[time-nuts] 5370A/B Problems

[Brian Kirby]

NASA used ECL in a 50 Mb Stat Mux back in the Skylab days.  The muxes 
were in use until about 5 years ago.  These muxes had 4 channels and 
could be run from 0-48 MB on the channels.  These units were large, 
about 3 feet tall by 19 inch rack, and there were muffin fan blowers on 
both ends - like 12 to an end.  They were a pain to troubleshoot, as you 
could only power them on, with the cover on - so the blowers would cool it.


Mike Feher wrote:

>Well, I designed stuff with ECL back in the late 60's and early 70's. At the
>time they were really something as they were the fastest logic around. I
>think Sylvania and RCA actually came out with some of the first stuff (in
>flat-packs) and then entered Motorola. - Mike  
>
> 
>Mike B. Feher, N4FS
>89 Arnold Blvd.
>Howell, NJ, 07731
>732-886-5960
> 
> 
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
>Behalf Of David Forbes
>Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2005 1:25 AM
>To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
>Subject: Re: [time-nuts] 5370A/B Problems
>
>At 7:06 AM +0200 9/13/05, Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:
>  
>
>>In message <a06230901bf4bedd49e4d@[192.168.0.8]>, David Forbes writes:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>These EECL chips are indeed odd beasts. No data via Google; not in
>>>the Motorola book from 1980; I'd guess that this is a completely
>>>in-house logic family.
>>>      
>>>
>>I don't think that conclusion is justified, ECL logic was always
>>rather special beasts and they were largely superseeded by
>>CMOS by the time the Internet started.
>>
>>--
>>Poul-Henning Kamp       | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
>>    
>>
>
>Paul,
>
>I reached that conclusion based on the fact that there is no 
>manufacturer or part number given for these chips in the 5370B manual 
>other than HP. The 10K ECL chips in the 5370B parts list are cross 
>referenced to their Motorola part numbers. The ECL 10K and 100K 
>series was produced by several companies; this EECL appears to be 
>unique to HP.
>
>Has anyone on this list ever heard of EECL logic used anywhere 
>besides HP test equipment? I hadn't heard of it *at all* before 
>today, and I've been designing high speed digital stuff for over 25 
>years.
>
>  
>