EEVblog #482 - Retro Iskra Multimeter Teardown - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 05:29:49 am
content: What's inside a 1980 vintage Yugoslavian digital multimeter, the Digimer 10 from IskraSchematic:http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5341/9018886137_3c72fc2089_o.jpgPhotos:http://www.flickr.com/photos/eevblog/sets/72157634077598344/

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 05:42:54 am
content: Sometimes I miss all that old circuitry. Reminds me of when I would take apart 1960s vintage televisions - they didn't even have PCBs, they just had all of the parts stuck together on little bakelite terminal boards. There was an art to it back then that doesn't exist in quite the same way now.

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 06:13:00 am
content: NO! Do not harm that beauty. DO NOT TAKE IT TOTALLY RIP IT APART!!!!!!!!!!!!!

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 06:50:49 am
content: "Is that common in Yugoslavia?"Dave, you do realize Yugoslavia doesn't exist anymore, right?The place where that meter originates from is now Slovenia and I encourage to visit us. I'll take you out for a drink if you stop by.

author: Eonir
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 07:04:23 am
content: Dave, this multimeter is NOT ugly! I'd argue precisely the opposite.Today, robots make everything. You could say cheap Chinese 5$ DMMs are all "beautiful" compared to this. But they're not! They're just more aestetically pleasing. A factory spits out thousands of these in an hour.Whereas this old Iskra (which means "Spark") is a true work of art. A great deal of thought went into this thing. How to divide these circuits for best performance, how to miniaturize all these discrete circuits... If you tried to make a better multimeter using the same tools today, I don't think you'd do a lot better.Artisans made this multimeter.If you replace the old 555 with a lower current device, and use more efficient LEDs for the display, you'd cut down the current consumption by at least one order of magnitude. It would be pretty usable!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 07:16:10 am
content: Quote from: Dave on June 13, 2013, 06:50:49 amDid the people of the former Yugoslavia suddenly vanish and start their culture and industry from scratch when the name officially changed 10 years ago?You'll have to forgive us non-europeans for using your 10 year old name, that has changed and been sliced'n'diced, what, 5 times in the last century?

author: Nermash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 07:35:16 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on June 13, 2013, 07:16:10 amIt is complicated and still emotional issue, country dissolved in a bloody war. Industry is pretty much gone everywhere...If you are interested to learn more about Yugoslavia, here is a PAN AM promotional video from the it's glory days in 1960'shttp://youtu.be/5B6eBAuhvEY

author: fridrik
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 07:41:20 am
content: Beautiful meter Dave, thanks to the guy who sent it in!please don't ruin it. I would very much enjoy seeing you use it in your (fundamental Friday) videos!(maybe fix the current range?)Thanks for the video.

author: dr_p
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 08:03:56 am
content: Yeah, fixing the current range sounds like fun to me. I don't think it'll be hard either since you have the complete schematic and the build is spaced out neatly.

author: mrkva
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 08:07:10 am
content: Quote from: fridrik on June 13, 2013, 07:41:20 am+1

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 08:54:17 am
content: I think a multimeter like that deserves to live in a acrylic/perspex/PMMA clear case. I just love the giant hand painted resistors.I remember taking some early 80s things apart as a kid that looked not too different from this. Even unrolling some big mylar caps.My take... clean it up, calibrate it, full restore job. It's a nice display piece!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 09:20:00 am
content: Quote from: fridrik on June 13, 2013, 07:41:20 amOoh, maybe I'll slip in an old analog meter or this one into a future video just for kicks

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 09:33:48 am
content: Yup this multimeter came from where i live. Iskra was a huge company that made everything from lighting fixtures to car alternators to angle grinders, phones, capacitors, multimeters, large industrial control systems etc.They are still around today, but they are not doing anywhere as well as back then.But please don't rip that thing apart, the stone age construction of the thing is a thing of beauty in its own way while also being in such good nick.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 09:41:27 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on June 13, 2013, 07:16:10 amThe only word that really bugged me was the word "is", instead of "was". I think we, as a nation, are quite sensitive to being called Yugoslavian, we take much pride in having our own country, flag, anthem,...By the way, our little country will be 22 in 12 days.My offer stands, if you ever wander into our parts of the globe, let me know.

