The story of HP's Logic Analyzers

[Steve Leibson]

I've just posted a blog with some of the story of how HP got into the logic analyzer business. Not told is the story of how an HP 1615A prototype logic analyzer was essential in stamping out the last hardware bug in the HP 9845A desktop computer. There was a problem with the "high-speed" DMA I/O to the floppy disk drive (400K transfers/sec!) and the glitch-capture feature of the HP 1615A found the problem in minutes, once we got the box up from Colorado Springs Division.

After Silicon, SoC, and System Realization comes Dynasty Realization

[Artur-Brazil]

Hi,Steve!
Great history and great equipments!
I had one HP1630D and now the HP 1650B.
The first, as oscilloscope, had, if I remember well, a difficulty with ranges or probes. Something is not variable, what makes more difficult to work with it, at least to me, that bought it more for its HP-IL connection.
The other has an unbelieveable mistake: the operational systems is on flopy disks. My one sits, now, on bench, waiting for a new floppy drive, which is not the usual 3.5 floppy, as its power cable is not separeted from the data flat cable.
As you seem to be acquainted with them, do you have any idea how to replace this floppy disk unit?

[Steve Leibson]

Sorry Artur,

I do not know how to get a replacement drive for your analyzer. The guy you need to contact is Larry Atherton who has a store on that auction site called LA Tech Renewal. He might be able to help although his specialties are HP 85 computers and voltmeters.

--Steve

[Bruce Larrabee]

I think I have one of those drives. Looks brand new.

(Is sitting here on top of my computer)

Sony MP-F73W-50

bruce_l@westbrookent.com

if it's the right one and if you are interested...