Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Radio Tech]

I do not have much time these days to visit the forums.
 Had forgot all about this thread until Dave's mention in the video.
Wow has it grown.
I checked out Tony;s channel...subscribed.

[GreyWoolfe]

But agreed; Robert is a lucky man. You find someone who is willing to put up with your shit (and we all have shit) is hard enough... you find an enabler, you damn straight marry her. Or him. Or it, as the case may be... 


mnem
"Look ma! I contributed!!!"

I did marry her.  Most of the tools in my 61" tool chest is her enabling including the tool chest.  All the big power tools are her enabling.  She justifies it by saying she has a project for using it.  She has even enabled me by giving me the go ahead for the parts for the semi-custom rifle that my son and I are going to build.  I am always hitting the ground running to keep up with the quid pro quo.

[tautech]

But agreed; Robert is a lucky man. You find someone who is willing to put up with your shit (and we all have shit) is hard enough... you find an enabler, you damn straight marry her. Or him. Or it, as the case may be... 


mnem
"Look ma! I contributed!!!"

I did marry her.  Most of the tools in my 61" tool chest is her enabling including the tool chest.  All the big power tools are her enabling.  She justifies it by saying she has a project for using it.  She has even enabled me by giving me the go ahead for the parts for the semi-custom rifle that my son and I are going to build.  I am always hitting the ground running to keep up with the quid pro quo.

Caliber ? ......bit of a gun nut myself.

[Brumby]

A screen grab from a recent video of Dave's...



Anybody see what I saw?

 

The alignment could not have been better - but was completely unintentional.

Was it too subtle, or am I that easily entertained?

[cyclin_al]

Thanks for that link, it really helped narrow down a suitable motherboard for my needs.

Having spent some time looking at various bits, I'm currently thinking of the following;
Ryzen 3700X CPU & B550 ATX Motherboard (either Gigabyte Gaming X V2 or ASUS Prime Plus),
500 GB M.2 SSD & 4TB HDD and 2x8GB RAM.
Finally a replacement Soundblaster card, as mine is to old to fit the newer slots and I'm keeping the existing case, GPU, PSU, DVD, etc.

Anyone know if I can use the existing Win 10 OEM license, or will I have to buy another?

David

I have had some bad experiences with Gigabyte motherboards.  That is anecdotal, so does not count for much.

Your memory strategy is the same as what I have done for the family computer here.

What are your needs for a sound card?  Maybe the sound capability onboard the motherboard will be good enough for most uses...

I have used the Win7+ upgrade method to get to Windows 10.
I have also installed Windows10 and entered a Win7 licence code.
For SWMBO mother's computer, I changed CPU, MB, PSU and SSD all at once without it complaining that it was no longer the same computer...

[beanflying]

Thanks for that link, it really helped narrow down a suitable motherboard for my needs.

Having spent some time looking at various bits, I'm currently thinking of the following;
Ryzen 3700X CPU & B550 ATX Motherboard (either Gigabyte Gaming X V2 or ASUS Prime Plus),
500 GB M.2 SSD & 4TB HDD and 2x8GB RAM.
Finally a replacement Soundblaster card, as mine is to old to fit the newer slots and I'm keeping the existing case, GPU, PSU, DVD, etc.

Anyone know if I can use the existing Win 10 OEM license, or will I have to buy another?

David

I have had some bad experiences with Gigabyte motherboards.  That is anecdotal, so does not count for much.

Your memory strategy is the same as what I have done for the family computer here.

What are your needs for a sound card?  Maybe the sound capability onboard the motherboard will be good enough for most uses...

I have used the Win7+ upgrade method to get to Windows 10.
I have also installed Windows10 and entered a Win7 licence code.
For SWMBO mother's computer, I changed CPU, MB, PSU and SSD all at once without it complaining that it was no longer the same computer...

Brand of MB is a bit irrelevant seems all of the Top names have produced their share or Turkey's so check out some competent reviews before pulling the trigger.

