GAL programming for hobby use...Is there no hope?
Mark Stephens
it with some species of GAL. I have PLDasm and it's manual and can now
create the JDEC files. Unfortunately, my PROM programmer is just that...
PROMs only.
Do I need to get another programmer or can one home brew for a specific chip?
thanks!
mark
--
mark stephens "In constraint,
NASA GSFC Code 521 is freedom"
Greenbelt, MD
(301) 286-4269 mark.s...@gsfc.nasa.gov
Jim Drew
Go with PEELs. Contact ICT for literature. There was a PEEL programmer
in Radio Electronics several years ago. It could burn 18CV8s. I use a BP
MicroSystems PD1128 for burning PEEL/GALS/etc. It is a bit spendy, but it
is industrial grade (I have burned several hundred thousand PEELs with no
problems).
PEELs provide a wide range of different Macro Cells, making them much more
versatile than GALs. They are about .75 cents for an 18CV8 and about
$1.75 for a 22CV10 (although I pay less than this for 1000+ quantities).
Mark Zenier
: I'd really, really like to get rid of the NOR gate glue logic and replace
: it with some species of GAL. I have PLDasm and it's manual and can now
: create the JDEC files. Unfortunately, my PROM programmer is just that...
: PROMs only.
: Do I need to get another programmer or can one home brew for a specific chip?
So you want to build a PLD programmer: a FAQ File
[Last Revised: January 29, 1996]
(The following is aimed at the level of the basement hacker,
restricted to lower complexity parts. Which is what I've found
in the surplus market.)
So you want to build a logic device programmer.
Here's a list of articles and databooks that I've scraped together.
Grouped by devices supported and in order of usefulness (IMHO).
Just remember that if you build your own programmer, factor in
some money for test data (that is, destroyed parts). Unless you're
using cheap parts, the $500 to $700 you tried to avoid spending for
an inexpensive programmer could add up sooner than you expected.
First, be aware that the manufacturers don't feel it's in their
interest to give you enough information to build one. There's a
couple of reasons. Some them make money by selling programmers
and software. Some of them don't want to spend a lot of money
trying to figure out why you (and thousands others like you) can't
get parts to program (or worse, stay programmed) using your homemade
programmer.
So, starting around 1985, most manufacturers have removed this
information from their databooks. Expect most CMOS parts to
have proprietary algorithms. Also expect as parts are redesigned
to be faster, the old programming algorithms may be obselete, or
have certain parameters in them shift.
But if you are convincing, some of the manufacturers will give
you the information on a nondisclosure basis. (I've heard
National and TI are pretty nice. And Cypress doesn't even require a
nondisclosure agreement. But Lattice and AMD are downright rude.
Unfortunatly, National is reported to be getting out of this business.)
And there is a new trend in industry that will help the hobbyist.
Manufacturers would like to control their inventory, but the
way older parts are programmed adds extra (possibly) expensive
steps to the process of making a circuit board: procuring and
inventorying the unprogrammed parts, programming them, reinventorying
the programmed parts (and insuring they are programmed and marked
correctly), making sure they are available to be inserted in the
circuit board, and placed the right location ...
And after all of that, the board is tested in Automatic Test Equipment.
This automatic test equipment has the same sort of electronics that
a device programmer has (and have been used for this at many companies).
So why not design parts that can easily (without destroying connected
circuitry) programmed during the final test stage and skip many of
the steps mentioned in the previous paragraph.
In order to do this, the semiconductor companies have to make the
parts easy to program, and release the programming algorithms.
Intel and Lattice with their Flex and ispLSI families are doing this.
Altera has taken over Intel's PLD operation as of October '94.
1. GALs (EEPROM based), from Lattice, National and SGS-Thomson
"Build This PLD Programmer" by Robert G. Brown
Electronics Now (magazine), May 1994
This is a simple programmer limited to the 16v8 and 20v8
parts. It consists of two circuit cards, one a general
purpose parallel port for the IBM PC and a programmer
card with the drivers, ZIF socket, and voltage regulators.
(Very similar to the Elektor project.)
Various kits and software available from
R.G. Brown
30 Wicks Road
E. Northport, NY 17731
"Project: GAL programmer" by Manfred Nosswitz.
