Why is all test equipement turning black?

[jjoonathan]

R&S colors would be nice

Blue on white? Or blue on black? 

[tooki]

Why does nobody maintain the black style by issuing the certificates or the the manuals on black paper with a gray white font? Would be quite innovative. Or not?

Not any innovation at all, Apple did that decades ago for some products.

[KungFuJosh]

"If I ever got robbed, nobody's going to take it because it looks like a VCR." 

[jjoonathan]

"Most VCR" award still has to go to Tektronix, who is selling a $28k instrument with a Vacuum Fluorescent Display in 2026:

https://www.tek.com/en/products/keithley/source-measure-units/2600b-series-sourcemeter

[5U4GB]

"If I ever got robbed, nobody's going to take it because it looks like a VCR." 

"If I ever get robbed no-one's going to take it because it'd take about three quarters of an hour to unplug all the cables, probes, and connectors".

[TheDefpom]

Forgot to mention that occasionally we do a "facelift" where we change the front panel of older products to bring their design more into alignment with newer products.  For example, here is our CMA180 radio test set, pre- and post-facelift.  Exact same instrument, just an "updated" front panel design.

Hmm.. I prefer the old version, the text is much easier to read, seems to be designed for people that have perfect vision LOL.

[5U4GB]

Forgot to mention that occasionally we do a "facelift" where we change the front panel of older products to bring their design more into alignment with newer products.  For example, here is our CMA180 radio test set, pre- and post-facelift.  Exact same instrument, just an "updated" front panel design.

Hmm.. I prefer the old version, the text is much easier to read, seems to be designed for people that have perfect vision LOL.

Yeah, it's the ever-popular "UI refresh" which 95% of the time is "we've totally run out of ideas so lets rearrange things to make it look like we've done something", 5% of the time is "we've just got a new CEO and they feel the need to make their mark on things", and 0% of the time is "we've come up with a better design for the UI.

[n55_6mt]

"Most VCR" award still has to go to Tektronix, who is selling a $28k instrument with a Vacuum Fluorescent Display in 2026:

https://www.tek.com/en/products/keithley/source-measure-units/2600b-series-sourcemeter

I really like VFD displays, so I'm kind of glad that they're not entirely dead yet, although I'm sure it's not long for this earth...

Forgot to mention that occasionally we do a "facelift" where we change the front panel of older products to bring their design more into alignment with newer products.  For example, here is our CMA180 radio test set, pre- and post-facelift.  Exact same instrument, just an "updated" front panel design.

I do generally enjoy R&S industrial design language, including both the new and old. While the instrument is the same, I can't really fault anything with the new style other than maybe some lack of contrast between the black buttons on a dark background. R&S & Tek the standouts in my eyes for T&M equipment OEMs that are still obviously spending a lot of time and money on industrial design. If you're going to keep an older instrument around I guess it makes sense to put that same industrial design team on the job of making new front panel stickers to keep it looking like it still belongs.

[artag]

It's not just fashion. I prefer the dark themes because my eyes are light sensitive. I sometimes need to wear special glasses to avoid headaches. Dark themes make a huge difference.

Even this website is too bright and irritating for my eyes sometimes. I use a plugin called "Dark Reader" to tame it so I can read it in peace.

I think it *is* just fashion. It just happens that it's helpful for you. I'm pretty sure it wasn't done with you in mind. I'm glad you find it helpful, but you're not "most people", and physical panels are not changed as easily as web pages.

For the rest of us, physics and biology have a different outcome. If your only illumination is a screen, your eyes can probably adapt to any combination though often the best colour contrasts are only chosen for one background.  If you work in the real world and want to use your oscilloscope and PC in a benchtop environment you want about the same lighting environment for both. And with 0402 or 0201 components and thinner tracks, for me that's lots of brightness and magnification. I hate working in a dim environment. It opens my pupils and reduces my depth of field as well as reducing contrast. For detailed work it's bright objects all the way, please.

[porter]

Somewhat apropos to the comments here. I bought this book thinking it would be useful to my photography hobby.
From the Designer's Dictionary of Color by Sean Adams.

Black is sophisticated, formal, and sleek. As the color of a tuxedo or the "little black dress," it communicates a mature confidence. Too much black in the wrong context, however, may become funereal.

Black ... related to Old High German blah...

...In western culture beige is associated with conservative values..

[KungFuJosh]

...For the rest of us...

That's cute. You do you.

But don't think either of us are the norm. To each their own!

[kk99]

In the past, there were also devices with non-white front panels, such as the Philips PM 3244.

[G0HZU]

I think the black test gear looks fresh and modern and it does make the traditional white/cream instruments look very dated.

However, if anyone has ever done a field trial in hot weather, then the last thing you want to expose to the sun is anything black as it will get very hot very quickly. I always assumed HP used light colours for test gear to help reflect light energy. So in my opinion, this move across to black instruments is a triumph of marketing over engineering common sense.

Maybe try leaving a black scope or analyser near a window on a sunny day to see the same problem. I'd expect a white/cream coloured instrument to stay much cooler.

[KungFuJosh]

There's nothing new about black test equipment. Most of the beige/white TE people reference is newer than a ton of black TE.

The only thing different now is the internet and the ability for people to come together and complain as a group.

[KE5FX]

One or two pieces of black test equipment are fine.  A whole roomful is not.

"Funereal" as in Porter's quote is a good way to put it.

[KungFuJosh]

People can buy & like whatever they want. Pretending it's something new is inaccurate and silly. It's the current trend in the ongoing Circle of (TE) Life.

[Bud]

There is nothing special with black. Next generation of test equipment will be pink. Mark my words.

[Psi]

There is nothing special with black. Next generation of test equipment will be pink. Mark my words.

heh, I want to think that's a joke but I'm really not so sure.


Looks like its already happened
https://virtins.com/oscilloscopes/VT-DSO-2820E.html

[KungFuJosh]

I'm cool with that. Pink or Purple. Hell, maybe I'll have the shell of my Magnova powder coated. 🤔

[Psi]

I'm cool with color options as long as there's not so many that it makes the gear more expensive for everyone due to so many skus

[KungFuJosh]

They're going to make all the base models some kind of vomit color. If you want a classic beige, that's a $500 upgrade option. 

[tautech]

Pretty sure every AVO was black until Megger got hold of them.



Black instruments is certainly nothing new. 

[5U4GB]

From the Designer's Dictionary of Color by Sean Adams.

From Alleged Einstein*

Matters of taste are best left to one's tailor or cobbler

Test equipment should be designed for maximum utility and functionality, not so it looks good in the background of a SciFi film.

* Cousin of Supposed Stalin and Convenient Churchill.

[5U4GB]

There's nothing new about black test equipment.

When you've only got fiber-reinforced Bakelite (for electrical non-conductivity and heat resistance) to work with, everything tends to end up brown or black. This wasn't a fashion statement, it was what the material being used allowed.



Once a bigger range of materials became available, the original dark designs were copied because that's the way we've always done things here, lad.

[KungFuJosh]

That's cute, but lots of old TE was black metal on wooden cabinets. You can't just ignore history to suit your aesthetic preference.