Electronic Mystery Machine - What Does It Do?

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

To learn electronics in a very different and effective way, and gain access to Mr Carlson's personal designs and inventions, visit the Mr Carlson's Lab Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/MrCarlsonsLab

[@rusty1187]

Hi, Paul! Is there any chance you would ever do a video about your Dynaload? What it is, what it does, and how it works inside? Thanx, Rusty's Repairs

[@dosh2222]

It's 1938 Supreme Instruments Corp. Catalog Supreme 555 Diagnomoscope

[@nonsuch]

@@dosh2222 Indeed.

[@doro8665]

22:20 ; D

[@tseckwr3783]

@@dosh2222 too cool!! Great job helping Carlson out.

[@hugh007]

I was given that exact piece of gear by a friendly TV repairman when I was about 13 years old. Its a combination signal generator and scope to be used for sweep alignment of receivers. I got a hell of a burn from the CRT high volt transformer. I had forgotten about it. Thanks.

[@M10000]

It sounds like a lot of fun. Is it pre-war?

[@marlomontanaro3233]

HA! I knew it.

[@bandersentv]

@@M10000 Yes, 1938

[@MikinessAnalog]

@@bandersentv Taylor, Pearson and Carson the Alberta radio/electronics giant. Plus, fancy seeing you in the comments lol

[@boredfartless4221]

Are the dies supposed to be a hideous orange?

[@Johnboy-tq4nw]

1938 Supreme Instruments Corp. Catalog Supreme 555 Diagnomoscope (Oscilloscope and Signal Generator Combination)

[@ChipGuy]

Wow so the original crt on the top was indeed a lot smaller.

[@PhoenixRevealed]

@@ChipGuy ...and the partial text reads "DE LUXE SERIES" not "SOMETHING INDUSTRIES".

[@clutchnshift1]

Bingo! The RCA connection was a modification, as well as the upgraded CRT. It read: Supreme Cathode Ray Oscilloscope Model 555 Diagnomoscope De Luxe Series Only $147.95 back in 1938. In today’s dollar? 27OCT24 $3,308.42 ahhhh, inflation.

[@WA1LBK]

Almost the equivalent back then to a two-way radio service monitor (which usually has RF signal generator & oscilloscope, as well as other functions); it it's designed for doing sweep alignments, it would be almost equivalent to a spectrum analyzer that has a tracking generator. I have a couple of Motorola R2001D's, & just restored a Motorola R-2400, have an R2001A with a couple of fried resistors in the power supply on the eventual project list. Until I saw your posting, I was going to guess (with the RF frequency dial on it) that it was a very early spectrum ananlyzerI think those were more post_WWII; the earliest panaramic radio adapters were invented in 1937 if I remember correctly; Hallicrafters & I think at least 1 other company made some designed for military use. I actually owned one MANY years ago, had it wired to the IF of a Hallicrafters S-85. 😶 Tom WA1LBK

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Great find John!

[@rafalklepinski7372]

Looks like a perfect prop for the original movie "Metropolis."

[@Mindsi]

Forbidden planet🎉🎉🎉

[@danielescobar7618]

This comment rocks. Was just thinking "what was that movie"

[@Go4Corvette]

Mr. Carlson is the Einstein of electronics. If I was a young man getting into this line of work, Mr. Carlson would be the teacher I would pick.

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Thanks for your kind comment!

[@stephencopeland238]

Could not agree more - Mr Carlson is an absolute genius and is my go-to guru for a definitive learning experience

[@alasdair4161]

One of his best traits is his appreciation of vintage and antique equipment that many people (and tech's) today cannot fathom, let alone use. There's also a tonne of knowledge that is otherwise fading into history that he is doing an amazing job of rescuing, preserving and resurrecting for future generations.

[@Go4Corvette]

@@alasdair4161 👍

[@용일노-l2o]

제너 스코프 라듸오 조정할때 쓰는장비

[@mistahke]

Damn that Art Deco design screaming from every detail, every bezel decoration and knob... beautiful!

