Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

*in best soft, soothing doctor-dwagon voice*  "There, there old boy... you don't have anything to worry about now. Patch Tuesday is a good six days away..."

mnem
 

[worsthorse]

Well that was painful. MS did it again. They just can't leave things alone.  WIN10 update 1903. Not only did it take for freaking ever to update but it screwed with my WIN7/WIN10 Network file sharing. WIN10 could access WIN7 files but WIN7 could NOT access just my main user folder. All other files/folders, no problem. If I tried to tell WIN10 to share the folder it said "Fuck you, can't share it". And it all has to do with the fact that MS removed Homegroup from WIN10. Took me hours of my life that I won't get back but I finally figured it out and all is well again. 

I also got the parts for the OL-1 but I'm just too annoyed right now to work on it. And to MS......BITE ME!!!

Well that sucks. And your experience is exactly why I banished Win10 from the territories and run Win7 wherever I must have a Windows machine.

[PA0PBZ]

and run Win7 wherever I must have a Windows machine.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msrc/2019/05/30/a-reminder-to-update-your-systems-to-prevent-a-worm/

[worsthorse]

and run Win7 wherever I must have a Windows machine.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/msrc/2019/05/30/a-reminder-to-update-your-systems-to-prevent-a-worm/

and that is why I keep my systems updated and, why, when Win7 goes EOL and EOS in about fifteen months, I plan on deep-sixing Windows altogether, unless I can figure a way to isolate systems from the Internet.  As previously noted, only Microsoft could ever figure out how to make me love Windows 7. 

And with that I am heading out for a two day stuck-in-conference-room zero-fun meeting bookende by long airport waits and airplane air. At least I will have time to finish boning up for my WFR recert and take another run at the chapter on the chain rule. 

[med6753]

*in best soft, soothing doctor-dwagon voice*  "There, there old boy... you don't have anything to worry about now. Patch Tuesday is a good six days away..."

mnem
 

Yep, the patch will come out next week and completely undo what I did to fix it and I'll be up shits creek again. 

[med6753]

Well that was painful. MS did it again. They just can't leave things alone.  WIN10 update 1903. Not only did it take for freaking ever to update but it screwed with my WIN7/WIN10 Network file sharing. WIN10 could access WIN7 files but WIN7 could NOT access just my main user folder. All other files/folders, no problem. If I tried to tell WIN10 to share the folder it said "Fuck you, can't share it". And it all has to do with the fact that MS removed Homegroup from WIN10. Took me hours of my life that I won't get back but I finally figured it out and all is well again. 

I also got the parts for the OL-1 but I'm just too annoyed right now to work on it. And to MS......BITE ME!!!

Well that sucks. And your experience is exactly why I banished Win10 from the territories and run Win7 wherever I must have a Windows machine.

The problem really isn't WIN10 itself. I'm quite happy with the performance of WIN10. And I can get WIN7/WIN10 to co-exist and play nice as long as MS leaves it alone. But they gotta screw around and why the eliminated "Homegroup" is beyond me but I suppose it's a "security enhancement". That's fine but at least tell us what to do if it breaks stuff.     

[mnementh]

Not really ok with anything. Just everyone sets themselves up for a fight. The three prevailing options are:

1. I want a Mac but I don’t want to pay for one thus I will use a hacked up VM or frankenmac.
2. I want to use Linux and am hiding the complexity and general churn and stack of failure conditions.
3. I want to use windows but it kicks me in the balls once a week.

Cheapest solution at this time is to buy a jock strap and put duct tape round windows’ feet 

A good thing to note is that if you do use something at work, it’s healthy to use something else at home. Keeps the problem domain different so it doesn’t feel like you take work home. I use Linux at work. And Apple can’t make keyboards that work. 

Edit: I watched a Japanese TV game show ages ago where there was a man who lived with a goat for a week in a single room until he basically went insane. I draw parallels to that and computers.

*Drops two rolls of duct tape and a SHOCK DOCTOR gift card in a box to New York*

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

Talking about wasting that you're never going to get back, I broke off working on the Hacker this afternoon and went to see the flight of what was billed as 34 Dakotas, filed with parachuter's flying in formation to Normandy to take part in the 75th anniversary  of D day. They left Duxford and according to the NOTAM were to take off from Duxford, fly to Colchester and swing round and fly over Southend on Sea  on towards Eastbourne. The route was shown and I thought that they would take the central route so we positioned ourselves in the middle deepest Essex down a farm track on top of a hill with a clear view and no hedge rows to get in the way, right under flightpath, or so I thought.

