sci.electronics.repair - 25 new messages in 9 topics - digest

sci.electronics.repair
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair?hl=en

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Today's topics:

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Pet hates ?
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/e7925b5c2233e9ec?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 3:29 am
From: "Mark Zacharias"

Packing peanuts.

Probe slips.

People begging me to work on stuff which I used to turn away, but now have
to take in because business is slow.

Mark Z.

== 2 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 3:49 am
From: "Arfa Daily"

"Michael Kennedy" <mike@com> wrote in message
news:KPGdndudDvPFJKrQnZ2dnVY3goudnZ2d@giganews.com...
>
> "Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
> news:kzMZo.214$%p6.39@newsfe03.ams2...
>>
>>
>> "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote in message
>> news:ih7bqe$ajf$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>>> I once got in a lot of trouble with my boss when I was young and worked
>>> for
>>>> a U.S. based company. At that time, I didn't understand that there was
>>>> a
>>> big
>>>> difference between British 'tongue-in-cheek' humour, and the much more
>>>> direct U.S. type. I was talking on the phone to one of the designers of
>>>> a
>>>> piece of equipment that we sold here in the UK, and asked the guy if he
>>>> could arrange to send me some screws for the cabinet, as they were a
>>> thread
>>>> that we didn't readily get over here. He asked if I knew exactly what
>>>> size
>>>> they were so I replied, quick as a flash, thinking that I was being
>>>> funny,
>>>> "I guess that they are round about 3/16ths APF." "What's APF ?" the
>>>> guy
>>>> asked. "American Piss Fit", said I ...
>>>
>>>> Stony silence on the phone. Half an hour later, I was summoned to the
>>> boss's
>>>> office. Apparently, the guy had been really offended by this, thinking
>>> that
>>>> it was a slur on what he considered to be good American engineering,
>>>> and
>>> had
>>>> called my boss to complain about me. Just goes to show how easily
>>>> offence
>>>> can be caused between nations, even when they speak what's basically
>>>> the
>>>> same language ... :-)
>>>
>>> It's hard /not/ to interpret such a description as an intentional
>>> insult. I
>>> can't imagine what it actually means -- in any innocuous sense, anyway.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> There ya go then ! Anyone from the UK would see it as a quick-fire
>> throw-away line, and would laugh at it. It's sort of intended to be
>> 'barbed', but not in a malicious way. It's a very hard to describe form
>> of humour that is quite prevalent over here.
>>
>> Arfa
>
>
> We have that kind of humor in the US too.. But only amongst friends or
> people you know fairly well. If a stranger uses sharp humor with me (some
> do) and It gives the feeling of you dont know me well enough to be poking
> humor at me, and we also usually take the fact there is ususaly truth in
> humor.. And honestly you probaly think the US standards are idioic and
> stupid to still be using when the rest of the world is using the metric
> system. Thats the feeling I get here in Japan at least. People cant
> understand why the US uses the old system still.
>
> Anyhow.. Just my $0.02
>

Yes. Knowing the U.S. and its people much better now, as I tend to visit
twice a year and have now for many years, I would say that was pretty much
spot on. Although I've found that American people are much more friendly in
general to strangers, than people over here are, I also find that they are
much more 'reserved' in actually getting to know them as a friend. Here in
the UK, if you are just in the same business as one another, you tend to
automatically think in terms of communicating with a 'kindred spirit'. So
even on a first contact with someone, if you appear within a few sentences
to be speaking the same language, it becomes quite acceptable to introduce a
degree of 'chuminess' into the conversation such as calling the person
'mate' and such-like. Barbed humour between you is then immediately
accepted, and is likely to get thrown back at you by the other person, and
often gets deflected onto the company that you, or the other person works
for. Having made the 'APF' comment to the guy, in my naivety, I was
expecting him to just throw back a similar comment like " so what, then ?
Your British threads are better than ours, are they ? :-) "

Like I say, easy to cause unintentional offence, if you are not familiar
with the country, and it's people and their cultural differences, even if
they appear to speak the same basic language. Many countries in Europe speak
English as a second language. If you speak it to a German for instance, in
general, he will not understand British humour. Not likely to be offended by
it. Just won't understand it. A Frenchman, will understand it, and be
offended - or at least pretend to be ... OTOH, a Dutchman will both
understand the humour, and give back as good as he gets. They seem to have a
very 'English' understanding of the English language. I don't know why that
should be, but I was once told by a Dutch guy that I had dealings with, that
it was because they easily received UK television over there, so tended to
watch a lot of British made drama and comedy programmes. I wonder if this
will change now analogue TV is almost now all gone. I bet that they don't
receive the digital multiplexes across the water, anything like as well as
they did the high power analongue transmissions. Any Dutch people reading
this care to comment ?

Arfa

== 3 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 4:18 am
From: JW

On Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:29:16 -0600 "Mark Zacharias"
<mark_zacharias@sbcglobal.net> wrote in Message id:
<4d381c8b$0$19215$c3e8da3$aae71a0a@news.astraweb.com>:

>Packing peanuts.

There's a good one. Especially when the humidity is very low, and the
peanuts are all broken up in pieces!

== 4 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 4:46 am
From: "Michael A. Terrell"

JW wrote:
>
> On Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:29:16 -0600 "Mark Zacharias"
> <mark_zacharias@sbcglobal.net> wrote in Message id:
> <4d381c8b$0$19215$c3e8da3$aae71a0a@news.astraweb.com>:
>
> >Packing peanuts.
>
> There's a good one. Especially when the humidity is very low, and the
> peanuts are all broken up in pieces!

