Interesting points! I've been using my TV7U for many, many moons, and from my own experience, I find it to be an fine tester....hasn't lied to me yet :)
Yes. I can't wait for the Blueglow Electronics AT-1000 version 2.0 to be on the market. Sign me up. Great video. Just shared it with the tube rolling group on Facebook so you should see the views counter increase a bit.
Great video it put it in perspective for me, just by looking at other TH-cam vids on the unit Made it look like it’s the best thing out there, then when I read the manual on the software it seemed a bit Suspect and you just confirmed that for me amongst other stuff which I wasn’t aware of.
Just a random thought, with apologies for a 2 year behind curve comment! - WRT the sockets and associated vertical plug orientation, although it doesn't make a ready-plugged overnight-enclosed device any more attainable there could perhaps be a practical rationale for the choice of location.. You noted the sturdy practical case, I'd imagine it carries the valuable benefit of water resistance and I wonder if it seemed more practical than water resistant sockets to just keep essential openings inside a protective enclosure. As I say, no consolation but perhaps a slight reduction in the annoyance level :-) Thanks for the videos, just dipping my toe into your library and they're great so far :)
A next gen tube tester sounds fantastic!! I cringe at software that doesn't ever reach it's full potential. Lot's has changed since this came out. I wonder if it's worth the money for someone to develop a new tester though.
Very good video. Bless Your Bunions! I have some vacuum tubes I wish to sell, such as 4 each: JAN CUE-838,11 each: 8005, 1 each: 211, 1 each 813, 3 each: Marconi-Osram Type R, and so on.
I think used for your intended purposes, the Amplitrex unit would have drove me nuts also.. You made very valid points, expressed your bias, admitting others might be content with the units limitations.... Curious to know if Chris had excepted your offer to assist in updating the unit, 2.0 as you put it, do you think you could have done such? Thanks, Tom
I'm curious about what you call legacy USB to serial interfacing...? When doing embedded development, USB to serial adapters are almost completely standard (see for example arduino's using ft232 chips). The physical serial port might be a legacy thing, but "virtual" serial ports over USB is a major market. It's simple and very effective for communication between simple micro-controllers, having at the very least a hardware serial port and the modern pc's having USB ports. Even many network switches that used to have serial consoles now just have an ft232 or similar serial to "serial over USB" chip inside. It's effective and cheap and saves on redevelopment. Being curious I checked out the amplitrex site the see if I could download the software and put it through a de-compile cycle to check it out, but it is not on there... I would rebuild it in exchange for a tester :) Nice balanced video, informative.
wasn't using virtual ports the way I know them. you'd have to talk to him more about it but I showed it around to a few people I work with that do serial interfaces all the time and they said run...
I would drop the serial/USB completely and just use bluetooth SPP at the minimum, and maybe with slight software changes, Bluetooth BLE. Then you could just use tablets. A tablet would be a much more ideal situation for these, as the printer could be bluetooth as well. I was a fluent VB6 developer so I know the language inside and out, but I have moved onto more modern compilers that are "VB6" like in the syntax front but obviously object oriented and support modern APIs.
I cannot justify paying that amount for a tube tester, even with new technology. I own several Hickoks that I restored and calibrated which work fine for testing and matching tubes. Some say it's old technology and I agree, but it works. Price a mid 50s Fender tweed amp vs new. I do not need a printout of tube specs. Just write down what the Hickok displays. I could buy several great working tube testers for the price of this one. Let's see if today's Amplitrex testers are selling 50 years from now. I won't, I'm too old now! Great video!!!
Very old thread, I realize, but... There is not enough communication between the worlds of software and hardware, particularly the more specialized sub-fields of electronics hardware like valves. The obvious answer to someone from the world of software (who is also a permanent resident of the world of electronics) to the problem of antiquated software: free (libre, not $0) open source control software. The only reason that someone has not taken it upon themselves to do so is the high cost of the hardware; but, if Amplitrex would license the existing software with a libre (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software) license, the problem would take care of itself in short order. This would have absolutely no effect on the profitability of the device, obviously. Currently, the software is a liability, afaict.
An honest appraisal, thanks. Have you looked at the utracer (micro tracer) created by Ronald Dekker or the Roetest by created by Helmut Weigl? These are PC based testers which are worth looking at: www.roehrentest.de/EnglishInfo.html www.dos4ever.com/uTracer3/uTracer3_pag0.html
Yeah, follow the utracer threads almost daily. Love the concept, as soon as I have my queue emptied out and find some project time, I want to build one
www.roehrentest.de/index.html is a wonderfull tube tester at half price of Amplitrex but they sell only as a DIY kit, is not for everyone to assemble that kit. I use a soviet L3-3 tubetester, in a good day I test about 300 tubes. For a faster process I heate 20 tubes at once and I made some devices that increase the speed, for example a panel (conected to tube tester) with 5 sockets where fits any tube with ECC88 pinout, with a 10 pos. rotary switch just change to each of 10 triodes (they are double triodes, 5 tubes=10 triodes). External heater voltage, of course.
