Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Neomys Sapiens]

.....
If you are looking for a tripod I recommand Manfrotto. A bit more expansive but super solid and working really well. I forgot mine on the roof of my car once. Fell out of the car on a big boulevard at high speed. It's still in one piece with some marks 

When I was looking for a tripod ~30years ago, I asked for a Manfrotto first. My photo dealer looked at me disapprovingly and asked me why I want to go cheap after buying a good SLR and optics (then F3).
He did show me Gitzo and I was sold. The F3 has bitten the dust, some Leicas did come and go - the tripod is still with me and has carried various sizable antennas, a big industrial lighting fixture and any sort of optical stuff. Very beautiful finish and nearly indestructable.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Apparently from the label the 2430 has issues. And I'll bet that's not it's only issue. That guy is sort of a "hybrid" early analog/DSO and it may be a real challenge to get it running. The condition of the 475A is also unknown but you can bet bastard tants will be part of the program. 

What does the 2430 make a 'hybrid' in your eyes? It does not have a purely analog mode of operation like, for example, the 2210 or the 2221. It is a DSO, albeit one of the first with a useful bandwith/sample rate ratio. Or do you refer to the delay line circuitry?
Also a clear and concise user interface from the 2430A onwards. If I recall it correctly, on the 2430 the softkeys don't do much, so I was quite baffled when I had to use one after having worked with the 2430A before.
But the 475 with IBM marking - if you get it working, you should aquire the fluke 8060A in IBM livery to go with it! 

[0culus]

Neomys your package is on it's way. I sent you a message.

In other news, I may be acquiring another spectrum analyzer soon...this time an 8566A for a good price. 

[Specmaster]

Nice pics!

The 7D look like a fine camera. Seeing all the new features in there make me wonder if I should upgrade mine. I still use my old Canon 5D.

If you are looking for a tripod I recommand Manfrotto. A bit more expansive but super solid and working really well. I forgot mine on the roof of my car once. Fell out of the car on a big boulevard at high speed. It's still in one piece with some marks 

Your Canon 5D is actually an upgrade to mine, with Canon, the lower the number the higher grade the camera is culminating with the 1D at some £5,400 just for the body. The ranges in the single digit are the top models and goes like 7, 6, 5 and then 1 so in reality yours is 2 steps up from mine and 1 step down from the top model.

I'm off back to RAF marham at 5am Tuesday to grab a few more shots of the Tornados on the 7D

[0culus]

Eventually I'm going to upgrade my D90 to a full frame body. However, mirrorless has come a long way...choices...  It's just as bad as test equipment, if not worse once you factor in quality glass. 

[Specmaster]

Yep, it seems those of us inflicted with TEA  have also been bitten by other bugs who have left traces of their viruses with us, ham radios, volt nuts, time nuts, photography, drone / model aircraft but you have to set a level beyond which you will not go otherwise we could all become bankrupt with ease chasing that very elusive thing, perfection which actually doesn't exist.  

[Neomys Sapiens]

Eventually I'm going to upgrade my D90 to a full frame body. However, mirrorless has come a long way...choices...  It's just as bad as test equipment, if not worse once you factor in quality glass. 

Definitely - I have not solved this conundrum yet. I don't want a SLR, but I need certain other features.
- remote trigger (preferably by a contact, not an app)
- manual respectively static focus
- externally controlled exposure (does it even work?)
- compact and silent
- reasonably good low-light performance
Exchangeable lenses would be nice, lens quality matters, of course.
I was looking at the Leica X Vario, which in compact and a fine camera, but no interface for a trigger.
The older Digilux 2 is fine at first view, but too slow.
The VLux can do more of the requirements, but it does not seem to be built to the same standards and it is friggin' large.
Then I started to look at other brands and I got buried under the multitude of models, which is nearly as confusing as with mobile phones.

[0culus]

Yep, it seems those of us inflicted with TEA  have also been bitten by other bugs who have left traces of their viruses with us, ham radios, volt nuts, time nuts, photography, drone / model aircraft but you have to set a level beyond which you will not go otherwise we could all become bankrupt with ease chasing that very elusive thing, perfection which actually doesn't exist.  

On the bright side, the D90 is a pretty damn good camera for what it is and it's age, and I've gotten some amazing shots with it. Here's a pic I got at Lake Powell a couple years ago.

[beanflying]

Sometimes I just like to watch with my Cameras  TEA Courier watch enabled. WiFi LiPo powered 1080P. Fluke 335D inbound. 

[mnementh]

   Here's the new fan installed. (SNIP) That's the unfortunate part. It won't fit unless you do this extensive trimming. The Dremel tool was put to good use.

