{
  "id": 4938811,
  "title": "Refurbishing a Tektronix TDS7104 Oscilloscope",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/refurbishing-a-tektronix-tds7104-oscilloscope",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-01T19:55:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hacker News",
    "slug": "hacker-news",
    "url": "https://tomverbeure.github.io/2026/08/23/Tektronix-TDS7104-Refurbishing.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Tektronix TDS7104 oscilloscope was purchased at a flea market for $300, despite its initial high price tag. The device, known for its 4-channel design with 1 GHz bandwidth and 10Gs/s sample rate, required some refurbishment. The first challenge was a dim screen, which was resolved by upgrading the CR2032 backup battery. The PowerPC-based controller board running VxWorks was another component that needed attention. The scope, initially used at Cypress Semiconductor for high-bandwidth signal measurements, featured BNC connectors for simplicity, and a resistive touch-controlled LCD screen capable of advanced measurements. The scope's hardware and software options could be enabled through license keys, though the protection scheme had been cracked. A common failure was a dead PowerPC backup battery causing the TekScope application to hang. Additionally, a dead power supply or issues with the main video card, a Chips & Technologies 69000, could prevent the display from functioning correctly. Making a backup image of the 6GB IBM Travelstar hard drive was recommended, as the scope's drive had corrupted sectors. The 69000 graphics card required its settings to be switched to a True Color 24-bit mode.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}