Elektor Electronics (magazine), May 1992
This is a simple (5 IC's, 7 transistors, 2 voltage reg.) board
driven by a program (in this case for an IBM PC or clone) using
the computer's printer port. It supports the 16v8, 20v8 original
and A versions.
"Project: GAL Programmer Upgrade" by M. Nosswitz
Elektor Electronics, June 1993
An add-on board with a D/A converter to allow a variable programming
voltage, and a new software driver. Now programs B version GALS,
22V10's, 20RA10's, and the GAL6001 PLA.
The software and PC boards are available through the Elektor
publishers/franchises in various countries.
In the US this is Old Colony Sound Lab (the publishers of
Audio Amateur, and the former publisher of the US edition of
Elektor Electronics).
Old Colony Sound Lab
P.O. Box 243
Peterborough, NH 03458
(603) 924-6371 or -6526 Fax (603) 924-9467
In the UK
Elektor Electronics (Publishing)
P. O. Box 1414
Dorchester DT2 8YH
England
The item number for the software is 1701, the US price as of
June 1993 is $22.30, the UK price 11.15 pounds. The software
upgrade is item 1881, $21.50 or 10.75 pounds. The PC board
is item 920030, US $22.30, UK 11.15 pounds. The PC board for
the upgrade is 930060, $9.50 or 4.75 pounds.
Back issues may still be available from Old Colony, otherwise
the address is
Worldwide Subcription Service, Ltd.
Unit 4, Gibbs Reed Farm
Pashley Road, Ticehurst TN5 7HE
England
"Generic Array Logic (GAL)" D. Gembris
Elektor Electronics, April 1992
A description of the architechture of a GAL, along with the
programming algorithms. Unfortunatly this describes the
nonvolatile memory layout for the original version parts, and
the A version parts would not work if this information were used.
Some other information is left out, including describing the
nonvolatile memory register that contains the part ID code and
manufacturer. (This article is useful if you want to disassemble
the software from the previous reference, but incomplete otherwise.
Not really needed if you want to build and use the project as is.)
2. Cypress and Samsung (UVEPROM based)
Contrary to the trend. Cypress Semiconductor published the
algorithms for the simpler PLD chips they produced. They
have since discontinued this, and you have to request them,
but no special agreement is required. As of the 1990 databook,
they included the algorithms for their 16L8, 16R8, 16R6,
16R4, 20G10 (like a smaller 22v10), and their 22v10 devices.
Judging from the algorithms in their 1988 databook, Samsung
is a second source for Cypress. Their CPL 20 family is the
same as the Cypress devices. In addition, they have 24 pin
devices with the same technology that implement the 20L10,
20L8, 20R8, 20R6, and 20R4 devices.
"EPLD programmer design" John Cromie
Electronics & Wireless World, February 1989
An article describing a single chip microprocessor driven
programmer (using a Hitachi 63701) that programs the devices.
"Contact the author for software.", a common trend in
this publication's "projects".
3. PEEL18CV8 (EEPROM), from International CMOS Technology, Gould AMI
"Create Your Own IC's", Bill Green
Popular Electronics, January 1990
A single board Z80 based programmer for the PEEL18CV8 using
keyboard entry. No algorithm description. PLD and EPROM
for z80 program needed to duplicate. (Listed price was
cheap, about $80 in 1990.) Later versions were produced that
had an interface to download from a computer, rather than
keypad only entry.
4. CPLDs from Intel/Altera and Lattice
Databooks from Lattice, "pLSI and ispLSI Data Book and Handbook"
and Intel, "Programmable Logic" have the interface and download
specifications. (The catch here is that the data to be downloaded
needs to be generated from a manufacturer provided software as
the internal layout and mapping of the device are still proprietary.)
This software is cheap or free, but you need to contact the
company, or find their ftp site on the internet.
As part of the Lattice's GAL line of parts, there is an ispGAL22v10
part in 28 pin PLCC package. In the 1994 Lattice databook, there are
sufficient information to download the part using the onboard serial
interface. And, since it is a standard architecture supported by
most logic compiler/assemblers, there isn't a problem with a proprietary
interal layout.
A free demo logic compiler/programmer package is available for some of
the Altera EPX7xx parts from Xess Corp. (info at http://www.xess.com/)
or files in the ftp://ftp.vnet.net/pub/users/xess/PLDshell/ directory.
See the December 1995 Circuit Cellar Ink magazine for more details.