[@andymouse]

Yeah made me think of art deco posters of a train

[@mikebeacom4883]

Or a Buck Rodger’s prop

[@andymouse]

@@mikebeacom4883 Yep :)

[@bigfilsing]

Those selector knobs are pure art

[@ampwerx.canada]

@@bigfilsing They are just beautiful.

[@peterhaan9068]

Way way way back in the day Supreme offered on some of their test equipment a factory installed upgrade, for a fee, years after the initial sale. The upgrades were not always pretty but they were all functional. It's a Supreme 555 Diagnomoscope as identified by CyanTiger, further down in the comments. This larger scope mod could easily have been done by Supreme or a handy tech as an upgrade.

[@FrogandFlangeVideo]

Harold Carson (1895-1959) was a radio broadcast pioneer in Canada, developed radio and tv broadcast enterprises, was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and partnered with Hugh Pearson and James Taylor in such enterprises - hence the three names on the invoice tag.

[@Mindsi]

Original mr Carlson🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

He built an expensive, entirely underwhelming mid-century modern home in Calgary shortly before he died. It was destroyed in the 2013 floods.

[@FrogandFlangeVideo]

@@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co Too bad about the house even it was underwhelming.

[@fgaviator]

Photos of the original device show a much smaller CRT. Someone upgraded or repaired the device using a larger CRT - which is why some of the inscription now is under the rubber bezel. It originally read: MODEL 555 DIAGNOMOSCOPE DE LUXE SERIES (not "... industries" ;-) )

[@uploadJ]

Good find!

[@jazjobse946]

Check out if it's a CVR97

[@AirDave1]

Long format resto, please! Thought the mat with the stripes was part of it at first... super cool.

[@DavidGierke-nl1dl]

Getting this thing apart as well as fixing it will be a treat; then reassembling? This will require many digital photos and sketches. If there's anyone who can do this job, it's Mr. Carlson. I'll watch every second of this adventure!

[@cyberyogicowindler2448]

I can't imagine that they designed it such badly serviceable. Isn't there perhaps an unobvious hidden service position to flip up the entire top cover on a hinge at one chassis end? The routing of cable bundles can hint what it was supposed to be. (E.g. inside a music keyboard Vermona SK86 I discovered a bizarre service position where stacked PCBs could swing to the sides like the doors of an altar after loosening few screws. Also early TV sets often had tricky chassis flip mechanisms.)

[@skybot9998]

I was always very good at the taking apart phase,it was the go back together phase ,i suck at.

[@LawsonsStudio]

Even just the metal bezel on the megacycles dial is gorgeous. What a design icon.

[@chesthairascot3743]

Dang that thing's rad. I'd say you have a lot more content than just 30 minutes for restoring that guy. I wouldn't mind a 5-part video on it.

[@DVGSIBLNTHE]

What a wonderful way to end my day by watching this video and then sleeping.

[@battletoad6896]

Exactly! 😀

[@williamsteele]

I'd definitely keep the original colors... especially with such a unique piece of equipment.

[@dafoex]

I do like the orange, too

[@michaelwolak3098]

This is going to be a great restoration project Paul

[@owenaero]

the style of the case reminds me of old power plants that are abandoned and the control panels. a forgotten era of things built with class.

[@3DJapan]

Exactly what I was thinking of. There's one here in Philadelphia that has a lot of this stuff still in it.

[@GordonHudson]

There are old GEC TV transmitters from the 1940s that have this design vibe. I used to find them really spooky as they were always full of spiders webs and you could walk into them. I blame Flash Gordon.

[@Jet-Tim]

Please make it a few hour long videos, This is awesome. Thanks Tim

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Thanks! I'll consider it.

[@boydmcree9085]

​@@MrCarlsonsLab I was going to ask for several 30 or so minutes pieces to the restoration.

[@ericrawson2909]

I will second that. What an interesting device.

[@billlewey6573]

This looks like a “cosmic do over” machine. The little screen shows what happens at a certain date and time. Just gotta how kilo and mega cycles align with our calendars. Awesome!

[@CyanTiger]

The closest thing I have found is the 1938 Supreme 555 Diagnomoscope. Thanks for sharing this!

