[time-nuts] HP 5370B vs SR620

[Didier Juges]

The HP catalog lists the 5370A as capable of 6000 readings/sec in binary
mode, the 5370B is listed as capable of 8000/sec, probably as a result of a
slightly faster processor. Not a significant difference, but there may be
other subtle improvements between the two. The catalog pages are laid out
quite differently for the two instruments, making a comparison difficult.

I have two 5370A but no 5370B, so I cannot comment on practical differences,
beyond the catalog specs.

I am not sure if the 5370B suffers from the "bad socket syndrome" like the
two 5370A I have. I had to replace all the sockets with machined pin sockets
because the instruments would regularly turn on stupid (display frozen)
after a few days of inactivity. I am not sure if it was a tin-whisker
problem or bad contacts, but by judging how hard it was to extract the chips
from the sockets, it was not due to insufficient contact pressure...

This job was made very easy because I have access to excellent PWB rework
tools. The cost of the sockets was nominal, I got them from Mouser I think.

Since the sockets I got are gold plated and I did not pre-tin them to remove
the gold from the solder joint, I expect the instrument to develop problems
due to lead-gold corrosion in some years. Hopefully, I will not care by
then...

Didier KO4BB

> -----Original Message-----
> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com 
> [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Harris
> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:20 AM
> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] HP 5370B vs SR620
> 
> Jim Palfreyman wrote:
> > I have a 5370B and love it.
> > 
> > It's big, and postage to Australia was as much as the unit 
> itself, but 
> > what it can do - especially given its vintage - makes it a perfect 
> > unit for my rack!
> > 
> > And the manual (plus people here) make it really great if there are 
> > ever any problems.
> > 
> > Don't underestimate the 5370B!
> 
> I'll take that one step further: Don't underestimate the 5370A!
> 
> The 5370A is functionally identical to the 5370B.  It has the 
> same specs as the 5370B.  It programs with the same feature 
> set as the 5370B.  And, it makes its readings, and reports 
> its data on HPIB just as fast as the 5370B.  The only 
> difference between the A and B model is they combined the 
> CPU, RAM and ROM cards into one, and they made some changes 
> to the circuitry to make manufacture easier.
> 
> -Chuck Harris
> 
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