Help with HP-82169A and HP-71B

[twoweims]

I recently acquired an HP-82169A and I have been unsuccessful at communicating with HPIB devices from the HP-71. I have tried all of the suggestions that I have found here in old forum posts but I can't seem to get it to work. I have verified that all of the hardware is working with the following test configurations:

Code:

Configuration #1:
 ┌──────────────────────┐                                  ┌───────────────────────┐
 │ HP-86B       HPIB(7) ├─ 711 ────────────────────────────┤ HPIB(11)     HP-3488A │
 │                      │                                  │                       │
 │              HPIL(9) ├─                                 └───────────────────────┘
 └──────────────────────┘

Base Case: This works completely as expected. HP-3488A is working properly.
OUTPUT 711; "any 3488 command"

Code:


Configuration #2:
 ┌──────────────────────┐       ┌──────────────────────┐    ┌───────────────────────┐
 │ HP-86B       HPIB(7) ├─      │ HP-82169A     HPIB(5)├────┤ HPIB(11)     HP-3488A │
 │                      │       │ In Translator Mode   │    │                       │
 │                      │       │                      │    │                       │
 │              HPIL(9) ╞═ 911 ═╡ HPIL                 │    └───────────────────────┘
 └──────────────────────┘       └──────────────────────┘

This also works.
OUTPUT 911; "any 3488 command"

Proving that:
a) HPIL Cabling is good.
b) HP-82169A is working.

Code:


Configuration #3:
 ┌──────────────────────┐       ┌──────────────────────┐    ┌───────────────┐
 │ HP-86B       HPIB(7) ├─ 7xx ─┤ HPIB(5)         HPIL ╞════╡ HPIL       USB├───┐
 │                      │       │                      │    │ PIL BOX       │   │
 │                      │       │ HP-82169A            │    └───────────────┘   │
 │              HPIL(9) ╞═      │ In Translator Mode   │                        │
 └──────────────────────┘       └──────────────────────┘                        │
                            xx = HPIL loop address of PyIlper device.           │
                                                     ┌──────────────────────┐   │
                                                     │ iMac - PyIlper       ├───┘
                                                     │                      │
                                                     └──────────────────────┘

This also works.

The HP-86B can use the PyIlper Printer, Plotter, and Terminal Screen.
Configurations #2 and #3 prove that the HP-82169A is working properly
in both directions.

Code:


Configuration #4:
 ┌──────────────────────┐       ┌──────────────────────┐    ┌───────────────────────┐
 │ HP-71B               │       │ HP-82169A     HPIB(5)├────┤ HPIB(11)     HP-3488A │
 │                      │       │ In Translator Mode   │    │                       │
 │                      │       │                      │    │                       │
 │                 HPIL ╞═ :11 ═╡ HPIL                 │    └───────────────────────┘
 └──────────────────────┘       └──────────────────────┘

This does not work.

a) The HP-3488 will briefly flash the Listen and Busy annunciators when I send OUTPUT :11;"a command" but the command is never executed on the 3488.
b) If I intentionally use the wrong adderss (other than 11) there is no response on the 3488 display so something is getting through.
c) I have tried to use the 82169 in normal addressing and in general addressing mode as shown in the example on page 37 of the HP-71 HPIL Interface Manual.

Do any of you have a snippet of code that you know works on the HP-71 that you would mind sharing? I am sure I am doing something wrong in my 71B code since I think I have proven that all of the hardware is working correctly.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[J-F Garnier]

You didn't give the exact sequence you used with the HP-71B, but a common pitfall is that you must issue a REMOTE order first before the HP-IB commands.
IIRC the HP-86 automatically does it. The HP-71B doesn't.

You can check by looking at the 3488 display: with the HP-86 the REMOTE indicator should be on, but not with the HP-71B.

J-F

[twoweims]

Thanks, J-F. I feel really stupid.
I was sending REMOTE to the Device [OUTPUT :11;"REMOTE;"] rather than just sending "REMOTE". DOH!