5. Classic Bipolar Fuse Programmed PALS from MMI, National, TI
"A PAL Programmer" and "Getting Started with PALS" , Robert A. Freedman
Byte, January 1987
A programmer for the original PAL family (too many to list). Implemented
in the form of a IBM PC expansion card. (And sold for a while by
Microway). Design is implemented with PALs.
PAL Programmable Array Logic Handbook
Monolithic Memories, 1981
or
"Designing with Programmable Array Logic", Tech. Staff of Monolithic Memories
McGraw-Hill, 1981
A hardback copy of the MMI databook, including the programming
algorithms.
Interface, Bipolar LSI, Bipolar Memory, Programmable Logic Databook
National Semiconductor, 1983
Databook back when they still published the algorithms.
The TTL Data Book, Volume 4, Bipolar Programmable Logic and Memory
Texas Instruments, 1985
Databook back when they still published the algorithms.
The IC Master, 1986
TI actually published some of the algorithms in the advertising
pages in the Custom/Semicustom section.
6. AMD version of the classic PALS (Fuse Programmed)
Programmable Array Logic Handbook
Advanced Micro Devices, 1986-1987
This has the algorithms for the bipolar amPAL devices that
existed at the time, including the amPAL22V10. These
differ from the 1983 algorithms, which were preliminary.
7. PLS153, PLS159 from Signetics (Fuse Programmed)
AN12, "Low Cost Programmer for PLD 20-Pin Series"
Programmable Logic Data Manual
Signetics, 1986 and 1987
A programmer for the low end 20 pin PLA family. Implemented
in those devices. Device mapping for only two of the members.
8. PLS100, from Signetics (Fuse Programmed)
"Programming p.l.d.s", V. Lakshminarayanan
Electronics & Wireless World, January and February 1988
A circuit description for a programmer for the oldest
Signetics PLA device. No Algorithm. Contact author for
software.
Bipolar and Mos Memory Databook
Signetics, 1980
Algorithm desciption. (IMHO, why bother ;-) )
Finally, here's an edited note from Paul Hoepping about some German
language articles on PLD programmers. (Thanks.)
>Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 00:00:00 +0200
>From: Paul_H...@citybox.fido.de (Paul Hoepping)
>Subject: List of GAL-Programmer-Projects
>
>c't is a german computer and electronics magazine. It features mainly
>articles on computer hardware, architecture and digital electronics. I do
>not know if there is a english equivalent.
>
>elrad is a very professional german electronics magazine. It features all
>kinds of digital and analog electronics and their theoretical basics.
>There is no english equivalent.
>
>c't 9/90 and 10/90
>GAL Programmer for the 16v8 and 20v8. A plug-in PC card with many 74HC374
>drivers allows programming and testing. The software to this project has a
>simple GAL assembler. Source text in Turbo Pascal.
>
>c't 12/92
>Update for the above programmer. Several different programming voltages
>and modes. The programmers decides automatically on the voltage and mode
>by reading and interpreting ID bytes. Some Information on GALs 16V8A,
>16V8B, 20V8A, and 20V8B. No source text of the parts that actually do the
>programming.
>
>c't 4/94
>Extension to a EPROM programmer project. This extension allows programming
>of 16V8, 20V8, 22V10, GAL6001 in both normal, A, B-Version. Some
>information on GALs.
>
>elrad 11/92
>very low cost programmer that uses the PC printer port. A 16V8 and a 20V8
>compensate for the differences in the pin out of the 16v8 and the 20v8.
>This programmer can only do the old 16v8 and 20v8.
>
>elrad 5/94
>overview of all CPLDs and FPGAs and their development systems.
>
>elrad 7/94
>How to chose the right PLD for a design.
>
>elrad 10/94
>Starterkit for Lattice ispLSI1016, ispGAL22v10, and ispGDS14
>These new devices from Lattice are In System Programmable. You can get the
>Lattice Development Software free of charge from the elrad BBS. Without
>any instruction book hard to use. This version of the software can only
>programm the smallest devices of the ispLSI family. If you want more you
>need the full version that sells at DM 1500,-. Interesting.
>By the way: the BBS has also a Version of PALASM, free of charge!
>
>elrad 5/95
>Presentation of the Lattice ispLSI CPLD family.
>
>elrad 1/94
>PLD development using easy-ABEL.
