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Are plotters still useful?
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What do you use to record outputs from HP test equipment?
I have two plotters (7045B single & 7046B dual pen) but I simply use my camera to photograph the screen. The thought of ink and paper is a turn off, and pens are always a problem. Also these analog plotters would not plot a scale; they must be carefully calibrated and the units written in on graph paper. I also have an HPIB plotter (7475A) that might work with some of my gear like the 8566A spec analyzer or 8505A Network Analyzer, but what about the 4815A Vector Impedance Meter? Is there an interface to a modern printer? |
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For instruments that use an HPIB plotter, a Prologix USB-HPIB adapter
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and John Miles' 7470 program. Once the plot is in your computer you can then print it on any printer your computer works with, or save it as a GIF file, etc. Jack On 8/29/2011 10:51 AM, Peter Bunge wrote:
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werner haussmann
If the 4815A has the ability to dump the plotter sequence (HPGL) into a file you can create an image from that, or feed it to the Agilent Screen capture program to create the image for you.
? Look for a command like "OUTPPLOT" or the like. Most instruments that write to a plotter can also be set up to write the HPGL data to a file on a PC. Once you have that, you can 1. write a program to create an image, 2. use the Agilent Screen Capture 2.0 program to read the file and make an image, or 3. create an Add-in for the Screen Capture program that will get the data and show it as an image. ? I know nothing of the 4815A, but most of the HP instruments that wrote to a plotter on GPIB, can also be queried or set up to dump the HPGL into a file. ? So the first question; Does the 4815A have GPIB to plot the screen? ? See here: ? Werner From: Peter Bunge <bunge@...> To: hp_agilent_equipment@... Sent: Monday, August 29, 2011 8:51 AM Subject: [hp_agilent_equipment] Are plotters still useful? ? What do you use to record outputs from HP test equipment? I have two plotters (7045B single & 7046B dual pen) but I simply use my camera to photograph the screen. The thought of ink and paper is a turn off, and pens are always a problem. Also these analog plotters would not plot a scale; they must be carefully calibrated and the units written in on graph paper. I also have an HPIB plotter (7475A) that might work with some of my gear like the 8566A spec analyzer or 8505A Network Analyzer, but what about the 4815A Vector Impedance Meter? Is there an interface to a modern printer? |
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werner haussmann
So I looked up the 4815A and it does not have a screen. My reply below was only meant for instruments with a screen. Sorry
From: werner haussmann <w_haussmann@...> To: "hp_agilent_equipment@..." <hp_agilent_equipment@...> Sent: Monday, August 29, 2011 9:21 AM Subject: Re: [hp_agilent_equipment] Are plotters still useful? ? If the 4815A has the ability to dump the plotter sequence (HPGL) into a file you can create an image from that, or feed it to the Agilent Screen capture program to create the image for you. ? Look for a command like "OUTPPLOT" or the like. Most instruments that write to a plotter can also be set up to write the HPGL data to a file on a PC. Once you have that, you can 1. write a program to create an image, 2. use the Agilent Screen Capture 2.0 program to read the file and make an image, or 3. create an Add-in for the Screen Capture program that will get the data and show it as an image. ? I know nothing of the 4815A, but most of the HP instruments that wrote to a plotter on GPIB, can also be queried or set up to dump the HPGL into a file. ? So the first question; Does the 4815A have GPIB to plot the screen? ? See here: ? Werner From: Peter Bunge <bunge@...> To: hp_agilent_equipment@... Sent: Monday, August 29, 2011 8:51 AM Subject: [hp_agilent_equipment] Are plotters still useful? ? What do you use to record outputs from HP test equipment? I have two plotters (7045B single & 7046B dual pen) but I simply use my camera to photograph the screen. The thought of ink and paper is a turn off, and pens are always a problem. Also these analog plotters would not plot a scale; they must be carefully calibrated and the units written in on graph paper. I also have an HPIB plotter (7475A) that might work with some of my gear like the 8566A spec analyzer or 8505A Network Analyzer, but what about the 4815A Vector Impedance Meter? Is there an interface to a modern printer? [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |
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I use a HP plotter to draw pcb layouts. I made an adapter from an old pen to hold a CD marker. It plots straight at the PCB and after plotting it is going in the stuff that solves the copper. I made a pcb for a 16 pin 2x2 mm AD power detector with this methode. Some pictures here :
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Fred PA4TIM --- In hp_agilent_equipment@..., Jack Smith <Jack.Smith@...> wrote:
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It is still useful information! Thanks to all.
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I have a Velleman two channel digital scope that runs on the USB on a computer. It will do X-Y and I may try that for the units that have analog outputs. However for the 4815A I need two verticals and a horizontal because it plots Z and Phase. Using the Velleman as a dual I/P scope with a matching sweep speed and triggering it from the 4815A may work, but sounds tricky. I wonder about building a PIC circuit to record Impedance, Phase, and Sweep and then sending this to another program (Excel?), or has someone done this? Perhaps the old plotter is easier. I have seen various adapters to get away from the HP pens that dry out after a year even if unused. They are also entertaining to watch. Peter. --- In hp_agilent_equipment@..., werner haussmann <w_haussmann@...> wrote:
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I've done the PIC version some years ago for an HP analog spectrum
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analyzer with X, Y and Pen Lift outputs. Worked reasonably well. The algorithm holds a do nothing loop waiting for the pen lift signal to change state to indicate start of a valid sweep. Then, the PIC samples the X and Y lines with its on-board A/D converter, storing the data until the pen lift changes state to reflect end of sweep. Stored data is then outputted via serial port to the computer where it may be further analyzed. Depending on the sweep speed and the number of data points you require a faster or slower clocked PIC may be selected. At the time, I used a 16F series, but if I were doing it today, an 18F would be better. Also did the same thing for the chart recorder output of a Tektronix TDR. It's possible to use a digital scope in X,Y mode as you note. I've done that as well with a Tek TDS430 DSO, but it does not permit vector lines between samples - just X,Y dot display which makes for a less useful display. You can offset some of that by using variable persistence and let the dots build up over a reasonable number of sweeps, but it's not really optimum for the application. Jack On 8/29/2011 4:35 PM, Peter Bunge wrote:
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