Low humidity is rarely a problem in Florida. :(

--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.

== 5 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:24 am
From: "William Sommerwerck"

>> It's hard /not/ to interpret such a description as an intentional
>> insult. I can't imagine what it actually means -- in any innocuous
>> sense, anyway.

> There ya go then!

Please don't semi-quote Ronald Reagan. It's not becoming.

If I'd been in a debate with Ronnie, and he'd pulled that "There you go,
again" crap with me, I would have ripped him a new one, even if it cost me
the election.

(This is way OT, but remember last year when Barney Frank ripped into a
stupid woman who was griping about Obama being Moslem? I was proud to be
queer. If all politicians -- conservative or liberal -- were that
intelligent and quick witted, the level of political discourse in this
country would be at a much higher level.)

> Anyone from the UK would see it as a quick-fire throw-away
> line, and would laugh at it. It's sort of intended to be 'barbed',
> but not in a malicious way. It's a very hard to describe form
> of humour that is quite prevalent over here.

I admire someone who can come up with quick throw-aways -- but unless they
make them all the time, it's hard to tell they're supposed to be humorous.

I offended people with "innocuous" wisecracks so many times that I gradually
became careful about what I said. A word to the wise...?

If you cut yourself on barbed wire -- you're cut, regardless of how you came
in contact with the wire.

== 6 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:38 am
From: Lab1 <.@...>

On 1/20/2011 2:03 AM, Dave Platt wrote:

> And, yes, if the heatsink actually comes loose from the Peltier
> junction (e.g. if it was originally spring-clipped in place, and the
> clips are loose or have fatigued and lost pressure) then you've got
> problems... you'll get a layer of air between the two surfaces, and
> thermal conductivity will become quite poor. Adding a thicker layer
> of goop to try to fill the gap isn't the right thing to do - instead,
> fix whatever caused the devices to become loose, clean the surfaces,
> reapply a *thin* layer of compound, and secure the devices back
> together with the proper amount of pressure.

I agree. The assembly goes like this:
Small heat sink (cold side) - square plastic gasket with embedded rubber
seal that doesn't physically touch anything - square block of Styrofoam
with a square cutout in the middle - Peltier device - foam tape around
the styrofoam - large heat sink. To screws go through everything on
either side of the Peltier to sandwich it all together.
And oddly they hot-glued the ends of the screws and nuts.

This is obviously made in China, everything is pretty crudely
manufactured and assembled, heat sink fins were mashed together in
spots. I didn't think to check the tightness of those two screws when I
took it apart, but I bet you are right and they weren't nearly tight
enough. I'm going to rebuild the 2nd one while I'm at it and will check
the tightness after I pry off all the hot glue...

--
-Scott

== 7 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 7:13 am
From: Chuck

On Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:00:17 -0000, "Arfa Daily"
<arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>
>
>"N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:ih744h$odu$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>> Lab1 <.@...> wrote in message
>> news:ih6ugq$mee$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>> On 1/19/2011 9:54 AM, N_Cook wrote:
>>> > Great dollops of that white goo between metal to metal thermally
>> conductive
>>> > surfaces. Heatsink to metal casing in amplifiers etc. I'm not sure why
>> it is
>>> > even necessary with perhaps 20 square inches of contact and bolts
>> between. I
>>> > always wipe away with paper etc on first parting but always some gets
>>> > on
>> my
>>> > clothing - I've not worn white lab coats for many a year.
>>>
>>> Heat sink compound is usually very necessary.
>>>
>>> One of my pet hates is torx screws with a pin in the center.
>>>
>>
>>
>> The harware that I always have problems with in the UK , never organised a
>> stock of, is UNF and UNC nuts and bolts for USA kit. And of course,vice
>> versa, repairers in USA never have metric (and lesser extent BA) for UK
>> and
>> Japanese kit
>>
>>
>
>I once got in a lot of trouble with my boss when I was young and worked for
>a U.S. based company. At that time, I didn't understand that there was a big
>difference between British 'tongue-in-cheek' humour, and the much more
>direct U.S. type. I was talking on the phone to one of the designers of a
>piece of equipment that we sold here in the UK, and asked the guy if he
>could arrange to send me some screws for the cabinet, as they were a thread
>that we didn't readily get over here. He asked if I knew exactly what size
>they were so I replied, quick as a flash, thinking that I was being funny,
>"I guess that they are round about 3/16ths APF." "What's APF ?" the guy
>asked. "American Piss Fit", said I ...
>
>Stony silence on the phone. Half an hour later, I was summoned to the boss's
>office. Apparently, the guy had been really offended by this, thinking that
>it was a slur on what he considered to be good American engineering, and had
>called my boss to complain about me. Just goes to show how easily offence
>can be caused between nations, even when they speak what's basically the
>same language ... :-)
>
>Arfa

I think it matters in what part of the U.S. this person resided. I'm
originally from the North East and humor that would be considered mild
there is considered a great affront to some people in the South.
However, racist remarks, that I find offensive, don't seem to bother
their delicate constitutions. Chuck

== 8 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 7:37 am
From: "Michael Kennedy"

"Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:jjVZo.11934$MD5.4765@newsfe23.ams2...
>
>
> "Michael Kennedy" <mike@com> wrote in message
> news:KPGdndudDvPFJKrQnZ2dnVY3goudnZ2d@giganews.com...
>>
>> "Arfa Daily" <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
>> news:kzMZo.214$%p6.39@newsfe03.ams2...
>>>
>>>
>>> "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote in message
>>> news:ih7bqe$ajf$1@news.eternal-september.org...
>>>>> I once got in a lot of trouble with my boss when I was young and
>>>>> worked
>>>> for
>>>>> a U.S. based company. At that time, I didn't understand that there was
>>>>> a
>>>> big
>>>>> difference between British 'tongue-in-cheek' humour, and the much more
>>>>> direct U.S. type. I was talking on the phone to one of the designers
>>>>> of a
>>>>> piece of equipment that we sold here in the UK, and asked the guy if
>>>>> he
>>>>> could arrange to send me some screws for the cabinet, as they were a
>>>> thread
>>>>> that we didn't readily get over here. He asked if I knew exactly what
>>>>> size
>>>>> they were so I replied, quick as a flash, thinking that I was being
>>>>> funny,
>>>>> "I guess that they are round about 3/16ths APF." "What's APF ?" the
>>>>> guy
>>>>> asked. "American Piss Fit", said I ...
>>>>
>>>>> Stony silence on the phone. Half an hour later, I was summoned to the
>>>> boss's
>>>>> office. Apparently, the guy had been really offended by this, thinking
>>>> that
>>>>> it was a slur on what he considered to be good American engineering,
>>>>> and
>>>> had
>>>>> called my boss to complain about me. Just goes to show how easily
>>>>> offence
>>>>> can be caused between nations, even when they speak what's basically
>>>>> the
>>>>> same language ... :-)
>>>>
>>>> It's hard /not/ to interpret such a description as an intentional
>>>> insult. I
>>>> can't imagine what it actually means -- in any innocuous sense, anyway.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> There ya go then ! Anyone from the UK would see it as a quick-fire
>>> throw-away line, and would laugh at it. It's sort of intended to be
>>> 'barbed', but not in a malicious way. It's a very hard to describe form
>>> of humour that is quite prevalent over here.
>>>
>>> Arfa
>>
>>
>> We have that kind of humor in the US too.. But only amongst friends or
>> people you know fairly well. If a stranger uses sharp humor with me (some
>> do) and It gives the feeling of you dont know me well enough to be poking
>> humor at me, and we also usually take the fact there is ususaly truth in
>> humor.. And honestly you probaly think the US standards are idioic and
>> stupid to still be using when the rest of the world is using the metric
>> system. Thats the feeling I get here in Japan at least. People cant
>> understand why the US uses the old system still.
>>
>> Anyhow.. Just my $0.02
>>
>
> Yes. Knowing the U.S. and its people much better now, as I tend to visit
> twice a year and have now for many years, I would say that was pretty much
> spot on. Although I've found that American people are much more friendly
> in general to strangers, than people over here are, I also find that they
> are much more 'reserved' in actually getting to know them as a friend.
> Here in the UK, if you are just in the same business as one another, you
> tend to automatically think in terms of communicating with a 'kindred
> spirit'. So even on a first contact with someone, if you appear within a
> few sentences to be speaking the same language, it becomes quite
> acceptable to introduce a degree of 'chuminess' into the conversation such
> as calling the person 'mate' and such-like. Barbed humour between you is
> then immediately accepted, and is likely to get thrown back at you by the
> other person, and often gets deflected onto the company that you, or the
> other person works for. Having made the 'APF' comment to the guy, in my
> naivety, I was expecting him to just throw back a similar comment like "
> so what, then ? Your British threads are better than ours, are they ? :-)
> "
>
> Like I say, easy to cause unintentional offence, if you are not familiar
> with the country, and it's people and their cultural differences, even if
> they appear to speak the same basic language. Many countries in Europe
> speak English as a second language. If you speak it to a German for
> instance, in general, he will not understand British humour. Not likely to
> be offended by it. Just won't understand it. A Frenchman, will understand
> it, and be offended - or at least pretend to be ... OTOH, a Dutchman will
> both understand the humour, and give back as good as he gets. They seem to
> have a very 'English' understanding of the English language. I don't know
> why that should be, but I was once told by a Dutch guy that I had dealings
> with, that it was because they easily received UK television over there,
> so tended to watch a lot of British made drama and comedy programmes. I
> wonder if this will change now analogue TV is almost now all gone. I bet
> that they don't receive the digital multiplexes across the water, anything
> like as well as they did the high power analongue transmissions. Any Dutch
> people reading this care to comment ?
>
> Arfa

Its actually funny the fact that we speak almost the same language. Although
I am an American, I currently live in Japan. The fact our languages are so
different, provides some kind of cushion for misinterpretations, well
usually.. I try to take things people say without getting offended, even if
they seem to be offensive in English. I understand that there is a language
barrier and also a culture barrier. Many people mutually understand that
when I am talking to them in Japanese as well.

So my point is we are so alike, Brittish and Americans, that we assume that
nothing is different.. :)

Mike

== 9 of 9 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 7:54 am
From: "Dave Plowman (News)"

In article <ih744h$odu$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
N_Cook <diverse@tcp.co.uk> wrote:
> The harware that I always have problems with in the UK , never organised
> a stock of, is UNF and UNC nuts and bolts for USA kit.

Have a look in a classic car mag. A few companies sell selections of UNF
and UNC nuts and bolts. Or sell individually.