Nice video. Sounds like a decent tester in terms of measurements. Clearly software is not a strong suit. Wow 100,000 tubes?!?! I'm a bit picky too, with the word "etc", it's et cetera, not ec cetera. Looking forward to another video.
all I can tell you is this- Ebay is full of Amplitrex and TV-whatever tested tubes, that get returned all the time, because those testers are not accurate. get a Hickock 600a that is knife edge calibrated in good condition, that's all you need. testing on a percentage or 50 scale is not accurate enough. if you have a tube that specs at 5000 mc, it needs a 5000 scale. if you have a tube that specs at 1250 mc, you need a 1250 scale. the higher the scale, the better resolution, and it should be an analog needle gauge scale. those digital readouts can be off and how the heck are you going to calibrate them or even know ? digital isn't always better. about the only place I've seen it good is a simply hand held calculator. it's just more convenient, NOT more accurate
I really don't trust software for anything other than playing games and chatting online watching video and surfing the web because it is allways clunky and inaccurate and I don't understand it. I am wondering however is there any analog tube testers still being manufactured that use an analog meter. that would be awesome. if you know of any please let me know.
Interesting points! I've been using my TV7U for many, many moons, and from my own experience, I find it to be an fine tester....hasn't lied to me yet :)
Wonderful, honest appraisal. Thanks..
Yes. I can't wait for the Blueglow Electronics AT-1000 version 2.0 to be on the market. Sign me up. Great video. Just shared it with the tube rolling group on Facebook so you should see the views counter increase a bit.
As an owner of an Amplitrex I agree with your assessment, still like mine though over 40-50 year old testers. First world problems, lol.
Great video it put it in perspective for me, just by looking at other TH-cam vids on the unit
Made it look like it’s the best thing out there, then when I read the manual on the software it seemed a bit
Suspect and you just confirmed that for me amongst other stuff which I wasn’t aware of.
I see a brilliant idea with massive potential. The problem is market size.
Thanks for your honest review. What did you buy next then? Four years later, still with Cardmatic? Thanks.
My hickok 752 tests both sides of a dual triode at same time also very handy for matching tubes :)
Great review and information
Very interesting for me, thanx man !
where did you get that many tubes? , where do you sell them?
Just a random thought, with apologies for a 2 year behind curve comment! - WRT the sockets and associated vertical plug orientation, although it doesn't make a ready-plugged overnight-enclosed device any more attainable there could perhaps be a practical rationale for the choice of location..
You noted the sturdy practical case, I'd imagine it carries the valuable benefit of water resistance and I wonder if it seemed more practical than water resistant sockets to just keep essential openings inside a protective enclosure. As I say, no consolation but perhaps a slight reduction in the annoyance level :-) Thanks for the videos, just dipping my toe into your library and they're great so far :)
A next gen tube tester sounds fantastic!! I cringe at software that doesn't ever reach it's full potential. Lot's has changed since this came out. I wonder if it's worth the money for someone to develop a new tester though.
Very good video. Bless Your Bunions! I have some vacuum tubes I wish to sell, such as 4 each: JAN CUE-838,11 each: 8005, 1 each: 211, 1 each 813, 3 each: Marconi-Osram Type R, and so on.
on your marantz projects what adhesive do you use to secure the display back to the unit with the new display paper? Thanks very much
I thought about buying one, but my Hickok 752 does a good enough job.
Price of this tube tester thanks
I think used for your intended purposes, the Amplitrex unit would have drove me nuts also.. You made very valid points, expressed your bias, admitting others might be content with the units limitations.... Curious to know if Chris had excepted your offer to assist in updating the unit, 2.0 as you put it, do you think you could have done such? Thanks, Tom
He seemed open to it but it wasn't as easy as I thought due to the legacy usb to serial interfacing so I kinda dropped it
I'm curious about what you call legacy USB to serial interfacing...? When doing embedded development, USB to serial adapters are almost completely standard (see for example arduino's using ft232 chips). The physical serial port might be a legacy thing, but "virtual" serial ports over USB is a major market. It's simple and very effective for communication between simple micro-controllers, having at the very least a hardware serial port and the modern pc's having USB ports. Even many network switches that used to have serial consoles now just have an ft232 or similar serial to "serial over USB" chip inside. It's effective and cheap and saves on redevelopment.