author: ttp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 11:04:31 am
content: Great teardown, thanks Dave and Sylvain! I think this multimeter deserves to be fixed and kept for the future generations of geeks. It's in such good condition for its age. Just few months ago I have restored to working condition my old Metex 4500H purchased froim Jaycar store in April 1988 for only $223.37for no other reason but to keep the past going.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 11:10:27 am
content: Quote from: Dave on June 13, 2013, 09:41:27 amUnderstandable, but in the case of not knowingwhich"new" country you are talking about, it could be safer to just say "Yugoslavia" (or "former Yugoslavia")

author: lapm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 12:07:46 pm
content: Please Dave, do not harm that thing. For me it looks like beauty of times when things for not so automated. Hand drawn, hand soldered, throw hole components.. Beauty i say...32 years old multimeter and still mostly works. Take that cheap chinese multimeters..

author: puzzlery
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 12:14:43 pm
content: I recommend fixing the current ranges, as a video of course.Attached is the data sheet for the LD110/LD111 chipset.

author: lapm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 12:17:40 pm
content: Quote from: dr_p on June 13, 2013, 08:03:56 amWas about to say same... Sounds like troubleshoot video and repair. Cant even complain things are too small to solder

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 12:39:28 pm
content: Great video, Dave. Please do not harm this beautiful meter. I think it deserves to be fixed, can't be much wrong with it anyway. It may well be the only one of its kind in your hemisphere!I would say that Iskra were a bit behind the state of the art with this meter. I believe in western Europe you wouldn't find construction like this in the late 70ies, early 80ies. The hand drawn PCB's and these chunky components were mostly gone by then.The over all design and construction looks like the old Goerz Unigor meters. Iskra made them under licence and obviously carried some parts of those designs over into their own meters.

author: Alana
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 02:09:13 pm
content: Quote from: puzzlery on June 13, 2013, 12:14:43 pm+1

author: MetraCollector
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 02:23:07 pm
content: Wanna see some old stuff from former Czechoslovakia ? I have many of them, as I am Slovak living in CzechI have one Mesit multimeter made in 90's and it is counterfeit of some 80's Fluke.I have also PU500, I don't know which counterfeit is it of.

author: dentaku
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 03:07:59 pm
content: I love those machine pins. I like soldering them onto perfboard to make temporary connections for wires and they hold very well.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 03:14:21 pm
content: Quote from: Eonir on June 13, 2013, 07:04:23 amIt's ugly as f*ck! That thing was probably slapped together by people working on minimum wage. Just look at all the wires absolutely non-servisable. And ask for mercy if a bit of metal happens to fall off inside when measuring 2kV!Hey, at least it looks cool on the outside.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 03:33:29 pm
content: Quote from: ivan747 on June 13, 2013, 03:14:21 pmThis multimeter was designed to be used in a laboratory environment. It is not a field instrument. It would be used by people that knew what they were doing. ( as opposed to lumbering goofballs that just prod their probe everywhere...)

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 03:59:35 pm
content: A few words of additional information.On the resistor drawings in the schematics with the diagonal lines and filled area's to denote the type:This was very common in europe in the 70's and 80's before we had computerised cad. Schematics from renonownded tv beluiders like Barco Carad Philips Anex Grundig all used that system. I can't remeber if there was an official set of symbols. Like one diagonal line on sode meant 1/4 watt. Two was 1/2 watt one fat line was 1 watt. Two fat lines was 2 watt. On the other side of the rectangle they also filled in to denote metal film / carbon etc..Most schematics had a legend showing what symbol meant what. There were even capacitor symbols.Looking at the islra schematic it reminds me of the drawing style of siemens schematics. I had a collection of appnotes from siemens semiconductors . They were little red books . Exactly drawn in the same style.The a/d converter is a dual slope convertor with residual compensation (autozrro). One chip (the socketed one) contains the integrator and comparator and switches. The white tubular capacitor next to it is a high quality, low soakage cap used as integrating cap. The reason this chip is most likely socketed is that it is the most expensive , and most prone to failure, in the entire meter. If a board was found to be non working (out of spec) they would try a different chip first.. If that didnt work it meand there was a problem with parts on the board. Chuck the board away, keep the chips.The other chip on the dsiplay board is the runup/rundown controller..Dd you noiuce the uA709 opamp in metalcan ? Thats a Bob Widlar design. The guru of all guru's.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_WidlarThere is a couple of transistors in dometop. If you look just before the top digital board, on the board underneath there is a black transistor , round with a flat dide and a domed top. Those are pretty rare. That package was only used for fets.There is also a different dometop with golden pins on the bottom board. Is suspect it is the reference diode.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:01:10 pm
content: A few of these multimeters are still used at my university. We have more modern equipment, too.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:03:16 pm
content: I don't know why they used LEDs. I have a HP calculator that went to market in 1979 and it has a LCD.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:05:08 pm
content: I vastly prefer LEDs, VFDs - anything with active lighting - for bench use. LCDs are for the nanoamp pinchers.

