Eprom burning need help.

[youki]

Hello,

 

I have ordered few PKK homebrew 's kit with SST PLC 27SF512 70-SC-NHE chip.

 

I'm doing some test to burn Knight'n more roms on that chip.

 

I'm using a BATRONIX BX32 chip programmer.

 

It is the first time i doing this kind of thing. So i'm doing surely something wrong. The rom seems always empty. (full of FF ).

 

Do i have to specify some buffer or memory offset, when i burn for colecovision? For now, i let zero. But i was wondering if i should put 0x8000 for instance.

 

If somebody have experience with that, it would be very helpfull.

 

Thanks

 

Youki

 

[omf]

you need to specify the chip first, then load the rom into your programmer software, otherwise you are replacing the rom you have loaded with a blank buffer for the chip you have selected

 

your programmer should do this by itself so when you load the rom the buffer gets filled, it is then this buffer that gets written to the chip

 

eproms are empty when they are at on ( FF ) you program them by writing 0's a bit odd but that's how it is. so if your buffer is all FF's and you write that to the chip your not actually doing anything to the chip

 

 

i can look up that chip and see what my programmer make of it but seeing as this is in the coleco thread you must be attempting to write a coleco rom, i must admit that i have done a boulder dash for myself but i didn't use that chip

i can check this later

[youki]

Thanks for your answer.

 

I think all what i did is correct from what you are saying.

 

That is strange is that the chip auto-identify feature of the tool i use (batronix Prog-Express V3.6.2) does not recognize the chip automatically, i have to select the type by hand.

 

And then in the process, the chip signature verification Fails , i ignore the check and then i got the programming error

[omf]

i have just checked and the chip i used for boulder dash was a 27c256
which is a UV erasable chip, the chip your attempting to use looks to be an EEPROM so it can be erased electrically by the programmer.

 

if your programmer has the same facilities as mine i would set up the job as follows:

 

27SF512

erase

program

verify

verify

 

if your using a UV erasable eprom, change this to

blank check

program

verify

verify

 

i have to specify the chip manually too. there is a possibility that the chip your using is dead, it does happen (especially on UV EPROMS if you get them second hand)

without testing getting and testing one i cant really help much more other than to say if does the chip have the correct pinout for the board your using it on? even then that does not help the programming.

 

try getting a different chip maybe a 27c256 and seeing if that will program

 

 

my programmer software says that this chip can hold 64k of data (when i save the buffer to a file)

 

 

dou you have a link where you got your homebrew kits from so i can check it out?

[omf]

of yes, you need a buffer of 0x10000 for that chip

 

[youki]

thanks a lot for your investigation. At first view i do all what is necessary. (i'm not sure if the chip is erasable or not , i have a doubt on that).

 

I have only 4 chips for now. I did test on 2 , until now. I have opened a support ticket at Baltronix to see if they can help. Unfortunaly as it is christmas , i guess i won't have quick answer.

 

 

dou you have a link where you got your homebrew kits from so i can check it out?

 

http://www.colecovision.eu/ColecoVision/development/Homebrew%20kit%20CVs.shtml

 

the sofware i use to program can be found here

 

http://www.batronix.com/shop/software/prog-express/

[omf]

thanks a lot for your investigation. At first view i do all what is necessary. (i'm not sure if the chip is erasable or not , i have a doubt on that).

 

I have only 4 chips for now. I did test on 2 , until now. I have opened a support ticket at Baltronix to see if they can help. Unfortunaly as it is christmas , i guess i won't have quick answer.

 

 

 

http://www.colecovision.eu/ColecoVision/development/Homebrew%20kit%20CVs.shtml

 

the sofware i use to program can be found here

 

http://www.batronix.com/shop/software/prog-express/

the part number you specified earlier is an erasable version as the erase option is not availablein my programmer software if it cannot be used so if those chips are the ones you have try to do an erase first then see what happens

 

thats the website i got my kits from, i'm not particularly very happy with the game boards as i usually need to push the board to one side, it's almost like the cartridge connector touches the board either side of the board contact strip so there is no contact

 

they supplied me with boards and 27c256 chips along with the support chip nd capacitor

 

not very impressed with the flexible cartridge case either

[PkK]

The homebrew kits come with either 27C256 or 27C512 EPROMs. These are common EPROM types that should be supported by virtually any EPROM burner and software these days. I'm using a BATRONIX myself.

 

When using 27C256 the whole 32K of the EPROM are visible to the ColecoVision.

When using 27C512, the upper half of the 64K EPROM is visible to the ColecoVision.

 

Philipp

[PkK]

thats the website i got my kits from, i'm not particularly very happy with the game boards as i usually need to push the board to one side, it's almost like the cartridge connector touches the board either side of the board contact strip so there is no contact

 

Did you put the small woodpüieces into their place above the PCB?

 

Philipp

[youki]

The homebrew kits come with either 27C256 or 27C512 EPROMs. These are common EPROM types that should be supported by virtually any EPROM burner and software these days. I'm using a BATRONIX myself.

 

When using 27C256 the whole 32K of the EPROM are visible to the ColecoVision.

When using 27C512, the upper half of the 64K EPROM is visible to the ColecoVision.

 

Philipp

 

Hi Philipp,

 

Would you have an idea why i got a Programming Error using the BATRONIX and the batronix prog-express software?

