[dorkbotpdx-blabber] Eprom Programmer

[Alex Norman]

Hi, I'm looking to update the firmware on a synth that I have and I need to
program an eprom. I'm wondering if anyone here has an eprom programmer I could
use?

Also.. generally, would eeprom with the same memory organization and pinout
work in place of eprom?

Thanks,
Alex

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[David Frech]

Wow. Bummer that mine is locked up in my storage unit and I'm in California. ;-)

In my experience, (parallel) Flash and EEPROM all follow the same
(JEDEC?) standard pinouts. In the olden days there were variations,
but "now" things are pretty standard. ("now" is in quotes because all
this stuff is obsolete!)

You might have trouble finding anything in a 28 pin package, if that's
what you've got... Anything easily available now (like Flash parts off
the motherboards that Free Geek recycles, where I harvested my stash
of parts) are 32 pinners.

- D

--
If I have not seen farther, it is because I have stood in the
footsteps of giants.

[Jared Boone]

I have an old programmer sitting around somewhere. If nobody else coughs up one that's ready to use, I'll dig around, dust it off (if I can find it...) and see if I can talk to it. It's almost certainly a serial interface, so as long as the protocol isn't too arcane, we should be able to make it work...

What's the manufacturer and part number of the part you're programming or replacing? That'd go a long way toward answering your EEPROM question.

- Jared

On Dec 19, 2009, at 10:33 AM, Alex Norman wrote:

> Hi, I'm looking to update the firmware on a synth that I have and I need to
> program an eprom. I'm wondering if anyone here has an eprom programmer I could
> use?
>
> Also.. generally, would eeprom with the same memory organization and pinout
> work in place of eprom?

_______________________________________________

[Paul Stoffregen]

I have an old Needham's EMP-21. It's USB, as modern as any eprom
programmer gets, and I definitely know where it is. I could bring it to
the meeting on Monday.

Here is the software. (Needhams went out of business, no website anymore)

http://www.pjrc.com/tmp/empw1_7.msi

You need to check if your chip is on the list, and if it is, which simm
module is required.

-Paul

[Wm Leler]

We have a dragon programmer at OpenTechSpace that you are welcome to use any time. Scott has it.

--wm

[Donald Delmar Davis]

Dragons are for avr though I suppose some of the hvpp modes are pretty
close to eproms.

It should also be a no brainer to build one.

[Alex Norman]

I'm replacing a TMM2764D but, the mod I'm doing calls for a standard 16Kx8 EPROM
(27x128 chip).

-Alex

[Alex Norman]

Paul,

I would love it if you brought the programmer over. It'll be a week or two
before I can use it, if you don't mind me hanging into it for a bit..

-Alex

[Alex Norman]

Does anyone have the UV gadget needed to erase eproms?

I wonder, I think there are some fancy asian hand dryers that have air and UV,
would those work?

-Alex

[Kees Cook]

On Mon, Dec 21, 2009 at 01:07:55PM -0800, Alex Norman wrote:
> Does anyone have the UV gadget needed to erase eproms?

If it weren't so cloudy, you could leave it in the sun for a few hours.

I think I have an eraser is storage, I'll look for it, but I can't make
any promises. :)

-Kees

--
Kees Cook @outflux.net

[Paul Stoffregen]

> I wonder, I think there are some fancy asian hand dryers that have air and UV,
> would those work?
>

Many years ago I tried erasing eproms using my old UV exposure box for
etching PCBs (which I gave to Don a couple years ago). I put a several
chips in there for 24 hours. None were erased. I read them all back,
just out of curiosity, and all were exactly the same. Not a single bit
changed.

-Paul

[Julie L Baumler Heiner]

Yeah, that's what I've used in the past. Even indoor light can work.

[Alex Norman]

I guess you just read it later, after letting it sit in the sun, and make sure
all of the bits are set [or unset? I forget how they work]?

-Alex

[Doug Ausmus]

For a reliable erasure, you must not only detect the bits have changed, but you must expose it a certain amount beyond that. In addition, if you give it an excessive UV exposure, you can cause unreliability in retention of future programmed bits. Although even x-rays can erase an eprom (including OTP eproms!) calibrating the exposure is the trick to reliability.

Check the erasure specifications of the device itself and adjust that depending on the  UV source intensity level. I have one of the old (unsafe!) eprom erasers that had 4 nylon legs to hold it the proper distance above the eproms you are erasing. This does result in UV leakage since the area is not fully enclosed, but the eraser does work. Newer designs have trays or boxes to enclose the light when operating. Note this is shortwave UV (like arc welding produces) so ocular exposure is risky and damaging and you can get a sunburn from these.

If you still want to borrow mine, let me know and I will try to dig it out and dust it off (once I locate it <g>) but apply the standard disclaimers on using it safely and at your own risk since the unit is not an enclosed one.

Regards-
Doug

[brett]

I found mine today while rummaging around looking for my webcam(gonna
try skype video conferencing with my sister in NY Christmas morning).
You are welcome to it. It is the Datarase II and has a sliding lid that
will hold 4 chips...no need for a sunburn.

Brett