--
*Proofread carefully to see if you any words out or mispeld something *

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Reduce power of a microwave oven?
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/76e6c7ef368fc8a0?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 4:02 am
From: "Arfa Daily"

"David Nebenzahl" <nobody@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
news:4d3796cb$0$2374$822641b3@news.adtechcomputers.com...
> On 1/19/2011 12:55 PM mike spake thus:
>
>> PeterD wrote:
>>
>>> On Wed, 19 Jan 2011 05:55:03 -0800, "William Sommerwerck"
>>> <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>>> Can you return the oven? You can use the argument that it's
>>>>>> not fit for its intended purpose. Which it isn't.
>>>>>
>>>>> Nope, my inability to forecast the consequences is not the
>>>>> fault of the seller.
>>>>
>>>> If your description is correct, the oven is grossly misdesigned.
>>>> You do not implement variable power by turning the magenetron on
>>>> for 15 seconds, then letting it sit for a minute! I've /never/
>>>> seen a microwave oven that works that way. My home GE works fine,
>>>> as do all those I've seen where I've worked.
>>>
>>> Huh? Virtually all the ones I've seen do just that: run a 10 to 15
>>> second on/off time cycle. The magnetron is turned on with a relay,
>>> so rapid cycling just begs to blow that relay.
>>
>> It's worse than that. A triac can fix the relay issue. The problem
>> is the thermal time constant of the magnetron filament.
>
> I guess I'm showing my ignorance here, as I don't know much about
> magnetrons, but why can't you just let the filament burn while you cycle
> the HV, like you'd do with any other ordinary tube? I mean, with other
> tubes, it's OK to apply power to the heater without any anode voltage,
> right?
>

In general, with indirectly heated types, no, it may not be ok. It has been
said that it can lead to cathode poisoning and sometimes cathode stripping.
In the good old days, HT standby switches often used to have a resistor
across them to keep a small bleed current running through the tubes,
however, I must admit that most modern amps that I see have no such
arrangement, so perhaps modern tubes are better at standing up to this sort
of abuse, or else it has become just a forgotten technique? Or maybe, it was
one of those 'myth' things that some manufacturers believed in, but wasn't
actually the case ? Eimac have published booklets about applying voltages in
the correct order and with the correct delays, to their RF Power
transmitting tubes, so I guess that there must be something in it,
somewhere. Are magnetrons indirectly heated ? I had a feeling that I had
seen somewhere that they weren't, and that the modulation introduced by the
AC on the filament, was insignificant compared to the output power at the
frequency of interest, so was ignored.

Arfa

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 4:44 am
From: "Michael A. Terrell"

mike wrote:
>
> Yes, that's what I had in mind. All you need is a switch that can
> handle that much volts safely...and maybe some means to make sure
> that switching a charged cap doesn't explode the diode or the switch.
>
> Some months ago, I had to replace the diode in my old one.
> Hooked a resistor to a couple of clip leads and hooked them to the cap.
> I never did find any of the resistor pieces. May have gotten swept up
> when I cleaned up the puddle I made. ;-)

You exceeded the maximum voltage rating of that resistor.

--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: How to repair an invisible machine from the 23rd century?
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/e431feeea64c740f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 4:12 am
From: "Pimpom"

Lloyd Hearsewave wrote:
> I've found an invisible machine from the 23rd century, but it's
> not
> working.
> How can I repair it?

Invisible machine or invisibility machine? There's a difference,
you know. The schematics are quite different too. Before you even
attempt to repair the former, a quantum interlocuting frammis is
absolutely essential.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Polaroid Pola-Pack battery chemistry
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/84793df5d234c33c?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:11 am
From: "William Sommerwerck"

>> Going thru my pile of old batteries, I discovered 3 1995 Polaroid pola-
>> pack batteries. They still read above 7.2 V. I think they were 7.5V
>> when new. Whatever chemistry they used has held up for 16 years.
>> I'm wondering what the chemistry of these batteries is that they
>> haven't self-discharged after this long period of time. Does anyone
>> know for sure what Polaroid used?

Just because the voltage hasn't dropped much, doesn't mean the cell hasn't
deteriorated. It might have lost a lot of its capacity.

> Google for "Polaroid Polapulse Battery" and you'll find plenty of
> photos and references.
> The P80 and P100 are 6V at 250mAh and Zinc-Manganese dioxide.
> The P500 are 6V at 1400mAh and Lithium-Manganese dioxide.
> Note that they can be recharged successfully a few times.

Thanks for the update.

My understanding was that they were originally carbon-zinc. They were
designed and made by Ray-O-Vac, but when they turned out to be unreliable,
failing unexpectedly (I had one fail when I left the camera in a warm -- but
not hot -- car), Polaroid redesigned and manufactured them itself. Polaroid
gave away a cheap AM/FM radio powered by the battery in a discarded film
pack, to take advantage of what would otherwise have been wasted energy.

It's unfortunate there are no standardized rechargeable battery packs for
portable devices. This might have been doable when they were powered by AA
and C cells, but modern devices are so small, and the battery is so tightly
mechanically integrated, it isn't possible.

I recently replaced the battery in my Palm T3 PDA, after seven years of
service. I was surprised at how easy it was to do; I expected a fuss-fest.

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 9:34 am
From: Jeff Liebermann

On Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:11:07 -0800, "William Sommerwerck"
<grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:

>It's unfortunate there are no standardized rechargeable battery packs for
>portable devices. This might have been doable when they were powered by AA
>and C cells, but modern devices are so small, and the battery is so tightly
>mechanically integrated, it isn't possible.

There's a reason why nobody standardizes on battery packs. Battery
packs are a major profit center. It's the razor blade model. Give
away the razors, and sell lots of blades. For example, Motorola makes
it policy of requiring a new battery, microphone, antenna, charger,
and other accessories with every new model handheld radio and cell
phone. Even models that are very similar, have intentional lumps and
holes to make the previous generation of accessories incompatible.
Same with some HP LaserJet cartridges.

