Audio oscillator project hp 200c restoration all about. Hp 3586a selective level meter at work as a hf receiver on the 7 mhz band. There is a sound research story behind this revolutionary hp resistancetuned audio oscillator. The hewlettpackard hp 209a is probably the worlds most useful and versatile generalpurpose audio oscillator. At the origin of the story is this audio oscillator built by bill hewlett for his.
Bills technical drawing of the hp 200a audio oscillator dated january 26, 1939. Sep 11, 2015 the history of hewlett packard computers today, the silicon valley in california is worldrenowned as the center of technology and innovation. Get an answer for describe the history of the computer. Walt disney bought eight of the later model, the hp 200b which they used to certify the fantasound surround sound system installed in.
See also bill hewletts prototype resistancecapacity oscillator from 1938. This hp 200c is very close in design to the companys initial product. So far i have replaced the power cord, fuse and have used a variac to slowly power it back up. The foundation of processors happened after the discovery of semiconductor materials. Their first product was the hp 200a audio oscillator, which rapidly becomes a popular piece of test equipment for engineers. The 200a hewlettpackards first product also history of. Hp 209a oscillator hewlett packard audio working for sale. The model 200a audio oscillator consists of an oscillator section, an amplifier section and a power supply. A 29year slice of hp history was spanned recently when a new, solidstate version of the companys first instrument, the 200a oscillator, was introduced. This manual is supplied for use with both the 200a and 200b audio oscillators having any serial number below about 41,000. Christoph has been with hp for over 21 years in total and has held senior management roles across the globe, most recently as the president of hp americas where he was responsible for hps north american and latin american business across all products, services, and gotomarket. A giant 26cigarette ashtray with the design schematic for hp s first product, the 200a audio oscillator. In 1938, when the sound engineer for the movie fantasia from the walt disney studios saw the model 200a audio oscillator in action, he asked bill hewlett to make some modifications to it, and the model 200b was born. The model 200a began as the subject of bill hewletts masters thesis at stanford university in the late 1930s.
Jul 06, 20 video of the insides of an antique audio oscillator, showing some vacuum tubes, capacitors, a large variable capacitor, transformer, etc. Published for the people of hp, the awardwinning magazine chronicled the culture and achievements of hp from 1963 to 2000, when our print publication moved to the web. Here is the main tuning dial of hp models 200b and 200c audio oscillators. The 200cd became a ubiquitous audio generator in engineering laboratories worldwide from the 1950s to the 1990s. Part 1 offers a quick overview of a hewlett packard 200cd audio signal oscillator that recently hit the repair bench to be worked on. Jun 20, 2015 1943 hp 200a audio oscillator demonstration. Oct, 2015 the hp 200ab and 200cd, which were both introduced in december 1952, come in identical metal cabinets, but have different capabilities. Their initial success made them formalize their partnership between on 01 january 1993. From its origins in a palo alto garage to its current position as one of the worlds leading technology companies, hp has grown and evolved significantly since its founding in 1939.
The next david packard and bill hewlett apple cofounder steve jobs, who left. Here you can see the power transformer, 6au6 sockets, and stabilizing lamp sockets. This term is typically used in the field of audio synthesizers, to distinguish it from an audio frequency oscillator. This hp200a included a photocopy of the manual with schematics for the hp200a as well. Sound engineers used audio oscillators to test audio frequencies, and the hp 200a caught the eye of an engineer with walt disney studios. Although audiofrequency oscillators have always been standard.
The company stared at the hp garage which is today conidered the birthplace of the silicon valley. Bills study of negative feedback results in hp s first product the resistancecapacitance audio oscillator hp 200a, an electronic instrument used to test sound equipment. Hp 200cd audio generator 1955 the hewlettpackard 200cd is a wide range oscillator that generates a sine wave in the subsonic, audio, and ultrasonic frequencies 5 hz to 600 khz. Through the years, hp oscillators were used to design, produce and maintain telephones, stereos, radios and other audio equipment. An audio oscillator is an instrument that generates one pure tone or frequency at a time. Essay about the history or background of the hp 271 words. Check out james supps antiques roadshow appraisal of this hewlettpackard model 200d signed audio oscillator, ca.
This one belongs to a local speaker shop, and that fact had a lot to do with the problems found. Hp hewlett packard 201c vacuum audio oscillator 311 series. History of computer technology timeline timetoast timelines. Hp 200ab for saleoscillatorsfunction generatorstest. Physically and in appearance the two instruments are same.
