Eprom/prgrammer question

endrien

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I'd like to be able to program my own eproms for game boards etc but I need to know a bit before I even attempt it.
Would either of these work for programming game board eproms?
http://cgi.ebay.ca/TOP853-USB-Unive...in_0?hash=item3ef70ee7f3&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
http://cgi.ebay.ca/USB-Universal-EP...in_0?hash=item2ea7e49af8&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Will they burn/read eproms with less then 40 pins?

Some noob questions:
How do you exactly burn an eprom? I know you need to usually look through a mame rom and burn the corresponding eprom for it. But how? Also how would you check for a problem in it?

Finally how can you tell what eprom you need to use?
and where can you buy blank eproms?

I know this all sounds pretty noobish but you have to start somewhere right?



Sorry if this is in the wrong section, didn't really know where to put it.
 
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Any EPROM programmer should work fine, although I personally hate the Willem programmers :) I use an ancient Needham's PB-10.

Almost all programmers have a 40 pin socket, "shorter" EPROMs are just indexed down at the bottom of the socket. The software usually tells you how to insert it.

EPROM stands for Eraseable Programmable Read Only Memory. You can erase an EPROM by exposing it to high intensity UV light. As such, you can scavenge EPROM chips off junk boards, erase and re-use them. Similarly, most surplus EPROMs you buy will need to be erased. epromman.com has great prices on bulk EPROMs.

The chip you need depends on the application - the machine you're putting it in. In many cases, corrupt EPROMs can be erased and reprogrammed. Or, you can replace it with the same type of chip. You can tell what chip you need based on the size of the image file - EPROM part numbers are their size in kilobits - for example, a 27512 is 512 kilobits, or 64kilobytes.

An EPROM programmer can read, as well as write EPROMs. To verify the ROMs, you can read them into the computer and compare the checksum with the same ROM from a good MAME set. If you unzip a MAME ROM set, you'll get a bunch of seperate ROM files, usually named after the position on the original game board.

When you burn an EPROM, the programmer automatically verifies it to ensure that it was burned correctly. (at least, most programmers do...).

An EPROM programmer is a very useful tool, I use mine for all sorts of things - from fixing arcade machine boards to making my own Nintendo/Atari cartridges :D

-Ian
 
One thing I forgot to mention, try to find a programmer that will handle older 2732 and 2716 EPROMs. These are very commonly used in old arcade machines, but require a higher programming voltage - many cheap new programmers omit support for these.

-Ian
 
One thing I forgot to mention, try to find a programmer that will handle older 2732 and 2716 EPROMs. These are very commonly used in old arcade machines, but require a higher programming voltage - many cheap new programmers omit support for these.

-Ian

Do you know if the two I posted will support this?
 
I'd get a willem for the newer eproms (anything the Data I/O can't handle) and the old reliable Data I/O 29B with Unipak 2 for the older stuff (you can find great deals on these - post a wtb). It will handle all older eproms including 2716, 2732, and 2532 and all the bipolar proms as well. Between those two you would be set and come out cheaper than any other solution.

Bill
 
I'd get a willem for the newer eproms (anything the Data I/O can't handle) and the old reliable Data I/O 29B with Unipak 2 for the older stuff (you can find great deals on these - post a wtb). It will handle all older eproms including 2716, 2732, and 2532 and all the bipolar proms as well. Between those two you would be set and come out cheaper than any other solution.

Bill

I'd rather spend as little as possible, theres no cheap option that will do old and new eproms?
 
I have a Willem PCB3B that I don't use anymore. Want to trade that plus $10 (on my part) for your Tekken 3 PCB? It has its own power supply so you don't have to worry about USB for power but you will have to provide your own parallel cable.

- Mike
 
I have a Willem PCB3B that I don't use anymore. Want to trade that plus $10 (on my part) for your Tekken 3 PCB? It has its own power supply so you don't have to worry about USB for power but you will have to provide your own parallel cable.

- Mike

Pm'd but I don't have a parallel port....:(
 
That one doesnt appear to support 2532. Also it doesnt use any external power so you may have problems with some of the non-cmos parts.
 
That one doesnt appear to support 2532. Also it doesnt use any external power so you may have problems with some of the non-cmos parts.

I think this one might support 2532, can you double check that?
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ADVANCED-EPROM-F...in_0?hash=item2c510d26eb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

If it doesn't can someone find me a cheap, usb, ebay.ca eprom programmer that does support old and new eproms?

It looks like this one SHOULD support old and new, can anyone confirm?
http://cgi.ebay.ca/EasyPro-90B-Univ...in_0?hash=item19b686130b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
 
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I did a lot of research, skipped the willem, tried a TOP, and finally went with a Pocket Programmer and am very happy with it.


Don't buy the Willems. Only 1 model can be 'modified' to work with 21 and 25 volt chips (e.g. 2764 and earlier). I think it was a 4.x version like 4.0 or 4.5 in a special build. Their forum support site has more info. It requires manual modifications.

Don't buy the TOP or EasyPro series (basically the same stuff it appears). They also don't support 21/25V. The TOP's claimed to but I found it very very flakey and not worth the money. None of them will burn 25xx chips without adaptors, and will not reliably burn anything over 12 volt chips reliably either. The only saving grace from the TOP/EasyPro is that they have 74LS chip testing but even so it's reported wrong results sometimes. The software is horribly translanted ChinEnglish with a very flakey UI and USB driver.

If you look at the specs on that EasyPro it says "VPP Range: 2.8~18V" , so there you go. It basically looks like another TOP clone like the first link. No TOP won't burn 25's. Even with an adaptor your only hope is a very powerful USB port with a 6 inch USB cable to provide enough amperage.


Instead -- if you don't want to go with one of the large 1980's beasts (that work great but cost a lot more) -- look around for a Pocket Programmer 2. You can find used ones for $75-$150 off of electronics or car mod forums. Well worth the money instead of tossing it away with the chinese junk.
 
a Pocket Programmer 2 seems harder to find....:(

Also can a prom(or whatever is used on atari games, arcade boards etc) be erased with a programmer? I noticed that they don't have a window for UV light.
 
I use a pocket programmer 3 USB. Up until recently it worked great but im having some serious issues with it but I believe they are software related. There is a prom adapter available for it.

Proms cannot be erased once programmed.
 
I use a pocket programmer 3 USB. Up until recently it worked great but im having some serious issues with it but I believe they are software related. There is a prom adapter available for it.

Proms cannot be erased once programmed.

Do atari 2600 game carts and the like use eproms?
And yeah, where did you get it. I can't find one.
 
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