The most expensive equipment that you have - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DJKA
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 04:41:35 pm
content: Hi, just wondering what is the TOP 3 most expensive gear(scope, power supply, function generator, multimeter...) you have obtained for your electronics hobby ever?My list is:1.LG OS5020Oscilloscope (dual ch. 20MHz) - $942.Uni-T UT70ADMM - $903.K and H Products SD-35solderless breadboard - $30<-- total crap!;-)

author: olsenn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 04:46:27 pm
content: 1. Rigol DSA815-TG Spectrum Analyzer - $15002. Rigol DG2041A Arb. Waveform Generator - $9003. Many items in the $400 - $600 range

author: tesla500
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 04:58:29 pm
content: 1. Agilent MSO6104A 1GHz 4ch scope - MSRP $20k, but got a good deal at $5k from an auction by Newark (Farnell). They set reserve prices after that!2. Four 1131A 3.5GHz Diff probes for above - MSRP $4k each, got them for $900 total on ebay3. TCP312/TCPA300 30A 100MHz current probe and amp - Probe $750 from ebay, amp given to me free from work after someone blew it up and "repair" (read "replace the main board") was about the price of a new one. I was able to fix it and decided to wait for a reasonable deal for the probe on ebay.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 05:46:52 pm
content: Quote from: tesla500 on May 25, 2012, 04:58:29 pmQuite a lot of very high-end gear you have there, it's really nice to have such a bit of kit.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 05:59:58 pm
content: 1) The wife.2) The wife.3) The wife.

author: odessa
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 06:02:09 pm
content: Lol at aboveMine is my Agilent DSO x 2012A ( all Daves fault) £1300Fluke 83 V £150Instek PS 3030 PSU £100

author: eV1Te
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 06:13:43 pm
content: I own a JEOL JSM-T200 Scanning electron microscope that I have in my living room (gift from a university since they bought a new one), the price was probably around $100k new! But today (like with old analog oscilloscopes) no one wants them. (Still works very well, but requires more time than newer digital ones)Here is a test video I made when I got it some time ago (filament from a normal 60W light bulb).Also attached 2 pictures that I took in my living room, Light bulb filament from small Maglight flashlight and old Intel CPU that had quartz window that I could remove (Intel logo is etched into the wafer next to all the traces).

author: DJKA
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 06:16:14 pm
content: Hahahahaha! 100% Awesome! ;-)Quote from: Bored@Work on May 25, 2012, 05:59:58 pm

author: DJKA
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 06:26:51 pm
content: Absolutely fantastic! Wish i could have one!Quote from: eV1Te on May 25, 2012, 06:13:43 pm

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 06:46:27 pm
content: Hmm, let me see, most expensive equipment I have...... next you want my address

author: Noize
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 06:58:15 pm
content: Rigol DS1051E £250RS Professional prototypingboard w/PSU,240V £220http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/0489100/Got this on ebay for £37. Nice as I needed another powersupply and this has 5V and bipolar adjustable +-15V.

author: sonicj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 07:08:15 pm
content: Quote from: tesla500 on May 25, 2012, 04:58:29 pmImpressive troubleshooting skills!-sj

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 07:43:15 pm
content: Quote from: Noize on May 25, 2012, 06:58:15 pmThat ... prototyping board from RS is pricey ... for a power supply and a angled breadboard ...