There's some hope with the ITU standardizing on the microUSB battery
charger connector for portable devices:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Mobile_Terminal_Platform>
<http://www.wacapps.net>
which are slowly being "embraced", which is doublespeak for being
shoved down the manufacturers throats by various regulatory agencies.

Way back in the early 1990's, there was some effort to standardize on
a single laptop battery. Mallory and others invented a ten C cell
package that just slid into the side of the laptop. It was popular
for a short while, until laptops shrank below the size where it would
fit. Nice try.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Brittle plastic?
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/2baa17ceeaefe60f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:13 am
From: Stroonz

On Jan 20, 2:15 am, "larry moe 'n curly" <larrymoencu...@my-deja.com>
wrote:
> I got rid of my vintage 1995 Sanyo TV because the plastic case was so
> brittle it didn't seem capable of safely supporting the weight of the
> CRT, but the plastic of my 1976 TV seems fine. Both cases were made
> of fire retardant ABS, but why was it so much more brittle in the
> newer TV?

There was a large batch of TVs from that era with plastic that
deteriorates with age. Most common were Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi.
I recall a few Panasonics doing the same thing. Years ago, I remember
two guys hauling in a 36 inch Sony into the shop with the TV literally
coming apart in their hands. By the time they put it on the floor, it
looked like a dropped egg.

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Repair or replacing a GE Spacemaker Microwave?
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/c1d6b4bd44bdd1d7?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:19 am
From: DarkwaterBlight

On Jan 19, 12:55 pm, BSAKing <bsak...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have one of these guys and it has served me very well for probably
> 15+ years, so I have no quarrel with it.
>
> From the manual, the model number is a JVM 250 BVC or JVM 250 WVC
> (probably a white or black model).
>
> In any event, this morning old Betsy decided not to heat anything up.
> All the bells and whistles are there, fan runs, etc, lights action,
> keypad works, just no heat. So I suspect more than likely the
> magnetron or xformer.
>
> I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a secondary fuse I could
> check on this model before I turf it? Obviously main one is good as
> everything else powers on.
>
> The second question is that I remember installing this thing and
> having to adapt a hole in the wall to an outside vent etc to fit it. I
> am hoping that maybe a new model of the same make would have roughly
> the same vent location so I do not have to rebuild that part to put in
> a new one.
>
> Or maybe it is standard for all microwaves? Does anyone know?
>
> Any clues or input appreciated.
>
> TIA, BSA

The original magnetron WB27x10249, if that were the problem, only
costs about $135 retail and is still available from GE. There is also
a substitute for that ; 10QBP0230, which retails for about $83 total
with tax and I could ship one with in 3-5 days, depnding on your
location, for $7.99? as I have the part in stock. In the case that you
needed to replace the rectifier (HV Diode WB27x608) and HV capacitor
(WB27x10240) as well it would only be $201.39 for the parts.

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:21 am
From: DarkwaterBlight

BTW I can beat sears prices! You can contact me directly at;
1(609)641-1036 or visit us online at;
http://allbrandonline.com/

==============================================================================
TOPIC: HP zt3000 motherboard
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/f497313c93ede09f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:32 am
From: Clyde

Hi, I am trying to trace a short on this laptop. Does anyone have a
schematic for the motherboard? It's marked LA-1701 if that's any help.

Or a scrap motherboard I could use for comparison.

Any help appreciated. If you can think of a more suitable newsgroup to
cross post this to I would be grateful as well.

Reply by removing NOSPAMPLEASE from my email.

Thanks.

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:46 am
From: Lab1 <.@...>

On 1/20/2011 8:32 AM, Clyde wrote:
> Hi, I am trying to trace a short on this laptop. Does anyone have a
> schematic for the motherboard? It's marked LA-1701 if that's any help.
>
> Or a scrap motherboard I could use for comparison.
>
> Any help appreciated. If you can think of a more suitable newsgroup to
> cross post this to I would be grateful as well.

You can replace it for about $100...
http://shop.ebay.com/?&_nkw=HP+zt3000+motherboard

Or buy dead ones for around $25.

I can't even imagine a schematic for a motherboard, must be like a phone
book!

--
-Scott

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Awesome speakers!!
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/19ed616a0fe70f02?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:45 am
From: "William Sommerwerck"

Though I know you're kidding, I sincerely hope you're kidding about buying
them.

For what the speaker costs, and the profit they make on it, they could
easily pay a native-English-speaking copywriter to create effective
advertising. That they don't, shows they don't care what kind of image they
present. I would not normally buy products from such a company.

I loved the line about the effectiveness of biwiring in controlling back-EMF
had been proved by lenz [sic]! (Lenz has been dead for some years.) In fact,
biwiring should have no effect on the back-EMF "seen" by the amplfier.

"But remember what it does when you block a bicycle pump at one side and you
lower the handle. It gets more difficult to compress air. Well all other
speakers have that problem!"

No, they don't. Planar dipoles don't.

If Tesla were alive, he'd probably sue for having his name attached to this
product.

I wish JGH were still alive, so I could call him and we could read the ad
together, and laugh our heads off.