In addition, the same book pp 5467 shows a wartime precision oscillator for use in airborne. Okay well i just got my hands on a hp 200c from the dawn of the 50s. It was a low distortion audio oscillator used for testing sound equipment. Instruction manual for audio oscillators hp model 200a, 200b, 200c and 200d. Basically, this oscillator is a twostage resistancecoupled amplifier which is caused to oscillate by the use of a positive feedback network. The first product was the audio oscillator hp 200a sold to the walt disney studios.
Range is 20 cps to 20 kc on 200b, with dial calibrated over approximately 180 and effective scale length of about 20. Jul, 2001 hp history the first hp patent was for an audio oscillator 200a and made use of a pilot lamp as a stabilizing element. I received an inquiry about a bell system technical journal article bridge stabilized oscillator by l. Hewlettpackards history spans more than seven decades of innovation. Hewlettpackard model 200d signed audio oscillator, ca. Hewlettpackard hp200a audio oscillator ohio university. Hewlettpackards first product, the hp 200a audio oscillator.
It was a lowdistortion audio oscillator used for testing sound equipment. The history of hewlett packard computers cleverism. My goal is to restore it in to working condition again. Audio oscillator 200a equipment hewlettpackard, hp. Computer history museum timeline of computer history. All of the tubes are warm when on and the correct heater voltage is being. The museum has on tape hours of oral history interviews conducted with him. And it was only appropriate that president bill hewlett, inventor of the original instrument, should be in loveland for the unveiling of the 204c. The oscillator section tubes v1 and v2 is a resistance.
Their first product was not in fact a computer at all, but the hp 200a precision audio oscillator, which became a very popular piece of test equipment for engineers mainly due to its unique design and low cost. The oscillator section tubes v1 and v2 is a resistancetuned type cir cuit. In 1938, a disney sound engineer saw the 200a in action and placed an order, but first, they wanted a few modifications and thus, the 200b audio oscillator was born. Having them made available to hp on permanent loan is an invaluable gift. What is the history of computer processors and their range. Like the other hp oscillators, the hp200a is a wien bridge resistancetuned audio oscillator using. Hp 200cd operating and servicing manual pdf download.
Drawing on bills study of negative feedback, bill and dave produce hp s first product, the resistancecapacitance audio oscillator, used to test sound equipment. David packard and bill hewlett found hewlettpackard in a palo alto, california garage. Initially producing a line of electronic test equipment the hp 200a precision audio oscillator, then, in 2007, becoming the worlds leading manufacturer of pcs, hp is wellpositioned to take the helm of the panindustrial revolution in the 3d printing era. Higher power measure ments with the 10 kmc test set back page much interest has been shown in the two. The hp200a was the first product made by hewlettpackard and was manufactured in david packards garage in palo alto, california. They built the first hewlettpackard oscillators in daves rented garage on addison avenue in palo alto, california. Oct, 2006 hewlettpackard company is founded january 1939.
This hp 200a included a photocopy of the manual with schematics for the hp200a as well. Instruction manual for audio oscillators hp model 200a. The 200a audio oscillator came about during bills masters thesis while he was a grad student at stanford in the 1930s. From 1963 to 2000, measure magazine was the voice of hp to its employees and associates. An audio oscillator produces frequencies in the audio range, about 16 hz to 20 khz.
Mainly because of silicondiscovered by baron jons jackob berzelius in 1823 i. View and download hp 200cd operating and servicing manual online. After repairing a couple of hewlett packard vacuum tube voltmeters, i read up on some of the company history. Whereas the 200cd is a generalpurpose signal generator, with a frequency range from 5 hz to 600 khz, the 200ab, shown here, is limited to audio frequencies. The next david packard and bill hewlett apple cofounder steve jobs, who left apple to form his own company. David packard and bill hewlett created the hp 200a audio oscillator, which was used as a speaker. It used the wien bridge oscillator circuit, that had been the subject of bill hewletts masters thesis. Hp 200ab products for sale at test equipment center are thoroughly tested, and receive electrical and cosmetic reconditioning as needed prior to sale. In the electronics equipment inventory, anna also discovered a 200a audio oscillator personally presented to stanford university by bill and dave. Hewlett in january 6th 1942, filed in july 11th 1939.
Bill hewlett and dave packard tried their hand at making and marketing an audio oscillator. A lowfrequency oscillator lfo is an electronic oscillator that generates a frequency below approximately 20 hz. Like the other hp oscillators, the hp200a is a wien bridge resistancetuned audio oscillator using the lightbulb stabilized negative feedback circuit designed by william hewlett while doing graduate work at stanford. The famous hewlettpackard 200cd wide range oscillator, in for repair. Bill and dave started their business together and named it with the toss of a coin. The 200a audio oscillator of 1939 is the first product of hewlett packard hp.