[time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-11 Thread Mark Sims
I got in my prototype extender cable boards from OSHPARK.COM today.   OSHPARK 
only builds boards in multiples of 3 and I only ordered three boards so could 
only build one cable. It seems to work very well.  I tested it with several 
different TM500 and TM5000 modules (using another set of cables I have with the 
dual and triple wide modules) and they all worked fine... including some real 
power hogs like a Ball Aerospace rubidium oscillator. 

I have a bunch of circuit boards of a different design on the way from a new 
(for me) Chinese vendor.  If they look good I'll order a couple hundred of the 
extender boards (it takes two boards to make one cable).  I have also pimped 
out the original extender board silkscreen and added an LED to the +11.5V 
supply.
___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-06 Thread Robert LaJeunesse

___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-06 Thread Alexander Pummer


that is one empty e-mail Robert LaJeunesse did not write anything into it
73
Alex
KJ6UHN

On 8/6/2014 5:17 PM, Robert LaJeunesse wrote:

___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-05 Thread David C. Partridge
No, you also need a GPIB extender cable for FULL function ...

Regards,
David Partridge 
-Original Message-
From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On
Behalf Of R.Phillips
Sent: 04 August 2014 17:11
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

Am I right in thinking that two of these connector/cables would give the
full facilities on the 5000 series units.
Roy

___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-05 Thread paul swed
I knew about the GPIB but since I don't use it 99% of the time its not a
challenge especially since the only reason I extend a module is to fix it.
I did not know that there were 3 bay modules. Learn something every day.
But don't own one.
Regards
Paul
WB8TSL


On Tue, Aug 5, 2014 at 5:37 AM, David C. Partridge 
david.partri...@perdrix.co.uk wrote:

 No, you also need a GPIB extender cable for FULL function ...

 Regards,
 David Partridge
 -Original Message-
 From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On
 Behalf Of R.Phillips
 Sent: 04 August 2014 17:11
 To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
 Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

 Am I right in thinking that two of these connector/cables would give the
 full facilities on the 5000 series units.
 Roy

 ___
 time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread David C. Partridge
Hi Mark,

After all the effort you just put in, you'll be a touch annoyed that Jamma
Boards have done a kit for TM500 extenders for ages ... OTOH you may know
about them and have decided you could do better.

http://www.jammaboards.com/store/tektronix-tm500-series-extender-kit-tm500-
kit.html

Regards,
David Partridge 
-Original Message-
From: time-nuts-boun...@febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-boun...@febo.com] On
Behalf Of Mark Sims
Sent: 04 August 2014 05:27
To: time-nuts@febo.com
Subject: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

I just finished laying out a small circuit board for building an extender
cable for the Tek TM500 series mainfames / modules.  Prototypes are off
being fab'd at OSHPARK.  Should be here in a couple of weeks.  It uses two
39/40 pin ribbon cables (all the power pins use two wires)... e.g.  IDE/PATA
disk drive cables.
I know LOTs of us have and use these venerable old workhorse machines.  They
are well documented and easily maintained (particularly if you have extender
cables).  Is there any interest in purchasing a kit of all parts to build an
extender cable.   With a moderate amount of interest the price  looks like
it would be around $20 per kit plus shipping (probably around $6 for
shipping in the US for as many that can be stuffed in a small priority mail
flat rate box... most serious TM500 users will want 2 cables for the wide
modules).  Kit cables would be 18-19 long.   TM500 extender cables have
been selling on Ebay for $150-$350!   
___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread jmfranke
I believe I would be interested in two.

John  WA4WDL
 Mark Sims hol...@hotmail.com wrote: 
 I just finished laying out a small circuit board for building an extender 
 cable for the Tek TM500 series mainfames / modules.  Prototypes are off being 
 fab'd at OSHPARK.  Should be here in a couple of weeks.  It uses two 39/40 
 pin ribbon cables (all the power pins use two wires)... e.g.  IDE/PATA disk 
 drive cables.
 I know LOTs of us have and use these venerable old workhorse machines.  They 
 are well documented and easily maintained (particularly if you have extender 
 cables).  Is there any interest in purchasing a kit of all parts to build an 
 extender cable.   With a moderate amount of interest the price  looks like it 
 would be around $20 per kit plus shipping (probably around $6 for shipping in 
 the US for as many that can be stuffed in a small priority mail flat rate 
 box... most serious TM500 users will want 2 cables for the wide modules).  
 Kit cables would be 18-19 long.   TM500 extender cables have been selling on 
 Ebay for $150-$350!   
 ___
 time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread James Tucker
Mark;
Could you describe your design a bit more? E.g.,
1) There are connectors at both ends of those cables; what are your socket
provisions for the module end?
2) Do you use 0.1 40-pin headers at both ends, or some other form of
termination?

BTW, I'd be interested in some, as well, depending on design.

