Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

Nokia 2720 

Run like crazy, its a bloody flip phone 

I'll put my cheap flip phone in my trouser pocket with my 15 keys (three houses, cars, bike) and then run.

Would you do that with your expensive computer (with attached phone)?

Nope, I don't have a expensive computer with phone attached, I have a HUAWEI P smart 2019 now discontinued and its modern version HUAWEI P smart 2021 is only £179 with a 48MP camera. I'd never buy an expensive phone, what you get for your money over and above what I get just does not make it worth spending any more. Fit the screen with a decent screen protector as a sacrificial element and your good to go.

[BU508A]

If you want to be under general suspicion for child pornography, you should buy Apple.
Otherwise, rather not.

https://www.eff.org/de/deeplinks/2021/08/speak-out-against-apples-mass-surveillance-plans

[tggzzz]

Nokia 2720 

Run like crazy, its a bloody flip phone 

I'll put my cheap flip phone in my trouser pocket with my 15 keys (three houses, cars, bike) and then run.

Would you do that with your expensive computer (with attached phone)?

Nope, I don't have a expensive computer with phone attached, I have a HUAWEI P smart 2019 now discontinued and its modern version HUAWEI P smart 2021 is only £179 with a 48MP camera. I'd never buy an expensive phone, what you get for your money over and above what I get just does not make it worth spending any more. Fit the screen with a decent screen protector as a sacrificial element and your good to go.

My expensive flip phone cost me £70 IIRC. Your "cheap" computer+phone was 2.5 times more expensive 

[HighVoltage]

That's why I love my old Fluke/Philips PM3394, combined analog + digital, so at the push of a button I can toggle between digital and analog as I see fit. I start in analog and if it can't do what I need then only I switch to digital.  Of course in digital mode it's not a power house but has the basic stuff you want. cursors, the most commonly used automatic measurements, averaging, printer output, GPIB.

That is why I still have 20 of these PM3394B
They were by far ahead of their time and even today have some benefits that can not be found in other scopes.
Here is one of my benches with all 6 of them hooked up to a PC.

 

[med6753]

Yeah don’t ever play that game.

If you’re in the UK buy the phones direct from giffgaff or Apple without contract and get a pay as you go or capped monthly contract.

Or Google or Amazon or Argos.    Google are discounting the Pixel 4A  (£279) at the moment.     

I'm on a £10 / month  pay monthly SIM from giffgaff.   (no contracts, no exit fees, no activation fees...)

In the US, T-Mobile have a $27.50 /month  unlimited plan  but you have to be over 55 years old and that is based on 2 lines.   

RedPocket have a $20/month 3GB plan and a  $30/month 10GB plan.  There is also a $10 plan with limited talk and data.    Target was selling 1/2 price Red Pocket plans but I can't find that now.

I just looked at all of this because we are going to the US soon and needed SIM cards for our unlocked phones.

My Cricket plan is 10GB/mo, which if I use 1GB/mo it's a lot, unlimited talk/text for $40/mo but with auto debit it's $35/mo. I can't complain.   

[Specmaster]

When people complain about the price you should look at the value you derive versus the ownership price.

Cost £1000 (that includes “being an idiot insurance” for 24 months). Get £400 back after two years. So total spend is £600. That works out at £25 a month over 2 years. Which isn’t a lot of money really considering the shite we all buy off eBay on a regular basis for more  . Realistically the average salary in the UK percentage of that is about 1.2%. Most people spend more on TV subs and alcohol.

For that you get a pocket supercomputer, decent camera, navigation device, music player, multi mode communication device, email client, eBay hawking device, calendar, alarm clock, contact manager and payment device. The phone bit isn’t that important these days.

Total bargain.

The only bad bit is the pocket Stasi.  . But quite frankly Apple are still the least bad at that sort of stuff.

I wouldn’t buy a bottom end handset myself. I have been there. There is only pain.

Edit: wrote this post on mine while taking a shit between meetings. See look at that value!

Ha, my HUAWEI P smart 2019 does all of that brilliantly, runs on Android 10 and cost just a fraction over 10% of that, I've had now for 3 years and still impresses me with its performance and over the years I have had a few other Android phones, HTC and Samsung and have never had any problems with any of them, and they have all been towards the bottom end of the market and all fulfilled my requirements at the time. Only got a new phone when the old ones finally lost all support for the apps, which they all do regardless of brand or price, they all currently still work OK as a phone though, but who wants a smartphone that no longer is smart?

[med6753]

Looks like I started a smart phone war. You guys go battle it out while I go get groceries. 

[Specmaster]

Nokia 2720 

Run like crazy, its a bloody flip phone 

I'll put my cheap flip phone in my trouser pocket with my 15 keys (three houses, cars, bike) and then run.

Would you do that with your expensive computer (with attached phone)?

Nope, I don't have a expensive computer with phone attached, I have a HUAWEI P smart 2019 now discontinued and its modern version HUAWEI P smart 2021 is only £179 with a 48MP camera. I'd never buy an expensive phone, what you get for your money over and above what I get just does not make it worth spending any more. Fit the screen with a decent screen protector as a sacrificial element and your good to go.

