RE: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?

2001-01-04 Thread Michael Mertinooke

Dear Valued Regulatory Test Solution Customer,
Agilent Technologies has recently made a strategic decision regarding our
acsource product family...

...to withdraw from the EMI compliance market. So, within a frame 
of less than five years, I have a $13,000 software investment which 
is no longer supported...


I notice the Agilent Technologies stationery includes the slogan
Innovating the HP Way.  This kind of makes you wonder what
the innovative HP Way of customer support is all about, doesn't it?

How many millions of dollars' worth of equipment have each of
us authorized, or will authorize during our 30 or 40 year careers?
Personally, I very much doubt that I will ever recommend purchasing
another piece of HP/Agilent equipment.

Mike Mertinooke

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RE: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?

2001-01-04 Thread Colgan, Chris

I have spent the last couple of days ploughing through EN61000-3-2, it's
amendment A14, IEC1000-4-7 and the HP harmonics application note 1273.  I am
90% sure that I can continue using the 6842A for compliance measurements but
I would love to have some confirmation.  I have tried asking Agilent but I
don't think that they have even bothered to read the amendment, I suspect
they are too busy writing rubbish like this:

Dear Valued Regulatory Test Solution Customer,

Agilent Technologies has recently made a strategic decision regarding our
acsource product family. I wanted to let you know  as quickly as possible,
so that you can begin to evaluate how this may affect your current test
equipment plans, and to give you as much time as possible to manage any
changes that may result.

I used to respect HP for their products and the support, now I wouldn't
consider buying even a printer off them.

Chris Colgan
Compliance Engineer
TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
*Tel: +44 (0)1480 415 627
*Fax: +44 (0)1480 52159
* Mailto:chris.col...@tagmclarenaudio.com
* http://www.tagmclarenaudio.com







 -Original Message-
 From: Price, Ed [SMTP:ed.pr...@cubic.com]
 Sent: 04 January 2001 15:21
 To:   'CE-test - Ing. Gert Gremmen - ce-marking and more...';
 eric.lif...@ni.com; Colgan, Chris
 Cc:   'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
 Subject:  RE: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?
 
 
 I bought the HP-8571A Receiver System and an HP Series 300 Workstation,
 with
 the associated HP-85869A EMI Acquisition software ($8000) about 5 years
 ago.
 When the workstation developed a problem about three years ago, I found I
 could replace the workstation with a PC (by buying the HP-85869PC and HP
 Windows Basic software for another $5100).
 
 After Agilent was created, I got a letter from them saying that they were
 in
 the exciting process of re-creating their company, and that they had
 decided
 to withdraw from the EMI compliance market. So, within a frame of less
 than
 five years, I have a $13,000 software investment which is no longer
 supported. Now of course, the code doesn't just stop working, but a number
 of small bugs will now never get fixed. And I have no flexibility for the
 future, since the HP code is protected. If I want to do anything new, I
 will
 have to become my own programmer, or look for 3rd party software.
 
 (I didn't attach the letter because I think the IEEE server will delete
 any
 attachments. For anyone interested, I'll email them a copy of the small
 12KB
 pdf file. It includes a schedule of support discontinuance dates for
 various
 HP EMI products.)
 
 Regards,
 
 Ed
 
 Ed  Price
 ed.pr...@cubic.com
 Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab
 Cubic Defense Systems
 San Diego, CA.  USA
 858-505-2780 (Voice)
 858-505-1583 (Fax)
 Military  Avionics EMC Services Is Our Specialty
 Shake-Bake-Shock - Metrology - Reliability Analysis
 
 
 -Original Message-
 From: CE-test - Ing. Gert Gremmen - ce-marking and more...
 [mailto:cet...@cetest.nl]
 Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 12:17 PM
 To: eric.lif...@ni.com; Colgan, Chris
 Cc: 'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
 Subject: RE: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?
 
 
 
 I got the same confirmation from Agilent Netherlands.
 I cannot recommend the purchase of Agilent equipment
 for harmonics , flicker etc. to regulatory purposes at the moment.
 
 Basically it's the software that becomes obsolete.
 
 I think your 68xx system will be obsolete but for
 precompliance purposes.
 
 You might add a separate harmonics/flicker analyser however and use
 the 68xx for programmable power supply only.
 
