hp proprietary uP history (9825 uP?)

From: Bill McDermith <bill_mcdermith_at_mcdermith.net>
Date: Wed May 5 11:21:56 2004

The instrument reliability was similar...

One of the standard tests at the HP Colorado Springs
Divisions (I assume it similar elsewhere in HP) was to
put the equipment in a test chamber and run it at
50 deg C 90% humidity for a couple of days.

While testing the 1631 the test tech accidentally set
the temp way high with the 90% humidity and left for
the weekend... There were two test run units in the
chamber, and on both units the tops of all the
electrolytics on the PS were cupped due to the heat,
as well as visible melting on some of the other
plastic parts (the plastic nosecone was obviously
stressed...)

We took the two units and (for the fun of it) applied
power. One powered up, and could run measurements. The
other worked OK once we had replaced the power supply with
one from the line. Of course, their testing days were
done and we replaced them with two new line units, but
after replacing the second power supply and some of the
cosmetic parts, they ended up as lab instruments on a bench...

Pretty impressive, along with the other testing --
the shaker table (it would shake all the keys
off the 64000s during test -- keys all over the test
chamber...), 10' drop test, days of temp cycle testing
between the instrument limits, and electrostatic testing
(one of the test guys would wander around with a 10K
test wand and zap everything in sight...)

When I worked in displays, every so often someone would
get the cables in the casters of their chair and scoot
across the cube to grab the phone, and drag a display
off the bench (or a scope, etc.)
Seen most units survive this _special_ environmental
test...

Bill

BTW: Regarding the thread about the 6809 processor, the 1630/1631
used the 6809 as the main processor. 1611/1615 used an 8080, and
the 1610 used a 6800. 165x/16500 used a 68000. IIRC the 1640 serial
analyzer used a 8080...

Joe R. wrote:

> My favorite story is about the badly beat up 9825 that I found in a
> large metal dumpster full of water at Patrick AFB. It sat outside for at
...snip...snip...snip...
>
> Joe
>
> At 09:19 PM 5/4/04 -0700, Michael Holley wrote:
>
>>>That's what you'd think but it isn't the case. 9825s in paricular are
>>>nearly indestrucable but I have constant problems with all of the 9845s.
>>
>>In 1979 I did a data-logging project at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in
...snip...snip...snip...
>>Michael Holley
>>www.swtpc.com/mholley
Received on Wed May 05 2004 - 11:21:56 BST