Agilent Multimeter Theme Skins or Stickers - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2010, 07:48:00 pm
content: Agilent provides skins for one series of multimeters as a decorative option.Do you think these decorative stickers will distract you enough to erroneous set the meter enough to damage it? Such as you leaving it on amps while measuring volts? Leave your answer on the poll.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2010, 07:52:10 pm
content: I'd rather drop dead than showing up at a customer with any of these skins. This is junk made by idiots for idiots, posers who have no brains.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2010, 08:57:39 pm
content: Only the people who rotate the range switch blindly , they can get easily in to trouble..Personally when I set my DMM , I am always concentrated ..Even so , I usually forget where the damn DMM defaults like AC and I am trying to measure DC !!I bet that happens and to other , and Dave included too , that's why he publicly nags about it ..

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2010, 10:37:13 pm
content: Why not make it play a silly tune when you turn it on as well.Bill & Dave will be spinning in their graves.... pathetic.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 12:54:05 am
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on December 11, 2010, 08:57:39 pmHappens to me every time, I never learn!Dave.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 01:40:33 am
content: I cant see these naff stickers damaging anything other than the reputation of anyone silly enough to contemplate owning them.I never did get the decal thing, sadness does takes many forms.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 01:50:21 am
content: Well I truly believe that making your mind about those skins by the above picture,its a bit elusive ...Only if you see one multimeter from an true close range , you can tell if the skin does cause an problem or not.I could blame those " solutions " only IF they was sacrificing the original font size of all the indications in favor of the " stylish look " .Personally I would buy those , only for doing an Prank on another electrician ..

author: oPossum
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 02:01:45 am
content: Fugly!

author: PetrosA
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 02:03:01 am
content: I agree that the stock images are a bit over the top, but I could see having a custom image or logo on my multimeter. I think the bigger barrier for me would be finding a set of colors that worked with that Agilent orangeI haven't seen the color in person but the stock photos make it look pretty intense.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 02:41:34 am
content: I can't see they would be much of a distraction as such, apart from making legends harder to read, but having a meter like that just makes you look like a twat.it might however be amusing to make a "My other DMM is a Fluke" skin and either sneak it onto a DMM at a trade show, or have it prominently on view in a popular video blog show..

author: DJPhil
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 05:36:16 am
content: I'm going to go with, "It won't make a difference."I make occasional mistakes setting a meter, and if it had a decal like that I'd still blame myself if I messed something up.As a matter of taste I'd likely remove the decal anyway, as I think they're a bit much, and I'd still make mistakes.

author: orbiter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 11:39:35 am
content: I had the option to get free theme stickers when I bought my meter, but to be honest I think it looks far better just as it is..

author: williefleete
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 01:07:50 pm
content: Quote from: oPossum on December 12, 2010, 02:01:45 am+1why do they bother, its not like they need any "skins" its not a "joe blow" product like a laptop, phone etc its a trade/hobby piece of TEST GEAR it doesnt need a wanky sticker to make it look pretty. you want it to be easy to read and practical, an engineered piece of equipment and doesnt need some - to put it bluntly - ugly - sticker that has no contrast with the labels and makes it look crowded the two on the right side in the original post however are the ones with vaguely any practicality to it you can at least read the setting and jack labels

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 03:43:14 pm
content: Yes, but it will not damage the meter... will be harder to see where is V~ , V- (dc), labeling etc, if not careful enough, it can damage the meter, if the design is susceptible to that. if i own this meter, i will choose to be very careful reading the label, so voted 2nd option. just like orbiter's, its clean sexy... the sticker one is a dirty slut.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 04:07:48 pm
content: Yes, I agree very much too. Very clear and clean.However, so far at the poll most users think the stickers are a non-issue.Do Agilent's DMM leads use silicone rather than PVC?Quote from: orbiter on December 12, 2010, 11:39:35 am

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 04:46:42 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on December 11, 2010, 10:37:13 pmDon't give them ideas ...Download the Crazy Frog to your multimeter now! And get a new continuity beeper ton for free with it! Dial 900-555-WE-SCREW-YOU to get your Crazy Frog tune NOW!** This is the small print. Here we tell you exactly how we screw you. But you aren't supposed to read it.

author: Chris_R
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 07:49:11 pm
content: I think for consumer products like phones and laptops skins aren't too bad. They're a nice cheap way to personalise your otherwise generic looking product.But I think when it comes to equipment, where being distracted may be unsafe or damaging, then the symbols should be as easy to read as possible, without some wanky image of the american flag obscuring it.Maybe those skins would be an alright way to brighten up an otherwise dull looking lab of equipment, but the pictures they've chosen are just way too busy and I suspect any engineer who has to use them every single day will just remove them soon enough in favour of being able to see the text easier. If skins were available to be designed before purchase then I might consider using a rather plain image with some natural colours, not too much going on and a contrasting colour to the text, but I still suspect I'd end up removing it after a few days in favour of usability.

author: orbiter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 08:29:37 pm
content: Quote from: saturation on December 12, 2010, 04:07:48 pmI don't know about the leads on other hand held Agilent meters saturation but I can tell you that the ones on the U1252B are silicone. I would think that the U1253B would come with the same silicone leads too, however I'm not sure about the cheaper models in the range.

author: TopherTheME
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2010, 08:57:30 pm
content: Quote from: orbiter on December 12, 2010, 08:29:37 pmThey use the same silicone test leads as well.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 13, 2010, 12:49:26 am
content: Oh no, please don't let multimeters become a target market for 'modders'! Especially not on an Agilent DMM.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2010, 03:34:59 am
content: Quote from: Chris_R on December 12, 2010, 07:49:11 pmTrue and nice point .... if we are lots of technicians with the same instruments in the same place , it will be nice my tools to be able to be personalized by my taste .. or at minimum with the color of the company that I represent on the field , or with my own specific logo ( as freelancer ).Many technicians in the field , they use even to paint their metallic hand tools, as an measure against theft.But there is no chance to have the Micky mouse face , on my tools !!But the point is what Agilent has in mind ?Do they like to offer an practical solution ? If yes there is 256 single colors to choose from !!Did they make those specific ones , as an experiment ? if yes ... it does not work for massive sales !!I bet that they did it just to attract our attention on the Agilent brand .... and they had succeed it !

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 13, 2010, 02:56:15 pm
content: Need that on a T-shirt like yesterday!

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2010, 10:42:25 pm
content: Yea, Fluke does their own propaganda like always ...I just do not care ...Its propaganda ... marketing strike , has as target, an specific target group of age.I am over 16 , and so this message does not touch me ..