HP 9121 or 9122 HP-IB Disk Drive unit wanted [UK] - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sordid_resistor
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 19, 2021, 07:19:07 pm
content: I'm on the (casual) lookout for a HP HP-IB disk drive unit like the 9121 or 9122. I have an old HP logic analyser which is fun, it takes me half an hour everytime to re-read the manual and set the thing up, get a display full of useful information, then at power off.. all gone. I gather this data esp. the setups can be stored to the 9121 using the native HP-IB.I did get a HP-IB PC card that did the job but that too took some time setting up. I just want something simple.I'm in sunny SW England (when it's not raining)

author: Tony_G
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2021, 05:21:44 pm
content: As an aside, if you can't find a working drive then you might want to look at HPDrive - Here is a good page on someone building a dedicated HPDrive machine -https://www.smbaker.com/assembling-a-thin-client-to-serve-as-an-hpdriveTonyG

author: sordid_resistor
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 21, 2021, 01:29:50 pm
content: Thanks for the suggestion Tony. That's the solution I started to use. I got a National Instrument ISA card (ISA because the PCI were silly money) and yes it all worked. Just more faffing setting it all up, I was using a Win98se desktop and CRT monitor, got a bit much.

author: MarkL
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 21, 2021, 06:29:46 pm
content: What model logic analyzer do you have?Although early models don't have any built-in storage, most (if not all?) units have HPIB commands that allow a host to query the configuration. The response from the analyzer is one big block of data which represents the current configuration. You can then store this data in a regular file and send it back to the analyzer when desired to restore it to the exact state it was in. Check the the manual for what they called a "learn string".If you already have a host with an HPIB/GPIB interface this is the simplest way to store configurations, and also allows you to download captures, printouts etc. from the analyzer. It's more straight-forward than introducing the extra layer of an emulated disk drive.

author: pamphonica
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2021, 12:42:28 pm
content: PM sent. I may have exactly what you want.-Jeremy

author: sordid_resistor
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 23, 2021, 09:47:17 am
content: Thanks both. I saw on ebay a National Instruments IEEE488/GPIB to SCSI interface box, it's now coming my way for £40, worth a gamble. I have some scsi storage and computers with scsi although writing code for them is a non starter. I already have a scsi-to-cf that I've used for years so I'll try hook that string of kit up. It might be possible to exchange data using the CF, I've yet to work out if the HP works with FAT32 formatted drives or needs it's own custom spec.If all that fails, I'll call Mr PamphonicaThe NI GPIB-SCSI box has arrived, pik attached. It promises to connect the IEEE488 to SCSI. There's good info in the NI archives. Would be good to find some Mac software, tools type of things, templates for programming. I might try to hook up a Raspberry Pi in the wintertime. I plan to see if it works with a ZIP100, a SyQuest 40/200MB and CF (all are scsi that is use elsewhere).