Uncommon Executive variation

[charger105]

I was wondering who got it. Pleased you "won" it Bruce.
I emailed 1Tuna asking where it came from. If there's an interesting answer, I'll post it up.

It would make sense it this was the P5 alluded to on Oldpulsars. It's listed as a prototype there. I wonder how many, if any were actually sold.

Rgds.

[charger105]

1Tuna got back to me. He states:

"it came in with a case of stuff from a Pulsar dealer repairmen in PA"

It'd be nice to find one of these cases someday !
Rgds.

[bruce wegmann]

I think that would qualify the owner as an ex-Time Computer employee...I guess I do have an occasional intuitive moment. Still, if this IS a prototype, it's extraordinary in that it varies by just a single detail from the standard production watches. Any others out there...?

[azimuth_pl]

....removed by me, guess why.

here are some pics by Paul Wilks for future reference once the listing will no longer be available:

[charger105]

As you may have seen (or even bought !), another one popped up:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... K:MEWAX:IT

Same seller (1Tuna). Now I've seen two.....both with leather bands.
Rgds.

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

I was the high bidder on the other P-5 TC so i thought i would post up some pictures and ask for some help.
The watch arrived o.k, and was sold as working, but when i pressed the top sensor no date or month displayed, then when i pressed the time sensor the hours decided to go into setting mode and scroll with no way of stopping ? Then the top display decided to work. So the sensors or touch command contacts seem not to be working correctly. I then decided to take the module out, to find additional electronics and re wiring job. I guess this can only be a Time computer test module as it seems a rather crude way of re wiring ?
I was interested to see the circular brushed case SS back, ( I'm guessing this is incorrect ), and a Pulsar brown leather band with an incorrect buckle. I wonder if just the buckle was replaced, but it seems strange that it still has a Pulsar leather band with a regular buckle.
When i instaled the module back into the case it has now decided not to work at all ? Would anyone be able to help me get it back to life.
I was thinking of placing some metal tape over the sensors so i could give it a re brush, and installing a NOS Pulsar brown leather band, so would be great if it worked correctly and looked like new.

[J Thomas]

[retroleds]

The circuitry appears to be the standard circuitry from the underside of the normal P4 movement. Looks like something that was made for "looks" not for function. Normally that circuitry is hidden under a piece of dark plastic which is visible below the battery contacts. And all the poor unprotected wire bonds.

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

I then decided to take the module out, to find additional electronics and re wiring job. I guess this can only be a Time computer test module as it seems a rather crude way of re wiring ?

Good morning Lloyd.
Thanks for posting that clear image of the electronics

When you noted rewiring, were you referring to the point that they used enamel magnet wire as opposed to the flat, die cut metal circuitry?

As an EE with similar experience outside of Pulsar products, this kind of work could have been done in a proto lab or simply cobbled up with parts by a skilled enthusiast.
Or, "built up" in the end-days at Pulsar in Lancaster PA by an employee as a proof of concept showing with 2-3 examples.

I'm making an assumption that the hybrid carrier (that's the piece of fr4 with the four exposed dies attached) is a production part that would normally have some kind of passivation over it. Perhaps an epoxy blob, or potting. I couldn't imagine they (Pulsar) would leave the die exposed to UV/ambient light, since the CMOS processes popular in the day can be very unpredictable with photons affecting the gate oxide layer. The red crystal does little to help this.

I'm hoping others will chime in and shed some light on this handiwork.

Regards, Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Yes i was referring to the crude wires. Does anyone think this watch could be made to function correctly ?

[charger105]

Jeff wrote:

I couldn't imagine they (Pulsar) would leave the die exposed to UV/ambient light, since the CMOS processes popular in the day can be very unpredictable with photons affecting the gate oxide layer

Long ago I posted some results of my first Synchronar resurrection. It was a MkIII. I noticed that the IC was photo-sensitive, but have never heard any explanation for this behaviour. See here, at bottom of thread:
http://www.dwf.nu/viewtopic.php?t=2776& ... osensitive

This IC definately didn't like bright light ! Anyway, it's still working, so no harm done.