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:11:14 pm
content: I think this is a rare beauty and i love the LED display .Please take good care of it !By the way - why don't they use LED displays on new standard DMMs - the technology is so advanced these days - you can get a really bright display without killing the batteries in 5 minutes ! NO - DONT STARTABOUT OLED DISPLAYS - it's not the same !LED displays would be great for service DMMs for example - they won't crack like LCDs on tough jobs . . .

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:21:11 pm
content: How can you make this display with LEDs??picture

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:27:17 pm
content: EASY !

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:30:37 pm
content: You don't. LEDs aren't suitable for everything. That's not a multimeter, it's an LCR meter, and I wouldn't use an LED display for an LCR meter.Alternately, you simplify it. You don't need to tell me what I'm measuring - if I don't know that, I probably don't know what an LCR meter is.... So ditch the units. Ditch the "analog" bar at the bottom - WTF does it even do on an LCR meter?? Replace the L/C/R s/p indicators with switches; the position of the switch indicates the mode. A few indicators can be replaced by individual LEDs behind text like on my analog scope. Get rid of the rest of the idiot indicators and all you need are the numbers.But I'd still say that for the LCD. It's ridiculously cluttered. I don't need the damn thing to read me the user manual on the screen.

author: Fryguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:36:55 pm
content: Units and other symbols are made just by using a mask in front of single LEDs - that and the numberblocks - done !Yes it will be a bit bigger - who cares - small displays are not good anyway . . . you shouldn't have to use magnifying glasses on your equipment !

author: CodyShaw
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 04:50:12 pm
content: Don't take that apart Dave! It's a museum piece for sure, I'd put it on a display shelf with its case off for visitors to see!

author: darko31
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 05:14:56 pm
content: We actually have at school Iskra's analog multimeter, it's similar design as this one, it has the same rotary switches, except, well its analog needle. I'll take a picture, but I'm not sure I can open it up without that special head screwdriver. I'll try to find an old flathead and grind away the middle of it.And yeah, Iskra (translation is Spark) is now divided in bunch of smaller divisions and isn't the giant that it just to be. It must have been quite of sight using them and other famous company "products" around Yugoslavia. Well I can't really call those things products, everything from cars to electronics was made in Yugoslavia, and the industry was considered a national pride. Cars were national symbols, and the products of electrical and electronic companies were also considered similarly.Honorable mentions include Sever, they mostly made electromotors and they still exist today, owned by Austrians (not Australians), and EI Niš (pronounced Nish), they were also prominent electronics company, and they still exist today, one of the few remaining companies that still make vacuum tubes.I'm one of those post war, younger generations, so I can't remember the life in Yugoslavia, but I've heard a lot of stories of people missing the old times.There are still a lot of remains here of the things these factories produced, we used the other day an Iskra's relay timer, I've opened it up to see what's inside, and of course there was a 555 timer.Thanks for the video Dave!

author: txescientist
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 05:21:16 pm
content: Hi Dave,here are pictures of two multimeters that we still use in physics laboratory at my University of Physics. Very reliable instruments...Best regards from Serbia!Milos

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 05:53:26 pm
content: Three Digimers in action... And in late 1980s, the Metra PU510 digital multimeters were produced in Czech Republic. They have a Lecroy-black design./Picture of PU510 was not taken by me!/

author: JoannaK
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 07:06:20 pm
content: Hydrawerk: love that Lab picture. So neat mishmach of technology from las 50 (or more) years.Dave, please try to fix that meter. IMHO it's too good to be thrown away..

author: Dajgoro
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 07:06:59 pm
content: I still use the analog version (Unimer). I had lots of those Chinese multimeters, and all of them died, and the only thing left working in the end was the old Unimer (along with another vintage digital multimeter).Btw: One of the cans was marked RIZ, which is also a local manufacturer.