 
 Regards,
 
 Gert Gremmen, (Ing)
 
 ce-test, qualified testing
 
 ===
 Web presence  http://www.cetest.nl
 CE-shop http://www.cetest.nl/ce_shop.htm
 /-/ Compliance testing is our core business /-/
 ===
 
 
 -Original Message-
 From: owner-emc-p...@ieee.org [mailto:owner-emc-p...@ieee.org]On Behalf
 Of eric.lif...@ni.com
 Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 6:55 PM
 To: Colgan, Chris
 Cc: 'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
 Subject: Re: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?
 
 
 
 
 Colgan et al,
 
 We just received a full one-page letter from Agilent dated 19 December
 2000, if I may reduce it to the essential messages:
 
 Agilent DISCONTINUES any plans to support A14.
 
 Agilent DISCONTINUES as of 31 Dec 2000 (or 1 Jan 2001) the
 14761A/62A/63A software packages for regulatory testing.
 
 Agilent DISCONTINUES manufacture of AC sources rated higher than
 1750
 VA.
 
 Agilent will CONTINUE to make the 6811B/12B/13B models AC sources
 (those rated at and below 1750 VA).
 
 The last date to place an ORDER for discontinued products
 (hardware/software) is 31 May 2001.
 
 Agilent suggests using the 684X as a precompliance tool after the A14
 DOW.
 
 The email address provided in the letter is: ppd_supp...@agilient.com
 
 I hope I

RE: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?

2001-01-04 Thread Price, Ed


I bought the HP-8571A Receiver System and an HP Series 300 Workstation, with
the associated HP-85869A EMI Acquisition software ($8000) about 5 years ago.
When the workstation developed a problem about three years ago, I found I
could replace the workstation with a PC (by buying the HP-85869PC and HP
Windows Basic software for another $5100).

After Agilent was created, I got a letter from them saying that they were in
the exciting process of re-creating their company, and that they had decided
to withdraw from the EMI compliance market. So, within a frame of less than
five years, I have a $13,000 software investment which is no longer
supported. Now of course, the code doesn't just stop working, but a number
of small bugs will now never get fixed. And I have no flexibility for the
future, since the HP code is protected. If I want to do anything new, I will
have to become my own programmer, or look for 3rd party software.

(I didn't attach the letter because I think the IEEE server will delete any
attachments. For anyone interested, I'll email them a copy of the small 12KB
pdf file. It includes a schedule of support discontinuance dates for various
HP EMI products.)

Regards,

Ed

Ed  Price
ed.pr...@cubic.com
Electromagnetic Compatibility Lab
Cubic Defense Systems
San Diego, CA.  USA
858-505-2780 (Voice)
858-505-1583 (Fax)
Military  Avionics EMC Services Is Our Specialty
Shake-Bake-Shock - Metrology - Reliability Analysis


-Original Message-
From: CE-test - Ing. Gert Gremmen - ce-marking and more...
[mailto:cet...@cetest.nl]
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 12:17 PM
To: eric.lif...@ni.com; Colgan, Chris
Cc: 'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
Subject: RE: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?



I got the same confirmation from Agilent Netherlands.
I cannot recommend the purchase of Agilent equipment
for harmonics , flicker etc. to regulatory purposes at the moment.

Basically it's the software that becomes obsolete.

I think your 68xx system will be obsolete but for
precompliance purposes.

You might add a separate harmonics/flicker analyser however and use
the 68xx for programmable power supply only.


Regards,

Gert Gremmen, (Ing)

ce-test, qualified testing

===
Web presence  http://www.cetest.nl
CE-shop http://www.cetest.nl/ce_shop.htm
/-/ Compliance testing is our core business /-/
===


-Original Message-
From: owner-emc-p...@ieee.org [mailto:owner-emc-p...@ieee.org]On Behalf
Of eric.lif...@ni.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 6:55 PM
To: Colgan, Chris
Cc: 'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
Subject: Re: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?




Colgan et al,

We just received a full one-page letter from Agilent dated 19 December
2000, if I may reduce it to the essential messages:

Agilent DISCONTINUES any plans to support A14.

Agilent DISCONTINUES as of 31 Dec 2000 (or 1 Jan 2001) the
14761A/62A/63A software packages for regulatory testing.

Agilent DISCONTINUES manufacture of AC sources rated higher than 1750
VA.

Agilent will CONTINUE to make the 6811B/12B/13B models AC sources
(those rated at and below 1750 VA).

The last date to place an ORDER for discontinued products
(hardware/software) is 31 May 2001.

Agilent suggests using the 684X as a precompliance tool after the A14 DOW.

The email address provided in the letter is: ppd_supp...@agilient.com

I hope I paraphrased the letter correctly.  If you have any questions, I
suggest you contact Agilent.

