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[:?:] Solartron SI 1220

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audiomik View Drop Down
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    Posted: 28 December 2010 at 12:12pm
Hi
bit of a long shot for the tech experts on here; but have been offered a Solartron SI 1220 FFT Spectrum Analyser at a good price but beyond finding out that it has:

Frequency range from about 0.05Hz to 50KHz max,
has 4 input channels
plus a built in signal generator.
Capable of a range of computation functions plus the following outputs GPIB, RS423 & internal FDD.

I suspect it will do far more than the 'usual' Audio spectrum analyser functions....

So has anyone on here any experience with one of these 'beasts' - the only Internet search returns I've found give results for them being used for some quite varied things from analysing plant conductivity to muscle functions in published Papers.

Any info regarding potential Audio type use would be very much appreciated please?

Mik
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slaz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 December 2010 at 1:35pm
Originally posted by audiomik audiomik wrote:

Hi
bit of a long shot for the tech experts on here; but have been offered a Solartron SI 1220 FFT Spectrum Analyser at a good price but beyond finding out that it has:

Frequency range from about 0.05Hz to 50KHz max,
has 4 input channels
plus a built in signal generator.
Capable of a range of computation functions plus the following outputs GPIB, RS423 & internal FDD.

I suspect it will do far more than the 'usual' Audio spectrum analyser functions....

So has anyone on here any experience with one of these 'beasts' - the only Internet search returns I've found give results for them being used for some quite varied things from analysing plant conductivity to muscle functions in published Papers.

Any info regarding potential Audio type use would be very much appreciated please?

Mik


Well - can't help you one iota on what it can do wrt audio applicable functions, but ....

I did encounter GPIB interface - a loooooong time ago. Early 90's I think. It was something of a standard for connecting industrial/scientific gear to computers. Uses some kind of network topology methinks. Interface cards were available for various hradware platforms such as ISA, Apple NuBus, Sun's expansion bus (forgot now what that was called) - but certainly a PCI one (+ reqd cabling) should be trackdownable.

[Educated guess]
The GPIB connected computer interface (most likely with GUI etc) is what would unleash the real power of the instrument - quite possibly take over front panel funcions, but would store settings, data-sets, calibrations etc.

Now the RS423 interface is pretty olde-worlde also - much lower data transfer etc. ,but as its closely related to RS232, could be utilised more easily perhaps, but most likely would be a cruder interface (might be just for e.g. dumping a data set to computer).

Now almost certainly if you want to pursue the GPIB possibilties, you would need to find out about availability of s/w, what platform(s) etc.

I might be able to help  a bit if it transpires that the only available s/w is for Sun, Apple, DOS etc.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote service dept Steve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 December 2010 at 2:47pm
`


Edited by service dept Steve - 28 December 2010 at 3:08pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote audiomik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 December 2010 at 3:01pm
Slaz
thanks, for GPIB interfacing I'm thinking about one of these gadgets:
http://www.audon.co.uk/gpiblan.html
and the Linux based GPIB software from Sourceforge..... otherwise might have to try to run the linked M$ software from the Audon website in Wine....
Can then link things like my Tek 'scopes, Racal and Solartron DMMS etc (too many to list) all onto the same bus..... and have it available over my network.

Main problem is whilst GPIB was intended as a standard; various Manufacturers developed their own variations - 'HPIB' being one example from Hewlett Packard!

RS423 is more similar to RS422, but unbalanced data lines; incidentally, a variation of RS422 was used as the basis for the PA422 Audio Control system - also something from the past and used for controlling the entire Eurodisney Park-wide Sound installation!
However, back on topic - the RS232 interfaces on Solartron's Microprocessor DMMs provide control functions as well as data retrieval, so might be similar for the SI 1220.

Did some interesting GPIB things with LabView and some very expensive measuring kit some years back, but unfortunately this is way outside of my budget these days!

Mind you, am definitely liking the idea of remote controlling audio testing from my armchair

Anyway the Instrument itself sounds from what I've found out is very interesting - just wish I could find a full Manual download for it - other Solartron Manuals list the command/control sets.

Think it might be Solartron's equivalent of this?

On the border between Signal and Spectrum Analyzers, the HP 3582A
This is a dual-channel, real-time analyzer integrating transfer function measurements in the 0.02 Hz to 25.5 kHz spectrum. It was the first instrument offering the functionalities of a real time spectrum analyzer, thanks to its Fast Fourier Transform microcomputer, and those of a network analyzer, and to its dual independant input channels


Guess I'll just have to get hold of the Solartron and see what I can get it to do.
Think the FFD will save settings and displays if I can't get the interfaces to work!

Also have a old Sun Spark IPX workstation with an external HD unit, sort of looking for a use, and the Solaris software for it...... just have to convert the old Tape backup Drive for a SCSI CDRW.

thanks for the offer of software assistance,

Mik

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote audiomik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 December 2010 at 3:16pm
Steve
thanks, definitely an 'older' one, very heavy apparently as well plus the FFD is a bit of a give-away on age - also already have a stack of 5 Solartron 7055/65/75 DMMs.
Yes am wondering about the 4 inputs, interfacing them to Phantom Powered Mics could be the least of my problems - however if they do similar to the HP3582A then loads of comparisons in the frequency domain could be really interesting!
Think I will have to contact Schlumberger next year!
Mik

PS: your post I'm replying to has 'vanished' whilst writing my reply!

Edited by audiomik - 28 December 2010 at 3:19pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote slaz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 December 2010 at 3:25pm
Originally posted by audiomik audiomik wrote:

Slaz
thanks, for GPIB interfacing I'm thinking about one of these gadgets:
http://www.audon.co.uk/gpiblan.html
and the Linux based GPIB software from Sourceforge..... otherwise might have to try to run the linked M$ software from the Audon website in Wine....
Can then link things like my Tek 'scopes, Racal and Solartron DMMS etc (too many to list) all onto the same bus..... and have it available over my network.