author: BillyD
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 09:07:08 pm
content: Hmm, seems to have been a certain amount of sneering in that vid.But it's 33 years old and is still very close to working order. Easy to laugh at it now, but in its day and in its location it would have taken a lot of ingenuity to produce and personally I admire that.Glad you didn't tear it down.

author: qno
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 10:00:09 pm
content: The analog meters look like Goertz meters . They where made in Austria (not Australia) which are practically neighbors.Goertz has been bought by Gossen Metrawatt.

author: txescientist
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 10:14:42 pm
content: This is Iskra mains frequency meter

author: txescientist
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 10:27:27 pm
content: and some more...

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 11:00:23 pm
content: How old are these instruments?

author: WattSekunde
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2013, 11:32:54 pm
content: Quote from: Hydrawerk on June 13, 2013, 04:21:11 pmWith such a smart dot matrix led display like this for the character display part: Osram ISD2353 for examplehttp://catalog.osram-os.com/catalogue/catalogue.do?favOid=000000010000021600020023&act=showBookmark... and some others:http://www.digikey.de/scripts/dksearch/dksus.dll?pv320=1&FV=fff40008%2Cfff80031&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=0&page=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25

author: Crockett
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 02:14:02 am
content: Quote from: fridrik on June 13, 2013, 07:41:20 amI second the motion, here! Aye, aye!!

author: gnif
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 02:21:26 am
content: I would tear it down just to repair it and then put it to work, I love retro stuff, the LED readout is classic! I remember my dad had an old Casio calculator with a LED display, I wish I knew what happened to it.

author: BeanerSA
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 03:03:10 am
content: A thing of beauty IMO.

author: ron
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 03:40:25 am
content: This is an interesting meter but it is not "retro". It is an old original. The new BMW Mini's are retro. The original Coopers are just old and some would say classic.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 03:44:00 am
content: Wow, there's a lot of love in these soviet (am I right, maybe ex-soviet?) multimeters! I don't really appreciate this kind of construction and I hate even more the 50's TV construction but I can see this equipment has a good fanbase.

author: Hankus
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 04:20:55 am
content: Dave, I'd like to see you repair the failed current range of this meter.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 05:16:30 am
content: Quote from: ivan747 on June 14, 2013, 03:44:00 amNo, wrong on both countsSoviet = worker's council; Soviet Union = Union of Soviet Socialist Republics = USSR = CCCPSFR Yugoslavia = Federation of six socialistic states plus some autonomous provinces != USSRCommunist country, but not part of the USSR, not even part of the Warsaw Pact. I fact had a kind of fall-out after WWII with the USSR and was for a few years even thrown out of international communist organization. A few years later they cuddled up a bit again.Broke up in a series of bloody wars starting in 1991, parts of the disputes still going on, e.g. about international recognition.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 08:09:42 am
content: I guess I learned something today too. I had always thought Yugoslavia was part of the Soviet Union as well.Quote from: WikipediaSo now I will always know Yugoslavia for their hand crafted multimeters, and luxury automobiles!

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 04:33:15 pm
content: I have a Metra PU120 multimeter. It's quite accurate and easy to use. It's compatible with today's banana plugs. When you insert AA cells, you can even measure transistors and resistors. It was made in Czechoslovakia. Sometimes i use it.My father bought this multimeter probably in about 1975 or so. But here they say that it was introduced in 1967.http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/metra_blan_multimeter_pu_120.html

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 04:54:21 pm
content: And I even have a strange multimeter?4323made in USSR in 1977. It has weird, non-compatible banana plugs. I don't use it much, because it's not much accurate and it has weird scales. It has built in signal generator!! It's powered by a weird 3V battery of type 224. You cannot buy it nowadays, but they were at markets in mid 1990s.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 04:55:31 pm
content: Note the weird thin plugs. There is a standard banana plug for comparison.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 04:58:05 pm
content: Is the English text "MADE IN USSR" common?

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 05:04:40 pm
content: Maybe it was for export. Here is schematic.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 05:22:01 pm
content: I say grind it down to bits so they can be recycled into modern technology.

author: big9swimmer
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 05:22:32 pm
content: I preffer the look of LED over LCD regardless of power conumption. Dont destroy that meter if its working, it is history to me. Far as gettin in there to see, Dave I would recomend looking into a automotive Boroscope. Could slip that right in between those bourds and get all the shots ya need.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 05:31:56 pm
content: Well, most bench top multimeters with 230V power supply have some kind of shining display, LED or VFD.

