Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

I was just checking CPC fans, high velocity fans have all gone  , good news they are getting more in stock  at the end of October though   

[bd139]

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

[Mr. Scram]

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

I love people complaining how fans are surprisingly expensive when the temperatures are high outside. It's as if they didn't pay attention in economics class.

[Specmaster]

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

I love people complaining how fans are surprisingly expensive when the temperatures are high outside. It's as if they didn't pay attention in economics class.

Yep I know what you mean, numskulls they are. When I'm out of stock my fans are 100% FOC while stocks last 

This the fan I'm going for, we all have box fans by our desks upstairs and I thought placing this one at the bottom of the stairs, pointing up would help to circulate cooler air from downstairs, upto us that we can then blow around with the local fans.

My son has one of these in his flat and it really is like a bloody hurricane when it switches it on and it has 3 speeds as well. He is a assistant manager in an Electrical Wholesaler (like I was years ago) and he has got one coming for on Thursday and I think its the same one as CPC sell, his is. So I expect that they buy them in bulk from CPC (who are also part of the same company), may be he could get my electronic parts cheaper for me? I suspect though that it would involve a minimum order value? http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00301/fan-20-high-velocity/dp/HG00663

[bd139]

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

I love people complaining how fans are surprisingly expensive when the temperatures are high outside. It's as if they didn't pay attention in economics class.

Having paid attention in the economics class, I have considered selling fans before. They literally sell out everywhere in London and go for £50-60 a go for shit ones that cost a tenner.

[mnementh]

I have children. While I do believe both of them to be the most beautiful things in my life; In my heart I know them and most of the things which accompany them to be pretty much the opposite of useful.

Wait until you get old And don't forget they will choose your nursing home

No way in 'ell. I'll go out and sit on the ice before I let that happen. I plan to be around to torment my son & daughter for at least as long as they've tormented me.

The printer is safe.  I don't often do things with critical dimension requirements - and this just reinforces the challenges.

Anyway, here it is.



It's not finalised yet.  I still have to seal it and affix it to the case (it's just sitting there at the moment).

That actually looks pretty good. 

Looks great! Cra**py Meter Envy! Perhaps new abbreviation has been born CME !

Ditto!!! 

That is one of the reasons I STILL keep a working copy of M$ Paint on my machine; you can still get it to scale to mm and print to actual size.

I'm sure there are lots of other apps that do this too; but it's the one I know, and it's free. FU** the department of the Treasury.

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

I love people complaining how fans are surprisingly expensive when the temperatures are high outside. It's as if they didn't pay attention in economics class.

Having paid attention in the economics class, I have considered selling fans before. They literally sell out everywhere in London and go for £50-60 a go for shit ones that cost a tenner.

Same here in Texas. Problem is storing them from November (the only time they're actually cheap is when they need to make room for the Christmas schlock) til June-July.

Here in Houston, Central AC is not a luxury; it's basic survival gear. We have hundreds die of exposure and congestive heart failure every year due to the frequency and intensity of hot/humid "spells". More like we have brief "spells" of NOT deadly hot/humid. 


mnem
Welcome to The Suck.

[Specmaster]

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

I love people complaining how fans are surprisingly expensive when the temperatures are high outside. It's as if they didn't pay attention in economics class.

Having paid attention in the economics class, I have considered selling fans before. They literally sell out everywhere in London and go for £50-60 a go for shit ones that cost a tenner.

Yeah, that always happens, in my wholesaling days, I'd buy shitloads when they were cheap and sit on them waiting for hot weather. Then I'd sell them easily for 3 to 4 times the price I paid and they would still be cheaper by huge margins than those London rip off merchants.

[Specmaster]

I have children. While I do believe both of them to be the most beautiful things in my life; In my heart I know them and most of the things which accompany them to be pretty much the opposite of useful.

Wait until you get old And don't forget they will choose your nursing home

No way in 'ell. I'll go out and sit on the ice before I let that happen. I plan to be around to torment my son & daughter for at least as long as they've tormented me.

The printer is safe.  I don't often do things with critical dimension requirements - and this just reinforces the challenges.

Anyway, here it is.



It's not finalised yet.  I still have to seal it and affix it to the case (it's just sitting there at the moment).

That actually looks pretty good. 

Looks great! Cra**py Meter Envy! Perhaps new abbreviation has been born CME !

Ditto!!! 

That is one of the reasons I STILL keep a working copy of M$ Paint on my machine; you can still get it to scale to mm and print to actual size.

I'm sure there are lots of other apps that do this too; but it's the one I know, and it's free. FU** the department of the Treasury.

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

I love people complaining how fans are surprisingly expensive when the temperatures are high outside. It's as if they didn't pay attention in economics class.

Having paid attention in the economics class, I have considered selling fans before. They literally sell out everywhere in London and go for £50-60 a go for shit ones that cost a tenner.

Same here in Texas. Problem is storing them from November (the only time they're actually cheap is when they need to make room for the Christmas schlock) til June-July.

Here in Houston, Central AC is not a luxury; it's basic survival gear. We have hundreds die of exposure and congestive heart failure every year due to the frequency and intensity of hot/humid "spells". More like we have brief "spells" of NOT deadly hot/humid. 


mnem
Welcome to The Suck.