[@BretFrohwein]

🤔 maybe a previous owner later retrofitted it with a larger CRT.

[@KozmykJ]

I think you've nailed it. Barring the later modifications of course. 👍

[@DMSparky]

Just googled it! I think you’re right!

[@OsmosisHD]

Googled images of it and I think you are right! This one is modded with a larger CRT Everything seems to match otherwise

[@robnic52]

Diagnomoscope, so it's a gnome detector? I guessed as much but waited for someone braver than me to suggest it. 👍

[@jank330]

Thanks!

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Thank You!

[@MrCrystalcranium]

TV sweep generator and scope for IF alignments. Incredible piece. Please please please do a Paul Carson Restoration on it and use it to align a split sound TV from the late 1940s!!!!!!! Edit:Supreme 555 Diagnomoscope orig price $147.95!!!

[@bandersentv]

Nope, only goes up to 15MHz. Fine for radio, but not high enough for TV work. Typical split sound IF is 21.25MHz.

[@beyondmiddleagedman7240]

Good find! $147 in 1938! Pricey.

[@andymouse]

How wierd ! you spelled Pauls name without an 'L' just like on the invoice ! :)

[@foureyedchick]

​@@andymouseWatching Johnny's show...

[@JohnChrysostom101]

No it was 98$ and now we know why the writting is covered up the original tube was much much smaller and they cut a larger hole

[@lukasgayer5393]

That design is so beautiful that it just about beats the style of all modern devices. I absolutely love it.

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Absolutely!

[@paulgametech927]

Can't wait to see this restoration! Supreme 555 Diagnomoscope

[@621ELECTRONICS]

Definitely a cool old piece of gear. I’m not a fan of orange, but as unique as this is, the bright orange sides give it some flare and is fitting for it's creative cabinet design. It will look great whichever route you take with it.

[@johnbewick6357]

Funny, I was thinking to myself as you removed the back cover to start with, would there be a schematic inside, as the manufacturers often did in the early days, but no. Then you take off the second underside cover and ' hey ' a schematic, not the factory one but a later home made mod schematic. Made my day.

[@markpeterson5479]

I was thinking there might be a mouse skeleton or two inside.

[@Daniel-vh9lg]

So many smart and informative people here in comments. Thanks!

[@integerofdoom69]

Can't wait for the six hour restoration video!

[@jovetj]

Longer than that, I suspect!

[@stefanvanraemdonck9054]

Must be a thrill moment to get this wonderfull device working again. Like you said yesterday, on Jet-Tim's reaction, please consider to make a few videos of the restauration. This is way better than watching television. Stefan

[@robertheim352]

I appreciate your inclination to restore this instrument. The artistry of the container and mystery of its application are treasures. Thank you for sharing your passion and excitement of electronic archeology. I love how you translate the old label terms into modern practice, you're a master.

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@Ni5ei]

My Alienware Aurora R4 from 12 years ago has that same locomotive shape. Still one of the best looking PC designs I've seen.

[@ke4est]

Please, please, please do this restoration very soon. I miss the videos like the Vedolyzer. This will be an awesome, awesome restoration!!! Then seeing it in action working. Since it is has already be modified it would be neat to also see the Carlson mods on in to make it that much better!

[@gvii]

Really is a stark contrast when compared to the disposable junk made these days. That whole art deco design is really fantastic. Right down to the knobs and that absolutely fantastic bezel on that dial. And I'm guessing its probably put a few bucks in surgeon's pockets via hernia surgery, lol. But that's ok, because it's just darn cool. I do dig the offset dials with the little u-joints on the shaft running back to the switches or pots, whatever they are. Just neat seeing how they did things back then.

[@cyberyogicowindler2448]

May it be that the u-joints are there for a service position where when the machine lies on its side or upside-down, one of the chassis folds out on a hinge?

[@andrewsnow7386]

The orange side panels look great. I think silver would be boring in comparison.

[@TheMowgus]

Agreed! I hope he keeps the Orange.

