6114A power supply initial price (sorry, slightly OT)

[Marc Ferrer (France)]

Hello,

Last year I put hands on a venerable hp6114A power supply at no cost.

To my delightment, it was perfectly working. Within days it was cleaned, and I even found a service manual ^^

It found a quiet home in my little lab, and a question arose : how much dit it cost 30 years ago ? I'd be happy if someone could answer. Considering how well built and designed it is, I suppose it wasn't a cheap item.

It helped me doing funny things, amongst them rebuilding a little bit of the technology lying in the HP 9100 : based on the "green machine" patent, I successfully built a BCD counter, then I devised a 7-segment decoder.... just for fun !

Now I wish I have enough time to build a clock, but that's another (OT) story...

Cheers,
Marc

[Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)]

Hi;

I have an HP 1978 Electronic Instruments and Systems Catalog and the 6114A (DC-Power Supply) is listed US$830,00 at page 638. Opt. 009 (10-turn control) is listed US$35,00 and Opt. 015 (decadial C Contr) is listed R$85,00.

I have some other HP catalogs, not all in a series, up until 1991.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 11 June 2010, 1:56 p.m.

[Marc Ferrer (France)]

Hi Luiz,

Thanks a lot for your answer, I've been enjoying reading your posts for a long time.

I expected a high price, but not to such an extent -and mine has the 015 option. Needless to say, it was just for information, I don't plan to make money with it.

Besides that, maybe some of you will ask why I'm doing strange things like rebuilding some of the 70's technology stuff ?

- it's funny, I like it.
- it is the best way to understand how it works.
- after 25 years doing software and computing at work, I find it mind-refreshing to get back to my "electronic" roots as a hobby.

And in our days of billion-transistor processors, I think it's a good thing to remember these times when you had to get the most of what you had -so few hardware.

These constraints led engineers to produce masterpieces which still work. I consider it a duty to preserve all that, because behind well-done and well-thought items, one always discover great men. Thomas E. Osborne is one of them, IMHO.

Just my 2 cents, and...

Thanks again, Luiz !

Regards,
Marc

[Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)]

Hi, Marc;

First of all, mercy!

Quote:

---

I've been enjoying reading your posts for a long time.

---

What else could I ask for? 8^) Thank you! I appreciate.

Next, I cannot tell you how much I agree with you. All the way!

I have complete collections of 70´s and 80´s Brazilian magazines and some foreign literature I red that time, and now I treasure them all so much. Technology of that time is the very foundation of what we have today.

I am building some stuff myself, and the project I'm dealing with right now is a 10Hz-1MHz frequency meter with scratch stuff. So far I have a partially working prototype with:

six LED digits, seven segment;

1 CD4511 (BCD -> 7 segment decoder/driver);

3 CD4518 (dual decade up-counter);

4 CD4503 (hex buffer, tristate, for multiplexing the CD4518 outputs);

2 CD4017 (timing/control);

1 CD4011 (some control signals)

Join to these a time reference (Xtal-based) and an input equalizer/squarer (I´ll use an MC10116 line driver configured as a programmable Schmitt-trigger) and we have a complete frequency meter with hold and event-counting possibilities. I was able to generate all multiplexing and control signals from the two CD4017, so the frequency meter needs only the guys up here. Actually I tested it with the power line -60Hz- as clock reference and it worked well. I just need to provide a stable power supply and a custom PCB layout. Will post the pictures soon.

BTW, have you checked my photobucket album for Electronics and the other one for HP calculators? Please, be my guest!

I think I gave my students some hope about Electronics because there's a group very interested on a summer course in Electronics and hardware, preferably in this very July.

As soon as I have news I'll post about.

Cheers.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 11 June 2010, 5:05 p.m.

[Marc Ferrer (France)]

Hello Luiz,

It's always good finding people sharing same points of view and hobbies :-)

I wish you good luck for your frequency meter, hoping it'll soon work. Nice project, your design is clever ! (from what I guess given the parts list)

It reminds me of a TTL-based stopwatch I built many years ago -it was in my young years, when I already collected electronics magazines (didn't understand everything by then) which I consider now as a treasure -just like you do.

This morning I took a look at your photobucket albums, the HP side is impressive; I'd love to have as much time as you : I've got many machines (HPs, TIs, mechanical ones) waiting for restoration.

The other side brought me straight back to the times I dismantled every out-of-service electronic item I could grab; the kid I was had as much fun doing this as playing with Lego...

I'm happy that you spark interest in electronics by your students, teaching is such a noble task... and speaking about kids (they're already students, aren't they ?) : my 13-year old daughter masters the soldering iron an impressive way ! Eh eh

Keep up the good work !

Regards,
Marc