Dick Smith Q1777 Bargraph ONLY multimeter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 03:07:02 am
content: Does anyone have an actual photo of this oddity?

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 07:46:01 am
content: What a weird and wonderful littleDMMAMM, I'd love to see an actual one too.Not sure about the shared input for current, mind.

author: tunk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 11:15:35 am
content: Could it be that it was released at a certain time of the year, i.e. right after the first quarter?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 11:40:02 am
content: Quote from: tunk on October 03, 2021, 11:15:35 amI thought that at first, but it's a full page ad in EA in November 87. Would be interesting to see DSE catalog from 87 and 88.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 11:45:14 am
content: Found a photo in the 88/89 cattledog, it's legit.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 11:51:48 am
content: QuoteConsidering how popular it became, more like the worst of both worlds.

author: Specmaster
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 12:01:18 pm
content: Quote from: AVGresponding on October 03, 2021, 07:46:01 amCertainly a novel idea, as to the same terminals for the current, should be OK, its only 250mA max.

author: MartinX
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 12:11:51 pm
content: Those multimeters were made by Japanese company SOAR, i remember seeing them here in Sweden around the same time -87 -88, i actually held one in my hand in a local electronics store, sales didn't last long i never saw them again after that. Can't remember the SOAR model number.

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 12:12:51 pm
content: Quote from: Specmaster on October 03, 2021, 12:01:18 pmThat range do not really matter, the obvious mistake to make is to plug the probes into a mains socket when in a current range.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 12:23:59 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on October 03, 2021, 11:45:14 amWow, I don't remember this model at all. I guess it wouldn't have interested me, especially at that price.I just started working around that time, and had access to Fluke multimeters in the workshop. I think I was given an 8024B, and occasionally got to use the F73. At home I had a Micronta 22-197, soon to be replaced by a Protek 506 once I had an income. I still have both of those, with the Protek travelling in my car toolbag for at least the last 20 years.

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2021, 09:03:28 pm
content: Quote from: AVGresponding on October 03, 2021, 07:46:01 amSiemens called that (2 jacks for all measurements) out as a feature worth mentioning on their veritable Multizet. (Documented for Multizet S/T etc., but implemented already on the black ones.I'm not sure if this thing was SOARs best idea, but generally they built proper instruments. Maybe they tried it because the DMMs+bargraph were so popular?

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2021, 02:30:37 am
content: How much was a comparable FET VOM at the time?

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 04, 2021, 03:41:49 am
content: Seems expensive AUD $149 ? when it came out in late 1987. In today's dollars AUD $393.Competitionwas the digital LCD Q-1516 $129 ($99 at Altronics), 4-1/2 digit Q-1600 $249, Fluke 77 $279.Then the Q-1777 was discounted to $99 May 1988.Either it didn't compete due to high price, or a bar graph was not sexy.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 04, 2021, 10:29:23 pm
content: Quote from: Kean on October 03, 2021, 12:23:59 pmI had a 506 as well.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 04, 2021, 10:30:35 pm
content: Quote from: floobydust on October 04, 2021, 03:41:49 amThe ad above shows it at $80

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2021, 01:47:34 am
content: As a long term subscriber to EA, I didn't notice it. Neither did I notice it in store ... I only worked a block away from *Silicon Alley at the time.If I HAD seen it, I don't think it would have interested me too much. Price point was way too high and being a quantised display, it still didn't have the resolution a needle could give you.If I were to guess its fate, I would say the price dropped $70 per year.* Silicon Alley comprised:- Dick Smith- Tandy- Jaycar- David ReidThey were all on the same side of the street and fitted within a 50m stretch.

author: med6753
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2021, 10:30:22 am
content: I don't recall ever seeing it on this side of the world. Not a fan of bargraphs anyway. I find them imprecise and clumsy. An analog meter is far superior.