[@bofor3948]

"This has been designed to maim" that had me chuckling. This does look to be a very involved and interesting restoration. Looking forward to this.

[@adrianruess1646]

Super awesome ! Definitely want to see this thing work again !

[@pd1jdw630]

This is gold! I’m gonna love to see this long form restoration. And after that a tv to see this thing working. 💪🏻

[@theelmonk]

Love the dial bezel. Kinda art deco. Also the safety switch .. with uninsulated contacts :)

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

They tried, LOL! :^)

[@tonyrmathis]

The knobs and bezel on the frequency dial looks art deco.

[@hobbiesrus]

That is wild looking. All on board for the restoration!

[@GeorgeWMays]

Okay, I'm hooked. We have to find out what the heck this thing does. I'll be watching for sure. Very cool. Much appreciated.

[@felixrodriguez6256]

to retore this very interesting gear, you can get away with a 4 part video, minimun 1 hours each, every one will watch and enjoy!!!

[@patrickcardon1643]

Straight out of a 40s scifi movie, it's a beauty

[@Rusty-METAL-J]

I've never seen a gadget like this. I am curious to see how it works. I enjoy seeing these tools and machines

[@CuriousMarc]

Obviously this is a time traveling machine. I hope you get yours going, mine is broken at the moment.

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

From what this has shown me, you will have your working in two weeks. Be careful with that device you are considering tomorrow afternoon as well.

[@cyberyogicowindler2448]

​@@MrCarlsonsLab ...or a gender-bender machine from another universe. At least the polychlorinated biphenyl oil leaking out of those capacitors and trafo may slowly transform your gender by their dread hormonal effects, until you wake up within the Rocky Horror Picture Show. 😉

[@rickoneill4343]

What a work of art this machine is.

[@MrCrystalcranium]

There’s a catalog page on the 555 online. Nice picture too. Had a 3” CRT

[@jonathanreedpike]

Looks like something the Krell left behind.

[@jeffminnick5209]

Wow Paul, i dont know where you find this cool stuff but i am definatley looking forward to seeing this restoration, especially with the bread oven/ paint booth.... 73 de WD8JM

[@chriskilby5300]

Yes a resurrection of this would be awesome. Cheers

[@thereare4lights137]

Nothing more satisfying than a smooth operating gear reduction dial!

[@RobertBelt-x6d]

Greetings from Germany..... I like the color silver idea for the side panels would look good. Looking forward for a possible restoration.

[@dffabryr]

What a challenge Paul !!! It will be a pleasure to see how you put that rig back in operation

[@JadeStrawberry]

Really cool piece of history, but what a runaway vintage Mack Truck of a deathtrap. I can't wait to see it play when you restore it.

[@Blitterbug]

Art deco electronics. I love it!

[@carolmartin7042]

Thank you, Mr. Carlson. You’ve got a beauty and a serious restoration. Godspeed. Glen

[@fb341]

Fascinating piece of equipment! Thanks for sharing it with us. I’d suggest making a multi-part restoration series vs compressing the restoration into a single video. Please take us along for more of the restoration process. Seeing you dig for tubes and select various parts would be interesting.

[@MrSCOTTtheBADGER]

It will be fun to watch you get it up and running, 87 years after being made. But I have zero doubts that you will do it!

[@shmehfleh3115]

That thing as an art deco masterpiece! It looks like a prop from a 30s Universal monster movie.

[@fevengr9245]

Back in the day, capacitors in the pF range were usually labeled mmF. Perhaps the pf label is referring to power factor?

[@Havlock]

The catalog photo I could find of the Supreme No. 555 Diagnomoscope, which this device probably is, show the labels on those two sockets as "High R.F. Output" and "Low R.F. Output," and the caption block pointing to them reads "Specially shielded output jacks for R.F. Signal Generator."

[@M10000]

The color is right as it is. It is the Union Pacific color, the same color as the M-10000. The streamlined train of the future!

[@paulsullivan6392]

Getting it apart to begin restoration is going to be a major job. Best of luck...I look forward to the project video.

