>loading and running a test should be doable with just the front panel, am I correct?
It is, but it's really not much fun. I can't remember ever not plugging a keyboard into mine.
NB - 'sharpness' is a somewhat subjective term. I have passed around PNGs from screen-grabs for 6 years and no one's ever complained. I've never thought once that I needed more resolution. Have you hooked up an external monitor? You need a 4:3 monitor @ 1024 x 768 - and the graphics in the UPV need setting to this. If you're not using an external monitor, maybe your screen grabs are at lower res, from the internal screen settings? I've always felt that my grabs are sharp. Mine is set to the highest res that it can be.
It is, but it's really not much fun. I can't remember ever not plugging a keyboard into mine.
NB - 'sharpness' is a somewhat subjective term. I have passed around PNGs from screen-grabs for 6 years and no one's ever complained. I've never thought once that I needed more resolution. Have you hooked up an external monitor? You need a 4:3 monitor @ 1024 x 768 - and the graphics in the UPV need setting to this. If you're not using an external monitor, maybe your screen grabs are at lower res, from the internal screen settings? I've always felt that my grabs are sharp. Mine is set to the highest res that it can be.
Yes, using everything totally internal, just like the UPL. But unlike the UPL, there doesn't seem to be resolution independent graphics.
I have a keyboard plugged into my UPL, but never use it, unless I need to create a new test setup and name it, or to set the CMOS parameters. For normal test cycles, I use the front panel 100% of the time.
I don't have room for a keyboard and mouse and monitor, as the equipment is on a shelf in a stack with other equipment on top. I store a keyboard on top of the stack above head level, and just pull it down and place on bench or on top of a customer amplifier when I need it those rare times.
If I had more space for a keyboard mouse and monitor, I'd simply get an AP analyzer and use it with a computer. The UPL was attractive because it was self contained and didn't require more space than my Tektronix 5000 series mainframe.
So here's what I've encountered so far with this UPV:
1. WINBAR doesn’t function as described in manual pg 25
"When the WINBAR key is pressed, the WINBAR containing the names of all
opened panels / graphical windows is displayed in place of the softkey bar."
2. Error “D:\UPV\Setup Examples\AA is not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.”
3. D drive disk check fails: “Windows was unable to complete the disk check.”
4. DVD drive does not open when pressing the eject button.
5. Scan and Page buttons do not function as per a normal UPV. They only toggle the dropdown in a selected field.
6. Window button does not round-robin select across open windows. It’s stuck toggling between two most recently selected windows.
7. .VEQ files are missing or cannot be seen by the loading dialog box.
8. 8 millivolts of DC offset on generator output of 780 millivolts when DC offset set to ‘off’.
I have a keyboard plugged into my UPL, but never use it, unless I need to create a new test setup and name it, or to set the CMOS parameters. For normal test cycles, I use the front panel 100% of the time.
I don't have room for a keyboard and mouse and monitor, as the equipment is on a shelf in a stack with other equipment on top. I store a keyboard on top of the stack above head level, and just pull it down and place on bench or on top of a customer amplifier when I need it those rare times.
If I had more space for a keyboard mouse and monitor, I'd simply get an AP analyzer and use it with a computer. The UPL was attractive because it was self contained and didn't require more space than my Tektronix 5000 series mainframe.
So here's what I've encountered so far with this UPV:
1. WINBAR doesn’t function as described in manual pg 25
"When the WINBAR key is pressed, the WINBAR containing the names of all
opened panels / graphical windows is displayed in place of the softkey bar."
2. Error “D:\UPV\Setup Examples\AA is not accessible. The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable.”
3. D drive disk check fails: “Windows was unable to complete the disk check.”
4. DVD drive does not open when pressing the eject button.
5. Scan and Page buttons do not function as per a normal UPV. They only toggle the dropdown in a selected field.
6. Window button does not round-robin select across open windows. It’s stuck toggling between two most recently selected windows.
7. .VEQ files are missing or cannot be seen by the loading dialog box.
8. 8 millivolts of DC offset on generator output of 780 millivolts when DC offset set to ‘off’.
The UPV open setup menu shows templates for *.SET and *.SAC (the UPL format), however, when I try to load any of my setups from my UPL in the UPV, the instrument complains that the file is corrupt or does not exist.
The two things that I need to rebuild are an NAB wow & flutter test and the RIAA response deviation test, which are to of my most used tests on the UPL.
Can someone advise how to build a setup from scratch for these purposes?
The two things that I need to rebuild are an NAB wow & flutter test and the RIAA response deviation test, which are to of my most used tests on the UPL.
Can someone advise how to build a setup from scratch for these purposes?
I think I found a bug in the UPV firmware.
Load the Amplitude Response setup.