If you have US$13K to spend on a speaker, you can buy something much
better...

http://www.quad-hifi.co.uk/ranges.php?sector_id=1

== 2 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 5:51 am
From: Archon

On 1/20/2011 8:45 AM, William Sommerwerck wrote:
> Though I know you're kidding, I sincerely hope you're kidding about buying
> them.
>
> For what the speaker costs, and the profit they make on it, they could
> easily pay a native-English-speaking copywriter to create effective
> advertising. That they don't, shows they don't care what kind of image they
> present. I would not normally buy products from such a company.
>
> I loved the line about the effectiveness of biwiring in controlling back-EMF
> had been proved by lenz [sic]! (Lenz has been dead for some years.) In fact,
> biwiring should have no effect on the back-EMF "seen" by the amplfier.
>
> "But remember what it does when you block a bicycle pump at one side and you
> lower the handle. It gets more difficult to compress air. Well all other
> speakers have that problem!"
>
> No, they don't. Planar dipoles don't.
>
> If Tesla were alive, he'd probably sue for having his name attached to this
> product.
>
> I wish JGH were still alive, so I could call him and we could read the ad
> together, and laugh our heads off.
>
> If you have US$13K to spend on a speaker, you can buy something much
> better...
>
> http://www.quad-hifi.co.uk/ranges.php?sector_id=1
>
>
I don't have a spare $13K to spend on anything, let alone wasting it on
some hyped up bogus speaker, yes, William I was kidding ;-)
JC

== 3 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 6:51 am
From: Archon

On 1/20/2011 8:51 AM, Archon wrote:
> On 1/20/2011 8:45 AM, William Sommerwerck wrote:
>> Though I know you're kidding, I sincerely hope you're kidding about
>> buying
>> them.
>>
>> For what the speaker costs, and the profit they make on it, they could
>> easily pay a native-English-speaking copywriter to create effective
>> advertising. That they don't, shows they don't care what kind of image
>> they
>> present. I would not normally buy products from such a company.
>>
>> I loved the line about the effectiveness of biwiring in controlling
>> back-EMF
>> had been proved by lenz [sic]! (Lenz has been dead for some years.) In
>> fact,
>> biwiring should have no effect on the back-EMF "seen" by the amplfier.
>>
>> "But remember what it does when you block a bicycle pump at one side
>> and you
>> lower the handle. It gets more difficult to compress air. Well all other
>> speakers have that problem!"
>>
>> No, they don't. Planar dipoles don't.
>>
>> If Tesla were alive, he'd probably sue for having his name attached to
>> this
>> product.
>>
>> I wish JGH were still alive, so I could call him and we could read the ad
>> together, and laugh our heads off.
>>
>> If you have US$13K to spend on a speaker, you can buy something much
>> better...
>>
>> http://www.quad-hifi.co.uk/ranges.php?sector_id=1
>>
>>
> I don't have a spare $13K to spend on anything, let alone wasting it on
> some hyped up bogus speaker, yes, William I was kidding ;-)
> JC

I was actually looking for some good speakers when I came across the ad,
but seriously though, the whole audio sector is so overhyped, I know a
couple of guys developing speakers, and the way they go on, its more
magic than physics. I'd like to see a pro review of those speakers, they
may well sound great, but so far I've not found anything. The Quads look
good but again way out of my price range.
JC

== 4 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 7:50 am
From: "William Sommerwerck"

> I was actually looking for some good speakers when I came across
> the ad, but seriously though, the whole audio sector is so overhyped.
> I know a couple of guys developing speakers, and the way they go on,
> its more magic than physics.

Not in the case of electrostatic or "orthodynamic" speakers. When properly
executed, such drivers are superior to cone drivers.

> I'd like to see a pro review of those speakers, they may well sound
> great, but so far I've not found anything. The QUADs look good but
> again way out of my price range.

Given that they use SEAS drivers, they're probably very good. But there are
better speakers for the same or less money.

I see nothing wrong with a "serious" listener spending $15K for a pair of
speakers -- that's what you spend on a car these days. But most people don't
see it that way.

If $15K is outside your budget, listen to the less-expensive Martin-Logan
hybrid electrostatics. They're not "cheap", but you're getting a really fine
speaker at a "reasonable" price.

If you don't want 'stats, listen to B&W. They're among the few "neutral"
dynamic speakers that don't sound insipid. If I didn't own planar speakers,
I would own B&Ws. (At one time, I did.)

== 5 of 5 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 8:17 am
From: Archon

On 1/20/2011 10:50 AM, William Sommerwerck wrote:
>> I was actually looking for some good speakers when I came across
>> the ad, but seriously though, the whole audio sector is so overhyped.
>> I know a couple of guys developing speakers, and the way they go on,
>> its more magic than physics.
>
> Not in the case of electrostatic or "orthodynamic" speakers. When properly
> executed, such drivers are superior to cone drivers.
>
>
>> I'd like to see a pro review of those speakers, they may well sound
>> great, but so far I've not found anything. The QUADs look good but
>> again way out of my price range.
>
> Given that they use SEAS drivers, they're probably very good. But there are
> better speakers for the same or less money.
>
>
> I see nothing wrong with a "serious" listener spending $15K for a pair of
> speakers -- that's what you spend on a car these days. But most people don't
> see it that way.
>
> If $15K is outside your budget, listen to the less-expensive Martin-Logan
> hybrid electrostatics. They're not "cheap", but you're getting a really fine
> speaker at a "reasonable" price.
>
> If you don't want 'stats, listen to B&W. They're among the few "neutral"
> dynamic speakers that don't sound insipid. If I didn't own planar speakers,
> I would own B&Ws. (At one time, I did.)
>
>
The Martin-Logans look nice, I'll check them out, thx
JC

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Are CRT monitor registers standardized?
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.repair/t/c82cfde479e993f8?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Thurs, Jan 20 2011 6:44 am
From:

Hi all, I used WinDAS to adjust G2 on an overbright Sony F500R monitor, and want to learn about a few of the other registers,
especially 22-38 and the relationships between them (full dump copied below). Google was useless.