Main problem is whilst GPIB was intended as a standard; various Manufacturers developed their own variations - 'HPIB' being one example from Hewlett Packard!

RS423 is more similar to RS422, but unbalanced data lines; incidentally, a variation of RS422 was used as the basis for the PA422 Audio Control system - also something from the past and used for controlling the entire Eurodisney Park-wide Sound installation!
However, back on topic - the RS232 interfaces on Solartron's Microprocessor DMMs provide control functions as well as data retrieval, so might be similar for the SI 1220.

Did some interesting GPIB things with LabView and some very expensive measuring kit some years back, but unfortunately this is way outside of my budget these days!

Mind you, am definitely liking the idea of remote controlling audio testing from my armchair

Anyway the Instrument itself sounds from what I've found out is very interesting - just wish I could find a full Manual download for it - other Solartron Manuals list the command/control sets.

Think it might be Solartron's equivalent of this?

On the border between Signal and Spectrum Analyzers, the HP 3582A
This is a dual-channel, real-time analyzer integrating transfer function measurements in the 0.02 Hz to 25.5 kHz spectrum. It was the first instrument offering the functionalities of a real time spectrum analyzer, thanks to its Fast Fourier Transform microcomputer, and those of a network analyzer, and to its dual independant input channels


Guess I'll just have to get hold of the Solartron and see what I can get it to do.
Think the FFD will save settings and displays if I can't get the interfaces to work!

Also have a old Sun Spark IPX workstation with an external HD unit, sort of looking for a use, and the Solaris software for it...... just have to convert the old Tape backup Drive for a SCSI CDRW.

thanks for the offer of software assistance,

Mik



Ah - well it sounds like you're probably more clued up on GPIB than I am :-)
Pretty sure I had a PCI->GPIB card in my bits box a while ago .... (long time ago come to think of it)
which you'd have been welcome to .... fairly sure it'll have fallen victim to one of my clearouts by now though.
Out of curiosity I had a quick google of GPIB and IEEE-488 - its obviously around/in use - someone's offering a PCIe i/f .... but at some fairly "industrial" prices mind :-/

RS422 is/was the standard for VTR and other devices for edit controllers in video edit suites (well - olde worlde analogue anyway). Think I have a RS232 -> RS422 adapter cable somewhere ...

Sun IPX - whoa! - _thats_ going back a bit :-) Whats that - 16MHz ? If you need any old Sun bits, I _think_ I have one or two remnants e.g. Sun kb/mouse, 13W3 adapters etc. Definitely got some of the Sun memory from Sparc 10/20/Ultra 1 etc.
Aaah - happy days :-)


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote audiomik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 January 2011 at 4:48pm
Well the Solartron SI 1220 arrived this lunchtime, definitely not the most portable of kit but it does have 19" rackmount wings.... main unit is 6U high and the display screen is 9inches diagonal so just about large enough!

With it's control keyboard on top it looks like this:


and the spectrum of one of my Sine Wave generators shows this for an approx 150Hz signal at +10dBm output:

showing the cursor at 3rd Harmonic with the measurement to the right of the display.
Dynamic range is 100dB and the lowest level shows as -170dBm for lower input levels, but this is below the noise floor!

So on first play with it then quite a machine, has 4 independent inputs and does all sorts of functions including some pulse responses and 3D type displays of data.... Think I need a User Manual to find how all this works there is far more than similar Spectrum Analysers..... might try it with a Mic or two next perhaps, after I've worked out how to get the sine wave tracking generator to run
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote audiomik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 January 2011 at 12:55am
Been looking for a circuit for a very low noise balanced input Mic pre-amp with phantom powering but can't find anything better than -123dBm noise floor and using a transformer input.
Anyone have or know of a 'direct coupled' input circuit design, without a Transformer, with about 30dB minimum gain to build a 4 channel unit?
Prefer 'full discrete' against special IC's!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VentureSound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 January 2011 at 1:05am
If you want to do the whole "control everything from your armchair" with GPIB, try this USB to GPIB converter...

http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?cc=GB&lc=eng&nid=-34193.426029&&cc=GB&lc=eng

There is an older A version which sometimes goes fairly cheaply on Ebay, and i've just looked and the chinese sell clones for about £90. Not exatly cheap but mabe more modern than PCI?

...and I hope your New Year's resolution is to clear some space on your bench!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote audiomik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 January 2011 at 1:51am
Re: "...and I hope your New Year's resolution is to clear some space on your bench!"
Na! decided to extend the Bench! - found someone disposing of some 1" MDF sheet for free, so should be just about strong enough to hold up the test gear stacks and of course then provide more space for more things - have another Tek 468 'scope for the 'stack' which arrived last week and am looking at getting a 7000 series variable persistence storage display one! May need a few more BNC leads though....

Thanks, looked at the Agilent interfaces a while ago, but they seem to require proprietary M$ only software, so looking at the Lan interface linked earlier in the thread..... problem with USB, although cheaper, is it only connects well to one PC at a time with short cable runs; whilst I have 24 port Lan switches already installed!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote odc04r Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 January 2011 at 11:35am
I have played with quite a few GPIB interfaces before using Labview and National Instruments PCI cards, very easy to get up and running and great if you're not heavily practiced in writing code.

You shouldn't *require* GPIB connectivity though, I imagine that it only really exists to pull the raw data out of the unit and automate measurements etc. For the sort of work you'll be doing then I would imagine that just keyboard control will be plenty adequate when you get your head around it.

Quite jealous, looks like nice kit. If only I had the room to aquire such stuff.
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