HP AGILENT E4433B ESG-D SERIES SIGNAL GENERATOR 250KHZ-4.0GHZ - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2015, 02:33:54 pm
content: Just picked one up on eBay for a good price. It has following options:100 Multicarrier, multichannel W-CDMA personality (for Option UND)IE5 High-stability timebase200 Real-time 3GPP W-CDMA personality (for Option UN8)201 Real-time cdma2000 personality for Option UN8UN8 Real-time I/Q baseband generator with 1M RAMUN9 Add 7M RAM to Option UN8UND Internal dual arbitrary waveform generatorI got it and it works, I dialled up 2 and 4 GHz at -10 dBm and saw those values on my N1996A.it's a bit scuffed up and the display is dimmer than I'd like but perfectly readable. Have cleaned it up, taken out the ccfl backlight, and ordered a replacement ccfl bulb (3mm x 112mm) from ccflwarehouse. I'll post some pictures later but any comments or advice would be welcome.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 01:50:10 pm
content: The first major improvement I've made is by replacing the backlight, thought others might like to see how much improvement can be had. The service manual for the E4433B shows how to get to the backlight but says you must disconnect all the wires going to the front panel; I did it by only disconnecting the hard coax output connector and the 2 wire connector that feeds the backlight, you can then carefully lean the front panel unit forwards so it rests face down and then take off the aluminum back plate and get at the display.My backlight looked weak and greenish and the system menus told me it had run for almost 60,000 hours. I took the backlight out and measured the size of the ccfl tube at 3 x 110 mm. There's a company called ccfl warehouse (www.ccflwarehouse.com) that sell a 3 x 112 mm ccfl for $10 plus another $5 for shipping - the official part from Agilent costs $260 - yes the new one is 2 mm longer but there's plenty of room so it fits. When the new ccfl arrived, I cut the wires off the old ccfl, cleaned up and tinned the wire ends, prepped the new ccfl by carefully bending the wires, cutting them back, and tinning them so they matched the old one. Then I soldered the wires to the new ccfl and put it back in the slot reusing the old insulating caps.On power up, the new ccfl took about 30 seconds to reach full brightness and the difference was huge, after tweaking the contrast and brightness, my display looked almost like the glossy pictures for the ESG when it was new - see the pictures in the next post.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 01:58:09 pm
content: Here's a couple of pictures of the display after the backlight replacement. I showed one with the display inverted to make a fair comparison with the 'before' picture but the one I like is the first one which is also running at brightness 25 vs the original pre-ccfl change level which was 38.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 02:02:13 pm
content: That looks like a great improvement. Luckily mine still looks about as good as yours after the mod so I'm fine. Should check the run hours though...

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 03:07:07 pm
content: Thanks, I'm VERY happy with the result.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 03:32:23 pm
content: I got a bit creative with the display in my E4421B:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/e4421b-restauration-project/msg575759/#msg575759

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 06:45:34 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on November 26, 2015, 03:32:23 pmYes, I saw that. It looks great but it seemed like a lot of work to make a PCB+FPGA code to do the video conversion!

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 07:28:01 pm
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on November 26, 2015, 02:02:13 pmJust short of 20K, so one third of your unit.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 08:18:13 pm
content: Quote from: Gandalf_Sr on November 26, 2015, 06:45:34 pmInitially yes but I have done several similar conversions in several types of equipment. For me it's mostly an exercise to keep my VHDL skills sharp

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 08:23:22 pm
content: Quote from: PA0PBZ on November 26, 2015, 07:28:01 pmThat's good Paul, I'm in awe of the quality of the Agilent stuff - mine's run for 6.8 years actual run time and, apart from a worn out ccfl tube, it's still going strong. Because I had to register with the Keysight web site, they sent me an email that suggested I upgrade to the N5172B EXG X-Series RF Vector Signal Generator, 9 kHz to 6 GHz, seems like a very nice piece of kit but the price is "from US$22,215" - gulp.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 26, 2015, 09:21:13 pm
content: Quote from: Gandalf_Sr on November 26, 2015, 08:23:22 pmYeah they do that, but not very aggressive - I can live with that.Would be nice to have, maybe in 20 years

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2015, 12:44:07 pm
content: Maybe in 20 years, I'll be able to buy one of these for $1,500 on eBay...http://www.ebay.com/itm/Keysight-Premium-Used-E8267D-PSG-vector-signal-generator-44-GHz-Agilent-E8267D-/181931348197?hash=item2a5bf410e5:g:7vcAAOSwFGNWRd1SHey, but if I buy it NOW, I can 'save' almost $90,000, it is Black Friday here after all.

