My goal is to restore it in to working condition again. In the electronics equipment inventory, anna also discovered a 200a audio oscillator personally presented to stanford university by bill and dave. Part 1 offers a quick overview of a hewlett packard 200cd audio signal oscillator that recently hit the repair bench to be worked on. View and download hp 200cd operating and servicing manual online. 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. David packard and bill hewlett created the hp 200a audio oscillator, which was used as a speaker. 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.
Oct, 2006 hewlettpackard company is founded january 1939. The 200a audio oscillator came about during bills masters thesis while he was a grad student at stanford in the 1930s. Their first product was the hp 200a audio oscillator, which rapidly becomes a popular piece of test equipment for engineers. Instruction manual for audio oscillators hp model 200a, 200b, 200c and 200d. 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. They built the first hewlettpackard oscillators in daves rented garage on addison avenue in palo alto, california. The 200a audio oscillator of 1939 is the first product of hewlett packard hp. The 200cd became a ubiquitous audio generator in engineering laboratories worldwide from the 1950s to the 1990s. Okay well i just got my hands on a hp 200c from the dawn of the 50s. Audio oscillator project hp 200c restoration all about. Sep 11, 2015 the history of hewlett packard computers today, the silicon valley in california is worldrenowned as the center of technology and innovation. A giant 26cigarette ashtray with the design schematic for hp s first product, the 200a audio oscillator. Jul 06, 20 video of the insides of an antique audio oscillator, showing some vacuum tubes, capacitors, a large variable capacitor, transformer, etc.
The oscillator section tubes v1 and v2 is a resistance. It used the wien bridge oscillator circuit, that had been the subject of bill hewletts masters thesis. An audio oscillator is an instrument that generates one pure tone or frequency at a time. Bills technical drawing of the hp 200a audio oscillator dated january 26, 1939. Drawing on bills study of negative feedback, bill and dave produce hp s first product, the resistancecapacitance audio oscillator, used to test sound equipment. It was a low distortion audio oscillator used for testing sound equipment. After repairing a couple of hewlett packard vacuum tube voltmeters, i read up on some of the company history. The foundation of processors happened after the discovery of semiconductor materials. 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. 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.
This term is typically used in the field of audio synthesizers, to distinguish it from an audio frequency oscillator. 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. Physically and in appearance the two instruments are same. Hp 200ab for saleoscillatorsfunction generatorstest. It was a lowdistortion audio oscillator used for testing 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.
Here is the main tuning dial of hp models 200b and 200c audio oscillators. Hewlettpackard hp200c audio oscillator ohio university. This manual is supplied for use with both the 200a and 200b audio oscillators having any serial number below about 41,000. Through the years, hp oscillators were used to design, produce and maintain telephones, stereos, radios and other audio equipment. From 1963 to 2000, measure magazine was the voice of hp to its employees and associates. Like the other hp oscillators, the hp200a is a wien bridge resistancetuned audio oscillator using. Hp archive this vintage hewlett packard document was preserved and distributed by. 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. This hp 200c is very close in design to the companys initial product. This hp200a included a photocopy of the manual with schematics for the hp200a as well.
The first product was the audio oscillator hp 200a sold to the walt disney studios. I received an inquiry about a bell system technical journal article bridge stabilized oscillator by l. Computer history museum timeline of computer history. See also bill hewletts prototype resistancecapacity oscillator from 1938.
So far i have replaced the power cord, fuse and have used a variac to slowly power it back up. History of computer technology timeline timetoast timelines. Hewlettpackard model 200d signed audio oscillator, ca. The oscillator section tubes v1 and v2 is a resistancetuned type cir cuit. Range is 20 cps to 20 kc on 200b, with dial calibrated over approximately 180 and effective scale length of about 20. Hewlettpackard hp200a audio oscillator ohio university. 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. Here you can see the power transformer, 6au6 sockets, and stabilizing lamp sockets. The history of hewlett packard computers cleverism.
Hewlettpackards first product, the hp 200a audio oscillator. The museum has on tape hours of oral history interviews conducted with him. An audio oscillator produces frequencies in the audio range, about 16 hz to 20 khz. Walt disney bought eight of the later model, the hp 200b which they used to certify the fantasound surround sound system installed in. In addition, the same book pp 5467 shows a wartime precision oscillator for use in airborne.
Hp 200cd operating and servicing manual pdf download. Get an answer for describe the history of the computer. The hp200a was the first product made by hewlettpackard and was manufactured in david packards garage in palo alto, california. The hewlettpackard hp 209a is probably the worlds most useful and versatile generalpurpose audio oscillator. Higher power measure ments with the 10 kmc test set back page much interest has been shown in the two. 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. All of the tubes are warm when on and the correct heater voltage is being. 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. David packard and bill hewlett found hewlettpackard in a palo alto, california garage. Hewlettpackards history spans more than seven decades of innovation. After repairing several other hewlett packard oscillators such as the hp 200c, the hp 200cd, and the hp 200ab, i chanced upon this hp 200a which is the companys original product. 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 next david packard and bill hewlett apple cofounder steve jobs, who left.
Although audiofrequency oscillators have always been standard. There is a sound research story behind this revolutionary hp resistancetuned audio oscillator. Bill and dave started their business together and named it with the toss of a coin. Hp 3586a selective level meter at work as a hf receiver on the 7 mhz band.
Jun 20, 2015 1943 hp 200a audio oscillator demonstration. Essay about the history or background of the hp 271 words. The model 200a audio oscillator consists of an oscillator section, an amplifier section and a power supply. Hp hewlett packard 201c vacuum audio oscillator 311 series.
Oct, 2015 the hp 200ab and 200cd, which were both introduced in december 1952, come in identical metal cabinets, but have different capabilities. A 29year slice of hp history was spanned recently when a new, solidstate version of the companys first instrument, the 200a oscillator, was introduced. The next david packard and bill hewlett apple cofounder steve jobs, who left apple to form his own company. The model 200a began as the subject of bill hewletts masters thesis at stanford university in the late 1930s. This one belongs to a local speaker shop, and that fact had a lot to do with the problems found. Check out james supps antiques roadshow appraisal of this hewlettpackard model 200d signed audio oscillator, ca. Take a virtual tour of this product, see closeup images and read about its history. Hewlett in january 6th 1942, filed in july 11th 1939. What is the history of computer processors and their range. Audio oscillator 200a equipment hewlettpackard, hp. Basically, this oscillator is a twostage resistancecoupled amplifier which is caused to oscillate by the use of a positive feedback network.
The 200a hewlettpackards first product also history of. Hp 200ab 20 hz to 40 khz audio oscillator and other oscillators for sale at test equipment center. 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 company stared at the hp garage which is today conidered the birthplace of the silicon valley. This hp 200a included a photocopy of the manual with schematics for the hp200a as well. Bill hewlett and dave packard tried their hand at making and marketing an audio oscillator. Hp 209a oscillator hewlett packard audio working for sale. Sound engineers used audio oscillators to test audio frequencies, and the hp 200a caught the eye of an engineer with walt disney studios. At the origin of the story is this audio oscillator built by bill hewlett for his.
The famous hewlettpackard 200cd wide range oscillator, in for repair. Mainly because of silicondiscovered by baron jons jackob berzelius in 1823 i. Hp 200ab products for sale at test equipment center are thoroughly tested, and receive electrical and cosmetic reconditioning as needed prior to sale. Instruction manual for audio oscillators hp model 200a. Having them made available to hp on permanent loan is an invaluable gift. A lowfrequency oscillator lfo is an electronic oscillator that generates a frequency below approximately 20 hz. Their initial success made them formalize their partnership between on 01 january 1993.