Need help with Needham EMP 20 programmer

xDisciplex

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I finally got an eprom eraser to go with my emp 20 programmer and tried to program a few eproms the other night and have run into a few issues, hoping some members here can help me out.

I'm using a HP laptop running Windows XP and when I run the emp 20 software and start it up it won't detect the parallel port, even though it's plug straight to it, it asks for a direct parallel port number (which I have no clue how to find).

Next I basically can get everything going except I can't figure out how to actually load the game rom image into the buffer in order to transfer it to the blank eprom. I'm burning Mortal Kombat revision roms for my different boards if that helps. Also not sure if I need to name the file name in the emp 20 software to coincide with the same file name of the game rom or not.

Any help would be greatly appreciated (and if anyone can do a quick video tutorial that'd be awesome!) - can't wait to get more familiar with this so I can get some of these MK upgrades for my pcb boards.

Thanks in advance!
 
You should run the Needham software in full screen, not in a window.

First try that (read it somewhere that it should work that way).

If the program doesn't find a parallel port that it can address directly or if you don't enter a correct port nr. the software will continue to run in DEMO mode so you can't actually do anything with it.

I have an EMP-10 working now on an older laptop with built-in parallel port but I installed DOS on the HD because I don't need it for anything else.

I just ordered a PCMCIA to Parallel adapter to see if I can get it to run on my "main" laptop that runs XP.
 
Once you get the port problem figured out, to load a file press V to bring up the menu, then F1 to bring up directories. Find your file. Then press 8 to load it into the buffer.

Now you're ready to burn. Well after selecting the correct device that is.
 
Windows XP has a known problem with letting DOS applications control
communication ports.

I was never able to get DOS programs to access the COM or LPT ports
under XP.

So I use a dedicated machine running Win 98 for all my older DOS-based applications.

So I run the EMP-20 software in a DOS "window" under Win98

--

As for loading a file, as mentioned in another post,
select option "V" to choose a file name.

[ Also make sure option "U" (file type) is set to Binary ]

As for then selecting a file using F1, I find this limiting
because the software can not see another hard drive (beyond Drive C: )

But you can actually DRAG a file from anywhere into the EMP DOS window .

1- Launch the EMP-20 program in a window
2- Select the eprom type you want to program
( This sets the voltage, programming algo and buffer size)
3- Press Option "V" . You should then see a box with "Enter Filename" (leave this as-is)
4- Then open the file Explorer and open the folder with file you want
5- DRAG the file into the "Enter Filename" box
[NOTE : You will NOT see the filename appear in the box because the EMP window
will not be active]
6- Once you've dragged the file name, click anywhere on the EMP window to make it
the active window. You should then see the file name appear in the window
7- Press "8" to load the file in the EMP programming buffer
8- I then press option "M" to see the "checksum" value of the file
( This is not necessary to program the Eprom, but I find it useful info
and something I include on the label of the eproms I program )
9- Press "1" to program the eprom.

That's it.

Good luck.

Steph
www.Hobbyroms.com
 
AH, finally found where I read that the software must be run in full screen.

This is mentioned when you install this: http://www.arcadesolution.com/empxp.zip

This looks like a "driver" that opens up the parallel port for direct addressing within NT. Since XP is based on NT I figure this is valid for XP as well.

The text you get after you selected the port (or selected "don't know):

Special Instructions for EMP Software under Windows NT
=============================================

The driver for Windows NT requires that the EMP
software be run full screen. It will not be able to
communicate with the Device Programmer in a window.

A MSDOS window can be switched to full screen
by using the <ALT><Enter> key sequence. This toggles
from the graphical based window to the text based full
screen mode.

A Short-Cut or Icon can be made to automatically
run the EMP software full screen by using the PIF
editor(WinNT 3.51 or earlier), or by right clicking on
the Short-Cut(WinNT 4.0 or later), and changing the
properties to full screen. It is also recommended to
not allow the screen saver, always suspend in
background mode, and set idle sensitivity to low.
 
Yes it will work under XP.

As for the file command F1, you need to treat it like an older DOS program, and highlight the ".." Dir, that will take you up a dir. I am able to access mapped network drives and other hard drives as well.
 
Needham had a small application that you ran on XP machines that opened the printer port to the software/programmer. Since they are long gone I'm nto sure where your going to find it.

FWIW, I was able to use my EMP20 in XP in a window after installing this driver.

I might have the driver app buried some where on one of my computers. If I can find it I will post to this thread.

EDIT: From what I've found on the Internet this program called "UserPort" does the same thing as the Needhams XP Driver. I've never used it so I dont know if it works. http://hem.passagen.se/tomasf/UserPort/

2ND EDIT: I found the actual Needhams app on this website. http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/courses/Downloads/empnt.exe . Usage is pretty obvious.

Matt
 
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Information like this would be great content for a KLOV wiki. ;)
 
Needham had a small application that you ran on XP machines that opened the printer port to the software/programmer. Since they are long gone I'm nto sure where your going to find it.

FWIW, I was able to use my EMP20 in XP in a window after installing this driver.

I might have the driver app buried some where on one of my computers. If I can find it I will post to this thread.

EDIT: From what I've found on the Internet this program called "UserPort" does the same thing as the Needhams XP Driver. I've never used it so I dont know if it works. http://hem.passagen.se/tomasf/UserPort/

2ND EDIT: I found the actual Needhams app on this website. http://claymore.engineer.gvsu.edu/~steriana/courses/Downloads/empnt.exe . Usage is pretty obvious.

Matt

Didn't I write that in 2 postings before ?
 
There's also a program that fixes keyboards on certain Dell machines if you have problems after loading UserPort
 
Wow - thanks everyone for taking the time to help me out. Just downloaded the needham app and am going to give it a try tonight. Will update you all on what I find out. And thanks to Steph for putting up with my multiple emails I've been sending him on this matter.

Now if anyone has an extra EMP 20 Family module 8A/8B they would like to sell please let me know :)
 
Man... you guys with the EMP models are way ahead of me... I'm still chugging along with my PB-10. Parallel port? What is that? I still need the darn ISA slot!!!
 
Alright seems that the needham program listed above worked in conjunction with running the EMP 20 software in fullscreen mode.

But I can't get my #1 module to work with my ST 27c4001 eproms unfortunately says wrong module :(
 
Are you sure that the 27c4001 is supported by the EPM-20 ? (Check the devicelist through option 5). I think you could try Generic and then 27040 instead.

If it is supported, did you insert the correct module ? (The correct module is indicated behind the device name in the lists)

If it is the correct module, did you insert the correct side (So, if it should be M1B, you should be able to read the M1B text next to the handle of the ZIF socket. This is also clearly indicated on the module itself.

Did you insert the module properly (slide in the connector, then press down to let it click in the holder. It works like RAM modules.
 
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