I have checked airflow with smoke and it is drawing air into the vents underneath where U800 and the hybrids are. In past experiments the airflow appears to be equal or better than before. I also determined in past experiments that in 72 F ambient the rear plate never exceeds 100 F. I will perform that check again. I think this mod is going to work without any issues.
(SNIP)
Let the Monday morning quarterbacking begin.           

0) *Cringe*

1) That is NOT "good use". It is EEBIL! PURE UNADULTERATED EEEEBIL!!! 

B) My own testing in this regard shows that when working properly at approx 70°F ambient, once warmed for an hour you can just clearly hear the fan from the front and you can feel heat from the back with your hand (no, I never did actually measure; I meant to do so but saw a bunny... two or three times. ). In this state, a lighter flame held approx 2 in away from the vents at U800 will be drawn directly sideways into the grate (You have to set the scope on its side for this test). There is a considerable amount of airflow when that squirrelcage starts to ramp up.

C) A quick look at the datasheet for your fan shows it is in fact rated for a small amount (0.42 in H₂O) static pressure. This is really small; a healthy human can expell air at 20-40 in H₂O. But it is still better than non-static-rated axial fans at often less than a tenth of an inch. So yes, your fan IS a static-load rated fan. It may or may not perform similarly to the one that came out.

4) On the 2230, The fan is connected directly across the +8.6/-8.6V volt rails for all of the TTL on the A1 board. I expect the 2465 is similar; I don't feel like dragging out "the blue tome" to check. 

5) *Cringe* Because once wasn't enough. 

mnem
 

[mnementh]

.....
If you are looking for a tripod I recommand Manfrotto. A bit more expansive but super solid and working really well. I forgot mine on the roof of my car once. Fell out of the car on a big boulevard at high speed. It's still in one piece with some marks 

When I was looking for a tripod ~30years ago, I asked for a Manfrotto first. My photo dealer looked at me disapprovingly and asked me why I want to go cheap after buying a good SLR and optics (then F3).
He did show me Gitzo and I was sold. The F3 has bitten the dust, some Leicas did come and go - the tripod is still with me and has carried various sizable antennas, a big industrial lighting fixture and any sort of optical stuff. Very beautiful finish and nearly indestructable.

   I've had this one for ~30 years, with only one fatality. Is it any fucking good? 

mnem
No pictures, please.

[med6753]

0) *Cringe*

1) That is NOT "good use". It is EEBIL! PURE UNADULTERATED EEEEBIL!!! 

...snip.....


5) *Cringe* Because once wasn't enough. 

mnem
 

Do I know you or what? I knew you'd have a field day with this and puke all over it.  Yes, I had to perform all sorts of ugly to get it to fit. I really hated to do all the cutting but my stuff is not museum pieces. It's meant to be USED. And sometimes you have to make those choices. With the tests I've conducted so far it works. That's what really matters. And it's in the back so you don't see it so you only vomit once and quickly recover and get over it.   

[Kosmic]

Your Canon 5D is actually an upgrade to mine, with Canon, the lower the number the higher grade the camera is culminating with the 1D at some £5,400 just for the body. The ranges in the single digit are the top models and goes like 7, 6, 5 and then 1 so in reality yours is 2 steps up from mine and 1 step down from the top model.

Well it was probably a good camera in 2006 

Lacking a lot of digital features now these days. But I would probably consider upgrading to a 6D.

[Kosmic]

.....
If you are looking for a tripod I recommand Manfrotto. A bit more expansive but super solid and working really well. I forgot mine on the roof of my car once. Fell out of the car on a big boulevard at high speed. It's still in one piece with some marks 

When I was looking for a tripod ~30years ago, I asked for a Manfrotto first. My photo dealer looked at me disapprovingly and asked me why I want to go cheap after buying a good SLR and optics (then F3).
He did show me Gitzo and I was sold. The F3 has bitten the dust, some Leicas did come and go - the tripod is still with me and has carried various sizable antennas, a big industrial lighting fixture and any sort of optical stuff. Very beautiful finish and nearly indestructable.

Ok it's not the best 

For the price I'm really satisfied. Sure better than the stuff you can buy from china.

[Kosmic]

On the bright side, the D90 is a pretty damn good camera for what it is and it's age, and I've gotten some amazing shots with it. Here's a pic I got at Lake Powell a couple years ago.

Nice shot!