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 07:48:28 pm
content: MSO7104 Mixed signal 4 Analog + 16 Digital 1Ghz /4Gs with all licences installed.. (I2c / SPI / deep memory / etc ) bought used.. New price ... over 20K$ ... paid .. i'm not telling.. you'd all get depressed and cry ...54832D Infiniium 4 analog + 16 digital 1GHz / 4Gs 8Meg deep per channel with FPGa licence and Logic analyzer linkup. New price unknown but well over 30K$ ... paid 1200$ had a broken LCD panel according to seller. Turned out it was the graphics card and not the LCD .. CT6555 based panl. one fried tantalum cap ... fixed in 5 minutes54831A Inifiniium 4 analog 600MHz 4Gs/s 64meg deep memory . new price unknown. probably an arm and a leg (because of the memory depth) ... paid 500$ for it. harddisk was nuked. new drive , install recovery disk , enter licence keys. -> works.and the kicker :16702B logic analyzer mainframe , option 03 , three 16740a blades and a 16520 pattern generator. New price : well over 120K$ ... paid .. 300$ ...There's a story behind this one.This listed on ebay for 1$. Local pickup only... listed for 3 days.I lost it initially. I get a phone call the day after since i was only the second person bidding. The first bidder couldn't make it, he had to drive up and would not make it in time .. huh ? Turns out this was a company that was relocating to a new building about 50 miles away. The listing ended on a thursday and pickup had to be on friday.. as it was their last day in the building. This company made asics for network systems but stopped a couple of years ago. they now licence their software stacks and develop these. While dismantling their office they found this machine in a closet , wrapped in a plastic bag. Nobody there knew what it was , only that it had belonged to the hardware people that all were let go about 4 years ago ... So they decided to auction it off. The money would be used to buy a new multifunction laserpinter ( scanner copier fax printer ) for the new officce. The other bidder wanted to give 400$. I told 300$ and got it.i opened it up , not a speck of dust inside... even the fan blades were eerily clean. this machine probably has run a few days in its lifetime. one of these things that were bought when they were a startup just because they thought they might need it...I got it linked through the network to my infiniium scope. The analyser can sync trigger with the scope , grab the analog trace data and visualise together with the trace patterns.The machine itself runs HP/UX and exposes itself as an X-windows Host. I run an Xserver under wind7 on a local PC and use that as 'workstation'.i have all the cables pods and other gizmos. the real kicker is i contacted agilent for the latest firmware. they sent me the install cd for free. So it is fully up to date ( the machine is still supported , although out of production and replaced by the 16900 series.I don't use it a lot but it sure beats all those 'usb based' thingies like USBee , Salae, zeroplus and the OPen Logic Sniffer. Very handing when mucking about with FPGA's. just hook up the FPGA probe ( i have the licence for the Altera probe on the scope, since they 'talk' the LA benefits from this too ) and you can poke around inside the FPGA at full throttle.there's a picture of my setup in the 'show your workbench section

author: Flávio V
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 08:22:44 pm
content: I don't have much thinks so well....my list is going to be very short...1-Fluke 97 (50mhz scopemeter) near probably 1.5k-3k€(from 1993)2-Fluke 8060A (4.5 digit true RMS multimeter) 15 "contos"(near that name,in portugal in the '80,15k escudos(65€(actual(not accounting inflation))))(this was the salary of a person in portugal)(from 1982) today is probably 200-300€3-Custom made 250VA 50A transformer near 60€(well insulated,semi-precise, powerful,small,heavy(4.7kg)) with that transformer i use the filtering PCB that contains 3 SAMXOM capacitors and cost 8€ each and reach 70-72V...(the PCB is chrome plated by soldering wire)4-UNI-T UT50A 3.5 digit multimeter +-50-60€ first multimeter and i have replaced the 500mA glass fuse to a "stolen" 500mA ceramic one...it is interesting than lacks of a loot of circuity...but the continuity buzzer is good...loud....a loot.....more than the flukes....and almost fast....near 0.05sFor anyone than might ask,i get my non 72V power from crappy wall power supplies with a lm317k in the output to regulate..(i can't use it on the 250VA transformer because it would burn/explode/whatever)a LED with that transformer would be +- 72V input 2.5V output at 2mA so well....a loot of voltage difference...possible...but risky....those SAMXOM capacitors can discharge at 12.5A the 3...

author: Noize
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 08:36:42 pm
content: Quote from: DaveXRQ on May 25, 2012, 07:43:15 pmNot for £37. Nice regulated supplies, less leads on your workbench and much better quality breadboard than one hung low brand. They come up occasionally on ebay.But I admit it would be a bit excessive to buy one brand new.

author: LuckyJaker
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2012, 10:44:58 pm
content: For me1 Agilent MSOX 3024 with a couple modules (thanks Dave)2 Agilent 6655A power supply3 Rigol DP 1308A4 2 Fluke 2895 1 Fluke 976 etc...All these I use in my small electronics and firmware design contracts...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 12:31:52 am
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on May 25, 2012, 05:59:58 pm*snort*4) ChildDave.