Being curious I checked out the amplitrex site the see if I could download the software and put it through a de-compile cycle to check it out, but it is not on there... I would rebuild it in exchange for a tester :)
Nice balanced video, informative.
wasn't using virtual ports the way I know them. you'd have to talk to him more about it but I showed it around to a few people I work with that do serial interfaces all the time and they said run...
I would drop the serial/USB completely and just use bluetooth SPP at the minimum, and maybe with slight software changes, Bluetooth BLE. Then you could just use tablets. A tablet would be a much more ideal situation for these, as the printer could be bluetooth as well. I was a fluent VB6 developer so I know the language inside and out, but I have moved onto more modern compilers that are "VB6" like in the syntax front but obviously object oriented and support modern APIs.
I cannot justify paying that amount for a tube tester, even with new technology. I own several Hickoks that I restored and calibrated which work fine for testing and matching tubes. Some say it's old technology and I agree, but it works. Price a mid 50s Fender tweed amp vs new. I do not need a printout of tube specs. Just write down what the Hickok displays. I could buy several great working tube testers for the price of this one. Let's see if today's Amplitrex testers are selling 50 years from now. I won't, I'm too old now! Great video!!!
There's pro's and con's of old vs new. Reminds me of CRO vs digital.
Very old thread, I realize, but... There is not enough communication between the worlds of software and hardware, particularly the more specialized sub-fields of electronics hardware like valves.
The obvious answer to someone from the world of software (who is also a permanent resident of the world of electronics) to the problem of antiquated software: free (libre, not $0) open source control software. The only reason that someone has not taken it upon themselves to do so is the high cost of the hardware; but, if Amplitrex would license the existing software with a libre (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software) license, the problem would take care of itself in short order.
This would have absolutely no effect on the profitability of the device, obviously. Currently, the software is a liability, afaict.
I would just take a 539c and convert to digital meters and change component to to 1% then you have a very accurate tester
An honest appraisal, thanks. Have you looked at the utracer (micro tracer) created by Ronald Dekker or the Roetest by created by Helmut Weigl? These are PC based testers which are worth looking at:
www.roehrentest.de/EnglishInfo.html
www.dos4ever.com/uTracer3/uTracer3_pag0.html
Yeah, follow the utracer threads almost daily. Love the concept, as soon as I have my queue emptied out and find some project time, I want to build one
Despite your light Southern accent, I will credit you with pronouncing the word "tubes" instead of "teebs".
I sold my Amplitrex. I had nothing but problems.
www.roehrentest.de/index.html is a wonderfull tube tester at half price of Amplitrex but they sell only as a DIY kit, is not for everyone to assemble that kit. I use a soviet L3-3 tubetester, in a good day I test about 300 tubes. For a faster process I heate 20 tubes at once and I made some devices that increase the speed, for example a panel (conected to tube tester) with 5 sockets where fits any tube with ECC88 pinout, with a 10 pos. rotary switch just change to each of 10 triodes (they are double triodes, 5 tubes=10 triodes). External heater voltage, of course.
Nice video. Sounds like a decent tester in terms of measurements. Clearly software is not a strong suit. Wow 100,000 tubes?!?! I'm a bit picky too, with the word "etc", it's et cetera, not ec cetera. Looking forward to another video.
Sorry, you found someone with multiple EE degrees, not an english major. I love ...s, get used to them
all I can tell you is this- Ebay is full of Amplitrex and TV-whatever tested tubes, that get returned all the time, because those testers are not accurate. get a Hickock 600a that is knife edge calibrated in good condition, that's all you need. testing on a percentage or 50 scale is not accurate enough. if you have a tube that specs at 5000 mc, it needs a 5000 scale. if you have a tube that specs at 1250 mc, you need a 1250 scale. the higher the scale, the better resolution, and it should be an analog needle gauge scale. those digital readouts can be off and how the heck are you going to calibrate them or even know ? digital isn't always better. about the only place I've seen it good is a simply hand held calculator. it's just more convenient, NOT more accurate
I really don't trust software for anything other than playing games and chatting online watching video and surfing the web because it is allways clunky and inaccurate and I don't understand it. I am wondering however is there any analog tube testers still being manufactured that use an analog meter. that would be awesome. if you know of any please let me know.
Well this is definitely not worth the money.
if you trust modern tubes you don't need a tester just pay 12$ and get another sovtek!
Its the 200,000 vintage tubes I have that I need a tester for...
get the orange vt1000. 500 dollars tells you all you need and very simple.
Took FAR too long to get to the point!
Stupid idea to sell this tester if you ask me!
3 K for a tube tester? Oh Lordy! You could have purchased any and all the tubes you ever needed.