Not only ere they late taking off but they took the flight right down the far western side of the corridor allocated to them and then only the first 4 were in formation, the others were literally miles apart and so all we got was black dots in the sky away to the West of us   

EDIT
To cap it all, the promised 34 never all arrived in the UK, only 24 did, and only 21 took part in the event, the others all went tech.

[bitseeker]

Nice one. Hopefully, it isn't anything too hairy to get up and running again.

It always makes me laugh the way eBay continues to lie about how much something sold for when an offer is accepted. Anything to make people believe they should list or bid higher on the next one.

That was actually at the request of the sellers. People were selling spreadsheets of vendors sorted by how many percent less than list they accepted offers for, all from data scraped off the site. Speaking as a sometimes seller, I personally feel it's nobody else's business how desperate I am to sell, or if I had a moment of weakness and accepted an offer for much less than something was worth.

And certainly NOT acceptable that people should be able to scrape that information from a website to A) use against me and 2) make more money selling "How to Make a Killing on fleaBay" discs than I ever made selling things of real worth.   

Meh, the data is available via their API. No scraping needed. The scaper-powered, CD-burning, info peddlers were working too hard.

Like that Ifni-accursed smashed iPwn X I sold... I had to field no less than 72 bottom-feeder offers and requests for the IMEI; I EARNED the money I got for that thing.

Now imagine if you're in the business of recycling iPwns and such... 

You did good on that one! I still can't believe people buy that stuff, let alone pay so much.

[med6753]

Decided to work on the OL-1 scope anyway despite my all day aggravation with WIN10 updates. Glad I did. Mucho progress.

Here are 2 pictures of the rebuilt B+ supply. The aluminum can was installed to cover the hole in the chassis and the lugs to the internal capacitors cut off. 2 terminal strips installed and new resistors and capacitors installed. Decided to test it without installing the balance of the tubes or CRT to make sure there are no shorts. I plugged the scope into my isolation transformer because it has a 3 amp fuse inline in case there's a short. (I don't have a dim bulb tester. I should build one).  So......does it work?




Sure does! Installed just the 6X4 B+ rectifier. The B+ came up and soared to over +480V because there's no load. The caps are only rated for 450V so couldn't leave it on long. Perfect, we have good B+. Next is the HV. Removed the 6X4 and installed the 1V2 HV Rectifier. We have HV. -1060V to be exact. That should be more than enough for a 3 inch CRT. So all initial tests are spot on.




Tomorrow I'll complete the resistor changes on the circuit board. Then install the balance of the tubes and CRT and fire it up!

Here's the 6X4 (Front) and 1V2 (Rear) installed.   

[tautech]

........... nice write up and pics

Tomorrow I'll complete the resistor changes on the circuit board. Then install the balance of the tubes and CRT and fire it up!

Here's the 6X4 (Front) and 1V2 (Rear) installed.   

Red and black wires only. 

Temped to do a rewire Med and make it a bit prettier inside ?

[med6753]

It's tempting but as long as it works I'm going to leave it. Who ever originally built this scope did sloppy work. It's kinda part of it's history I suppose. 

[tautech]

It's tempting but as long as it works I'm going to leave it. Who ever originally built this scope did sloppy work. It's kinda part of it's history I suppose. 

And here I thought you were OCD.....I couldn't bare to keep it like that....I must be the one with a problem ! 

[med6753]

It's tempting but as long as it works I'm going to leave it. Who ever originally built this scope did sloppy work. It's kinda part of it's history I suppose. 

And here I thought you were OCD.....I couldn't bare to keep it like that....I must be the one with a problem ! 

I am...but I do have limits.  When it's in the case no one....except You and Me.....will know. 

[bitseeker]

Looking forward to the re-launch of the OL-1, med!

[tautech]

It's tempting but as long as it works I'm going to leave it. Who ever originally built this scope did sloppy work. It's kinda part of it's history I suppose. 

And here I thought you were OCD.....I couldn't bare to keep it like that....I must be the one with a problem ! 