author: Spawn
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 12:42:17 am
content: Hmm shall i say this? all those 4 points BoW and Dave mention has only to do with one equipment and thats your "dick"So yeah at the end, thats the most expensive equipment I got...

author: updatelee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 01:43:00 am
content: Advantest R3265A 8ghz spectrum analyzer bought for $2.5kTaig CNC $2k

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 02:43:21 am
content: My new PC:Main system specs:CPU: Intel Core i7 3930KRAM: 16GB 1600MHz DDR3MB: Intel DX79SIHDD: 1TB 7200RPMGPU: Nvidia GTX 560 Ti 2GBOS: Gentoo LinuxLow power system specs:CPU: Intel Atom D2700RAM: 4GB 1066MHz 1.35V DDR3MB: Jetway JNC9KDL-2700HDD: 1TB 7200RPMOS: Gentoo LinuxFront panel display specs:CPU: TI OMAP 3621RAM: 512MBFlash: 8GBLCD: 7" LED backlit 600x1024 IPS with touchOS: Cyanogenmod 7.1.0Power system: 42A front end converter, 60A battery backup DC/DC converter, 30A battery charger, "Lainey Schmidt" digital power management controller.And it only cost about $1000 since Intel offers a very nice employee discount on high end motherboards and CPUs and I was able to use a lot of recycled parts.Coming in second place would be my Olympus E-510 DSLR. Third place would be my Instek GDS1062A scope. Almost making the mark would be my Asus TF101 tablet.

author: DJKA
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 05:54:18 am
content: Very nice indeed! Well, I guess many guys are jealous of your spectrum analyzer! So am IQuote from: free_electron on May 25, 2012, 07:48:28 pm

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 06:21:18 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 26, 2012, 12:31:52 amin order:1)arms, legs body and brain2)the dick3)the wife4)the child(ren)5)the "twin" children6)my quad core pentium PC+acc.7)not even my rigol+accits the last.8}not least... my currently built diy differential probe (20-100MHz 1KV diff.V) market price $300-3000. paid a few bucks and months of pain, still is.Quote from: NiHaoMike on May 26, 2012, 02:43:21 amcool but i believe its time to make tiffany yep #1edit: wait a sec. 16GB RAM, cpu "Atom"?! low power spec atom but... big fan and 7" lcd? WTF?! i dont know whats wrong with intel nowadays.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 07:01:38 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on May 26, 2012, 06:21:18 amYou can say that ... but that's his high power rig somewhere inside and the 7" belongs to the OMAP 3621 with the CM7.1(ICS)

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 10:04:34 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on May 26, 2012, 12:31:52 amA child that already working, doesn't count! (I trust Sagan got paid for that ad?)

author: DJKA
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 10:06:13 am
content: Nice specs, but what's the use of LCD on the case, please enlighten me...Quote from: NiHaoMike on May 26, 2012, 02:43:21 am

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 10:07:52 am
content: last year i spent more on communications than i did on heating .mind you it was a very mild winter.

author: GeoffS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 10:39:18 am
content: All my expensive equipment is out in the shed (woodworking and metalworking stuff).As it's far too cold to work out there at night a nice warm inside hobby playing with electronics is just what I need

author: Architect_1077
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 11:03:11 am
content: Keeping strictly to electronics related equipment...The Agilent U1241B DMM and Hakko FX888 soldering station.I'm a far cry from having a collection of equipment. In any case, I know I'll get there eventually!