Best Regards,
Eric Lifsey
 Compliance Manager, National Instruments
 USA 512-683-8474, Fax 512-683-8880





Colgan, Chris

Chris.Colgan@TAGMcLarenTo:
'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
Audio.com
emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org
Sent by:cc:

owner-emc-p...@ieee.org Subject:
HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it
obsolete?



01/02/2001 04:36 AM

Please respond to

Colgan, Chris










Happy New Year!

Not such a happy start for me though.  I have been informed by
Agilent that
they will not be supporting a software upgrade for the 6800 series
harmonics
analysers for A14 to EN61000-3-2.

I have studied A14 and there appear to be some measurement technique
changes.  Does this mean that I cannot just set my HP6842A to
measure class
A limits to test to A14?  If I cannot, does anyone know of a company that
has written or can write a software upgrade for me?

Or have Agilent turned several thousand pounds worth of compliance test
equipment into a few hundred pounds worth of power supply?

Regards

Chris Colgan
Compliance Engineer
TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
*Tel: +44 (0)1480 415 627
*Fax: +44 (0)1480 52159
* Mailto:chris.col...@tagmclarenaudio.com
* http

RE: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?

2001-01-03 Thread CE-test - Ing. Gert Gremmen - ce-marking and more...

I got the same confirmation from Agilent Netherlands.
I cannot recommend the purchase of Agilent equipment
for harmonics , flicker etc. to regulatory purposes at the moment.

Basically it's the software that becomes obsolete.

I think your 68xx system will be obsolete but for
precompliance purposes.

You might add a separate harmonics/flicker analyser however and use
the 68xx for programmable power supply only.


Regards,

Gert Gremmen, (Ing)

ce-test, qualified testing

===
Web presence  http://www.cetest.nl
CE-shop http://www.cetest.nl/ce_shop.htm
/-/ Compliance testing is our core business /-/
===


-Original Message-
From: owner-emc-p...@ieee.org [mailto:owner-emc-p...@ieee.org]On Behalf
Of eric.lif...@ni.com
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2001 6:55 PM
To: Colgan, Chris
Cc: 'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
Subject: Re: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?




Colgan et al,

We just received a full one-page letter from Agilent dated 19 December
2000, if I may reduce it to the essential messages:

Agilent DISCONTINUES any plans to support A14.

Agilent DISCONTINUES as of 31 Dec 2000 (or 1 Jan 2001) the
14761A/62A/63A software packages for regulatory testing.

Agilent DISCONTINUES manufacture of AC sources rated higher than 1750
VA.

Agilent will CONTINUE to make the 6811B/12B/13B models AC sources
(those rated at and below 1750 VA).

The last date to place an ORDER for discontinued products
(hardware/software) is 31 May 2001.

Agilent suggests using the 684X as a precompliance tool after the A14 DOW.

The email address provided in the letter is: ppd_supp...@agilient.com

I hope I paraphrased the letter correctly.  If you have any questions, I
suggest you contact Agilent.

Best Regards,
Eric Lifsey
 Compliance Manager, National Instruments
 USA 512-683-8474, Fax 512-683-8880





Colgan, Chris

Chris.Colgan@TAGMcLarenTo:
'Emc-Pstc' (E-mail)
Audio.com
emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org
Sent by:cc:

owner-emc-p...@ieee.org Subject:
HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it
obsolete?



01/02/2001 04:36 AM

Please respond to

Colgan, Chris










Happy New Year!

Not such a happy start for me though.  I have been informed by
Agilent that
they will not be supporting a software upgrade for the 6800 series
harmonics
analysers for A14 to EN61000-3-2.

I have studied A14 and there appear to be some measurement technique
changes.  Does this mean that I cannot just set my HP6842A to
measure class
A limits to test to A14?  If I cannot, does anyone know of a company that
has written or can write a software upgrade for me?

Or have Agilent turned several thousand pounds worth of compliance test
equipment into a few hundred pounds worth of power supply?

Regards

Chris Colgan
Compliance Engineer
TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
*Tel: +44 (0)1480 415 627
*Fax: +44 (0)1480 52159
* Mailto:chris.col...@tagmclarenaudio.com
* http://www.tagmclarenaudio.com



**
   Please visit us at www.tagmclarenaudio.com
**

The contents of this E-mail are confidential and for the exclusive
use of the intended recipient. If you receive this E-mail in error,
please delete it from your system immediately and notify us either
by E-mail, telephone or fax. You  should not  copy, forward or
otherwise disclose the content of the E-mail.

TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, 11 Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
Telephone : 01480 415600 (+44 1480 415600)
Facsimile : 01480 52159 (+44 1480 52159)

**
   Please visit us at www.tagmclarenaudio.com
**






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Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list.

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attachment: Gert Gremmen.vcf

Re: HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?

2001-01-03 Thread eric . lifsey


Colgan et al,

We just received a full one-page letter from Agilent dated 19 December
2000, if I may reduce it to the essential messages:

Agilent DISCONTINUES any plans to support A14.

Agilent DISCONTINUES as of 31 Dec 2000 (or 1 Jan 2001) the
14761A/62A/63A software packages for regulatory testing.

Agilent DISCONTINUES manufacture of AC sources rated higher than 1750
VA.

Agilent will CONTINUE to make the 6811B/12B/13B models AC sources
(those rated at and below 1750 VA).

The last date to place an ORDER for discontinued products
(hardware/software) is 31 May 2001.

Agilent suggests using the 684X as a precompliance tool after the A14 DOW.

The email address provided in the letter is: ppd_supp...@agilient.com

I hope I paraphrased the letter correctly.  If you have any questions, I
suggest you contact Agilent.

Best Regards,
Eric Lifsey
 Compliance Manager, National Instruments
 USA 512-683-8474, Fax 512-683-8880




 
Colgan, Chris 
 
Chris.Colgan@TAGMcLarenTo: 'Emc-Pstc' 
(E-mail)
Audio.com  
emc-p...@majordomo.ieee.org
Sent by:cc: 
 
owner-emc-p...@ieee.org Subject: HP6842A 
harmonics analyser - is it  
obsolete?   
 

 
01/02/2001 04:36 AM 
 
Please respond to   
 
Colgan, Chris 
 

 

 





Happy New Year!

Not such a happy start for me though.  I have been informed by Agilent that
they will not be supporting a software upgrade for the 6800 series
harmonics
analysers for A14 to EN61000-3-2.

I have studied A14 and there appear to be some measurement technique
changes.  Does this mean that I cannot just set my HP6842A to measure class
A limits to test to A14?  If I cannot, does anyone know of a company that
has written or can write a software upgrade for me?

Or have Agilent turned several thousand pounds worth of compliance test
equipment into a few hundred pounds worth of power supply?

Regards

Chris Colgan
Compliance Engineer
TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
*Tel: +44 (0)1480 415 627
*Fax: +44 (0)1480 52159
* Mailto:chris.col...@tagmclarenaudio.com
* http://www.tagmclarenaudio.com



**
   Please visit us at www.tagmclarenaudio.com
**

The contents of this E-mail are confidential and for the exclusive
use of the intended recipient. If you receive this E-mail in error,
please delete it from your system immediately and notify us either
by E-mail, telephone or fax. You  should not  copy, forward or
otherwise disclose the content of the E-mail.

TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, 11 Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
Telephone : 01480 415600 (+44 1480 415600)
Facsimile : 01480 52159 (+44 1480 52159)

**
   Please visit us at www.tagmclarenaudio.com
**






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HP6842A harmonics analyser - is it obsolete?

2001-01-02 Thread Colgan, Chris

Happy New Year!

Not such a happy start for me though.  I have been informed by Agilent that
they will not be supporting a software upgrade for the 6800 series harmonics
analysers for A14 to EN61000-3-2.

I have studied A14 and there appear to be some measurement technique
changes.  Does this mean that I cannot just set my HP6842A to measure class
A limits to test to A14?  If I cannot, does anyone know of a company that
has written or can write a software upgrade for me?

Or have Agilent turned several thousand pounds worth of compliance test
equipment into a few hundred pounds worth of power supply?

Regards

Chris Colgan
Compliance Engineer
TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
*Tel: +44 (0)1480 415 627
*Fax: +44 (0)1480 52159
* Mailto:chris.col...@tagmclarenaudio.com
* http://www.tagmclarenaudio.com



**  
   Please visit us at www.tagmclarenaudio.com
**

The contents of this E-mail are confidential and for the exclusive
use of the intended recipient. If you receive this E-mail in error,
please delete it from your system immediately and notify us either
by E-mail, telephone or fax. You  should not  copy, forward or 
otherwise disclose the content of the E-mail.

TAG McLaren Audio Ltd
The Summit, 11 Latham Road
Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 6ZU
Telephone : 01480 415600 (+44 1480 415600)
Facsimile : 01480 52159 (+44 1480 52159)

**  
   Please visit us at www.tagmclarenaudio.com
**

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