[@johnfitzpatrick2469]

G,day Mr Carlson from Sydney Australia. Research and pre-course reading completed. In my mind you are restoring a frequency scope that was used to tune Radios and television. 📻📺

[@brucejenner5856]

It's not often that we see Mr Carlson scratching his head in bewilderment! For me, I look forward to watching the restoration of this equipment, and I will have my favourite beverage to hand, Navy rum.

[@projectartichoke]

Love the Deco design, it permeates that device. I'm sure it was meant to echo a locomotive's appearance in this case, no pun intended. :) While electronics of that era may have lacked our level of technology, they often made up for it with style.

[@Jack-sf5yp]

Gorgeous piece of engineering and design. Does look like a piece of SCI-FI rocket command center gear from a black & white film of days gone by; perhaps 1930s art deco as someone else suggested .... just beautiful. Looking forward to seeing the restoration and power-up. Hopefully this was the bench model, and not the portable version! 🙂 Thank you for sharing and your work to preserve history and the engineering and true artistry of these old rigs 42-Jack

[@hymermobiler]

This restoration will be fun! I dont care how long the video is I will watch it all in awe! What a lovely looking piece that is gonna be.

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Bradleyscience]

Paul, you come up with some great finds!! Always fun to watch along with you! Cheers and 73

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Thanks! Glad you enjoy it.

[@blugoose86]

You find the coolest stuff Mr. C. It's going to be an interesting restoration for sure.

[@cojones8518]

Taylor, Pearson & Carson was a radio and TV operator that became Selkirk Communications. Likely a test rig to test transmitter components.

[@RaggedyAtom]

As others have pointed out, it is a 555 series Diagnomoscope DeLuxe model, meaning it's a signal generator and an oscilloscope combined. The faded lettering you pointed out would've had the text "Model 555 Diagnomoscope DeLuxe Series". The CRT dial is not the original one as it was smaller and had a similar bezel to the signal dial, so someone's modified it in the past. There would've been white lettering around every switch and port to help the user identify what it does, and there would've also been a band of up-to-down letters just above the CRT dial. There's also two switches on top of the machine that have been changed out as well.

[@White_1470]

Its a supreme 555 but the ossiloscope tube has been upggraded to a bigger one

[@johnwest7993]

Exactly. That's what the front lettering was shouting out. Things like that are why I wish he had real-time comments. I wanted to post it, but there was nowhere he'd see it in real-time.

[@kevingalat4720]

I agree, the search I did shows that this device is a cathode ray tube analyzer number 555 by Supreme Instruments and was called a Diagnomoscope.

[@KallePihlajasaari]

Kind of neat that there is another spectacular device with 555 in the number.

[@PeopleAlreadyDidThis]

While picking up some other equipment from a man’s estate this summer, I saw a number of bare chassis with 3” CRTs and tuning capacitors. Couldn’t get close enough to see more, but they were wider and shallower than this, with fewer tubes. I figured them to be some sort of radio service equipment.

[@stephaniesinger1159]

What a beautiful work bench...!

[@funone8716]

Agree, noticed it at the beginning. Meticulous finish and gloss.

[@shubus]

Really looking forward to this restoration. The outward appearance is simply AMAZING. This project deserves to be milked for more than a 30 min video!

[@derstrom8]

"PF" wouldn't stand for "picofarad" on equipment of this vintage. "Picofarad" was still called "micro micro farad" or "mmfd" at that time.

[@TheAlchaemist]

Low Pass Filter and High Pass Filter. But he surely knew that so I don't really know why he said picofarad.

[@mamoynas]

probably those should read High Rf and Low Rf and the "R" lost a leg in some battle with the owls and then became a "P"

[@derstrom8]

@@TheAlchaemist I was thinking the same thing

[@jojakim414]

Stunning piece of gear. As are your knowledge, drive and entusiasm. Looking forward to see the resturationvideo. Many thanks for what you are showing us.

[@timgregerson612]

Looking forward to another grand restoration of a historic piece of Americana. Thanks, Paul!

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

Thanks! Glad you enjoy these!