Mark Zenier mze...@eskimo.com mze...@netcom.com
Simon Bridger
>I'd really, really like to get rid of the NOR gate glue logic and replace
>it with some species of GAL. I have PLDasm and it's manual and can now
>create the JDEC files. Unfortunately, my PROM programmer is just that...
>PROMs only.
>Do I need to get another programmer or can one home brew for a specific chip?
Elektor Electronics did one several years ago, and can supply kits.
Bob Blick
mark.s...@gsfc.nasa.gov says...
>Do I need to get another programmer or can one home brew for a specific
chip?
Elektor magazine did a project article for a GAL programmer(other magazines
may have also). I built it, and they had a later article with an add-on for
the 22V10 GAL.
Elektor is no longer printed in this country, but Old Colony Sound Labs
carries back issues, and PC boards, and the software. Old Colony's phone
number is (603)924-6371. The issue with the original article was May 1992.
The PC board was $19 and the software was also $19. I forget how much the
22V10 upgrade was. There were no really exotic parts in the original design.
The upgrade has an A/D converter that's about $10 from Farnell Components.
Email me if you have any questions.
Mark Stephens
I've been avoiding this but looks like the "best" path is to get an ol'
286/386 box and a card based programmer. If the Mac only had a parallel
port...sigh.
Roger Books
> You may take a look at http://www.aaeon.com. There is a univeral
> programmer good for EPROM, PEEL, GAL, FPGA etc................. Several
> pages of the device list that it can program. Its price is very very low
> comparing to its performance. I got one in the lab and it works perfect.
If you actually saw my response to this before it died (because I killed
my article) please ignore my complaints about their home page. It works
fine, as long as you use Netscape. You can't get product listings if you
use mosaic.
Roger
Wen-King Su
>
<I'd really, really like to get rid of the NOR gate glue logic and replace
>it with some species of GAL. I have PLDasm and it's manual and can now
<create the JDEC files. Unfortunately, my PROM programmer is just that...
>PROMs only.
<
Lattice makes a 22V10 equivalent that is in-circuit reprogrammable via
serial down load cable. No special voltage is required, and you can make
the down load cable yourself and hook it up to the printer port of your PC.
Eric Edwards
> Dump the GALs, they are absolutely worthless and expensive.
PEELs are only moderately more capable than GALs. PEEL Arrays are nicer
but vertually unobtainable from hobbyist sources.
JDR and Jameco price GAL22V10-25 and PEEL22V10-25's exactly the same:
$4.95
ICT's software is free but it is also buggy and PEEL's are not well
suported by third parties.
That said, PEEL's are usefull and really don't even have to choose.
PEEL's are JDEC compatible with GAL's. Most low cost device programmers
will handle both. So get you PEELs. Use them as PEEL's or GAL's
whichever way suites. I use a EE Tools Allmax with Intel/Altera's
PLDshell and/or ICT's PLACE. I prefer PLDshell but I need PLACE to take
advantage of the extra PEEL features (like bi-directional I/O)
> PEELs provide a wide range of different Macro Cells, making them much more
> versatile than GALs. They are about .75 cents for an 18CV8 and about
> $1.75 for a 22CV10 (although I pay less than this for 1000+ quantities).
Where are you finding 22V10's for $1.75? Are you still talking large
quantities?
----
"Not many fishes, in the sea. Not many fishes, just Londo and me"
Remember the home hobbyist computer: Born 1975, died April 29, 1994
MMartin950
Jim Drew
>286/386 box and a card based programmer. If the Mac only had a parallel
>port...sigh.
It can. There are several programmers for the MAC that use a parallel
interface.
You use the PowerPrint cable (which converts the 8 pin mini-din to
parallel) with
these devices.
Jim Drew, Utilities Unlimited International, Inc.
Jim Drew
>
>PEELs are only moderately more capable than GALs. PEEL Arrays are nicer
>but vertually unobtainable from hobbyist sources.
PEEL are far more versatile than GALS, as each output can be a different
MACROCELL,
unlike GALs. PEELs also use far less current than GALs, and have a much
better
source/sink ability. The max clock rate of PEELs is also much higher than
GALs.
Bi-directional I/O, internal feedback (which can be latched), etc... lots
of goodies
that GALs are missing.
>JDR and Jameco price GAL22V10-25 and PEEL22V10-25's exactly the same:
>$4.95
What do you expect from places like these?
