PCIB and HP 61013/61012 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: MrAureliusR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 02, 2015, 12:59:42 am
content: Hi everyone!I recently picked up a couple HP test equipment boxes -- I was intrigued because of how spartan the front panels were. Assuming they were for test setups or rack-mounting, I managed to get the 61012 Dual Voltage DAC/61013 Multimeter for next to nothing. Looking at the back, I knew getting the power connector would be difficult (though it's just standard AC in), but the other dual-in-line pin header looked like it was simply an alternative connector for GPIB. After a quick look around online, it appears that these two boxes are from a whole series of low-cost test equipment, and that HP came up with a lower-cost alternative to RS-232 and GPIB -- they called it PCIB (Personal Computer Interface Bus) which I had never heard of before. It seems to be a parallel bus (though other images seem to show serial comms as well?)(Yup, upon more reading, it has both a parallel bus and a serial bus on the same ribbon cable) The article I link to below has this image, which should hopefully be enough to start reverse-engineering:I'm hoping that someone out there in EEVBlog-land has some info. The Keysight page for these instruments has literally no information beyond the name and model number. All I can glean is that the software was designed for IBM PC / PC/XT, PC/AT or the HP Touchscreen PC (HP 150B), typically running MS-DOS. So, if I can reverse engineer the interface, or find the spec, I can make a project out of it and make a little interface board to send the data to my PC. Even better, I'd love to get my hands on a PCIB card (which seems difficult).So, if anyone out there hasA) info about the 61012/61013B) info about PCIB (specifically the protocol)C) a PCIB card they can part withOr anything else that would help it would be much appreciated! Unfortunately, it seems there's another product called PCIB that is completely unrelated -- it's a data acquisition card, but not an interface card. eBay has a few of those but no PCIB interface ones. There are a couple articles on the HP website, which is where I got the info I have so far ... if interested, you can read themhereandhere. The second one is from an HP newsletter of sorts and goes into more detail about the bus and why it was developed, and it has some info about the instruments in that line, plus the image from above.[EDIT:] Here'sanother link I foundwith some pictures of the instruments, plus a name for the interface cardHopefully someone out there has something floating around in the workshop/basement!Thanks!

author: cblock
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 10, 2015, 12:50:33 am
content: I thought I was the only one who own these instruments. I few years back I got several of those modules from eBay as a "project". I remembered when they came out in the mid 80s. They were supposed to be a low cost alternative to the regular bench top instruments. But apparently due to their cost/performance they didn't last long, just a couple of years I think. Back then I really wanted to get my hands on one but as an student there was no way I could afford them.Anyway the best place where I have been able to find any information about them is the "hp computer museum" web site (hpmuseum.net). They have the user manuals for each of the modules created except for the 61018 that is a PC Breadboard. Just search for "PC Instruments" in their web site and you will find basically all the info about them that exists in the internet... they even have the software.The user manuals tell you how to use and program the instrument using "Basic" so you can get a idea of what sort of control registers the hardware is implementing for its control. Besides what the hp journal (May 86) says about the protocol (which is not much), I haven't been able to find anything about the it in the internet. If you do please post it here. By the way the interface is a mix of parallel and serial interface. Depending of the data throughput required by the instrument, it will implement either one. If you are looking for a "service manual" I don't think they exist.The hp computer museum, conveniently located in Victoria-Australia, seems to have a working unit. Maybe we can convince Dave to take a logic analyzer and capture a few bus transactions for usBy the way opening one is kind of tricky but I have done it and have some pictures. I can upload them if you are interested.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2015, 04:41:21 pm
content: There's not much to add beyond what CBlock said. I remember reading about these back in the day and somewhere I have (had?) a couple of pieces including the controller I think. IIRC the HP Journal had an article about them but it looks like you've already found that since that looks like one of their drawings. They sounded like a good idea at the time but HP's prices were just too high to compete. I've only seen about 2 or 3 pieces of the stuff and I've looked at a LOT of computer and test equipment.Edit to add: If you're serious about this stuff, set up some automated E-bay searches for the name and the various part numbers. Everything seems to turn up on E-bay sooner or later!