[time-nuts] Re: anyone have the earlier version of Agilent E5500 phase noise test software

[scott.qi at gmail.com]

Hi ED, thank you for the prompt response, I do not want the phase noise tester is so huge, that is why I insist using the PCI card (or try to use the ISA card), I never try the 89410A or VXI kit, from your description, you mean the input daughterboard of NI PCI-6111 is different? the input of PCI-6111 is pseudodifferential inputs, PCI-6111E is differential input, the card number is 184174H-01, 6111E is 184174F-01, from the hardware, there is no difference between the 2 sub cards; I just need the adapter (E5505A-60001, SMA interface) then can setup the system, if no such adapter, the software start (latest one in win10 64bit system), will remind you the termination error, I believe the adapter exists the termination circuit.

Regards/scott

On 9/30/24 8:21 AM, Ed Marciniak <ed at nb0m.org> wrote:
> I have some findings worth mentioning:
> If using a VXI digitizer, such as the E1430 or E1437, it would appear 
> that the windows 7 32 bit download plus pre-requisites package is 
> missing some pieces that provide the api to talk to the digitizer card. 
> The card shows up, but everything is grayed out in the soft front panel. 
> I couldn’t get an E1430 to work with any software version using an MXI-2 
> interface or a FireWire interface to work. Someone else never managed to 
> get an E1437 to work. It is possible that if someone had an install CD, 
> that the missing files might be there and probably could be used on 
> other versions. I never found a decent price on an E1437. My direct 
> experience was with the e1430. I tried to help someone make the E1437 
> work and he ran in same problems as I did.
> 
> The software installer package OS version checking appears to be why you 
> can’t use the Win7 version on win10 32 bit. If installing the 32 bit 
> edition on a 64 bit system, only the viewer is installed. This is 
> maddening because large parts of the dependencies are 32 bit anyway even 
> on the later 64 bit editions.
> 
> The windows 7 and older use licensing based on the test set serial 
> number. The windows 10 version uses licensing based on the hostid as 
> reported by the licensing software. The bad news is that without the 
> later Kontron PC with a serial number on its chassis that was licensed 
> as a phase noise system, or a sales order number from which Keysight is 
> able to look up the serial number, getting a license generated is 
> unlikely to happen. The ability to generate licenses is delegated to 
> manufacturing, and they either can’t (presumably due to automation) or 
> won’t due to company policy. I’d be happy to hear from anyone with 
> insight on this.
> 
> The newer PXIe based system would have the same licensing problem with a 
> twist. If one acquired a stripped chassis with an E5510 serial number, 
> it might be possible to fit a non-original embedded processor and get a 
> license generated. In theory the software, if you break open the 
> installer wrapper and don’t install a conflicting piece(the FFT library) 
> you could use an older test set and an instrument that serves as an FFT 
> analyzer(such as an 89410A) rather than the cards that go into the 
> chassis. The chassis most certainly won’t physically fit an NI PCI6111. 
> Because of the licensing has license to use piecemeal, you’d need a 
> license generated that includes LTUs for the 89410A or similar. I’m not 
> even sure if they can or would generate a license adding that for a 
> truly unsupported combination they never sold.
> 
> The Kontron windows 10 controller is no longer available for sale, in 
> part because the supplier no longer offers the components, so they can’t 
> sell you one even if your wallet was fat enough.
> 
> All this would change if someone cracked the windows 10 software. I 
> wouldn’t shed a tear to discover someone had, but I can’t exactly 
> suggest someone do so. It would be smart if Keysight were to come up 
> with a way to support users (with licensing) needing to upgrade a system 
> that works for the purposes of mitigation of gaping security holes for 
> people resourceful enough to attempt an upgrade on their own. The risk 
> of not doing so is that someone gets pissed off and makes general 
> exploits on all of their modern software rather than for one specific 
> system. If that’s not enough incentive it would at least motivate some 
> people to not try to buy anything other than Keysight based on a bad 
> experience.
> 
> All that said, an instrument off the supported list of FFT 
> analyzers(such as an 89410A) with windows 7 32 bit can be made to work.
> 
> I do not know of anyone specifically who’s made a PCI 6111 card work 
> with the available downloads, but also don’t know of anyone who’s found 
> they can’t make it work.
> 
> If anyone has installs CDs or CD images from any version, I’d be really 
> interested in seeing if the files are there that would make digitizers 
> on the supported hardware list work that I never could.
> 
> The last point worth mentioning is that the PCI6111 digitizer card has a 
> specific analog board on it. The part number escapes me at the moment 
> but it's not hard to find. I'd expect based on the NI documentation that 
> the one DAC output and ADC output could be found with an oscilloscope 
> and signal generator even if nobody has the adapter available for 
> disassembly. I'd expect you'd find a 4MHz low pass filter with at least 
> several filter polls for fast rolloff, plus DC blocking capacitors 
> unless the analog daughterboard includes both.
> 
> At the time, I got a used 89410A cheap after giving a shot with the 
> E1430 and failing, and not wanting to start with an FFT analyzer so old 
> some use bubble memory. The reason I didn't do an 89410A first is at the 
> time there weren't any cheap units available and the PCI 6111 cards were 
> selling for $800-1500 used. I didn't try an E1437 because those didn't 
> seem to be available for less than $1000 at the time. Aside from the 
> physical bulk and quantity of warm air generated, I get 10MHz baseband 
> instead of 25.5KHz,102.4KHz, 4MHz/8MHz baseband.
> 
> For a spectrum analyzer, if using the 70000 series MMS, the 70900A 
> doesn't work. You have to have a 70900B for software compatibility.
> 
> Based on 200-300 hours spent, I did succeed in piecing together a 
> working system, stuck at windows 7 32 bit.
> 
> I'd be happy to chat for a while on the phone if interested.
> 
> Ed Marciniak
> +1-612-275-2168 (text or leave a voicemail first if I don't answer from 
> a number I don't recognize).
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Scott Qi via time-nuts <time-nuts at lists.febo.com>
> *Sent:* Sunday, September 29, 2024 9:46:36 PM
> *To:* time-nuts at lists.febo.com <time-nuts at lists.febo.com>
> *Cc:* Scott Qi <scott.qi at gmail.com>
> *Subject:* [time-nuts] anyone have the earlier version of Agilent E5500 
> phase noise test software
> Hi all,
> 
> the Agilent E5500 phase noise measurement system can be built based on
> PC platform, it had several software version till now from 1999:
> 
> A.01.0x, the earliest version, WIN NT 4.0, FFT card inside the PC is an
> ISA PCI-20428W-1A;
> A.02.0x, WIN2000, FFT card inside the PC is an ISA PCI-20428W-1A or NI
> PCI-6111;
> A.03.0x, WINXP, FFT card inside the PC is an ISA PCI-20428W-1A or NI
> PCI-6111;
> A.04.0x, WinXP, Win7 32bit; FFT card inside the PC is a NI PCI-6111, the
> version can download from Keysight website;
> keysight 1.0.4.4, Win10 64 bit, this is the latest version, FFT card
> inside the PC is a NI PCI-6111; the version can download from Keysight
> website;
> 
> now I have the ISA PCI-20428W-1A card (agilent said it is digitizer,
> fft) and adapter E5500-60003, and I finished the schematic drawing for
> the adapter, but I have no software (A.01.0x, A.02.0x, A.03.0x);
> I have NI PCI-6111 card, but I have no adapter (E5505-60001);
> 
> so, someone can help me for the old software or take some inside picture
> for the adapter E5505-60001 ?
> 
> 
> -- 
> Regards/Scott
> 
> Cell number & whatsapp: +1 808 308 7601
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