I don't know about your module Lloyd, but it'd be worth figuring out how to activate the buttons out of the case (not sure if a short to 1.5V) is correct.......I'm sure someone else could advise how to bypass/mimic the TC sensors.
If worst comes to worst, you could graft a TC module onto the P4 carrier. This is what appears to have been done in the first place, but they've left the P4 display in place. Is it a bigger display on the P4 executive ? If it is, then this explains why they've done it like this. Bruce's looks the same through the timescreen.

I bought a NOS TC module from Greg Ratcliffe some time ago. He might have more. If he can't help you, then I'd consider parting with mine.

Rgds,
Andrew.

[J Thomas]

[clockace]

awesome explanation jeff. not that i understood a word of it, but i have an interesting addition. on the rwr#23 synchronar i got from howard[probably one of his last] in bright sunlight, at a certain angle, a led type apostrophe appears on the upper right side of the display screen. it doesn't look like a segment of the display and when i shade the sc it goes away. i thought maybe it was an internal reflection, and it may well be, but could this also be caused by the same phenomenon? peter

[SASM]

The circuitry appears to be the standard circuitry from the underside of the normal P4 movement. Looks like something that was made for "looks" not for function. Normally that circuitry is hidden under a piece of dark plastic which is visible below the battery contacts. And all the poor unprotected wire bonds.

Hmm what I see is a standard P4 module with a piggyback board connected to + and - (just above the display) and to the (normal) switch inputs of the reed switches (with wires).

The circuit above the P4 movement seems to be for the capacitative sensors. Obviously somebody removed a cover and damaged wire bonds. We do not know if the circuit has been working before.

What I could do is to prepare a P4 module and a small piggy which would replace the circuit or add program code to the SASM3X series, so that you would have at least a working watch.

Hanno.

[retroleds]

An original TC module would be the way to go Lloyd - that module has proven very bullet proof. I've yet to be asked to work on or replace one. And the nice DOW display.

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

An original TC module would be the way to go Lloyd - that module has proven very bullet proof. I've yet to be asked to work on or replace one. And the nice DOW display.

Thank you all for your answers, even though the great technical ones go right over my head

Ed should i try and get this re wired original fixed, or will it break down again soon after. Maybe your right using the TC 502 Sport module. Will it drop right on in there ? I guess i could try it using one from in my collection to see if it works before i see if Greg has any left.

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

The circuitry appears to be the standard circuitry from the underside of the normal P4 movement. Looks like something that was made for "looks" not for function. Normally that circuitry is hidden under a piece of dark plastic which is visible below the battery contacts. And all the poor unprotected wire bonds.

Hmm what I see is a standard P4 module with a piggyback board connected to + and - (just above the display) and to the (normal) switch inputs of the reed switches (with wires).

The circuit above the P4 movement seems to be for the capacitative sensors. Obviously somebody removed a cover and damaged wire bonds. We do not know if the circuit has been working before.


What I could do is to prepare a P4 module and a small piggy which would replace the circuit or add program code to the SASM3X series, so that you would have at least a working watch.

Hanno.

Hi Hano,

The watch was working initially but intermittently. The top button would work then stopped, then when in setting mode the numbers would not stop scrolling so i could not set. I will try a sport module, if this does not work i will take you up on your offer as i would prefer a P-4 display.

Thanks.

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

Sorry for my stupidity, i soon realized a Pulsar Sport module wont fit in that executive case. So would it have to be grafted onto the P-4 board...... difficult work Ed ?

[retroleds]

Sorry for my stupidity, i soon realized a Pulsar Sport module wont fit in that executive case. So would it have to be grafted onto the P-4 board...... difficult work Ed ?

Ah, brain fart on my part....seems I had seen one of those(1Tuna's previous sale) that looked oddly bored out, like for a 26mm module, not the P4 30mm. That kind of sucks, since the Sport module has ALL sorts of exposed wire bonds on the underside of the circuit board, it would get a bit problematic to cover the bonds, carve out the module to let the circuit board lay flat, get the button contacts positioned nicely AND get the batteries to make solid contact(I've tried that, sucks alrighty). And it would have been nice for the auto-set and the DOW display. Back to either Nicole's SASM or having a Men's Dress or a P4 circuit board placed on that chassis. The button contacts will always be something that has to be dealt with, but parts could possibly be raided off of defunct Ladies Touch Command modules.

Simpler solution? Use a Sport module, find/fabricate a plastic ring to go around the module and work out the button contact issue. You are done.