Tek LCD screen failure
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From: CC on 27 Oct 2007 18:15 Joerg wrote: > If you don't need more than 200MHz check out GW Instek. I bought one, > very nice. There's has a very attractive price. It's only missing a few nice things about the Tek, like the logic triggers. Well, I only took a quick look. I'm sure there's a few things. GW's has a little more record length, though, at 25k instead of 10k for Tek. But the Tek TDS3014 is 3x the price of Instek. The Agilent 3000 series should have put in a 4 channel model, then they could have seriously crimped these cheaper manufacturers. OOh, but Agilent 3000 has only 2.5kpts. Blah! I will probably go for an Agilent MSO6014 in a few years. Though I could find some uses for 300MHz BW too. Just no way can afford 4 channels. I find 4ch more useful than >100MHz. My home projects are not too demanding. I'm also extremely interested in high-resolution scopes. This is another reason why I like the Agilent MSO/DSO6000 series, which provide a high-res mode which gives effectively 12-bit res. for <=100us/div. There is hope for more 12 to 16-bit scopes to appear though, and some which already exist: I just found this one yesterday (14-bit): http://www.cleverscope.com/products/ Then Picoscope has 12-bitters, and used to make a 16-bit, which they will re-make in about a year: http://www.picotech.com/audio_spectrum_analyzer.html Very expensive for the speed and not so hot dynamic range: http://www.gage-applied.com/products/digitizer_pci/16_bit/ Amazing speed for 16-bit, but not so hot dynamic range: http://www.ztecinstruments.com/hardware/modular-oscilloscopes/high-resolution/16-bit-400-ms The Cleverscope looks really cool as a low-budget spectrum analyzer with it's remarkable noise floor. -- _____________________ Christopher R. Carlen crobc(a)bogus-remove-me.sbcglobal.net SuSE 9.1 Linux 2.6.5
From: Jim Yanik on 27 Oct 2007 18:59 CC <crobc(a)BOGUS.sbcglobal.net> wrote in news:fg0ai708sv(a)news5.newsguy.com: > ChairmanOfTheBored wrote: >> On Sat, 27 Oct 2007 20:58:21 GMT, "James Sweet" >> <jamessweet(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >> >>>"CC" <crobc(a)BOGUS.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message >>>news:fg08kt078f(a)news5.newsguy.com... >>>>Hi: >>>> >>>>It figures that with all the Tek TDS3000 series scopes I've been >>>>using at work for the past 8 years, that the TDS3014 I bought and >>>>paid for with my own money at home would have the LCD screen fail! >>>> >>>>Tek wants $1300 to fix it. There is a TDS3VM VGA output adapter for >>>>the thing. It can be had for $200. I think I'll get it. >>>> >>>>I could also inquire about the cost of the screen component, and >>>>consider doing it myself. But that has the risk that it may not the >>>>correct component. The VGA adapter, if it works, would confirm that >>>>it's the LCD panel, but after getting the adapter I might as well >>>>just use it and not spend any more money. >>>> >>>>I never need it to be portable, so it's not so bad. Could actually >>>>be advantageous, since I often look at signals from about 2m away, >>>>while changing program code for embedded micros at my desk. Using a >>>>cheap LCD monitor pegged to the wall might make that easier to see. >>>> >>>>I also have an Agilent MSO6054 at work which I love. I might not >>>>buy another Tek next time I want one at home or at work. >>>> >>>>Anyone have any sense of which maker has more LCD or other failures >>>>in these cheap plastic scopes these days? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>P.S. Sorry to hear about Tony Williams. My heart goes out to his >>>>family and friends. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>>What sort of failure? Could it be just the backlight? >>> >> Not only that, but is it past the warranty period? >> >> Either way, a quote of $1300 to repair it is ludicrous. Yes. As a TEK scope nears the end of it's Long Term Product Support(LTPS) period,Tek raises its prices on parts and service to "encourage" owners to buy new equipment.You should check TEKs website to find the cutoff date for your model,ASAP. > > Thanks for your replies. > > When the scope is starting up, horizontal bars of varying display > contrast flicker across the screen. After a few minutes, there are > only occasional flickers, but the whole screen contrast is terrible. > The white-on-grey soft menus that are displayed for instance by the > "Quickmenu" button are barely visible. > > Overall backlight appears uniform, and the low-med-high levels appear > to work correctly. > > I recall hearing years ago that folks had to pay about $1200 to fix a > failed LCD. The reduced prices for LCDs obviously haven't percolated > into Teks replacement parts. There is a lesser model of color Tek > scope that I heard someone had to pay about $450 to fix. > > It is well past the warranty period. I think I bought it in 2001. > Maybe I will consider extended warranty next time. But I will also > give Agilent preferential consideration! > > > Good day! > > Here's the TDS killer; AFTER the LTPS period is up,parts will NOT be available for your scope model,unless they share the same part number as a currently supported scope.Only CAL service will be available after the LTPS expires. NO exchange modules,they all go to TEKs salvage store as scrap. -- Jim Yanik jyanik at kua.net