[beanflying]

I call this a successful mornings workout  Still settling but near enough for a start until I get my other meters back from being Calibrated. Complete with manual and it does have a small Blemish on it's otherwise pristine face if you can find it 

[Kosmic]

I call this a successful mornings workout  Still settling but near enough for a start until I get my other meters back from being Calibrated. Complete with manual and it does have a small Blemish on it's otherwise pristine face if you can find it 

All set for AC and DC calibration I can see 

[beanflying]

Fairly much sorted and both work well.

Seems the 335D is set a touch low across the ranges but no smokes were removed at 1kV and the error seems constant

[GregDunn]

Your Canon 5D is actually an upgrade to mine, with Canon, the lower the number the higher grade the camera is culminating with the 1D at some £5,400 just for the body. The ranges in the single digit are the top models and goes like 7, 6, 5 and then 1 so in reality yours is 2 steps up from mine and 1 step down from the top model.

Well it was probably a good camera in 2006 

Lacking a lot of digital features now these days. But I would probably consider upgrading to a 6D.

Be wary of the 6D - it's a very nice full frame, low noise camera but:

1) Flash sync only 1/180 sec. (1D and 7D = 1/250 sec.)

2) Not nearly as durable as the other cameras - it's only rated for 100K shutter actuations while the 5D is 150K and the 7d mk II 200K.  I know a couple of people who have had their 6D fail within a couple of years.

3) Much less flexibility in autofocus points and algorithms.

I use my 6D for low stress portrait work , while the 7D mk II and the 1Dx are my workhorses.  The 7d Mk II actually is better suited for many things (sports, astrophotography) than most full frame cameras due to its narrower FOV and extraordinary autofocus.  It also has extremely low noise if used correctly.

[Kosmic]

Be wary of the 6D - it's a very nice full frame, low noise camera but:

1) Flash sync only 1/180 sec. (1D and 7D = 1/250 sec.)

2) Not nearly as durable as the other cameras - it's only rated for 100K shutter actuations while the 5D is 150K and the 7d mk II 200K.  I know a couple of people who have had their 6D fail within a couple of years.

3) Much less flexibility in autofocus points and algorithms.

I use my 6D for low stress portrait work , while the 7D mk II and the 1Dx are my workhorses.  The 7d Mk II actually is better suited for many things (sports, astrophotography) than most full frame cameras due to its narrower FOV and extraordinary autofocus.  It also has extremely low noise if used correctly.

Good to know. thanks for the info.

[bitseeker]

Fairly much sorted and both work well.

Seems the 335D is set a touch low across the ranges but no smokes were removed at 1kV and the error seems constant

Bean, is that Advantest meter using both LED and VFD on the front panel?

[mnementh]

0) *Cringe*

1) That is NOT "good use". It is EEBIL! PURE UNADULTERATED EEEEBIL!!! 

...snip.....


5) *Cringe* Because once wasn't enough. 

mnem
 

Do I know you or what? I knew you'd have a field day with this and puke all over it.  Yes, I had to perform all sorts of ugly to get it to fit. I really hated to do all the cutting but my stuff is not museum pieces. It's meant to be USED. And sometimes you have to make those choices. With the tests I've conducted so far it works. That's what really matters. And it's in the back so you don't see it so you only vomit once and quickly recover and get over it.   

Okay...

I know what you're saying... but... come on. Even you have to admit that is DEFINITELY on the "Ghetto" side of the "Ghetto/Fab" line.   

And I know from whence you sit; I've been there. That service procedure is what I came up with for my 24XXes AFTER taking one apart and doing it all the HARD WAY on my 2230 like... over a decade ago.

But I'd have done that teardown and rewound the motor in a heartbeat over the Dremelbortion you have there. Just sayin'.

Fortunately, there'll probably be a donor unit across your bench sooner rather than later... and then you can unfuck it properly. Provided you aren't running low on "Gives a Shit". 

mnem
Nope... once wasn't enough.

[beanflying]

Fairly much sorted and both work well.

Seems the 335D is set a touch low across the ranges but no smokes were removed at 1kV and the error seems constant

Bean, is that Advantest meter using both LED and VFD on the front panel?

It is a hybrid 7 segment LED numerical for the main display and the suffix characters are full dot LED.

[bitseeker]

Oh, dot LED. In the photo the dots looked VFD-like. That would've been quite an unusual hybrid, indeed.

[mnementh]

The Sleevening: The Final Chapter

So, my "12 inch" SATA cables have arrived; and with them, (hopefully) the last chapter in the 1055T/RX580 case migration saga can be written. I hope to have it finished with pics sometime this evening.

Cheers,

mnem
Note I did say "Hopefully".

      

I don't have the energy for all the pics... I'm just going to post these teasers for tonight.

mnem
*Toddles off to a warm bed and warmer wife*