My expensive flip phone cost me £70 IIRC. Your "cheap" computer+phone was 2.5 times more expensive 

NO, because, it was nowhere near that price when I got it 3 years ago from Virgin, I think it was £120 to buy, and now I only pay for the monthly SIM which gives me 1GB data with rollover, 1000 minutes phone calls, with unlimited minutes to over Virgin phones and unlimited text messages which is only £11 a month, phone is all paid for, that has to be one of the cheapest ways to own a phone. I won't have a phone contract that locks me into paying loads of money every month just get the latest phone every other year, thats money that I can use for buying more eBay bits.

[Specmaster]

Looks like I started a smart phone war. You guys go battle it out while I go get groceries. 

Just what I'm about to do as well Mike 

[nfmax]

Looks like I started a smart phone war. You guys go battle it out while I go get groceries. 

It's the Phoney War! 

[Henrik_V]

DMM ats home:
A cable inlet not mounted correctly ... a AG34972A is a perfect home  

[BU508A]

Seems, some people are interested in this Sisytronix 547 cup.

Price: EUR 15 per cup plus shipping plus additional fees (customs, VAT etc.)



Picture is showing orientation right side. Other available orientations are: front side, left side

Btw, right side means "inside". Outside means "left side" - this can be seen by others while drinking coffee (right-handed people).
Please consider that and let me know if you want to change the orientation.

Nickname		number of cups		orientation		country
med6753		1		right side		USA
bd139		1		right side		UK
RolandK		2		right side		Germany
cyclin_al		2		right side		Canada
Henrik_V		1		left side		Germany

Please let me know until 6th of September, if you want a cup as well.

[Zucca]

If "less", you might need a buffer amp to connect to the Focusrite.

It will be connected with my Rode wireless Go, 3,5mm TRS .

[Zucca]

DMM ats home:
A cable inlet not mounted correctly ... a AG34972A is a perfect home  

After the pictures with many the tek scopes in the landfill, those pictures are the most scariest one I saw here.
How can I unsee those ones? I do not know if I will sleep well tonight.

[Zucca]

Quick “35 years time warp” on Tektronix scopes.

subbed

[tautech]

Rebuilding PC's is a right PITA but at least all our records are now safe. 

Bugger you lot and waiting for P4000 to come I'm going to ded ! 
Have a good one !

[Zucca]

I bought this because someone will definitey pay more for it

[McBryce]

When people complain about the price you should look at the value you derive versus the ownership price.

Cost £1000 (that includes “being an idiot insurance” for 24 months). Get £400 back after two years. So total spend is £600. That works out at £25 a month over 2 years. Which isn’t a lot of money really considering the shite we all buy off eBay on a regular basis for more  . Realistically the average salary in the UK percentage of that is about 1.2%. Most people spend more on TV subs and alcohol.

For that you get a pocket supercomputer, decent camera, navigation device, music player, multi mode communication device, email client, eBay hawking device, calendar, alarm clock, contact manager and payment device. The phone bit isn’t that important these days.

Total bargain.

The only bad bit is the pocket Stasi.  . But quite frankly Apple are still the least bad at that sort of stuff.

I wouldn’t buy a bottom end handset myself. I have been there. There is only pain.

Edit: wrote this post on mine while taking a shit between meetings. See look at that value!

Ha, my HUAWEI P smart 2019 does all of that brilliantly, runs on Android 10 and cost just a fraction over 10% of that, I've had now for 3 years and still impresses me with its performance and over the years I have had a few other Android phones, HTC and Samsung and have never had any problems with any of them, and they have all been towards the bottom end of the market and all fulfilled my requirements at the time. Only got a new phone when the old ones finally lost all support for the apps, which they all do regardless of brand or price, they all currently still work OK as a phone though, but who wants a smartphone that no longer is smart?

HTC made great phones and they were seriously robust. Pity they seem to be fading from existence.

McBryce.

[Specmaster]

DMM ats home:
A cable inlet not mounted correctly ... a AG34972A is a perfect home  

I'd be tempted to power it up and fry the bastards, what could possibly go wrong?

[AVGresponding]

Get yourself a Caterpillar S62 for less than £500, and you've got a waterproof, mil-spec phone with a decent FLIR camera built in.

[bd139]

Get yourself a Caterpillar S62 for less than £500, and you've got a waterproof, mil-spec phone with a decent FLIR camera built in.

Worth it

[xrunner]

Commemorative TEA  display for page 4k!

[bd139]

Got a hankering for some TM500 at the moment. Damn enablers! 

[xrunner]

Got a hankering for some TM500 at the moment. Damn enablers! 

Yea man get your fix ...

[Vince]

That's as good an excuse as any to light up these nixie tubes I guess !

Edit : FFS this bloody forum won't let me insert the full size image in-line, no matter what. Can someone fix this forum ?!