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 06:17:39 pm
content: I work for a company that still sells electronic equipment that was designed in the 80's, about 84 from memory (at least I think it is still in production - certainly was 2 years ago). Never been obsoleted cos it simply isn't worth designing a new one. It has a couple of board in it and a proper wiring loom built on a pin board to get all the connectors and branches in the correct place.Neil

author: shashwatratan
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 06:26:12 pm
content: BeautyDon't take it further apart!

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 09:53:54 pm
content: I'd be interested to know how much that model of Iskra was costing in the '80, and compared to the salary/income of a electronics technician.BTW: I'm also on the "beauty! don't take it apart"-camp.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 10:03:19 pm
content: Digital electronics was bloody expensive in communist countries in 1980s.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2013, 10:22:34 pm
content: Quote from: shashwatratan on June 14, 2013, 06:26:12 pmI bet some collector or museum would kill for that Iskra.

author: sdttn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2013, 12:32:00 am
content: It shows 3,14 (PI) when it is over loading. Why?

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2013, 12:34:10 am
content: That just happens to be the highest it can count to, I'd assume. Once the counter throws the overflow flag it displays the number as usual and starts blinking.

author: ashplant
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 15, 2013, 01:03:38 am
content: Good video.I agree with your "Design for manufacture. What's that?" This old Iskra multimeter is almost like a very good hobby build. Do you have any idea how big the production run was?

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2013, 01:21:46 am
content: Quote from: sdttn on June 15, 2013, 12:32:00 amI caught that as well!

author: McPascal
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 15, 2013, 11:15:27 am
content: I think that multimeter is beautiful for its age. I would repair, and calibrate it in another video!

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2013, 11:43:13 am
content: Quote from: sdttn on June 15, 2013, 12:32:00 amNope, not pi. The meter shows 3.144 or 3.145, while pi is about 3.14159265358979323846264338327950... so rounded to 3.142.That number is probably the maximum value the ADC can read.

author: TheWelly888
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2013, 12:07:31 pm
content: I can see that if Our Dave has to figure out what is wrong with the current ranges, he may have to dismantle the boards in order to fix it but I don't think it worth the effort.But I'm with the others here, don't destroy that meter!

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2013, 07:21:32 am
content: Quote from: Hydrawerk on June 14, 2013, 10:03:19 pmI'm pretty sure it was.Some time ago I watched the story of the Galaxija, the Yugoslavian Z80-based computer from a video of 29C3 meetings:and as its wikipedia page reports:QuoteSo from me full respect to the local engineers for what they could do with what was available.

author: jantb
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 16, 2013, 08:57:09 pm
content: Hi"IRAN" for Inspect,Repair As Necessary!And please do use it when its ok for the job at hand.These displays sends out positve waves instead of the icecold LCD.QuoteThanks for bringing things into the right perspective.Anyone still remembering the cold war ? or am i just an old..... Grrrr..Jan

author: Azhar
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2013, 02:19:42 pm
content: Don't take it apart please!

author: virtual_m
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 27, 2013, 09:23:26 pm
content: Quote from: Berni on June 13, 2013, 09:33:48 am..and quality of their products was great... It's not unusual to find 30-40 years (or more) old electronic equipment made by Iskra that still works fine...Dave, bigfrom Montenegro.(btw Montenegro is also one of ex Yugoslavian republic)

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2013, 04:40:07 pm
content: Digimer 10 is still quite popular at my university.

author: Aleks
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2014, 07:24:57 pm
content: I'm in my final under graduate studies in Electronics and Radio Engineering in Macedonia, and Iskra gear is very common in the electronics lab :-) Ranging from voltmeters, function generators, RLC bridges etc.. I'll try to post some pictures when I have the time to take them

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2014, 04:47:11 pm
content: A lovelyBK2-6Soviet voltmeter from the 1970s with a special mechanical-digital display. I am not sure how this works.http://sfrolov.livejournal.com/128894.htmlThese arenotnixie tubes.Meanwhile in USA:http://www.hpmemory.org/wb_pages/wall_b_page_14b.htm