JW wrote:
Hello all, I'm looking for recommendations for debugging test equipment
through their GPIB interface. I'm just getting started in the field of
test equipment repair, (after having been a tech for over 20 years, but
*no* GPIB experience) and have found that some equipment will only respond
to test diagnostics through their GPIB port. For example, I have a number
of HP 3457A DMM's where the power on self test fails. In the
(50MB!)service manual
http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/...N&cc=US&lc=eng
(pg 8-36 and 8-37), it states that a ERR? command or an AUXERR? command
must be sent to the DMM in order to retrieve a bitmask of what test
actually failed.

I currently have no GPIB hardware or software, but have taken a look at
National Instruments who have both a USB and a PCI based GPIB card which I
suppose come with drivers. http://www.ni.com/gpib/ Is this all I need to
get a simple terminal-like interface which will enable me to communicate
with the meter? Looking through the docs on these two devices tell me
nothing but how to install the hardware, not how to use them. I don't want
to have to fork over $1000 or more for a sophisticated program like
Labview (and have a huge learning curve to learn the software!) when all I
need is a simple user interface similar to Hyperterminal or some such. My
programming skills are practically nil, unless you count simple BASIC
stuff... (And I mean VERY simple - hey, I'm a hardware guy!)

Thank you for any help or recommendations, I really appreciate it.

Go with the HP card and drivers. Still not cheap for a PCI card. Which
leaves ebay for an older card using the AT interface and maybe DOS or
Win95 and a bit of ingenuity. Go digging through the HP website and you
may find the drivers for this stuff. Haven't used any of this stuff in
years, and when I did it was seriously buried.

Andrew