Data I/O 60A programmer?

hatrick

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Does anyone use one of these? I picked one up at the local electronics recycle place. I can't seem to find much information on it, but it looks like a decent programmer with built in eraser.

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Well, it's not a very good boat anchor - you'd need a pretty small boat. And then you'd need small cats.

I've never used a 60A, but I have a 22. Hopefully you have, or have found online, the manual - it'll tell you the codes to input to switch device modes.

It's a bit different to use than newer programmers. First you convert your binary file to Intel Hex format, and upload it to the programmer via RS232, into the programmer's internal memory. You can't send raw binary data over RS232 for the obvious reasons. Then you can use the programmer to burn the data in RAM to the device. Similarly, for reading data, you read the device into the programmer's memory, then transfer it back to the computer in Intel Hex format, which you can then convert back to binary.

I have a little C program that will convert to/from the Intel Hex.

It won't be able to do any of the larger chips, but it will do the old ones.

-Ian
 
Well, it's not a very good boat anchor - you'd need a pretty small boat. And then you'd need small cats.

I've never used a 60A, but I have a 22. Hopefully you have, or have found online, the manual - it'll tell you the codes to input to switch device modes.

It's a bit different to use than newer programmers. First you convert your binary file to Intel Hex format, and upload it to the programmer via RS232, into the programmer's internal memory. You can't send raw binary data over RS232 for the obvious reasons. Then you can use the programmer to burn the data in RAM to the device. Similarly, for reading data, you read the device into the programmer's memory, then transfer it back to the computer in Intel Hex format, which you can then convert back to binary.

I have a little C program that will convert to/from the Intel Hex.

It won't be able to do any of the larger chips, but it will do the old ones.

-Ian

Good info, thanks. I mostly work on old stuff (late 70's - mid 80's) so I'm thinking this should be good for most of what I want to do. I can always get a more modern burner if the need arises in the future.
I guess I've got some reading to do, then I have to figure out how to get this to talk to my PC. Should be fun!
 
Link for manual:

http://www.pestingers.net/PDFs/Prom_Programmers/60/Model60_operators_man.pdf

suggest operating it in remote terminal mode (use null modem serial rs232 cable) - same cable as for Model 29A and there is plenty of info on that including the remote terminal program called promlink

The 60A is like a mini-me of the model 29A.

also use absolute binary for the file format.


Have fun...

Bill
 
It's easier to get data over to the programmer if you use a 2816 or other similar era EEPROM. I do that when I need to program or get data off of some 2708 or TMS2716 EPROMs with my Series 22.

Just read the chip, program the data into the EEPROM and then put the EEPROM in a newer programmer to get the data off. Reverse to put data onto an ancient chip with the old programmer.

Sure beats data conversion software and screwing around with RS232 cables.

RJ
 
Finally had some time to mess around with this today. Still haven't built a cable and tried hooking it up to my PC.
I took an NEC 2732 from one of my dead Omega Race boards, read it into the programmer, then erased it in the built in UV eraser, then reprogrammed the chip. Seemed to work great, checksum matched, etc. I then grabbed another 2732 from another OR board with the same ROM image, and tested that one and verified the checksum matched.
It wasn't much, but I learned some stuff and confirmed that everything seems to work on the programmer.
Next step, build a cable to connect to my PC. Fun stuff.
 
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