What a awesome place to put a connector...

[daqq]

While searching for something else I came up on this item:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Siemens-DC-Power-Supply-B-3080-regelbares-Netzteil-mit-GPIB-/201463935123?hash=item2ee82fb093:g:MhUAAOSw7hRWP8rh

Now, I suppose they could have put the GPIB connector below the instrument, that would have been more awful, but this is the second worst option I think. Nothing can be placed upon it properly, no stacking...

Unless I'm missing something. Is there any reason for placing the connector in such a way?

Thanks,

David

[Twoflower]

Not sure, but could it be that the counterpart is on the bottom of the brick? You only need to stack them and they're connected. Just an Idea.

[TK]

Yes, looks like it is used for stacking units

[mikeselectricstuff]

Looks like it has locating points on the top to seat something on top.
I found this Image, which has the same detail

[ADT123]

Mike - where did you find that photo of the B3160 scope.  I would love to have more details as I have an interest in older PC scopes (I started my career designing them) and this one is new to me.

[robert_]

There was a whole family of stackable instruments from Siemens. These have a GPIB connector on top and bottom side, and there was a base module that brought out the GPIB to the back side. All of those were intended purely for use in ATE, having no local user interface.  I did pick up a DMM from that series at some time but have sold it in the mean time.
It did make a lot of sense, you will understand when you see how a typical GPIB wired test system of 10+ devices looks like on the back side. Sadly, as so many good ideas, it wasnt widely adopted.
Would have been nice if the semi-standard 1/2 19" and 19" format would have adopted a similar solution.
It is now getting better with more recent interfaces with thinner cables, but GPIB spaghetti was a very real problem for many years.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Mike - where did you find that photo of the B3160 scope.  I would love to have more details as I have an interest in older PC scopes (I started my career designing them) and this one is new to me.

Google image search on the model number of the PSU.

[james_s]

That's actually pretty clever, assuming there's another one on the back to enable convenient interconnection with instruments not part of that series.

[daqq]

Huh, that didn't occur to me... derp derp derp 

Thanks.