JimT

Sent from *my* galaxy (Nexus).
On Aug 3, 2014 11:28 PM, Mark Sims hol...@hotmail.com wrote:

 I just finished laying out a small circuit board for building an extender
 cable for the Tek TM500 series mainfames / modules.  Prototypes are off
 being fab'd at OSHPARK.  Should be here in a couple of weeks.  It uses two
 39/40 pin ribbon cables (all the power pins use two wires)... e.g.
  IDE/PATA disk drive cables.
 I know LOTs of us have and use these venerable old workhorse machines.
  They are well documented and easily maintained (particularly if you have
 extender cables).  Is there any interest in purchasing a kit of all parts
 to build an extender cable.   With a moderate amount of interest the price
  looks like it would be around $20 per kit plus shipping (probably around
 $6 for shipping in the US for as many that can be stuffed in a small
 priority mail flat rate box... most serious TM500 users will want 2 cables
 for the wide modules).  Kit cables would be 18-19 long.   TM500 extender
 cables have been selling on Ebay for $150-$350!
 ___
 time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread Dave Daniel
Several people on the TekScopes/Tekscopes2 forums went through this a 
while back. It turned out that ribbon cable appropriate for this 
application was either not available or too expensive.


John Griessen made a set of PWBs and sold kits consisting of a PWB pair, 
a connector pair and a set of pre-cut and pre-stripped wires. I believe 
he sold all the kits.


I built one of mine and it works well. I use it with a TM-501 as a 
stand-alone test setup for single-wide plug-ins.


DaveD

On 8/3/2014 11:54 PM, Mark Sims wrote:

I think a cable made from ribbon cable edge connectors would be the 
easiest/cheapest way to extend the GPIB connector.


Have you thought about making extensions for the smaller connector used to 
distribute GPIB in the 5000 series?  

___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread Hal Murray

 It turned out that ribbon cable appropriate for this  application was either
 not available or too expensive.

Are standard disk cables a reasonable length? (and a pinout you can use)

I don't know the details, but there are two types of disk cables.  The old 
style uses standard 40 pin ribbon cable with not-great grounding.  The 
new/fancy style uses 80 pin cables but the same old connectors.  I assume the 
extra wires are grounds with some magic in the connector to connect them all 
to the IDE ground pins.  (so they won't work for arbitrary pin assignments)


There is also twisted-pair ribbon cable.  There are untwisted/flat sections 
every foot or so where you can install standard connectors.  I'd expect it to 
work well if used with differential pairs.  Digikey carries it.



-- 
These are my opinions.  I hate spam.



___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread R.Phillips
Am I right in thinking that two of these connector/cables would give the 
full facilities on the 5000 series units.

Roy


-Original Message- 
From: Dave Daniel

Sent: Monday, August 04, 2014 4:02 PM
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

Several people on the TekScopes/Tekscopes2 forums went through this a
while back. It turned out that ribbon cable appropriate for this
application was either not available or too expensive.

John Griessen made a set of PWBs and sold kits consisting of a PWB pair,
a connector pair and a set of pre-cut and pre-stripped wires. I believe
he sold all the kits.

I built one of mine and it works well. I use it with a TM-501 as a
stand-alone test setup for single-wide plug-ins.

DaveD

On 8/3/2014 11:54 PM, Mark Sims wrote:
I think a cable made from ribbon cable edge connectors would be the 
easiest/cheapest way to extend the GPIB connector.


Have you thought about making extensions for the smaller connector used 
to distribute GPIB in the 5000 series?

___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


[time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread Mark Sims
Yes,  all 56 pins are extended,  including the PWR pin unique to the 5000 
series (it is a power good/power-on reset sort of signal).Several of the 
TM500 modules are also double-wides and need two extender cables.
I have not done an extender for the GPIB connector,  but that would be  easy to 
build.   When I've needed to extend the GPIB bus in the past,  I just used a 
cable that had a 20 pin ribbon cable edge card connector on it and a standard 
IDC header on the other end that plugged into the mainframe motherboard where 
the GPIB connectors connected (the mainfame I was using had the GPIB connector 
bus built out of IDC ribbon cable/connectors.

-
Am I right in thinking that two of these connector/cables would give the 
full facilities on the 5000 series units.   
  
___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread paul swed
You are right thats why I am thinking about 2.
On the ribbon cable discussion I do agree ribbon cable can be fragile
unless solidly tied down then they are pretty stable.
An approach I have used in building extenders for RS sig gens that use
Euro boards is the same stranded wire type for all pins. Granted all the
same color but you can get pre-cut lengths and the wires much heavier gauge
as you would want in an extender.
Regards
Paul
WB8TSL


On Mon, Aug 4, 2014 at 12:11 PM, R.Phillips phill...@btinternet.com wrote:

 Am I right in thinking that two of these connector/cables would give the
 full facilities on the 5000 series units.
 Roy


 -Original Message- From: Dave Daniel
 Sent: Monday, August 04, 2014 4:02 PM
 To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
 Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit


 Several people on the TekScopes/Tekscopes2 forums went through this a
 while back. It turned out that ribbon cable appropriate for this
 application was either not available or too expensive.