author: bullet308
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 01:35:07 pm
content: The 13x30 Chinese lathe in the garage, I suppose. A US$2000 relic from my gunsmithing days. My dad uses it a lot more than I do any more.In terms of electronics...one of the two 7000-series Tek scopes I used to have. I sold them for maybe US$100 each.Now? My US$80 Hameg scope? My US$40 Extech multimeter? Either way, not much. I have a lot more money tied up in parts inventory than tooling. US$1000+ worth of Geiger-Mueler tubes, for starters.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 01:43:00 pm
content: Quote from: DJKA on May 26, 2012, 10:06:13 amIt would be a system status/control panel when I have the software done. For now, it's just a plain embedded Android tablet that happens to work as a very fancy power switch. Think of it as a "dashboard" for the PC.QuoteThere are actually 3 computing subsystems in that box, 4 if you count the PIC in the Lainey Schmidt power management controller. It's best to think of them as separate computers networked together.If anyone's wondering about the power system architecture, there's a converter that supplies the main 12V rail from the AC input, a DC/DC converter (based on a combined buck/current doubler boost topology) to supply the 12V rail from the 12V battery/alternative energy system, and a converter to charge the battery from the AC input if necessary. A large capacitor smoothes out transitions between the converters and rail switching circuits take care of controlling power to the different subsystems. Additional DC/DC converters take care of supplying lower voltage rails.QuoteAny details? I think it could become a very popular open source hardware project.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 01:44:12 pm
content: Quote from: bullet308 on May 26, 2012, 01:35:07 pmNice. I understand and read up before somewhere in the forum that you left electronics for quite some time so your tube inventory would be there ... finding any uses mate? Or planning to sell off to the audiophile community (G-Mueler tubes worth way more now then they use to do)

author: bullet308
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 02:45:06 pm
content: Alas, Geiger-Mueler tubes are of no utility to audiophiles, unless you have very refined tastes in your clicks and ticks. :-)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger-M%C3%BCller_tubeRadiation detection and metrology is my chosen avenue into the field/hobby/vocation of electronics design. Some people do QRP ham radio:http://www.qrpkits.com/Others do little tube amps and hyperefficient horn audio speakers.http://www.thehornshoppe.com/I could have done those things too, but I do Geiger counters, this being an excellent example of the sort of thing I am riffing on:http://sites.google.com/site/diygeigercounter/And, as I was in-between jobs when Fukushima Daichi went down, it proved to be a financial lifesaver, too. :-)I made and sold about 75 of these, mostly to Japan. There were a number of variations avaiable through most of last year, but bine was one of the better and cheaper ones. This and other rad gear sales on eBay enabled me to keep my head above water while hunting a job.Daddy taught me to solder when I was seven. thiry-five+ years later, that skill saved my ass.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 03:15:18 pm
content: Quote from: bullet308 on May 26, 2012, 02:45:06 pmOops i seemed to have messed up the geiger tubes with the tubes brand that starts with 'M' ... Great that your skill saved you man

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 03:26:12 pm
content: I was looking for GM tubes a while ago, just to have one around. Funny thing is that about 5 months before the earthquake I ordered some KI for use as a water loop disinfectant ( I wanted AgI, but the price, and the breakdown products, plus all the silver plating problems) and have used only 40g so far out of 500g. Now worth double the price....... I joked I should blend it with 10kg of inactive and slap it through the capsuling machine as a test, instead of the ascorbic acid I normally use as a known test product.

author: jahonen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2012, 06:46:18 pm
content: My top-3 list:- Rohde&Schwarz FSV7 signal/spectrum analyzer with a TG option- Agilent MSO6034 mixed signal scope- Gossen Metrawatt Metrahit energy DMMRegards,Janne

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 01:03:17 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on May 26, 2012, 01:43:00 pmnot finalized yet, i'm still struggling for things like noise and cmrr (and yet to come problem). releasing it as OSHW right now is just a joke and my shame. but i dont know why i'm too stuck with this thing for months, its like nothing else worthy in this world. even occasionally the wifey will make big noises.

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 10:25:13 am
content: Quote from: DaveXRQ on May 26, 2012, 03:15:18 pmMullard?Of course as a British company Mullard didn't make tubes at all, they made valves

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 10:30:20 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on May 27, 2012, 01:03:17 amWell, that would still be a better start than a lot of commercial designs. Ans a lot better than a lot of expensive software, where often you pay high prices and certain features are "in development" for years, with the customers being used as beta testers and sometimes alpha testers.......Release it, and more minds may help with your problems, and may show ways that you never thought of.

author: bullet308
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 12:15:52 pm
content: Quote from: rolycat on May 27, 2012, 10:25:13 amAs it happens, I happen to have a Geiger-Muller tube on hand by Mullard, a nice little end-window unit. Dont think I have ever heard them called Geiger-Muller valves, though... :-)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 12:19:34 pm
content: But those were called gas discharge tubes, no other active elements other than the gas fill and the chlorine or bromine quenching agent. A central wire and a conductive outer, with a window of some sort for the alpha and beta detectors. Gamma did not really need a window........

