Bi-Polar Proms

[FirebirdTPG]

Anyone have experience with programming Bi-Polar Roms? Even better have experience doing it with an Andromeda Programmer?

Thanks!!


FB

 

[rod90]

Do you have this adapter?

BIPOLAR PROM ADAPTER
Part #ABIP - $189.00
This adapter supports all 82SXXX and 74SXXX bipolar proms (16 through 24 pin). Bipolar proms are special high speed memory devices which program by blowing internal microscopic fuses. The circuitry on the adapter generates the high power signals necessary to sucessfully blow the desired fuses in the device's memory array.

 

[FirebirdTPG]

Do you have this adapter?

BIPOLAR PROM ADAPTER
Part #ABIP - $189.00
This adapter supports all 82SXXX and 74SXXX bipolar proms (16 through 24 pin). Bipolar proms are special high speed memory devices which program by blowing internal microscopic fuses. The circuitry on the adapter generates the high power signals necessary to sucessfully blow the desired fuses in the device's memory array.

I do have the adapter =) I'm trying program some 82S126 chips from ROM files. Its been quite the venture....I got to the point where it says success but if I then take that chip and try to read it to identify it...Says NOPE. Cant seem to figure out what I am doing wrong. I'm trying to program a few chips for a Hunchback Conversion kit I have.

 

[rod90]

I do not have that system.

I do have Hunchback. Good luck in getting that working. It is a quirky Pitfall like adventure.

 

[parism]

Are you certain your 82s126 are good and blank? Can you successfully read a pre-programmed 82s126?

An alternative is to use a 82s126 to 27512 adapter and a fast 27512 EEPROM like the Winbond 27c512. Take a look at my Choplifter to Wonderboy conversion

Choplifter to Wonderboy Monsterland conversion

For a long time, I had a desire to play the properly translated Wonderboy in Monsterland (Wii virtual console), as I remember playing it BITD. I have an English bootleg but it is so poorly translated it is not fun to play. The ROMs for the Wii virtual console version exist so I wanted to try...

forums.arcade-museum.com

p

 

[FirebirdTPG]

Are you certain your 82s126 are good and blank? Can you successfully read a pre-programmed 82s126?

An alternative is to use a 82s126 to 27512 adapter and a fast 27512 EEPROM like the Winbond 27c512. Take a look at my Choplifter to Wonderboy conversion

Choplifter to Wonderboy Monsterland conversion

For a long time, I had a desire to play the properly translated Wonderboy in Monsterland (Wii virtual console), as I remember playing it BITD. I have an English bootleg but it is so poorly translated it is not fun to play. The ROMs for the Wii virtual console version exist so I wanted to try...

forums.arcade-museum.com

p

I am certain they are blank. I am able to verify that with the programmer.
Yup I can read a pre programmed one as well.
That is where it goes bad for me LOL When I do program one and then read it....Its not right.

But if I read one that I didn't program that I know is good...I can read it fine and verify the file.

So I am definitely doing something wrong during my programming.

Thanks for the reply!!

 

[steph]

What brand of proms do you have ?

There are "first generation" proms which are harder to program.

NEW - eprom programmer that will program proms / gal's

I used a Superpro back in undergrad -- I wouldn't exactly call that modern :) For once I agree with mark! I do not enjoy the Superpro we have at work, and that's something we only bought 3 years ago.

forums.arcade-museum.com

You could also have a batch of bad proms.
These chips are over 40 years old, and some do go bad.

--

Other than that, some things you can look for

1- Have you selected the "exact" prom type on your programmer ?

2- Do you know that your programmer is actually "programming"
Does is show the programming progress until 100% completion ?
(ie. the chips are no longer blank after you program them )

3- If the chips are incorrectly programmed, do they always contain the same "bad" data ?
(ie. every bad chip has the same checksum value or are they different ?)

4- Have you tried programming completely different proms to see if those work ?

Try that, and report back.

Thanks,
Steph

 

[FirebirdTPG]

What brand of proms do you have ?

There are "first generation" proms which are harder to program.

NEW - eprom programmer that will program proms / gal's

I used a Superpro back in undergrad -- I wouldn't exactly call that modern :) For once I agree with mark! I do not enjoy the Superpro we have at work, and that's something we only bought 3 years ago.

forums.arcade-museum.com

You could also have a batch of bad proms.
These chips are over 40 years old, and some do go bad.

--

Other than that, some things you can look for

1- Have you selected the "exact" prom type on your programmer ?

2- Do you know that your programmer is actually "programming"
Does is show the programming progress until 100% completion ?
(ie. the chips are no longer blank after you program them )

3- If the chips are incorrectly programmed, do they always contain the same "bad" data ?
(ie. every bad chip has the same checksum value or are they different ?)

4- Have you tried programming completely different proms to see if those work ?

Try that, and report back.

Thanks,
Steph

1- I am selecting the exact type on the programmer.
2- It is programming....Lights go on...it goes through the % on the software and says complete.
3- Not sure on this one. I would have to try and see if I can see this.
4- I have programed other types...Non Bipolar and they did just fine Like 2532 and 2716 chips.

I will work on 3- and see what I come up with =)

Thanks so much for the reply.

 

[steph]

For #3.
Just read and re-read the same prom a few times.
You "should" always get the same checksum value.
If get changing or random values for consecutive reads on the same prom, it's obviously bad.

If you get the same checksum on several reads of the same prom,
then you know it "holding" the data permanently.

Then compare with other proms which were programmed with the same data.
If you get the same data on every prom, but it's not the data that you had chosen to program,
then there is a problem with your programmer.

Let me know.

Cheers,
Steph

 

[ercan1441]

Does anyone have experience with the following diy bipolar prom programmer on github:

GitHub - Lazarus-L-o-n-g/PromProg

Contribute to Lazarus-L-o-n-g/PromProg development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

I know that there are prom to eeprom adapters out there. But this seems to be an affordable prom programmer for those who wants to keep using proms.

 

[steph]

It only has 16 pin sockets, so that limits you to only programming 82s123, 82s129 or 82s131 compatible proms.

.... but that likely accounts for 90% of the proms you will need for arcades , so you will probably be OK.

But I suspect it will only work with "newer" proms (Signetics, NS, AMD, TI , Harris, etc),
and not "older" proms ( MMI, Intersil, Fairchild, etc )

But hey, if you can build this cheaply, it could be a great tool.

Cheers,
Steph

 

[joemagiera]

If needed, I believe I can program them on my Data I/O 29B. I'll do it for free if you pay postage both ways. Email direct if interested,
[email protected]