I really NEED an EPROM Burner (& Help)

[glurk]

So, I used to own one, don't remember the brand, but it hooked up to the Atari 800 via all 4 joystick ports, as best I can remember.  It's long gone.

 

And I really want to get a USB-Based new one that can burn old-style chips, like 2764, 2732, 2716 and etc.  For example, I have these old SEEQ 2764 chips, and a cartridge from Deico Electronics that accepts them (to make a 16K cart).  Sorry, photo is blurry:

 

 

I also want to be able to read and burn ROMs for my Percom(s) [bought another one] and they take 2716's.  And I'd like at least the possibility of putting new ROMS in my OS board, and I don't know what would work there...

 

Honestly, I don't even CARE about ability to do newer EPROMS, just the old ones with the weird voltages, 21V or whatever.

 

I've tried to look around for one, and it's so damned confusing, as to whether they support the voltages, etc.  And I don't exactly have money to burn, I'd like it to be a one-time purchase.  What should I get?  I "think" the GQ-4x4 supports these?  Not sure.  I'm not sure about any of it.  I think everything I want to do is 28-pin or less, and I think all 27xx series.

 

Any help on recommendations would be incredibly helpful to me, and probably to others.  I'm hoping to spend $200 or less, but I want good quality and reliable.  Thanks in advance to anyone for their advice.

 

Edited September 11, 2021 by glurk

[archeocomp]

Tl866 first version could handle those Eproms. Unfortunately version II only supports Eproms with lowers voltages. And they are cheap and very good.

[Shawn]

GQ-4X will handle those older small chips with high voltages. It's USB and has the option to add a power supply as well to make sure you get full power to those older chips. The GUI will even tell you when you will need the extra power outside of what the USB line provides. I've got one and also have the 16bit eprom adapter to go with it I would be willing to part with. If you are interested let me know. I've used one of these for years. Only reason I got a different burner is cause I needed to program some PLD chips that this one doesn't do.

[Cheshire Noir]

Have a look at the XGecu T56 plus.

It's the latest model from the people who did the TL866 and derivatives. It supports programming voltages up to 25v so is compatible with a lot of the older chips.

The truly monstrous list of compatible chips can be found here: http://www.xgecu.com/MiniPro/T56_List.txt

(Hint - it's a 1MB text file. That's a LOT of chips!)

 

It's what I would have bought if I'd known it was coming. I got a TL866II+ about a week before it got released. I can still programme the more exotic chips, I just need to make a charging rig.

 

Chesh

 

[Ben_Larson]

You don't actually have to use 27-series eproms if you don't want to.  The corresponding 28C-series ones (i.e. 28C16, 28C32, 28C64) are pin-compatible and also have the advantage of being electrically erasable as opposed to UV-light erasable.

 

I've used them in an arcade board that needed 2764s and 2716s and they work fine.

 

Also: FWIW, I was never able to successfully burn a 2732 with a TL866II Plus, and I was trying the ones that require the lower 12V programming voltage because I already knew it didn't support the higher programming voltages.

[TGB1718]

I was in the same boat, but couldn't really justify a purchase, so I made a programmer, I already had a

Raspberry Pi 3 so built a programmer board and wrote some 'C' code, I use it for 2732,2764,27128 & 27256

I built adaptor boards where required and used dc buck regulators so I can adjust programming voltage as needed. 

 

As a bonus, I have also used it to test 6810 RAM chips for 1050 drives and other SRAM chips.

 

If I need to program something new I can just make another interface board and write some code, anything up to 40 pins.

[_The Doctor__]

3 hours ago, TGB1718 said:

I was in the same boat, but couldn't really justify a purchase, so I made a programmer, I already had a

Raspberry Pi 3 so built a programmer board and wrote some 'C' code, I use it for 2732,2764,27128 & 27256

I built adaptor boards where required and used dc buck regulators so I can adjust programming voltage as needed. 

 

As a bonus, I have also used it to test 6810 RAM chips for 1050 drives and other SRAM chips.

 

If I need to program something new I can just make another interface board and write some code, anything up to 40 pins.

unless you show us the build up, provide instructions to do it ourselves and toss the firmware/software our way, It won't do the OP or anyone else any good. I you could point us to your project page or posts that would be cool... if not making such pages and posts would be even more cool!

[glurk]

So, I think I'll be buying the GQ-4X unit from Shawn, who posted in this thread.  I specifically DO NOT want to have to build anything, LOL.  My vision is terrible due to cataracts and diabetes crap,  I can't even think about doing SMD soldering or such.  These days, I just want easy!! 

 

[TGB1718]

19 hours ago, _The Doctor__ said:

I you could point us to your project page or posts that would be cool... if not making such pages and posts would be even more cool!

I don't have a project page, but don't mind sharing, bear in mind this was just for me, so apologise for the untidy circuit diagram, will

post the C code next time I boot the Pi.

 

The circuit is fairly straightforward, 40 pin GPIO interface cable (used an old IDE hard drive cable.)

There's not enough GPIO pins on the Pi to drive all the address/data/control lines, so addressing is taken care of

using a set of Binary Up/Down Counters (MC14516B) in count up mode, currently only using 4 chips, but intend to add another

if I want to program anything bigger than a 27256.

 

I put the Data through level shifters just in case the older EPROMS were not happy with 3.3V.

I used a 7404 (which is happy with 3.3V signals) to buffer control lines.

 

The 74245 is used to provide 2 way data to be able to read and write to the EPROM.

 

The programming voltage is provided by a buck dc-dc convertor, there is a potentiometer on the board and

can be adjusted to 12V/21V as required.

 

The switch on A9 is to allow reading of the manufacturers code on the EPROM, I found that lots of EPROMS

don't have any code so actually removed the switch so A9 is now just hard wired.

 

To program a 2732, I needed an adaptor board, also need one to test RAM chips, I bought a batch of 6810 chips

off ebay to install a US doubler one of my 1050's and didn't want to solder it in only to find the chips were duff,

seller said they came out of an old arcade machine. Glad to say they all tested OK.

EPROM Programmer.pdf