In general are these registers standard across monitor manufacturers? From the names I'm thinking a few of mine may be way off, e.g.
the "MAX"'s in some cases are lower than the "CENT"'s.

Also if anyone has data sets for this monitor, especially unmodified factory sets, or has WinDAS & a service cable and can get me
one, please respond. Thanks.

Mike

REG# ** LABEL ** VALUE NOTES
1 ** G2 ** 115 Factory setting (139) caused overbrightness
2 ** DRV_ZERO_LEVEL ** 0
3 ** DRIVE_MIN ** 0
4 ** DRIVE_MAX ** 250
5 ** dummy4 ** SKIP
6 ** dummy5 ** SKIP
7 ** SRGB_CONT ** 225
8 ** SRGB_BRT ** 75
9 ** dummy8 ** SKIP
10 ** dummy9 ** SKIP
11 ** dummy10 ** SKIP
12 ** dummy11 ** SKIP
13 ** dummy12 ** SKIP
14 ** REG13 ** 2
15 ** REG14 ** 2
16 ** REG15 ** 0
17 ** OSD_ENLARGE_LIN ** 102
18 ** REG17 ** 35
19 ** REG18 ** 177
20 ** REG19 ** 37
21 ** REG20 ** 80
22 ** R_DRV_CONT_MIN ** 200
23 ** R_DRV_CONT_MAX ** 200
24 ** G_DRV_CONT_MIN ** 150
25 ** G_DRV_CONT_MAX ** 150
26 ** B_DRV_CONT_MIN ** 150
27 ** B_DRV_CONT_MAX ** 150
28 ** R_BKG_BRT_CENT ** 100
29 ** R_BKG_BRT_MAX ** 86
30 ** G_BKG_BRT_CENT ** 140
31 ** G_BKG_BRT_MAX ** 125
32 ** B_BKG_BRT_CENT ** 125
33 ** B_BKG_BRT_MAX ** 105
34 ** CONT_MIN ** 30
35 ** CON_MAX_BR_CENT ** 150
36 ** CON_MAX_BRT_MAX ** 115
37 ** BRIGHTNESS_CENT ** 125
38 ** BRIGHTNESS_MAX ** 170
39 ** R_USER_DRIVE ** 151
40 ** G_USER_DRIVE ** 139
41 ** B_USER_DRIVE ** 142
42 ** R_USER_BKG ** 128
43 ** G_USER_BKG ** 128
44 ** B_USER_BKG ** 128
45 ** REG44 ** 60
46 ** USER_COLOR_FLAG ** 2
47 ** H_FREQ ** 1078
48 ** COLOR_MODE ** 1
49 ** REG48 ** 128
50 ** REG49 ** 128
51 ** dummy50 ** SKIP
52 ** dummy51 ** SKIP
53 ** LCC_NS ** 128
54 ** REG53 ** 10
55 ** REG54 ** 115
56 ** REG55 ** 77
57 ** REG56 ** 10
58 ** REG57 ** 80
59 ** dummy58 ** SKIP
60 ** dummy59 ** SKIP
61 ** dummy60 ** SKIP
62 ** REG61 ** 140
63 ** REG62 ** 120
64 ** REG63 ** 149
65 ** dummy64 ** SKIP
66 ** REG65 ** 42
67 ** REG66 ** 58
68 ** REG67 ** 38
69 ** REG68 ** 58
70 ** REG69 ** 2
71 ** REG70 ** 186
72 ** REG71 ** 18
73 ** REG72 ** 30
74 ** REG73 ** 155
75 ** REG74 ** 120
76 ** REG75 ** 110
77 ** REG76 ** 90
78 ** dummy77 ** SKIP
79 ** REG78 ** 75
80 ** REG79 ** 60
81 ** REG80 ** 92
82 ** REG81 ** 75
83 ** REG82 ** 53
84 ** REG83 ** 75
85 ** REG84 ** 4
86 ** REG85 ** 128
87 ** REG86 ** 30
88 ** REG87 ** 0
89 ** REG88 ** 150
90 ** REG89 ** 180
91 ** REG90 ** 255
92 ** dummy91 ** SKIP
93 ** TDT_S_CAP ** 7
94 ** REG93 ** 210
95 ** REG94 ** 140
96 ** dummy95 ** SKIP
97 ** dummy96 ** SKIP
98 ** REG97 ** 2
99 ** REG98 ** 10
100 ** SIGNAL_INDEX ** 17
101 ** V_BLK_WIDTH_MIN ** 115
102 ** V_BLK_WIDTH_MAX ** 115
103 ** REG102 ** 115
104 ** H_PHASE ** 149
105 ** H_SIZE ** 114
106 ** V_CENTER ** 148
107 ** V_SIZE ** 132
108 ** PIN ** 136
109 ** PIN_BAL ** 128
110 ** KEY ** 128
111 ** KEY_BAL ** 128
112 ** MOIRE_CANCEL_SW ** 0
113 ** MOIRE_LEVEL ** 0
114 ** H_CENT_LO_FH ** 128
115 ** H_CENT_MD_FH ** 128
116 ** H_LIN_MD_FH ** 200
117 ** H_CENT_HI_FH ** 128
118 ** REG117 ** 0
119 ** H_LIN_LO_FH ** 22
120 ** H_LIN_HI_FH ** 140
121 ** H_PHASE_SHIFT ** 350
122 ** H_SIZE_ORIGIN ** 174
123 ** H_SIZE_MAX ** 200
