Winrar on 'best' setting though so that would make things easier.
Only 4096kb ?! That's only 512KB, it easily fits on a floppy, not need to compress or split anything !!!
Maybe you can buy a Keysight USB-GPIB adapter from ebay with your first pay cheque!..
Sadly no !: Looking at my finances, negative 6,000 Euros, it's already a given that in the unlikely event where I won't get fired in the first two weeks on that job.... it's already planned, mandatory, that I save my first 6 months / cheques to improve my financial situation before I can contemplate 100/150 Euros expenses !
I mean, I don't have an immediate need for GPIB stuff.... I ony need it to get you the F/W. So I will try to do that on the chezap with I have got here at my disposal, and that's it. I am not going to spend money on a USB adapter anytime soon. At the soonest I would consider buying that, once the lab is computerized. At which point I would get a GPIB adapter, EPROM programmer, logic analyzer, stuff like that.
OK, so let's see if that computer still fires up and see if I can find a cable to connect it to the ADSL box, and see if I can find my GPIB cable because... well it's quite needed isn't it ?!