Gigabyte B450 running a Ryzen 3700X happily now for 2 years I guess and another mini ITX Gigabyte on a 2400G both faultless. As I was buying the 3700X very close to release date I looked at the then new MB's and decided there was little to be gained at the time and I could always upgrade the MB later if I wanted to.

Both systems are running suspect keys from here but nil issues with either https://www.urcdkey.com/microsoft-windows-10-pro-oem-global-cd-key-email-only.html?sc_src=email_2357353&sc_lid=132671636&sc_uid=X9hpO6KAgG&sc_llid=46132&sc_eh=26f3952bc72565c81#EDMdeals

[AVGresponding]

P.S. could really use one of them exploding cats, to install in this computer  , had lots of problems with it the last few days, it froze shortly after an error appeared and then refused to boot afterwards (not even a beep from the motherboard), it's done this twice now, I suspect a hardware problem. 

It could easily be a windows update (if that's your OS). My laptop started behaving oddly after updating yesterday, the line detection doesn't work properly now and it keeps dropping in and out, with accompanying beep (until I got annoyed and turned the sound off).
Naturally I checked the output from the brick as I thought the high ambient t was making it shut down, but nope. Just windows being windows.   

Bit behind on here again.....

It's done it again over the weekend, I'm fairly certain it's a hardware problem, as it refused to do anything other than spin fans/drives up and light the LED on the front. To rule out the OS (win 10) I unplugged the HDD's and still couldn't get anything for a while after repeatedly trying, I would normally expect the motherboard beep & show the boot screen, then the post info, would have thought an error about no drives too.

Not sure I can be bothered investigating further as the PC is getting on a bit, the motherboard & CPU are from 2008, I did replace the cheap nasty Coolermaster PSU after it failed in 2011 (filled with CrapXon caps & not enough space to fit decent parts, due to component density). The GPU, RAM and HDD's got upgraded in 2014.

Might be time for a partial rebuild with new motherboard, CPU, RAM, SSD, etc. Thinking of going for a Ryzen 3700X (65W), not sure about the rest yet, as I need to see if I can find a motherboard with correct expansion slots for the GPU & other cards.

David

Just as much for those playing along at home as for you, my friend :

Don't forget to go here and do some research; https://pcpartpicker.com/products/cpu/

Check parts pricing now vs history so you don't fuck yourself paying too much for something which price has tanked for some unknown reason.

A couple hours spent there can save you a few hundred or more, depending on build.

mnem

Thanks for that link, it really helped narrow down a suitable motherboard for my needs.

Having spent some time looking at various bits, I'm currently thinking of the following;
Ryzen 3700X CPU & B550 ATX Motherboard (either Gigabyte Gaming X V2 or ASUS Prime Plus),
500 GB M.2 SSD & 4TB HDD and 2x8GB RAM.
Finally a replacement Soundblaster card, as mine is to old to fit the newer slots and I'm keeping the existing case, GPU, PSU, DVD, etc.

Anyone know if I can use the existing Win 10 OEM license, or will I have to buy another?

David

I sometimes wonder if people bother to actually read the posts that they are replying to.

Yes, you can use the existing w10 license you already have from the old machine, when you make a clean install on the new one. I've done it myself on numerous occasions.

Much easier than obtaining w7 and upgrading or buying a new one from a PC stripper on ebay etc etc.

[beanflying]

I sometimes wonder if respondents to threads bother to see that sometimes discussion wanders away from the OP's topic a tad 

[bd139]

Finally got something cocked up to fix! 

Received the Farnell TOPS1 this morning in this horrible packaging:



Fortunately it was no worse than as described. Cracked it open and found this. This is the output filter capacitor on the 5V output which appears to have blown out and been left 



Anyway I will deal with that later. I have removed it and cleaned it up and it has not left much of a mess:



Will ESR check the other capacitors as well, pop a replacement for that one in and do a check out before refurb.

[mansaxel]

Finally got something cocked up to fix! 

"Vestigia terrent"

[tonyalbus]

Finally got something cocked up to fix! 

