HP HP-2117F on ebay

[Jay West]

Glen wrote....
> I didn't realize there was much difference between the boards other
> than the obvious GRD TRUE vs +TRUE versions.  I checked and I have
> some 12566-80024 +TRUE, some 12566-80024 GRD TRUE, but only one
> 12566-60032 Microcircuit.
It gets even more convoluted because some of the complete part numbers 
(12566-XXXXX) refer to the "same" board but later field replacement vs. 
original issue. So two boards with different part #'s may be the "same" 
board. My CE handbook has some of these new vs. field replacement board 
translations, but certainly not all of them plus it changed over time.

You mention GRD true & + true both being 12566-80024... I suspect you're 
looking at the pca assy # rather than the part number or vice versa. They 
are both on the same spot on the board. These two boards would not have the 
same part number I don't think. I THINK from foggy memory that the original 
issue boards for grd tru were 12566-6001 and + true were 12566-6002. I'd 
have to dig to be sure... maybe the + true version was ordered as 12566 
option 001? I don't recall.

> What makes that version specially suited to your applications?
As I said in a previous post... there's a fair number of jumpers on the 
older style 12566 boards, and all those jumpers are solder-type. Several of 
those jumpers are four post jumpers (central jumper with 3 option 
selections) and the options aren't mutually exclusive. I imagine many people 
use a 12566 for a single specific thing, so they set (solder) the jumpers a 
certain way and they never need to change the jumpers again. I however tend 
to bounce 12566 boards around in lots of different configurations for 
different things in different machines on a regular basis. Back when I was 
messing with my HP boxes a lot it wasn't uncommon for me to want to change 
the jumpers on a 12566 several times a day. It's rather irritating to have 
to get out a soldering iron just to try a 3 second "what if I set it this 
way" scenario. There's another reason - I don't remember the exact 
specifics... but the diagnostics for the 12566 board require certain of the 
jumpers to be set a certain way I think. One of my applications (TSB 
interconnect kit I think) required those same jumpers a different way. So to 
run diags, I had to break out a soldering iron and then put them back to use 
the board. Not a huge deal, but irritating. And no, I'd rather not mount a 
custom switch to my board unless I absolutely had to. Well, the later model 
12566 boards that I prefer (Microcircuit/12566-60032) have plug jumpers 
instead of solder jumpers. So I can change jumper settings in a second or 
two and put them back quickly a moment later. In addition, I recall there 
being some extra features on the -60032 boards that looked like they would 
be handy if one was building a custom device...

Jay West