What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[Falkra]

Thank you Steve ! I watch your videos (I subscribed to your channel) and your two videos about isolation transformers were very interesting, I have learnt a lot while watching them (and the others as well). 
Thanks for answering. 

[electr_peter]

I bought two of these isolation transformers (120 euros shipping included).
They are like new, and came with certificates in original box/packaging.

Where did you buy these transformers? Is that 60EUR each? Looks very nice.

[Falkra]

I got them on eBay. Here are two more from the same seller, if anyone is interested :
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/322207803409
Same price.
It is shipped from Germany. Packaging was awesome.

[bollio]

I continue to spend money left and right getting the lab all set... Today FedEx dropped off an HP 33120a function generator I gambled on eBay... $200 shipped, wasn't expecting much BUT this thing is pristine AND has the optional tcxo ref in/out!  Very pleased!!!

[bitseeker]

Wow, that's quite a score bollio. I've seen the TCXO board alone go for more than that.

[TAMHAN]

Hello,
its a neverending story with these labs. Dont ask me how much money I already spent on mine.

Today: 100€ worth of components for a project for my jewish "brother by choice".  when its here, and if it doesnt  hopefully ill be producing 600 of these trinkets a month.

[bollio]

Wow, that's quite a score bollio. I've seen the TCXO board alone go for more than that.

Yea, I couldn't really believe it and had some doubts as to it's condition.  I'm pretty sure it had gone unseen by most of the punters as it was listed as a 33210a, hadn't a single mention of the option 001 upgrade (which was a pleasant surprise when I opened the box!), and only had a single picture of the unit from a distance. 

Forgive the super budget counter it's plugged into, but I've got a decent Philips PM6666 on the way (another pretty solid deal at $150) that just hasn't gotten here yet!  (a tiny bit off as my cheapo counter doesn't actually have a ref in!)

[bitseeker]

Ah, yes, I remember that one. Without a photo of the back, there's no way to know it had the TCXO in it. What a nice surprise.

[tautech]

A Brother PT700 label printer. I love it. I use it to got rid of many many part bags, and it saved tons of space on my desk.

Grrrrh, IC's in pink foam. 

[nctnico]

Why don't you just write using a velt pen? Once upon a time I started to put labels on SMD bins. I quickly realised that was not a very smart move because it took a lot of time & effort to create a label and writing is so much quicker.

Oh, and I bought a black carrying / storage case for my Flir C2:

http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/7956188997.html

[nctnico]

Why don't you just write using a velt pen? Once upon a time I started to put labels on SMD bins. I quickly realised that was not a very smart move because it took a lot of time & effort to create a label and writing is so much quicker.

Try writing on black ESD reels. White (TiO2 based) inks do not usually come with fine tips and strong adhesion. Darker pens won't make readable result.

Put a white sticker on it first. Still quicker than a label 

[tautech]

A Brother PT700 label printer. I love it. I use it to got rid of many many part bags, and it saved tons of space on my desk.

Grrrrh, IC's in pink foam. 

Came from eBay, what more to expect?

I expect sellers offering IC's to comply with industry standard ESD protection and insist they do. You should too.
How else to you train these sellers to supply IC's at minimal risk of arriving damaged.

Message to seller:
I require all static sensitive devices to be supplied in anti static packaging.
Failure to do so will result in no return business from me and no referrals to my friends of your products.

All comply. 

[BFX]

RF power meter board.
Already received  Absolutely fast shipping. From China  to central Europe for 10 days ... excellent 

[rx8pilot]

RF power meter board.
Already received  Absolutely fast shipping. From China  to central Europe for 10 days ... excellent 

Look forward to hearing a follow up on that if possible.

[TAMHAN]

Two scissors and a anti skid mat for my desk. If I show off some bought service manual on the tablet again, so that it doesnt slip around as much.

Plus, some cardboard underlay for videos which I make for one of my clients.

Nothing big. Was seriously tempted by a Parker Sonnet tho, the Black and Red one...

[CJay]

RF power meter board.
Already received  Absolutely fast shipping. From China  to central Europe for 10 days ... excellent 

Look forward to hearing a follow up on that if possible.

I'll ditto that.

[Kilrah]

Analog Discovery 2, and CMOD A7

[Sbampato12]

Just received it.

The seller got the wrong shipping method (the cheaper), and it almost got lost... But suddendly, the tracking just showed it was back on route.

A Hioki 3333. The first Hioki gear in my lab.

[BFX]

Little update  250$ for both

[Richard Crowley]

I bought a control panel for a larger television video switcher (Grass Valley "Zodiac")



The top panel includes dozens of lighted pushbutton switches and lights displays and "T-bar" faders.
Underneath are a couple of power supply units (probably wired to be redundant for "hot-standby")
And some sort of a controller computer, complete with a 5-inch floppy drive(!)



Judging by the labeling on the buttons, it came out of KING-TV, channel 5 in Seattle (NBC)
Most likely still operational when replaced with newer HD, digital gear.

Not bad for $150 on Ebay.  But I had to drive from Portland up to Seattle to pick it up (it wasn't worth shipping because it is so heavy).  The traffic in Seattle is TERRIBLE! Bumper-to-bumper practically in EVERY direction! It took me 11 hours round trip from Hillsboro to Kenmore and back again.  I must admit the gadget probably wasn't worth 11 hours of driving through heavy traffic.   

[Richard Crowley]

The panel I bought is just the user-interface control-surface.  The original Grass Valley switcher with that control panel probably cost well over US$100K  That Grass Valley Zodiac is a "3-bus" or "3 M/E" switcher.

For comparison, this is the control panel currently sold by Blackmagic Design (an Australian company famous in video production circles).  It controls their top-of-the-line "2M/E" switcher. 



Just the control panel (without the actual video switcher) sells for US$15K

The original Grass Valley analog switcher unit probably took 10 or more rack-units for the actual electronics that do the video effects and switching. 



But using custom chips and modern technology, the modern BlackMagic 2M/E switcher fits into 4RU and includes audio mixing and camera control features in the firmware.  And sells for US$3800!  This is very disorienting to old-school video people. 

[mathsquid]

I bought a control panel for a larger television video switcher (Grass Valley "Zodiac")

That looks very similar to the one that runs the death star in the original Star Wars: http://www.partsofsw.com/dscntrl.htm

[rx8pilot]

That was an Ampex switcher I believe.

Sent from my horrible mobile....

[Goodwill Hunting]

Got a Hakko 937 from a guy on craigslist for $50, although it didn't come with the key card so I made one out of an old membership card.   Works great and it's easy and fast to change the temperature.

I got it because my Hakko FX-888D annoys the crap out of me.  It works great, but I can't ever manage to change the temperature without getting out the manual.  It's a real pain. 

[CJay]

Why don't you just write using a velt pen? Once upon a time I started to put labels on SMD bins. I quickly realised that was not a very smart move because it took a lot of time & effort to create a label and writing is so much quicker.

Try writing on black ESD reels. White (TiO2 based) inks do not usually come with fine tips and strong adhesion. Darker pens won't make readable result.

I find the Gold or silver metallic Sharpies do a good job on black but only because I can't justify a label printer like that