 John Griessen made a set of PWBs and sold kits consisting of a PWB pair,
 a connector pair and a set of pre-cut and pre-stripped wires. I believe
 he sold all the kits.

 I built one of mine and it works well. I use it with a TM-501 as a
 stand-alone test setup for single-wide plug-ins.

 DaveD

 On 8/3/2014 11:54 PM, Mark Sims wrote:

 I think a cable made from ribbon cable edge connectors would be the
 easiest/cheapest way to extend the GPIB connector.
 

 Have you thought about making extensions for the smaller connector used
 to distribute GPIB in the 5000 series?

 ___
 time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@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@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread Tom Miller

Except for the three wide units such as the CG5011, CG551, etc.

Tom

- Original Message - 
From: R.Phillips phill...@btinternet.com
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement 
time-nuts@febo.com

Sent: Monday, August 04, 2014 12:11 PM
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit


Am I right in thinking that two of these connector/cables would give the 
full facilities on the 5000 series units.

Roy


-Original Message- 
From: Dave Daniel

Sent: Monday, August 04, 2014 4:02 PM
To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

Several people on the TekScopes/Tekscopes2 forums went through this a
while back. It turned out that ribbon cable appropriate for this
application was either not available or too expensive.

John Griessen made a set of PWBs and sold kits consisting of a PWB pair,
a connector pair and a set of pre-cut and pre-stripped wires. I believe
he sold all the kits.

I built one of mine and it works well. I use it with a TM-501 as a
stand-alone test setup for single-wide plug-ins.

DaveD

On 8/3/2014 11:54 PM, Mark Sims wrote:
I think a cable made from ribbon cable edge connectors would be the 
easiest/cheapest way to extend the GPIB connector.


Have you thought about making extensions for the smaller connector used 
to distribute GPIB in the 5000 series?

___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@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@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


[time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-04 Thread Mark Sims
Well,  just for grins,  I did a small board for extending the TM5000 GPIB 
connector.   I remember that the last time I extended the GPIB bus by hooking a 
ribbon cable to the TM5000 mainframe motherboard it was a bit of a hassle to 
get to.  These should make life easier...   
   
___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


[time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-03 Thread Mark Sims
I just finished laying out a small circuit board for building an extender cable 
for the Tek TM500 series mainfames / modules.  Prototypes are off being fab'd 
at OSHPARK.  Should be here in a couple of weeks.  It uses two 39/40 pin ribbon 
cables (all the power pins use two wires)... e.g.  IDE/PATA disk drive cables.
I know LOTs of us have and use these venerable old workhorse machines.  They 
are well documented and easily maintained (particularly if you have extender 
cables).  Is there any interest in purchasing a kit of all parts to build an 
extender cable.   With a moderate amount of interest the price  looks like it 
would be around $20 per kit plus shipping (probably around $6 for shipping in 
the US for as many that can be stuffed in a small priority mail flat rate 
box... most serious TM500 users will want 2 cables for the wide modules).  Kit 
cables would be 18-19 long.   TM500 extender cables have been selling on Ebay 
for $150-$350! 
___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


Re: [time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-03 Thread Bob Bownes
I might be interested. Have you thought about making extensions for the smaller 
connector used to distribute GPIB in the 5000 series?

 On Aug 4, 2014, at 0:26, Mark Sims hol...@hotmail.com wrote:
 
 I just finished laying out a small circuit board for building an extender 
 cable for the Tek TM500 series mainfames / modules.  Prototypes are off being 
 fab'd at OSHPARK.  Should be here in a couple of weeks.  It uses two 39/40 
 pin ribbon cables (all the power pins use two wires)... e.g.  IDE/PATA disk 
 drive cables.
 I know LOTs of us have and use these venerable old workhorse machines.  They 
 are well documented and easily maintained (particularly if you have extender 
 cables).  Is there any interest in purchasing a kit of all parts to build an 
 extender cable.   With a moderate amount of interest the price  looks like it 
 would be around $20 per kit plus shipping (probably around $6 for shipping in 
 the US for as many that can be stuffed in a small priority mail flat rate 
 box... most serious TM500 users will want 2 cables for the wide modules).  
 Kit cables would be 18-19 long.   TM500 extender cables have been selling on 
 Ebay for $150-$350! 
 ___
 time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@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@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.


[time-nuts] Tektronix TM500 extender cable kit

2014-08-03 Thread Mark Sims
I think a cable made from ribbon cable edge connectors would be the 
easiest/cheapest way to extend the GPIB connector.

 Have you thought about making extensions for the smaller connector used to 
 distribute GPIB in the 5000 series?  
___
time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.