What hardware does a HP 75000 Series C need?

[grant fair]

I am wondering about buying a HP 75000 Series C - E1410A - 6 1/2-Digit Multimeter. The seller says it needs a computer in order to operate. He was unsure whether an ordinary PC was needed, or a dedicated HP computer.

Does anyone know for sure?

Grant

[Colinr]

the HP E1410A is a VXI instrument

it can be controled from a normal PC but you will need a lot of additional hardware to do this


VXI instruments were developed for high end automated test systems that required a lot of different instruments all connected to a computer

what they came up with is a modular system with each instrument designed in a module this module is then fitted into a VXI rack that supplies the module with the power coolinf and control signals.

the control signals come from a special module that is located in slot 0 of the VXI rack

this module can be either a compleat computer or it cna be an interface module that talks to an external computer through either standard interfaces (Ethernet , USB Firewire) or special interfaces (MIXI GPIB)


so to control the HP E1410A from a PC you will also need the VXI rack to install the module a SLOT 0 module that has an interface that is also present on the PC. the above will probally cost more than the DMM. and then we have to look ath the software that you will need.

[grant fair]

Many thanks. I looked at the Racal website for information and the related picture there made me think it was something like what you have described.

Grant

[Robert Reed]

Grant
I am just curious as to what you are measuring that would require 61/2 digits. By the time you even get to 5 digits, the accuracy would be in such a range as to render that degree of accurcy useless without regular short term ( 6 mo ?) calibration. But 61/2 digits--whoaaa.

[grant fair]

Hi Robert -

I will be making a 10 volt voltage reference with a Thaler VRE 100.

The HP 1.5 digit meter was initially selling for under $50. on Ebay; I think it is now over $500 - I lost interest when the price passed $50.00

I plan to do some metrology, so comparing various standards would be of interest. I would also like to do some 4-wire resistance measurements with a RTD so I wanted a meter with that capability and good resolution. I agree I would not need 6.5 for that.

Grant

[grant fair]

PS- the Thaler website and data on the reference chip is at:

http://www.thaler.com/thchtml/mil_selector_refs.html

Grant