124 ** VDC_MODE ** 0
125 ** VDC_INIT_1 ** 1000
126 ** VDC_INIT_2 ** 1400
127 ** V_SHAPE_LVL_1 ** 900
128 ** V_SHAPE_LVL_2 ** 1600
129 ** REG128 ** 1444
130 ** REG129 ** 3590
131 ** REG130 ** 3422
132 ** REG131 ** 4253
133 ** REG132 ** 5671
134 ** V_LIN ** 128
135 ** VLIN_BAL ** 128
136 ** REG135 ** 6
137 ** PIN_FOR_HSIZE ** 8
138 ** REG137 ** 128
139 ** PIN_BAL_LO_FH ** 128
140 ** PIN_BAL_MD_FH ** 128
141 ** dummy140 ** SKIP
142 ** PIN_BAL_HI_FH ** 128
143 ** S_PIN ** 130
144 ** S_PIN_BAL ** 128
145 ** C_BOW ** 177
146 ** C_BOW_BAL ** 130
147 ** SC_BOW_TOP ** 128
148 ** SC_BOW_BTM ** 128
149 ** H_FP ** 406
150 ** H_SBP ** 2438
151 ** V_TTL_LINE ** 1072
152 ** V_FP ** 1
153 ** V_SBP ** 47
154 ** ASC_TARGET_H_SI ** 64
155 ** ASC_TARGET_V_SI ** 191
156 ** ASC_HFP_OFFSET ** 208
157 ** ASC_MEAS_TOL ** 1
158 ** ASC_HSBP_OFFSET ** 48
159 ** REG158 ** 200
160 ** REG159 ** 200
161 ** dummy160 ** SKIP
162 ** REG161 ** 200
163 ** ASC_ADJ_H_SIZ_1 ** 64
164 ** ASC_ADJ_H_SIZ_2 ** 88
165 ** ASC_H_SIZE_1 ** 85
166 ** ASC_H_SIZE_2 ** 128
167 ** HPHS_OFFSET_LO ** 256
168 ** HPHS_OFFSET_MD ** 256
169 ** dummy168 ** SKIP
170 ** HPHS_OFFSET_HI ** 256
171 ** ASC_HSIZE_43 ** 88
172 ** ASC_HSIZE_54 ** 64
173 ** ASC_HPHS_DEF ** 128
174 ** ASC_HPHS_PLUS ** 254
175 ** ASC_DISABLE_ACT ** 65
176 ** ADJ_V_SIZE ** 191
177 ** ZM_ADJ_V_SIZE_1 ** 160
178 ** ZM_ADJ_V_SIZE_2 ** 14
179 ** ZM_V_SIZE_1 ** 160
180 ** ZM_V_SIZE_2 ** 191
181 ** ZM_V_ACT_RATIO ** 230
182 ** REG181 ** 240
183 ** BCF_R_CRCT ** 128
184 ** BCF_G_CRCT ** 128
185 ** BCF_B_CRCT ** 128
186 ** CONTRAST ** 192
187 ** BRIGHTNESS ** 188
188 ** COLOR_INDEX ** 2
189 ** H_CONV ** 140
190 ** V_CONV ** 112
191 ** V_CONV_TOP ** 119
192 ** V_CONV_BTM ** 146
193 ** TILT ** 128
194 ** REG193 ** 0
195 ** dummy194 ** SKIP
196 ** LCC_LT ** 128
197 ** LCC_RT ** 128
198 ** LCC_LB ** 128
199 ** LCC_RB ** 128
200 ** REG199 ** 0
201 ** REG200 ** 255
202 ** LANGUAGE ** 1
203 ** KEY_LOCK ** 0
204 ** REG203 ** 29
205 ** REG204 ** 122
206 ** REG205 ** 47
207 ** REG206 ** 161
208 ** REG207 ** 31
209 ** dummy208 ** SKIP
210 ** dummy209 ** SKIP
211 ** REG210 ** 106
212 ** dummy211 ** SKIP
213 ** REG212 ** 50
214 ** REG213 ** 55
215 ** REG214 ** 100
216 ** REG215 ** 10
217 ** REG216 ** 100
218 ** REG217 ** 70
219 ** REG218 ** 80
220 ** ABL_SHUTDW_LMT ** 101
221 ** ABL_CONT_LIMIT ** 76
222 ** REG221 ** 10
223 ** REG222 ** 5
224 ** REG223 ** 88
225 ** REG224 ** 64
226 ** REG225 ** 43
227 ** REG226 ** 5
228 ** REG227 ** 10
229 ** REG228 ** 63
230 ** REG229 ** 154
231 ** REG230 ** 30
232 ** REG231 ** 0
233 ** REG232 ** 0
234 ** REG233 ** 0
235 ** REG234 ** 0
236 ** REG235 ** 95
237 ** REG236 ** 1270
238 ** REG237 ** 10
239 ** REG238 ** 10
240 ** REG239 ** 210
241 ** REG240 ** 160
242 ** SHUTDOWN_LOG_0 ** 0
243 ** SHUTDOWN_LOG_1 ** 0
244 ** N_FACT_PRESET ** 4
245 ** NEXT_USER_MODE ** 4
246 ** FUNCTION_SW ** 7
247 ** CHARACTER_SW ** 1
248 ** TABLE_SW ** 15
249 ** LCC_SW ** 15
250 ** OPERATION_TYPE ** 0
251 ** OSD_TYPE ** 0
252 ** KEY_PAD_TYPE ** 8
253 ** INPUT_SEL ** 0
254 ** LAST_POWER ** 0

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