With the generator, in Sine mode, scroll down to the Equalizer check box. Check it, then select a .VEQ file, like the R&S_EXAM.VEQ.
Run the sweep. With and without the equalizer, it's a flat line.
Load the Amplitude Response setup.
With the generator, in Sine mode, scroll down to the Equalizer check box. Check it, then select a .VEQ file, like the R&S_EXAM.VEQ.
Run the sweep. With and without the equalizer, it's a flat line.
I have never used the UPV for W+F (my Lindos does that in a second) or reverse-RIAA (I use a Lipshitz one in a box). I see no templates in any folders that pertain to them, alas. My feeling is that, as the UPV was released in the early 00s, they probably didn't think anyone would use it for this purpose (unlike the UPL).
The big question then is, if they don't think people are going to test turntables, then why is there a rumble and weighted rumble filter?
There are not many all in one instruments that can do what a UPL can do. I'm working in a cramped 60 sf shop, so every inch of shelf space is crammed full of test gear, tools, etc. That's why I didn't get an AP analyzer, because no space to put the laptop computer.
There are not many all in one instruments that can do what a UPL can do. I'm working in a cramped 60 sf shop, so every inch of shelf space is crammed full of test gear, tools, etc. That's why I didn't get an AP analyzer, because no space to put the laptop computer.
Hello Mark ,
look at chapter 5.8 in the UPV handbook . I have the same problem in the future because I want to buy also an UPV . I have only an UPL without B1 option .
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/equ...p-docs-files-repair-advice-7.html#post5689674
Kind regards , Alexander .
look at chapter 5.8 in the UPV handbook . I have the same problem in the future because I want to buy also an UPV . I have only an UPL without B1 option .
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/equ...p-docs-files-repair-advice-7.html#post5689674
Kind regards , Alexander .
Yes, I am familiar with the content of Ch 5.8 and the problem is that the generator on the UPV ignores the equalization file. The response is still flat across the audio band.
It appears to be a bug. My UPL can use VEQ files on the generator side and the generator output will scale according to the EQ curve in the file. The UPV generator simply ignores it.
I found another problem with this UPV: the Comments feature acts abnormally... everything I type into that window comes out backwards because the cursor moves to the left and the characters shift right as I type. So words come out backwards like words appears as "sdrow".
I found another problem with this UPV: the Comments feature acts abnormally... everything I type into that window comes out backwards because the cursor moves to the left and the characters shift right as I type. So words come out backwards like words appears as "sdrow".
No. And Notepad works correctly, typing is in the normal direction. It's just the Comments feature under the Utilities menu that has this anamoly.
I've decided to keep the UPV and live with some irregularities.
Rebuilding test setups and verifying them has been time-consuming. Progress is happening.
One of the problems I am having is that the printouts are hard to see. Unlike the printouts we get from the UPL's EPS graphics, the BMP graphics are light and the gridlines nearly invisible. The sweep trace is so faint as to barely be visible, when printed on a 2400dpi color laser printer. I can fix things like the fonts being too small by configuring that, but how to get the grid lines thicker and the trace to be thicker?
Odd thing is that in Preview, the screen looks just right, with big huge 16pt fonts and bold lines. But the saved BMP file is different, with tiny fonts about 4pts and the lines are so thin as to be as hard to discern as a single thread of a spider's web.
On the progress side, I got the UPV networked. Now I can access test data from a network share, instead of walking floppy discs back and forth and waiting up to 90 seconds for a FFT graph to write to floppy.
Unexpected difference: the view angle of the LCD cuts off sharply when viewed from low angle. I have it on a shelf above the bench, like I did with the UPL and while I was able to see the UPL's screen while sitting down, I cannot see the UPV's screen from the same angle. It is dark.
It's a mixed bag. A few nice conveniences, a few drawbacks.
Was hoping the analyzer out and trigger out on the rear would trigger a scope, but that's not the case. The analog out could have been used as a trigger only if the options to route signal included Generator. But at least the headphone jack is alive at startup and I don't have to push the button with every test setup to activate the outputs that feed the scope.
Rebuilding test setups and verifying them has been time-consuming. Progress is happening.
One of the problems I am having is that the printouts are hard to see. Unlike the printouts we get from the UPL's EPS graphics, the BMP graphics are light and the gridlines nearly invisible. The sweep trace is so faint as to barely be visible, when printed on a 2400dpi color laser printer. I can fix things like the fonts being too small by configuring that, but how to get the grid lines thicker and the trace to be thicker?
Odd thing is that in Preview, the screen looks just right, with big huge 16pt fonts and bold lines. But the saved BMP file is different, with tiny fonts about 4pts and the lines are so thin as to be as hard to discern as a single thread of a spider's web.