 

Thanks

 

Youki

[PkK]

 

Hi Philipp,

 

Would you have an idea why i got a Programming Error using the BATRONIX and the batronix prog-express software?

 

Thanks

 

Youki

 

I'll look into the issue in the next few days, and report back here.

 

Philipp

[PkK]

 

I'll look into the issue in the next few days, and report back here.

 

Philipp

 

I was able to reproduce the issue using my BATRONIX BX32P Barlino II with the latest firmware and prog-express on my Debian GNU/Linux system.

These PLCC 27SF512 chips came from Farnell earlier this year when I ordered 27C512, as I had run out of PLCC 27C512. At most two people received them in homebrew kits CVs.

I do not know yet if there is a problem with the chips or on the BATRONIX side. Since finding out might take time, for now I can offer to replace the PLCC 27SF512 by PLCC 27C256. But with the holidays it might take a bit of time (I just ordered a small number of 27C256 from a supplier other than Farnell).

 

Philipp

[youki]

 

I was able to reproduce the issue using my BATRONIX BX32P Barlino II with the latest firmware and prog-express on my Debian GNU/Linux system.

These PLCC 27SF512 chips came from Farnell earlier this year when I ordered 27C512, as I had run out of PLCC 27C512. At most two people received them in homebrew kits CVs.

I do not know yet if there is a problem with the chips or on the BATRONIX side. Since finding out might take time, for now I can offer to replace the PLCC 27SF512 by PLCC 27C256. But with the holidays it might take a bit of time (I just ordered a small number of 27C256 from a supplier other than Farnell).

 

Philipp

 

thanks a lot for your investigation.

I had opened a support ticket to Batronix , but i did not get answer yet.

I'lll keep you inform if i got an answer from Batronix.

Let me know when you will receive the other chip , if i did not solve the issue since , i will take the PLC 27c256.

[omf]

 

Did you put the small woodpüieces into their place above the PCB?

 

Philipp

yes, i was still not happy and took it out of the rather flexible case and just use the circuit board pushed to the left I think it is, its either pushed to the left or right

[PkK]

 

thanks a lot for your investigation.

I had opened a support ticket to Batronix , but i did not get answer yet.

I'lll keep you inform if i got an answer from Batronix.

 

I opened a ticket with them last night, too since we are using slightly different EPROM burners (BX32 vs. BX32P), software versions (3.6.2 vs. 3.7.3) and possibly operating systems.

 

Philipp

[PkK]

I was able to contact the otehr person who received Homebrew kits with SST27SF512 70-3C-NHE. They encountered no problems so far, and use a variant of the Willem EPROM burner. Looks like the problem is on the Batronix side. You can still have the 27C256, which should arrive at my place within a few days, maybe already tomorrow.

 

Philipp

 

P.S.: I had a Willem 3.1 before, but replaced it with the Batronix, since the Batronix had better Linux support.

[youki]

Thanks.

 

I hope blatronix will provide a solution quickly. On my side i use Windows XP.

 

Waiting a solution i can use the 27c256 if you send few chip to me. (contact me by mail , i will pay you the chip of course)

[PkK]

I made a mistake when testing a few days ago. I accidentially had a PLCC32 to DIP32 adapter in my Batronix instead of the PLCC32 to DIP28.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

Actually my setup (Batronix BX32P Barlino II with firmware 2.34 and prog-express 3.7.3 on Debian GNU/Linux) works with the SST27SF512 70-3C-NHE.

I noticed this today, when I put a 27C256 in the bruner and it didn't work. Then I noticed that I had the wrong adapter installed. When I put in the correct one, both the SST27SF512 and the AT27C256 worked fine.

 

Again, sorry for the confusion.

 

Philipp

 

P.S.: youki, the 27C256 are here now. If you want, I can send them by tomorrow.

[youki]

I made a mistake when testing a few days ago. I accidentially had a PLCC32 to DIP32 adapter in my Batronix instead of the PLCC32 to DIP28.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

Actually my setup (Batronix BX32P Barlino II with firmware 2.34 and prog-express 3.7.3 on Debian GNU/Linux) works with the SST27SF512 70-3C-NHE.

I noticed this today, when I put a 27C256 in the bruner and it didn't work. Then I noticed that I had the wrong adapter installed. When I put in the correct one, both the SST27SF512 and the AT27C256 worked fine.

 

Again, sorry for the confusion.

 

Philipp

 

P.S.: youki, the 27C256 are here now. If you want, I can send them by tomorrow.

 

I updated my sofware to versio n 3.7.7.2 , my firmware is still 2.33 (i did not find where i could download firmware update) . But i have still the programing error

 

Yes, please , it would be nice if you can send me few chips. At least to test if it works with these ones.

[PkK]

 

I updated my sofware to versio n 3.7.7.2 , my firmware is still 2.33 (i did not find where i could download firmware update) .

 

Yellow lightning symbol in the upper right.

 

Philipp

[PkK]

Yes, please , it would be nice if you can send me few chips. At least to test if it works with these ones.

 

OK.

 

Philipp

[youki]

 

Yellow lightning symbol in the upper right.

 

Philipp

 

Thanks, i found it. I have now firmware 2.35 , but still the same problem.

[youki]

Problem Solved.

 

Baltronix had send me the wrong PLCC adapter... they send me back the correct one and now it works like a charm.

 

A great thanks to Pkk for his help and great support.