.
(2) Not sure about TMS2532... but it won't program the TMS2516 (apparently due to the supply voltages required). Why is this a big deal? Are there many games where one cannot substitute a "regular" (non-TI) component where one of these was used?
So I'd need to better understand the "TMS" EPROM limitation before I can decide on or rule out this unit.
Yah, TI sure made a mess with those eproms...
--
The 25xx series is almost exclusively Texas Instrument TMS Eproms.
As the story goes, TI developed the TMS-2716 (2K Eprom),
as an extension of TMS-2708 (1K) before it.
These needed three voltages sources to program/use them (+5, -5, + 12).
This was more complicated and therefore more expensive.
At roughly the same time, Intel also launched "their" 2716 chip
which was different than the TMS-2716 in that it only needed
a single voltage to program (25v) and a 5V to operate.
The Intel pinout was also a bit different than the TMS pinout.
Akin to the Beta vs. VHS battle, only one could survive
and Intel proved to be the more popular, and thus, most
other manufacturers produced Intel-like 2716.
Bowing to pressure, TI also produced an Intel-like chip
but could not call it 2716 since they already had a 2716.
So they identified it as the TMS-2516.
And thus was born the 25xx series.
So the TMS-2516 is functionally the same as other 2716s,
and "should" program the same way since they use the
standard 25V voltage.
The TMS-2716 however is a very different beast,
both in pinout and programming.
The only games I know that uses these is some variation
of Bally 8080 boards ( Space Invaders, SeaWolf, etc... )
Very very few programmers can do TMS-2716 eproms.
However TMS-2516 and TMS-2532 are NOT tri-voltage devices
and "should" be programmable on standard programmers.
The problem with the 2532, is that the pinout is different from 2732s
so some programmers just don't handle them.
( TI again decided to use a different pinout
and to differentiate itself from the Intel 2732, it named it the TMS-2532.
So unlike the TMS-2516 which = 2716, the TMS-2532 != 2732 )
As for the TMS-2516, it "should" be able to program as a regular 2716
using 25V and the "Standard 50ms" algorithm.
(... but it will not program using the "Intelligent" algorithm
found om later 2716 eproms ).
So although there is no voltage limitation preventing
programmers to do 2516 or 2532, some manufacturers just got lazy
and never added to proper programming algo to program them.
That why it's important to see if TMS-2532 are supported.
So when looking at programmers,
not having TMS-2516 is no big thing because
you can use any other compatible 2716 device,
but not having TMS-2532 is a problem because many games use them.
( Pacman, DK, DigDug, Galaga, etc...
...and virtully every video or pinball sound board of the era )
Clear as mud ?
;-)
Steph
www.Hobbyroms.com