Question for Kiriakos about Agilent's endless menus - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: img
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2011, 03:36:04 pm
content: As you mentioned in your review, it took you a while to get used to Agilent's multilayer menus, but finally you did see their usefulness and appreciated them more.Now I don't have an Agilent, as I am a happy Fluke user (with an Extech, Uni-T and Amprobe for fun).Recently I visited a friend at his lab, and while he was making coffee and talking about his divorce, I was playing with the Agilent. The menus seemed a bit over the top, at least after 10-15 mins of use.Can you please elaborate on what logic is there in Agilent's menus and how you came to terms with this 'feature'.Thank you.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2011, 04:01:06 pm
content: The quick answer would be, that by getting the learning curve with the Users Guide at hand,you get familiar with the most important settings.And when you need them, you just skip faster all the less important ones .It took me more than two weeks to understand completely the DMM, operation and philosophy.I needed about 30 coffee's so to control this beast ..https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=4190.0

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 02, 2011, 05:17:10 pm
content: The extended answer would be really long ( By looking the manual at list.)The positive part is that the menus are in line and teamed.For example there is theCom portsettings, wasting three menus just for them.The same happens for the power saving modes, but I can not complain.I prefer them to be in the menu, so to not be able to forget their activation,something that happens with the Fluke 87V or 28II or similar.Why I should have to remember that in order to disable the power saving mode,I have to press a specific button, and power up the DMM ?On the Agilent I can enable-disable- or set the power off time individually for the meter or the back light display.And the most important I can disable them both.The Data logging options are also controlled by this menus.If you explore all the Data logging options you become quickly familiar with those too.And the menu is simple to use as soon you understand how to navigate and change the settings.Years back I was driving one Italian Vespa scooter, and one day I said that I need something better.And I got my semi enduro Honda 250cc , it was had a totally different philosophy about driving it.But it was an major step up, even if it took me more time to adjust, in to a different driving style.The U1272A it is a advanced tool in comparison with what we had use to work with.If you need to see the all picture, I extracted four pages from the USG with just the menu settings,so to make it easier to you, about having a preview of your future if you decide to buy one.The Fluke 28II has some quirks that I had accepted them, and this makes my funboysm lever to show 80% of love.By getting in know with the Agilent U1272A the Fluke love fall down to 65% .And currently my funboysm level - or love about the specific Agilent model stands to 98%.I am expecting from Agilent one or two more firmware updates, so to feel 100% positive about it.