[@robertbrooks5176]

You can call it the “Daylight” after the Southern Pacific locomotive 4449. Can’t wait to see you tackle this one!

[@RBMD2A]

Seriously cool. I can’t wait for the resto video.

[@zodeneo5546]

would love to see it fire up again would be quite the challenge. fun watch and more learning!

[@jaroslawgrajdek3572]

Fascinating modern archaeology.....

[@mUbase]

Goodlord this thing is a Beast ! I'm looking forward to the series of videos watching you (Mr C) use your consumate knowledge, professionalism and care to restore it to its original working glory.. Quality ;)

[@danieldyer1]

Devices of that era remind me of the box containing the alien in the Outer Limits episode “Don't Open Till Doomsday”

[@WitchidWitchid]

If that were the case then I must have a lot of those aliens around here. I have lots of old gear fro. The 40s, 50s, 60's 😊

[@sathiyanarayanan9596]

I am very much eager to see your restoration video. Each and every video is very much informative and interesting.

[@videolabguy]

This is somebody's idea of an all-in-one bench instrument. Maybe. Signal generator and o'scope. Or sweep generator with a demodulated RF display on the screen for tuning RF and IF stages?

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

That is peak Streamline Moderne. Gorgeous styling!

[@resipsaloquitur13]

Its late here in TN. Dont care. Ima working man. Monday moning comes early. But Ima grab some coffee. See where this takes me. Thanks Mr. Carlson. Made my night bud.

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

You are very welcome!

[@justinrayguitars6024]

Amazing what it took back then to do what we do with a tiny little plastic box now. The styling is out of this world.

[@PlanetaryThoughts9861]

It's Dr. Emilio Lizardo's prototype oscillation over-thruster!

[@ulrichfrank4270]

Rather think it is early Scientology brain transfuser... Just saying.... :-)

[@chaytanehead]

Wonderful device!!!! Wonderful piece of art!!!

[@Blazer02LS]

Maybe some form of vintage radio direction finder with the scope giving strength or direction? CRT replaced with larger one than a tiny original?

[@mkepler5861]

looks like an incredible restoration is in store, cool I look forward to it! mike

[@Stoney3K]

I still like the story about the slanted "on the move" look being accidental. It originated from the curtain shutters of the Graflex Speed Graphic cameras which were used to photograph motor races in the 1920s. Because it had a rolling shutter, the top of the car would be exposed before the bottom, so the bottom would be more ahead, slanting the car while it moved, giving the illusion that the air was trying to skew the entire car over. After that it was popularized in comics, and people interpreted that as "going fast" because all racing photos looked like that.

[@MrCarlsonsLab]

You may find your answers by searching: "Raymond Loewy"

[@j.p.hendrix4389]

Reminds me of a "Polyskop SWOB" from Rhode & Schwarz I used when I was a young technician, although if your device is indeed a similar thing than yours is way older than the example I gave. It was used to visualize the transer curve of a electronic network, either active or passive.

[@steveseattle6791]

Can't wait to see the restoration!

[@sesa2984]

Def the orange! I love the orange. I thought it was wood paneling at first. Which could look good too.

[@sesa2984]

AT LEAST for Halloween!

[@cyberyogicowindler2448]

@@sesa2984 ...and after some lightning bolts, Victor is shouting "He's alive! He's alive!". 🎃😀

[@JCWise-sf9ww]

You can find 555 Diagnomscope information on Steven Johnson's website. Looks like who ever had it before put in a larger Diameter CRT. Paul it would be very neat to see this Supreme 555 Diagnomoscope restored to working order.

[@yourneighborhood]

Nice find!!!

[@shinseusagi224]

Buzzing to see the reso. Awsome piece of the bat cave u got ur hands on. 💫

[@Kc12v140]

Do yourself a favor and make a silicone mold of one of those art deco pointer knobs. They’re in fantastic condition and a style that’s getting harder to find with time. That way on future restorations all you have to do is cast some black resin in the mold and you got a beautiful replacement knob 👍🏻

[@cyberyogicowindler2448]

Scan them for a 3D printing website.