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Sometimes Unobtanium is.... — Parallax Forums

Sometimes Unobtanium is....

frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
edited 2012-11-26 19:10 in General Discussion
Nice thanksgiving treat for me.... Got into scopes about a year back with a broken 468. Found parts for it on ebay as well as some other stuff. It does live, just needs me to take the time to cal it. The previous images I have posted came from my 2247A non-store scope. Needed to fix the 468. Bought after a 2430A that turned out to have a failed CCD chip. CCD was used to clock at full speed the analog capture data from the peak detectors/amplifiers back in the day of slower ADCs. They were along with various parts made by Tektronix themselves. When they sold the semiconductor operation and began phasing out these scopes, parts became scarce. Many are now pure unobtainium. Including the CCD chip, the preamps and peak detectors. You may have to buy another unit with other problems to get one of them fully working. So I sat on mine. For over a year....

And then the other day on eBay, a posting, a CCD unit in the original antistatic factory packaging, promised working...... $50.00US. Took a chance, and it was GOOD, my scope self calibrated, the other cals passed etc and now my 2247A is going in the closet for backup. It is non-store capable and the 2430A is much more functional. Happy Thanksgiving indeed. Did not even have to claw it out of someone elses hands or jump over the cluster of people grabbing tablets like an end making a life or death leap over the defenders on Monday night football!!!!!!

FF

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2012-11-22 16:49
    frank freedman wrote: »
    Did not even have to claw it out of someone elses hands or jump over the cluster of people grabbing tablets like an end making a life or death leap over the defenders on Monday night football!!!!!!

    FF

    But Grasshopper, you missed the point of this whole weekend!
  • Martin HodgeMartin Hodge Posts: 1,246
    edited 2012-11-22 23:39
    The 2430A is a wonderful machine (for its age). I still haven't figured out all it'll do.
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2012-11-23 05:40
    Yep, and now of course, I will need to find a GPIB card for the computr as it turns out to have GPIB and video options. Guess any excuse for more toys is a good one.

    FF
    Martin Hodge wrote: »
    The 2430A is a wonderful machine (for its age). I still haven't figured out all it'll do.
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2012-11-24 06:37
    I think you first have to find a computer that can handle a GPIB card...
    The only one I ever managed to track down is a ISA-card.
    and the SW is DOS only.
    (Yes, I have a GPIB card... Got hold of it a few years ago in the hope of getting my HP 9816 Workstation up and go. Never really had the time to rebuild one of my old PCs to incorporate the card, though. It's on the to-do list, though... )
  • ctwardellctwardell Posts: 1,716
    edited 2012-11-24 07:52
    Gadgetman wrote: »
    I think you first have to find a computer that can handle a GPIB card...
    The only one I ever managed to track down is a ISA-card.
    and the SW is DOS only.
    (Yes, I have a GPIB card... Got hold of it a few years ago in the hope of getting my HP 9816 Workstation up and go. Never really had the time to rebuild one of my old PCs to incorporate the card, though. It's on the to-do list, though... )

    It looks like GPIB to USB is what is most common now.

    C.W.
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2012-11-24 08:29
    Gadgetman wrote: »
    I think you first have to find a computer that can handle a GPIB card...
    The only one I ever managed to track down is a ISA-card.
    and the SW is DOS only.
    (Yes, I have a GPIB card... Got hold of it a few years ago in the hope of getting my HP 9816 Workstation up and go. Never really had the time to rebuild one of my old PCs to incorporate the card, though. It's on the to-do list, though... )

    Found multiple variants of the PCI and USB, even a few older AT buss cards. National Instruments seems to be the dominant card. Multiple choices, not sure which to consider yet.... Still down the road apiece.

    FF
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-11-24 08:32
    erco wrote: »
    But Grasshopper, you missed the point of this whole weekend!

    Do you mean the crowds of blood thirsty zombies clawing over the few live bodies out there. It's not safe..........
  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2012-11-24 09:20
    I really like these(SparkFun) from Prologix. They're quite inexpensive, and very easy to work with.
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2012-11-25 23:50
    Inexpensive?
    That's not what I would call something costing $150...
    (I gave $15 for my ISA card on eBay... )
  • Martin HodgeMartin Hodge Posts: 1,246
    edited 2012-11-26 16:40
    Frank, please keep us informed if you decide to pursue the GPIB option. My understanding was that GPIB was not very useful on this particular scope.
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
    edited 2012-11-26 19:10
    Y'know Martin, just sitting here perusing the IEEE-488 docs, and wondering just how much it would take to do this with a prop. Maybe even in two cogs, one for buffering and transfer to a computer and one for comms to the devices.....Let the computer do the heavy lifting.... Oh, for more free time, but in this economy, discretion in what one asks for may be warranted.

    Frank
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