I am...but I do have limits.  When it's in the case no one....except You and Me.....will know. 

Right......just knowing is enough to impact on a good nights sleep.   

[bitseeker]

Med, you might have to post a picture of the inside of a prettier OL-1 so tautech can sleep tonight.

[tautech]

Med, you might have to post a picture of the inside of a prettier OL-1 so tautech can sleep tonight.

Nah, med's far enough away so to not be haunted by his red and black wired CRO. 

Tonight I'll be OK and sleep like a baby as gotta deliver a pallet of DSO's tomorrow. 

[bitseeker]

I see...put to sleep by modern technology.

[Neomys Sapiens]

THIS is from a thread started by the esteemed member of this league, 'Oculus'.
When reading it, I had a little WTF moment.

where do you get it at $5K. i checked in ebay MSO7104B 1GHz 4GSps currently cheapest is $8K, normally $12K

That is insane. These should go for between the $3k and $4k mark. None have sold during the past 3 months so it is another case of delirious Ebay sellers. And besides that I'm not sure it is the best buy as a general purpose oscilloscope.

Couldn't agree more... the 6000 & 7000 were nice scopes, but they don't keep up with the 3000X, which typically sells for less...
Most of the 7000 models are ridiculously priced, and have been on Ebay for years (not months... years !!!)

Am I alone in wondering why the model designations of some T&M manufacturers seem to follow a congruent rule?

[beanflying]

It's tempting but as long as it works I'm going to leave it. Who ever originally built this scope did sloppy work. It's kinda part of it's history I suppose. 

And here I thought you were OCD.....I couldn't bare to keep it like that....I must be the one with a problem ! 

Or is he leaving it so the Tek Fan bodge isn't the bodgiest thing he owns 

[mnementh]

Nice one. Hopefully, it isn't anything too hairy to get up and running again.

It always makes me laugh the way eBay continues to lie about how much something sold for when an offer is accepted. Anything to make people believe they should list or bid higher on the next one.

That was actually at the request of the sellers. People were selling spreadsheets of vendors sorted by how many percent less than list they accepted offers for, all from data scraped off the site. Speaking as a sometimes seller, I personally feel it's nobody else's business how desperate I am to sell, or if I had a moment of weakness and accepted an offer for much less than something was worth.

And certainly NOT acceptable that people should be able to scrape that information from a website to A) use against me and 2) make more money selling "How to Make a Killing on fleaBay" discs than I ever made selling things of real worth.   

Meh, the data is available via their API. No scraping needed. The scaper-powered, CD-burning, info peddlers were working too hard.

Like that Ifni-accursed smashed iPwn X I sold... I had to field no less than 72 bottom-feeder offers and requests for the IMEI; I EARNED the money I got for that thing.

Now imagine if you're in the business of recycling iPwns and such... 

You did good on that one! I still can't believe people buy that stuff, let alone pay so much.

That's just how they were "scraping" the data. There's no end of people looking to get rich selling "something for nothing" that costs actual money.

A 256GB unlocked iPwn X was going for more than $900 at the time; now still $730 on Gazelle. Even if all they got from that thing was a valid IMEI you can use to clone another such phone already blacklisted, it was probably still a bargain for somebody.

mnem
*doing the "mating dance: advanced steps" repertoire*

[mnementh]

It's tempting but as long as it works I'm going to leave it. Who ever originally built this scope did sloppy work. It's kinda part of it's history I suppose. 

And here I thought you were OCD.....I couldn't bare to keep it like that....I must be the one with a problem ! 

Or is he leaving it so the Tek Fan bodge isn't the bodgiest thing he owns 

med- I gotcher back this time, buddy. 

   

There. Now you should feel much better.                    And let's add a little "Situational Awareness" flashback just for grins. 

mnem
"Very helpful... very helpful indeed." Chibila thought to himself.

[bitseeker]

That's just how they were "scraping" the data. There's no end of people looking to get rich selling "something for nothing" that costs actual money.

Yep, true that. There's a scam around every shady corner.

[Specmaster]

@med good work, I agree, leaving the wiring as is otherwise it a virtual complete rebuild and nobody would any wiser by you doing it. What is the normal B+ voltage when loaded then? I like to have the caps rated at 50% higher otherwise their lifespan could be quite short and a transient take them out [emoji849]

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