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 12:43:33 pm
content: the most expensive equiptment i have bought would probably be an arduino, (wish i was kidding)as for the most expensive i own,- a data precision 6000 spectrum analyser that i am still piecing back together, they still appear for a few thousand, and was in the tens of thousands when they first came out,- Tektronics 475 O-Scope that i scored as a freebie and repaired,- Tektronics 500 Series Plugins and rack (same as the scope) (freq gen, counter and 2 DMM modules)

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 01:44:08 pm
content: Quote from: bullet308 on May 27, 2012, 12:15:52 pmOuch.I believe they also made CRTs, which I also have to admit weren't often called cathode ray valves, even in England.To return to the thread topic a little, my most expensive bit of kit when new would have been my Tek 465B.Nowadays it's probably my Fluke 87V, which are outrageously more expensive in this country than they are stateside.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 02:56:36 pm
content: yeah everything is epensive compared the us prices to eu pricesfor the topic: in electronics, weller wd1000m kit(wmrp pencil+stand, wd1m supply up to 150watts), fluke 289 fvf kit, and the list will grow in timefor computer part, definetly my asus g73 laptop

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 03:02:02 pm
content: .... mistressand the cost will rise exponentially once you added the 2nd one.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 03:34:36 pm
content: Quote from: rolycat on May 27, 2012, 10:25:13 amTubes or valves depending on areaBut ah well when it comes to computers my most expensive one would be the HP tx2028AU ( i didn't buy that ... that was a mistake for them to buy )followed by my current laptop a fujitsu LH520 ( not sure it's 520 or 530 but it's the one with the complete AMD package ) and it's good for everything ... at 799SGD

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 11:08:32 pm
content: 1.) Amprobe AM-270- $902.) Tektronix 465M- $853.) Amprobe AM-220- $45Yeah quite expensive...

author: nick.sek
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 11:17:05 pm
content: My Rigol Oscilloscope - only $500, but probably my best buy!

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 11:24:12 pm
content: Quote from: DaveXRQ on May 27, 2012, 03:34:36 pmi call them 'glass baloons with pieces of scrap metal in it' or 'relics of a dinosaur age'

author: nick.sek
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2012, 11:26:31 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 27, 2012, 11:24:12 pmBut they sound so good!

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 02:51:52 am
content: Quote from: nick.sek on May 27, 2012, 11:26:31 pmMeh, bullshitit's the same as saying a man from the dinosaur age does things better then dave jones

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 02:56:52 am
content: Quote from: nick.sek on May 27, 2012, 11:26:31 pmThat is subjective ...An ideal amplifier does only increase amplitude and does not create distortion or byproducts. valves are notorious for creating harmonics ... ( that's what makes them sound 'good' )Anyway, history has decided. Apart from a group of people who cling to them (just like there are vintage car collectors ) the vacuum tube has all but disappeared , except for some specialty applications. Mainstream production has ceased long ago. yeah yeah there is some bozos out there still making them, i'm talking mainstream. They disappeared early 70's, and that's 40 years ago. Good riddance !

author: TriodeTiger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 04:29:15 am
content: Albeit a lot of people with old equipment can say it, my Tektronix 2215 in today's dollars is >$3000(94% off)No digital noise, and samples per second is some reallly large numberWho needs single shot capture, when 1/sec per div can focus the beam sweeps to a point where it burns the waveform in your eye anyway? Overshoot capturing here I come!*ahem*Then Hakko FX-888: $~90Then Extech EX210 DMM (mini, +IR thermometer): $~70

author: JuKu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 07:45:22 am
content: Full license to Altium.dScope III audio analyzerAgilent mixed signal scopeBought cheap when the company that owned them closed down the side office.

author: bingo600
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 07:04:36 pm
content: 1: Agilent 34401A DMM2: Digiview DV-100 Logic Analyzer3: Rigol DS1102E4: 2 x Agilent 6632B PSU5: Rigol DG10223: Rigol DS1052E5: Racal Dana 1991 Counter6: Quick 202D 90w indiction soldering iron (great tool)/Bingo