Received the Farnell TOPS1 this morning in this horrible packaging:



Fortunately it was no worse than as described. Cracked it open and found this. This is the output filter capacitor on the 5V output which appears to have blown out and been left 



Anyway I will deal with that later. I have removed it and cleaned it up and it has not left much of a mess:



Will ESR check the other capacitors as well, pop a replacement for that one in and do a check out before refurb.

What does it look like from the front ?

[BU508A]

Will ESR check the other capacitors as well, pop a replacement for that one in and do a check out before refurb.

Curious, what the ESR of thing would be ...

 

[Shiv]

Hi all, see what i just get:


It´s in pretty good shape, I think is complete:

It have bad power cord and probably a broken valve, but I think I have spares.

Do you like it?

[med6753]

Leave it to Rohde & Schwarz to take the VTVM to a whole another level. That thing is a beast. 

[med6753]

Will ESR check the other capacitors as well, pop a replacement for that one in and do a check out before refurb.

Curious, what the ESR of thing would be ...

 

Typical state of a Philips crapacitor. 

[Specmaster]

Finally got something cocked up to fix! 

Received the Farnell TOPS1 this morning in this horrible packaging:



Fortunately it was no worse than as described. Cracked it open and found this. This is the output filter capacitor on the 5V output which appears to have blown out and been left 



Anyway I will deal with that later. I have removed it and cleaned it up and it has not left much of a mess:



Will ESR check the other capacitors as well, pop a replacement for that one in and do a check out before refurb.

Good job that is only a single sided PCB as well. Now that would be a great indication to eviscerate all the other in there as well at the double.
 

[BU508A]

Leave it to Rohde & Schwarz to take the VTVM to a whole another level. That thing is a beast. 

I have several of its successor, the URU 1080BN. 

Can be seen here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2588193/#msg2588193

[med6753]

Leave it to Rohde & Schwarz to take the VTVM to a whole another level. That thing is a beast. 

I have several of its successor, the URU 1080BN. 

Can be seen here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2588193/#msg2588193

I remember you posting that. At least the newer one you can figure out and make sense of. The older one? I greatly admire German engineering but someone was on mind altering drugs when they designed it. 

[med6753]

This is USPS speak for "we don't know where the fuck your package is". 

This package is the vertical output transistors for the Type 547.

[BU508A]

Leave it to Rohde & Schwarz to take the VTVM to a whole another level. That thing is a beast. 

I have several of its successor, the URU 1080BN. 

Can be seen here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2588193/#msg2588193

I remember you posting that. At least the newer one you can figure out and make sense of. The older one? I greatly admire German engineering but someone was on mind altering drugs when they designed it. 

For the same reasons we are famous for our sense of humor. 

[Specmaster]

Got my fingers crossed here, currently in discussion with a seller for a couple of new items that come as a pair, but only 1 is really of interest to me as it will expand my TTi collection with a pretty rare beast indeed, more info as it pans out 

[AVGresponding]

Finally got something cocked up to fix! 

Received the Farnell TOPS1 this morning in this horrible packaging:



Fortunately it was no worse than as described. Cracked it open and found this. This is the output filter capacitor on the 5V output which appears to have blown out and been left 



Anyway I will deal with that later. I have removed it and cleaned it up and it has not left much of a mess:



Will ESR check the other capacitors as well, pop a replacement for that one in and do a check out before refurb.

Took me a few moments to realise what I was looking at with that packaging. Good that those things are robust...

I hope you tested that cap and didn't just shotgun replace it!   



Also, does anyone else keep looking in the wrong place for the TEA thread..?   

[Specmaster]

No, I have it set up on my browser that it goes directly to the TEA thread. It says that goes to page 1701, so thats a lie, it goes directly to current page.

[Andrew_Debbie]

My oscilloscope is taking a few days off to watch the Olympics.   I'm sure it is having a good time, but I wish it would hurry up and get here.      Narita is near Tokyo and Sennan is near Osaka.

[Specmaster]

I doubt that judging by my recent experience with BangGood. I think you'll check the tracking in a few times and find that the nest update will be telling you that it has been scanned in, here in the UK, possibly at Heathrow like mine was and then approx 2 days time it will arrive at your local dept.