If only it was possible to store heat in summer and release it in winter hmmm

[Cerebus]

If only it was possible to store heat in summer and release it in winter hmmm

https://www.dimplex.co.uk/product/130kw-reversible-ground-source-heat-pump-si130tur

[mnementh]

Having paid attention in the economics class, I have considered selling fans before. They literally sell out everywhere in London and go for £50-60 a go for shit ones that cost a tenner.

Same here in Texas. Problem is storing them from November (the only time they're actually cheap is when they need to make room for the Christmas schlock) til June-July.

Here in Houston, Central AC is not a luxury; it's basic survival gear. We have hundreds die of exposure and congestive heart failure every year due to the frequency and intensity of hot/humid "spells". More like we have brief "spells" of NOT deadly hot/humid. 


mnem
Welcome to The Suck.

If only it was possible to store heat in summer and release it in winter hmmm

It is; that's one of the many Green Energy technologies that Big Energy has been trying to stamp out for the last 20 years. Molten Salt storage really works, and can store thermal energy in usable quantities for over a month in its present form. Development has been stalled for over a decade because politics.

Remember too that our entire planet IS a thermal accumulator; development of a real, reliable global power grid which would allow the heat energy developed on one side of the planet to be delivered on the other side has been within the capability of existing technology for my entire lifetime. The inherent inefficiency of local production is at the core of how Big Energy makes its money; they've been dragging us backwards tooth and claw since the '60s.

Yes, they really have been bent-over-an-oil-barrel fuxxoring us ALL for THAT LONG and LONGER. 


mnem
"X-Files" was a documentary.

[Specmaster]

That was my theory also, like the everlasting light bulb etc, all been snapped up and quietly buried in order to continue taking vast sums of money from us all.

[tggzzz]

I have children. While I do believe both of them to be the most beautiful things in my life; In my heart I know them and most of the things which accompany them to be pretty much the opposite of useful.

Wait until you get old And don't forget they will choose your nursing home

No way in 'ell. I'll go out and sit on the ice before I let that happen. I plan to be around to torment my son & daughter for at least as long as they've tormented me.

If you ask them, you'll probably find that is axiomatically true

[mnementh]

That was my theory also, like the everlasting light bulb etc, all been snapped up and quietly buried in order to continue taking vast sums of money from us all.

Everlasting incandescent blub is possible; there are Edison bulbs over 100 year old still burning. Problem is they're very fragile, as made of carbon in-situ. They run on DC; AC would vibrate them to powder.

mnem

[bd139]

reminds me of lighting up pencils with a power supply at school

Decided screw it to even playing with toys this evening. Currently camping in local McDonald’s with the kids as it has air con.  School summer holiday so they’ve been crazy today. Pictures coming later if I can be arsed

[Specmaster]

reminds me of lighting up pencils with a power supply at school

Decided screw it to even playing with toys this evening. Currently camping in local McDonald’s with the kids as it has air con.  School summer holiday so they’ve been crazy today. Pictures coming later if I can be arsed

Haha, I have often thought, just how long could you get away with loitering in a shop or McDonalds or similar location on a really hot day taking advantage of their air con.

Just sold another pair of Fluke 25's, so once again I'm on the prowl for yet more TEA goodies to replace them with, may even get another BM867 or there again might not, who knows

[med6753]

Decided screw it to even playing with toys this evening. Currently camping in local McDonald’s with the kids as it has air con.  School summer holiday so they’ve been crazy today. Pictures coming later if I can be arsed

And this reminds me when I was a kid almost no one had home A/C so during a heat wave we'd all go to the movies to cool off.

(Typing this as I sit here in a nice air conditioned room  ) 

[Specmaster]

Decided screw it to even playing with toys this evening. Currently camping in local McDonald’s with the kids as it has air con.  School summer holiday so they’ve been crazy today. Pictures coming later if I can be arsed

And this reminds me when I was a kid almost no one had home A/C so during a heat wave we'd all go to the movies to cool off.

(Typing this as I sit here in a nice air conditioned room  ) 

Yep, its almost obligatory to have A/C over there isn't it? If it keeps up like this over here, it will become more common for homes here to have it as well. Problem you had was that you had to get to the cinema in the first place to cool off and then get back home again unless you get taken there in an A/C car?

[med6753]

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

Really? Are those fans that crappy? Fully realize the motors are cheap and have junk sleeve bearings but so do ours but they last a lot longer than that. 

[med6753]

Decided screw it to even playing with toys this evening. Currently camping in local McDonald’s with the kids as it has air con.  School summer holiday so they’ve been crazy today. Pictures coming later if I can be arsed

And this reminds me when I was a kid almost no one had home A/C so during a heat wave we'd all go to the movies to cool off.

(Typing this as I sit here in a nice air conditioned room  ) 

Yep, its almost obligatory to have A/C over there isn't it? If it keeps up like this over here, it will become more common for homes here to have it as well. Problem you had was that you had to get to the cinema in the first place to cool off and then get back home again unless you get taken there in an A/C car?