On the progress side, I got the UPV networked. Now I can access test data from a network share, instead of walking floppy discs back and forth and waiting up to 90 seconds for a FFT graph to write to floppy.
Unexpected difference: the view angle of the LCD cuts off sharply when viewed from low angle. I have it on a shelf above the bench, like I did with the UPL and while I was able to see the UPL's screen while sitting down, I cannot see the UPV's screen from the same angle. It is dark.
It's a mixed bag. A few nice conveniences, a few drawbacks.
Was hoping the analyzer out and trigger out on the rear would trigger a scope, but that's not the case. The analog out could have been used as a trigger only if the options to route signal included Generator. But at least the headphone jack is alive at startup and I don't have to push the button with every test setup to activate the outputs that feed the scope.
I took a look at some of the BMPs produced by my UPV and have to say they are pretty much as good in terms of res as those made by our SYS-2722 or Dscope. I couldn't want for more resolution and lines are pin-sharp. This strikes me as windoze-related. Shouldn't be a herculean task to fix, surely?
If the problem with BMPs is just thin traces, IMO a simple script could add the same image shifted one pixel up (thickening the horizontal lines) and one pixel to the side (thickening the vertical lines). If the pixels are just gray (faint), it would be simple to turn them to dark black at the same time.
I found out that the UPV graphics don't scale properly with changes to the output resolution. At 1600x1200, the fonts remain the same number of pixels tall as for 800x600. Lines get thinner at 1600x1200 and for some reason, when imported in to QuarkXpress for publication in reports, the thin lines all but vanish.
I got slightly better results with 800x600, ironically, however they aren't as easy to read as the UPL graphics, which render bolder lines in EPS graphics and are vector graphics, so resolution independent. But printing the UPV graphics 6-up on a letter size sheet produces pretty hard to read results. If I enlarged the images to one per sheet, they would be quite readable (although pixellated), but that's a waste of paper when there are 5-6 test graphs to print.
The networking sure is nice though. I won't miss sneaker net with floppies and waiting for large FFTs to write. I'm doing a 'reality check' with each test set up, refining levels and making minor changes as I go. As an amplifier test suite, it's working pretty well. I like the fact that I can read power, distortion and DC offset of an amplifier all in a glance. Some things work better, like auto-ranging, too.
Getting used to using a trackball is a bit of a downside, as I'm used to doing everything with the front panel on the UPL, but I'm managing. I got a tiny keyboard that slides into the space under the instrument just nice, so I can readily access for naming new setups.
I got slightly better results with 800x600, ironically, however they aren't as easy to read as the UPL graphics, which render bolder lines in EPS graphics and are vector graphics, so resolution independent. But printing the UPV graphics 6-up on a letter size sheet produces pretty hard to read results. If I enlarged the images to one per sheet, they would be quite readable (although pixellated), but that's a waste of paper when there are 5-6 test graphs to print.
The networking sure is nice though. I won't miss sneaker net with floppies and waiting for large FFTs to write. I'm doing a 'reality check' with each test set up, refining levels and making minor changes as I go. As an amplifier test suite, it's working pretty well. I like the fact that I can read power, distortion and DC offset of an amplifier all in a glance. Some things work better, like auto-ranging, too.
Getting used to using a trackball is a bit of a downside, as I'm used to doing everything with the front panel on the UPL, but I'm managing. I got a tiny keyboard that slides into the space under the instrument just nice, so I can readily access for naming new setups.
Is it normal for the UPV to become totally locked up, unresponsive about every other day?
I just had to power cycle the UPV again today, as it cut its output and ceased to respond to UI commands. It's running an embedded Windows XP SP3.
I just had to power cycle the UPV again today, as it cut its output and ceased to respond to UI commands. It's running an embedded Windows XP SP3.
My one misses the odd command, I.e. I press a softkey and nothing happens - but it doesn't lock up fully. If a key is unresponsive, I hit the menu button and the keys get freed up. Thankfully, it doesn't freeze up as you describe. It's got V1.4 firmware - I.e. is an early machine.
It has the occasional error message during booting, but nothing that has affected functionality.
It has the occasional error message during booting, but nothing that has affected functionality.
I see. I'm having lockups that happen when I'm not interacting with the UPV. Yesterday, it was running a test signal into a receiver and I was letting the receiver burn in for an hour. Later, I returned to the bench and the scope showed a flat line, the signal generator had stopped and pressing buttons on the UPV did nothing, nor did moving the mouse. It was completely frozen.
R&S indicates that the current units run Windows 10, because they asked me if this unit was running Windows 7 or 10. I told them it's on XP SP3 and have not heard back from them.
R&S indicates that the current units run Windows 10, because they asked me if this unit was running Windows 7 or 10. I told them it's on XP SP3 and have not heard back from them.