[time-nuts] HP 53132A ROM issue

GandalfG8 at aol.com GandalfG8 at aol.com
Tue Dec 27 14:48:49 EST 2016


Hi Colin,
 
All the 5313x counter basic oscillators are indeed extraordinarily poor,  
and I've always assumed that their only purpose was to  demonstrate that the 
unit was basically functional.
 
A couple of years ago I upgraded a 53132A with serial prefix 3546 from  
firmware version 3403 to 4613, just a straight replacement without any  
problems so I would expect that your upgrade should have worked  ok.
 
The devices I used were Motorola M29F010CF-90 and I've seen  confirmation 
from another user that 29F010-120ns should also work ok.
 
If it's any help I can send you a copy of the firmware files I used.
They came from EEVblog with comments that they were copied from HP  
originals supplied in 2010.
 
Regards
 
Nigel
GM8PZR
 
 
 
I recently acquired an older HP 53132A frequency counter offeBay.  It  did 
not come equipped with  an option oscillator. The standaloneperformance  of 
the existing oscillator is extraordinarily poor although thecounter works  
well running off my house standard. I decided to update theversion 3703 
memory  to version 4613 which I have installed on my newer Agilent 53132A.The 
serial  number prefix for the eBay counter is 3736A so I assumed that 
theupgrade would  work based on the HP assembly – level  service guide that I have. 
When I  installed a freshlyprogrammed set of 4 ROM’s the counter would not 
power up. The  fan ran butnothing else. When I re-installed the 3703 chips 
everything returned  to normal.Is there a hardware difference between the older 
and the newer  HP/Agilent  boards or am I missing something  else?


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