From: Jamie on 27 Oct 2007 19:21 Jim Yanik wrote: > CC <crobc(a)BOGUS.sbcglobal.net> wrote in > news:fg0ai708sv(a)news5.newsguy.com: > > >>ChairmanOfTheBored wrote: >> >>>On Sat, 27 Oct 2007 20:58:21 GMT, "James Sweet" >>><jamessweet(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> >>>>"CC" <crobc(a)BOGUS.sbcglobal.net> wrote in message >>>>news:fg08kt078f(a)news5.newsguy.com... >>>> >>>>>Hi: >>>>> >>>>>It figures that with all the Tek TDS3000 series scopes I've been >>>>>using at work for the past 8 years, that the TDS3014 I bought and >>>>>paid for with my own money at home would have the LCD screen fail! >>>>> >>>>>Tek wants $1300 to fix it. There is a TDS3VM VGA output adapter for >>>>>the thing. It can be had for $200. I think I'll get it. >>>>> >>>>>I could also inquire about the cost of the screen component, and >>>>>consider doing it myself. But that has the risk that it may not the >>>>>correct component. The VGA adapter, if it works, would confirm that >>>>>it's the LCD panel, but after getting the adapter I might as well >>>>>just use it and not spend any more money. >>>>> >>>>>I never need it to be portable, so it's not so bad. Could actually >>>>>be advantageous, since I often look at signals from about 2m away, >>>>>while changing program code for embedded micros at my desk. Using a >>>>>cheap LCD monitor pegged to the wall might make that easier to see. >>>>> >>>>>I also have an Agilent MSO6054 at work which I love. I might not >>>>>buy another Tek next time I want one at home or at work. >>>>> >>>>>Anyone have any sense of which maker has more LCD or other failures >>>>>in these cheap plastic scopes these days? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>P.S. Sorry to hear about Tony Williams. My heart goes out to his >>>>>family and friends. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>What sort of failure? Could it be just the backlight? >>>> >>> >>> Not only that, but is it past the warranty period? >>> >>> Either way, a quote of $1300 to repair it is ludicrous. > > > Yes. > As a TEK scope nears the end of it's Long Term Product Support(LTPS) > period,Tek raises its prices on parts and service to "encourage" owners to > buy new equipment.You should check TEKs website to find the cutoff date for > your model,ASAP. > > >>Thanks for your replies. >> >>When the scope is starting up, horizontal bars of varying display >>contrast flicker across the screen. After a few minutes, there are >>only occasional flickers, but the whole screen contrast is terrible. >>The white-on-grey soft menus that are displayed for instance by the >>"Quickmenu" button are barely visible. >> >>Overall backlight appears uniform, and the low-med-high levels appear >>to work correctly. >> >>I recall hearing years ago that folks had to pay about $1200 to fix a >>failed LCD. The reduced prices for LCDs obviously haven't percolated >>into Teks replacement parts. There is a lesser model of color Tek >>scope that I heard someone had to pay about $450 to fix. >> >>It is well past the warranty period. I think I bought it in 2001. >>Maybe I will consider extended warranty next time. But I will also >>give Agilent preferential consideration! >> >> >>Good day! >> >> > > > Here's the TDS killer; > AFTER the LTPS period is up,parts will NOT be available for your scope > model,unless they share the same part number as a currently supported > scope.Only CAL service will be available after the LTPS expires. > NO exchange modules,they all go to TEKs salvage store as scrap. > so, what you're saying is, it was a smart idea when I bought my chinese knock off which works very good at a throw away price ? -- "I'm never wrong, once i thought i was, but was mistaken" Real Programmers Do things like this. http://webpages.charter.net/jamie_5
From: James Sweet on 27 Oct 2007 19:37 > > Thanks for your replies. > > When the scope is starting up, horizontal bars of varying display contrast > flicker across the screen. After a few minutes, there are only occasional > flickers, but the whole screen contrast is terrible. The white-on-grey > soft menus that are displayed for instance by the "Quickmenu" button are > barely visible. > > Overall backlight appears uniform, and the low-med-high levels appear to > work correctly. > > I recall hearing years ago that folks had to pay about $1200 to fix a > failed LCD. The reduced prices for LCDs obviously haven't percolated into > Teks replacement parts. There is a lesser model of color Tek scope that I > heard someone had to pay about $450 to fix. > > It is well past the warranty period. I think I bought it in 2001. Maybe I > will consider extended warranty next time. But I will also give Agilent > preferential consideration! > If it changes as it warms up, you might have a decent chance of tracking down the problem with some freeze spray or a hair dryer. It was made right around the time that the defective electrolytic capacitors made an appearance, they would often start having problems when cold.
From: CC on 27 Oct 2007 20:45
Jim Yanik wrote: > CC <crobc(a)BOGUS.sbcglobal.net> wrote in > news:fg0ai708sv(a)news5.newsguy.com: > >>ChairmanOfTheBored wrote: >>> Either way, a quote of $1300 to repair it is ludicrous. > > Yes. > As a TEK scope nears the end of it's Long Term Product Support(LTPS) > period,Tek raises its prices on parts and service to "encourage" owners to > buy new equipment.You should check TEKs website to find the cutoff date for > your model,ASAP. Well, the only difference it would make is that I would have to decide now whether I ever want to fix the display. They have perhaps encouraged me to buy new equipment--from Agilent or another maker. > Here's the TDS killer; > AFTER the LTPS period is up,parts will NOT be available for your scope > model,unless they share the same part number as a currently supported > scope.Only CAL service will be available after the LTPS expires. > NO exchange modules,they all go to TEKs salvage store as scrap. I wonder if Agilent and Instek do similar things? Good day! -- _____________________ Christopher R. Carlen crobc(a)bogus-remove-me.sbcglobal.net SuSE 9.1 Linux 2.6.5 |