[geeks] Re: Tektronix scopes

[Dave McGuire]

On Wednesday, October 30, 2002, at 05:31 PM, roosmcd at dds.nl wrote:
>  But the good news is that my scope is working now :). I haven't 
> really tested
> it (I'm also going to replace the remaining caps), but so far it looks 
> quite
> good. Lots of blinky lights, way better than my other scope. I also 
> noticed a
> timer and a voltage readout; too bad I don't have the GPIB option..

   Great! :-)

>>   Since that's still a supported scope, manuals will be expensive.
>> They show up on eBay frequently, but expect to pay in the neighborhood
>> of $80 for it.
>> I have a 2465A but no service manual...if I had one I'd send it to 
>> you.
>
>  Why do you think it is still supported? Mine has copyright '81 
> printed all
> over it and from what I read on the web it's not supported anymore.

   Because about a year ago a company I did some work for sent about 
fifteen of them to Tektronix to have them calibrated, updated, and 
refurbished.

   Keep in mind that, in electronics (not computer) terms, 1981 is 
pretty new for an oscilloscope.

>  But I can
> probably manage without a service or operators manual now. I also 
> noticed this
> on eBay:
>
> http://cgi.ebay.nl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1781531543&rd=1
>
>  An operators manual on CD for $7.57, this guy has sold these before, 
> so a
> bidding war would probably not be wortwhile.

   Yup, those guys pop up every so often until Tektronix' lawyers find 
them and shut them down. ;)

>> Well (for me anyway) this is offset by the fact that this is the only
>> 24xx-series scope I've *ever* heard of that's actually needed service!
>> ;)
>
>  groups.google.com gives a somewhat other view of custom-made 
> out-of-date ICs
> blowing up :). But ofcourse al that you hear is the people who are
> complaining... Bad capacitors are certainly a common problem in older
> equipment, I've gotten stuff this way before.

   Well, believe what you want...I have a lot of work experience with 
this kind of scope, and I bought mine when money was no object to me 
and I could buy any scope I wanted...and I didn't make an uninformed 
decision.  As for "out of date" ICs...You can call up Tektronix and get 
parts for a 30-year-old 485.  I can't believe anything in 2465 would be 
difficult to get.

          -Dave

--
Dave McGuire                  "Mmmm, big."
St. Petersburg, FL                -Den