author: G0HZU
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2015, 02:12:48 pm
content: I've got a couple of the E4433 sig gens here. One is an A version and one is a B.The A version is very similar to the B except that it isn't (wasn't) as well supported by Agilent so there are fewer design tools available for it and also it is lacking a few menus/features available on the B. Also, the firmware development for the A seemed to stop soon after the B version was released. So I would avoid the A versions (and choose a B instead) unless you find one at a price you can't refuse.I do like using these generators, especially the E4433B if it has the Dual Arb option UND. This transforms it into a very versatile signal generator.The most significant downside is the frequency plan the E443x uses to generate signals down at LF>>HF>VHF because it uses a basic BFO/downmixer from UHF. So the close in phase noise performance is extremely poor on the lower frequency ranges when compared to a few classic old school generators.

author: tv84
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 04:18:31 pm
content: Sorry for digging this up...Here.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 19, 2020, 06:58:24 pm
content: Quote from: tv84 on September 19, 2020, 04:18:31 pmAll I can see is a picture of a license generator... would be nice to have

author: vtp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2020, 04:56:54 pm
content: Quote from: tv84 on September 19, 2020, 04:18:31 pmVery nice. Definitely do not work for my E4406A, nor for E4445A with hostid and licence found in the net nor for my E4438C. Can't validate existing keys for any of those with given information. Process and tool usage is right as hostid and AYZ key given for the development target (in E4407B thread) produces ok result.Perhaps the seeds are then applicaple only to E4000B-series. Awful lot of digging if seeds need to be dug up for each instrument or instrument series.

author: Amywart
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 20, 2020, 05:00:10 pm
content: Thanks for sharing

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2020, 12:55:24 am
content: This is a good link for the options for the E4433Bhttps://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5965-4973E.pdf?id=1000031178:epsg:dowI followed the links in the recent posts here but all I got to was a .png picture of some sort of license generator?

author: colorado.rob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 08, 2020, 02:25:59 am
content: Need a bit of help using the E4433B. I am trying to use the LF Output to get baseband signals from the custom modulator.I verified that the LF Output connector works by setting the LF Out Source to Function Generator and sending a simple sine wave out.I then configured the LF Out Source to "Internal Modulation" and set up a custom modulator "Mode|Real Time I/Q BaseBand|Custom". I then set up a simple 4-FSK modulation with 4.8k SPS. I verified that this works as expected on the RF output. I also see the I/Q components of the custom modulator on the rear I/Q outputs.However, with the custom modulator enabled and LF Out enabled, I do not see the baseband signal (I+Q) on the LF Output. Is this possible?

author: colorado.rob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2020, 03:42:58 am
content: If anyone needs to upload data to an ESG-D series VSA, I have posted code to do that here:https://gist.github.com/mobilinkd/fb2be8508dd1dae7be887e60e8b37186This allows up one to upload a file to an ESG-D series vector signal generator connected via a ProLogix-compatible USB GPIB devices. (These can be found for about $30 on AliExpress.)

author: syau
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2020, 05:22:52 am
content: Wonder if anybody have the code so that I can adjust (correct) the output level at 3-4GHz. My unit tend to drop 2dbm at 4GHz when measure with a power meter.

author: Symeon
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 05, 2021, 03:32:26 pm
content: Hello everybody,purchased an E4433BG unit,testing it the output frquency id pretty accurate butthe amplitude is problematic....for example,setting it to 0dBm/10 MHz it gives -0.12dBm upon switching on and after about half an hour of operation it goes down to -0.45 dBm it carries an elecronic attenuator,any idea if this is an attenuator problem or one or more active stages are suffering / changing as the temperature increases during operation? the unit was toroughly cleaned ,voltages checked on motherboard and are correct...any ideas? thank you.

author: roxbox
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 13, 2021, 08:02:28 pm
content: EPSG software from HPhttps://roxbox.net/EPSG/the above includes links to the downloads and links to just the README filesFixFuzzyRemH98Bluetooth waveforms for ESG-D and -DP8648 Test PackageESG E44XXB Test packageESG AP/DP Test packageESG E4438C Test packageDoes anyone have links to other old HP adjustment software?

author: roxbox
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 14, 2021, 12:05:33 pm
content: Quote from: tv84 on September 19, 2020, 08:27:37 pmDoes anyone have a working link, every google link to lmcryptgui.rar seems to be a bust.Got it, Thank You!

author: Tony_G
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2023, 03:51:39 pm
content: Resurrecting an old thread in case someone has run into this.While the thread was about the B series ESG SigGens, I have a C series ESG (E4438C) and when I try to use the associated service software I get an FMS Error "Could not retrieve model from Driver".Did anyone suffer this and if so did you manage to solve it?Thanks,TonyG

author: Tony_G
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2023, 05:14:22 pm
content: Was chatting with a guy from Keysight and he suggested changing the SICL address from the default "gpib0" to "hpib7" - That solved the problem:Service software now running.TonyG

author: mbielman
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2023, 07:58:44 pm
content: sayu asked: "Wonder if anybody have the code so that I can adjust (correct) the output level at 3-4GHz. My unit tend to drop 2dbm at 4GHz when measure with a power meter."I have the same issue/question.Thanks!

author: mankan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2023, 09:13:10 am
content: Have a lookhere.

author: romal76
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2023, 06:34:12 am
content: may be it still actual )))