Question Request - John Kenny - Keysight Interview - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 12:52:38 pm
content: John Kenny from Keysight will be visiting the lab this Monday and I'll have a chance to interview him.This will be technical and historical related, no marketing crap.Submit your question here!Can't guarantee I'll ask them, but will be good to have a list.Bio for those interested, he's one of the old guard at HPhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kenny-4069064/John Kenny is presently the Technology and Efficiency Manager for our Electronic Instruments and Systems Group. After graduating from Lehigh University in 1978, he started in Hewlett Packard, working in our Modular Power System team, designing modular supplies, and later moved to our Lab and Industrial Power group, where he was involved in Analog, Digital and Firmware design for the next 20 years, involved in the rollout of our many programmable power products. In 2005, he moved into a new role as the Technology Manager for our System Products Group, which covered all of our GP products, including Power Products, DMMs, Function Generators, Counters and Data Acquisition products. He was directly involved in the development of the breadth of our GP products that you see in our catalog today, with more on their way. Recently, as part of our reorganization in 2015 as part of the new Keysight, he became responsible for Technology and Efficiency management for most of our non-RF based products, as part of our EISG Center of Excellence, which includes products developed in Japan, Penang, Singapore, Loveland and Budd Lake. We are creating new solutions today to meet the needs of the ever changing needs of the Test and Measurement Industry over a wide range of technologies and form factors.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 06:42:06 pm
content: Not sure if it would be polite but you could ask about the recent multimeter recall Would be interesting to hear about from an internal perspective. May be “too soon” though.

author: Rbastler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 07:04:53 pm
content: Could you ask him wy they stopped putting schematics in the service manuals of their devices at some point ?

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 07:56:14 pm
content: Quote from: Dubbie on October 14, 2017, 06:42:06 pmYou mean the 3446X series? Yeah, I also wonder what happened to the promised 1 year warranty extension - I'm still waiting for that.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 08:15:20 pm
content: When is the next name change due?Is there going to be a replacement for the 3458A? Are the rumours they have lost the ability/knowledge to produce one (a replacement) true?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 10:08:55 pm
content: Any technical non-political questions?

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 10:25:39 pm
content: What's (was) his...Career highlight?Favourite personal project?Favourite work project?Staff discount?Golf handicap?Opinion on graduates/universities?Favourite book?

author: MrW0lf
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 10:52:08 pm
content: What record length is used for math on 4Mpts X-scopes?

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 14, 2017, 11:59:47 pm
content: If you can prod him for any interesting stories about developing new products. ie. things they thought might be easier than they turned out to be, unexpected discoveries while solving problems etc.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 10:13:04 am
content: In retrospect, was it a mistake to engage Rigol to make their low-end scope, competition-wise.

author: razberik
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 10:31:20 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 14, 2017, 10:08:55 pmThat is difficult. Everything you ask about Agilent is political in principle.Technical questions are often asked here and answered here by users.Perhaps you can ask how to unlock DSOX1000 to higher model.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 10:32:03 am
content: Given that Keysight is an ASIC-focussed company (at least compared to the lower-cost options), how has the ever-improving performance and cost of FPGAs affected design decisions? Or, how do ASICs still provide an advantage when FPGAs today offer the performance of state-of-the-art ASICs XX years ago?Or maybe for a more open-format version of the question: FPGA vs ASICs. Discuss.(Obviously this is covered at length all over the internet, but his specific answer might be interesting?)

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 11:36:45 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 14, 2017, 10:08:55 pmWhat would interest me: When are they going to release entry level scopes with a decent memory length like real 20Mpts (or more) per channel? And add things like moveable reference traces which can be used for math? They are starting to fall behind on basic stuff.

author: Deridex
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 12:12:40 pm
content: Since Tektronix etc. are releasing scopes with very big memorys: Whats Keysights plan about that topic in the future?

author: MarkL
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 06:44:53 pm
content: Quote from: Rbastler on October 14, 2017, 07:04:53 pmI like this question too.John is from the days when they used to publish extensive service information and I'd like to hear his perspective. You're lucky if you even get a block diagram in the "ServiceGuide" now-a-days.And even after something goes obsolete, still no information is released. A lot of older but potentially useful equipment ends up in the landfill as a result. What a waste.

author: lem_ix
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 06:59:42 pm
content: Why are there no real 1mV and 2mV ranges on the megazoom scopes.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 07:05:51 pm
content: Quote from: Rbastler on October 14, 2017, 07:04:53 pmThis ^^^

author: VintageHenk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2017, 10:02:22 pm
content: What's his favourite easter egg?

author: TimInCanada
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 01:57:48 am
content: Quote from: MarkL on October 15, 2017, 06:44:53 pmIn terms of a question, how about: is there a way that more technical information on obsoleted products could be released? Dave himself ran into this problem in EEVblog #982 - HP54616B 500MHz Oscilloscope REPAIR. HP/Agilent/Keysight repair the equipment while it's supported. There must be service information in existence.

author: buck converter
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 02:38:51 am
content: Thoughts on consumer ink jets?

author: technogeeky
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 04:52:11 am
content: What is the most useful instrument that the majority of hobbyists don't have on their bench, and why is it the source meter?

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 09:02:03 am
content: Quote from: Towger on October 14, 2017, 08:15:20 pmWell, did you ask the question?Looks looks like we can infer the answer from:https://youtu.be/8JwYlFtA1HM?t=2m3s

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 09:11:53 am
content: Quote from: Towger on October 16, 2017, 09:02:03 amYes I did, along with most others here.2.5 hours of footage I have to edit into several videos.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 09:16:33 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 16, 2017, 09:11:53 amThanks.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 10:13:30 am
content: Looking forward to these videos Dave, if the first little snippet on the meter specs issue is any indication. He seems very un-corporate. The perfect sort of guest for you!

author: Deridex
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 05:40:56 pm
content: ThanksI'm looking forward to the videos.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 16, 2017, 07:34:45 pm
content: Quote from: Dubbie on October 16, 2017, 10:13:30 amSame here especially when it comes to oscilloscopes but I also like the new entry level bench power supplies from Keysight.QuoteAs a non-English person I had to re-read the above a couple of timesMy brain's spelling checker kept reading 'uncooperative'.