Well....here in New York A/C is not really obligatory but it is nice to have for those hot and humid days we get in July and August. But as mnem said in Texas it is basic survival.

And yes, back in those days it was rare to have a car with A/C. But today in most cars it's standard equipment. Both my vehicles have it. 

[Specmaster]

Today I couldn't contemplate a car without A/C. It wasn't all that long ago when it was the preserve of the very top luxury cars over here too. Oh how I was so jealous of those lucky bastards who had in their cars when I was driving all over London calling on consulting engineers, arriving in their receptions like a damp sweaty sodden sponge almost dripping on the floor on a really hot day, having spent hours sitting in the sweat box on wheels moving nowhere very fast.

[bd139]

reminds me of lighting up pencils with a power supply at school

Decided screw it to even playing with toys this evening. Currently camping in local McDonald’s with the kids as it has air con.  School summer holiday so they’ve been crazy today. Pictures coming later if I can be arsed

Haha, I have often thought, just how long could you get away with loitering in a shop or McDonalds or similar location on a really hot day taking advantage of their air con.

Just sold another pair of Fluke 25's, so once again I'm on the prowl for yet more TEA goodies to replace them with, may even get another BM867 or there again might not, who knows

Well after two hours they fine you £90 for parking there for too long, so two hours

Do you want to buy a nice HP 54645D? Only £240 

Yeah you have to get in early. They have thousands in stock which disappear pretty much instantly. I bought four back in May in anticipation of being bloody hot. They will all go to the tip in late September. They only last a few months

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/pel00465/16-pedestal-fan/dp/HG00954 <-- these ones.

Really? Are those fans that crappy? Fully realize the motors are cheap and have junk sleeve bearings but so do ours but they last a lot longer than that. 

To be fair they last a couple of years on 24/7/365 if you clean them once a fortnight. I don’t have the space to keep them when they’re not needed.

Today I couldn't contemplate a car without A/C. It wasn't all that long ago when it was the preserve of the very top luxury cars over here too. Oh how I was so jealous of those lucky bastards who had in their cars when I was driving all over London calling on consulting engineers, arriving in their receptions like a damp sweaty sodden sponge almost dripping on the floor on a really hot day, having spent hours sitting in the sweat box on wheels moving nowhere very fast.

I don’t have air con in my car. I don’t actually like it because when you get out of an air conditioned car it’s horrid

[Specmaster]

Do you want to buy a nice HP 54645D? Only £240 

What downgrade you mean? erh, let me think...nope

I don’t have air con in my car. I don’t actually like it because when you get out of an air conditioned car it’s horrid

It's even more horrid sitting in a car without air con, you're basically sitting is a pool of your own sweat. I agree its horrid getting out into the sweltering heat but then its bloody marvelous getting into an air conned car after being outside in the heat 

I think as you get older you feel the heat more and air con becomes a must have in a car then for sure, you get far less tolerant of extreme temperatures as you get older.

I reckon your next car will have air con it, the Fiat would have it but the engine can't supply the power to drive it 

[bd139]

Don’t knock that 1.3 multijet. Knocks perfectly fine on its own 

[Specmaster]

Never understand why drivers in modern cars that clearly have air con, still drive with the windows open on a hot day. I know I have a friend who firmly believes that using the air con consumes too much HP and therefore cost more per mile to run the car. So having the windows open doesn't create massive amounts of extra drag, wind roar in your ear giving ear ache and stiff neck and also running the risk of the extra internal pressure popping the back window out, is better then the peaceful tranquility of windows shut with the aircon on?   

[bd139]

TBH I did have a company car for a bit and that did have air con. As is duty with a company car, I ragged the shit out of it and drove around with it in freezing my balls off mode while wearing a fleece in the middle of summer 

Anyway back to TEA. Now due to decent upload bandwidth we have videos of new toys as well as photos!

HP 54645D stuffs...

Firstly some kindling if the world turns to shit, an actual piece of gear that came with the manual/service info. Service info is module level though but there is some diagnostic info in it. I have the schematics for this unit actually, available here if anyone wants them (383 megs!): https://archive.org/details/HP54645NCLIPImgs ... note typical 1990s design and photography before the Chinese sucked all the class out of typefaces with serifs.



Money shot:



Genuine HP probes and documentation bag in 1990s browny grey:



MegaZoom! Note the RS232 / printer pack. There's a good old Centronics connector and RS232 port on the back. You can talk to the scope via SCPI and control literally everything on it and take screenshots etc. The Centronics port will plug into an HP Laserjet and allow you to print out hardcopies. Awesome. Need a LaserJet 4 now (any excuse!)



Now for some HD porn:

Built in Easter Egg and engineering credits. There's a game too but I didn't run that.



Measurin' shit:



Single capture MegaZoom example. Pretty good! Much better than the 2k in the earlier 54600's and a lot of Tektronix scopes even up until recent times 



Money well spent. Now to find some probes!

Edit: the background noise is not the scope. I have an HP DL380 g9 going in the background

Edit 2: From the CLIP schematics:



Edit 3: Basically the whole thing is a 68k CPU, TMS320C50 DSP and a boat load of RAM.