[time-nuts] Where does the VXI E1740A fit in ?

[Bob Camp]

Hi

If somebody wants to come up with modern 1740 software, I have a couple of them to try it out on.

Bob


On Mar 8, 2011, at 7:52 AM, Robert Atkinson wrote:

> While I agree in general, with this (and often custom I/F cards get lost when the PC goes back to IT for data protection), the E1740A info is on the Agilent website. The manual http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/E1740-90005.pdf has the instruction set and code examples. You need a VXI mainframe and either a VXI processor (68000, Intel or whatever) or a VXI to external controller bridge card. Bridge cards come in various flavours including HP-IB and Firewire. Ther are also custom ones that need that elusive PC card. VXI is a standard. If we (Timenuts) could find a source of e1740As in quantity a roll your own USB I/F and software might be possible. Mainframes vary from "How MUCH!!!!" from dealers who sell ATE to a few pounds (dollars) at hamfests and ebay.
>  
> Robert G8RPI.
>  
> 
> --- On Mon, 7/3/11, Pete Lancashire <pete at petelancashire.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: Pete Lancashire <pete at petelancashire.com>
> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Where does the VXI E1740A fit in ?
> To: "Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement" <time-nuts at febo.com>
> Date: Monday, 7 March, 2011, 16:20
> 
> 
> I pretty much agree. Toss in so many companies trashed the originals
> and you are left with luck that someone took a copy home with them.
> 
> I'll toss in another one, you get a surplus dealer and he immediately
> breaks up a 'system' up to in his mind make more money and many times
> that corrugated box with papers floppies etc gets tossed out or a couple
> times I've witnessed when I use to go to industrial auctions tossed in
> the dumpster  as his is loading his hoard. I made it a point to be around
> after everyone has loaded up. Got many a manual, attenuator, scope probe,
> etc that way.
> 
> The same goes for what HP/Agilent calls CLIPS, or what should be called
> real service manual.
> 
> After say 1990 all this stuff was on a disk drive somewhere, and should
> have been copied to at least a ftp site. Even drawings and manuals could
> be eventually recreated.
> 
> It actually surprises me the of all companies HP/Agilent does not have all
> documentation say after 1990 available.
> 
> -pete
> 
> On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 6:11 AM, paul swed <paulswedb at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Indeed as I am slowly learning there is a gap in equipment vintage thats a
>> black hole.
>> Late 80s to 2005 approx. This is the point that the various test instruments
>> went more to a hybrid mix of hardware and software with external software
>> loads. When you pick up an instrument there are rarely any software disks.
>> Though on 2 occasions I have been lucky. A pair logic analyzers Tek and HP
>> obtained less then a week apart, go figure.
>> Then about 2001 to now and in the future very good/reasonable home brew gear
>> showed up with essentially open software and using the power of the PC and
>> modern chips sets.
>> Its unfortunate that the gap exists because I have seen some great gear at
>> the MIT flea market and obvious as heck 0 chance to make it operational.
>> Regards
>> 
>> On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 8:11 AM, Poul-Henning Kamp <phk at phk.freebsd.dk>wrote:
>> 
>>> In message <298E3F36-5846-4814-BA22-3E9C520E3B09 at rtty.us>, Bob Camp
>>> writes:
>>>> Hi
>>>> 
>>>> They are very cool devices - when you get them working. Without
>>> the custom Windows software, they make a nice piece of wall art. A
>>> lot of them are mated up with non-HP VXI PC's so getting them running
>>> can take you off in multiple directions. Timing wise, they will do
>>> all of the standard stuff (AVAR, MTIE, TDEV etc) at 5370(?) type
>>> resolution.
>>> 
>>> Is there any register-level programming information for them ?
>>> 
>>> If so, putting an open source UNIX on the VXI PC should be possible...
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Poul-Henning Kamp       | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
>>> phk at FreeBSD.ORG         | TCP/IP since RFC 956
>>> FreeBSD committer       | BSD since 4.3-tahoe
>>> Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
>>> To unsubscribe, go to
>>> https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
>>> and follow the instructions there.
>>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
>> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
>> and follow the instructions there.
>> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
> and follow the instructions there.
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts at febo.com
> To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
> and follow the instructions there.