>ICT's software is free but it is also buggy and PEEL's are not well
>suported by third parties.
Huh? I have been using the PLACE software for 4 years now, making dozens
of different
18CV8 and 22CV10 designs, and I have yet to see a single bug (I am an
assembly
language programmer, so I do know what bugs are!).
>That said, PEEL's are usefull and really don't even have to choose.
>PEEL's are JDEC compatible with GAL's. Most low cost device programmers
>will handle both. So get you PEELs. Use them as PEEL's or GAL's
>whichever way suites. I use a EE Tools Allmax with Intel/Altera's
>PLDshell and/or ICT's PLACE. I prefer PLDshell but I need PLACE to take
>advantage of the extra PEEL features (like bi-directional I/O)
They are JDEC format, but not pin or MACROCELL compatible.
> PEELs provide a wide range of different Macro Cells, making them much
more
> versatile than GALs. They are about .75 cents for an 18CV8 and about
> $1.75 for a 22CV10 (although I pay less than this for 1000+ quantities).
Where are you finding 22V10's for $1.75? Are you still talking large
quantities?
I pay about $1.45 for 22CV10s and $.65 for 18CV8s in 1000 lots. I can
order as
little as 100 for the $1.75 price, but I do buy factory direct.
Jim Weir
Sigh...
Most of 'em want a committment, not just for hobby use. If you find a
couple of them that will put up with fooling around on weekends, would
you post addresses?
<gdr>
Jim
Jim Weir VP Engineering | You bet your sweet patootie I speak
RST Engineering | for the company. I OWN the cotton-
Grass Valley CA 95945 | pickin' company.
voice/fax 916/272-1432 | AR Adv. WB6BHI Cessna 182A N73CQ
rst-...@oro.net | Comm'l Pilot & CFI Airplane/Glider A&P Mechanic
Gerry Belanger
: Dump the GALs, they are absolutely worthless and expensive.
: Go with PEELs. Contact ICT for literature.
And contact your distributor to see if you as a new customer can get any.
We have had several hunderd 18cv8s on order since last July. We are
being promised April, maybe.
ICT is fabless, and at the mercy of their fabs. Last year, their Singapore
fab, Chartered, cut their wafer allocation. Instant shortage. They
are currently working with a Rohm fab in San Jose. Things should improve
soon, but I'll believe it when parts show up on my dock. Never again.
--
Gerry Belanger, WA1HOZ wa1...@a3bbak.nai.net
Newtown, CT g.bel...@ieee.org
Jim Drew
>We have had several hunderd 18cv8s on order since last July. We are
>being promised April, maybe.
Yeah, I guess being on allocation prevents these types of problems. I get
thousands drop shipped monthly, so I don't see any shortage.
I am having this problem with MOSFETs though. I wish I was on allocation
for them. I won't see any until Jan '97. :-\
Mark Stephens
compaired to a GAL. However, the ability to alter the circuit board
configuration in the field may come in handy someday!
mark
--
Jim Drew
different
>> MACROCELL,
>
No, PEELS... I have never worked with any of their PA parts. Each output
can be
configured as a different MACROCELL, unlike GALs which are stuck with the
same
MACROCELL for all outputs.
>What other places do you suggest? Digikey isn't any better. Newark is
>worse.
I don't really know a place for the hobbiest to get them reasonably.
>Try some large logic minimization some time. Lotsa bugs. I am also an
>assembly language programmer (and C, and Perl, and REXX, and...) I know
>what bugs are too.
I have, numerous times. I have several 22CV10 designs that have only 3
terms
left! I have never seen a problem.
Eric Edwards
> >> Dump the GALs, they are absolutely worthless and expensive.
> >
> >PEELs are only moderately more capable than GALs. PEEL Arrays are nicer
> >but vertually unobtainable from hobbyist sources.
>
> PEEL are far more versatile than GALS, as each output can be a different
> MACROCELL,
PEEL Arrays. Not PEELs.
> unlike GALs. PEELs also use far less current than GALs, and have a much
> better
> source/sink ability. The max clock rate of PEELs is also much higher than
> GALs.
> Bi-directional I/O, internal feedback (which can be latched), etc... lots
> of goodies
> that GALs are missing.
>
> >JDR and Jameco price GAL22V10-25 and PEEL22V10-25's exactly the same:
> >$4.95
>
> What do you expect from places like these?
What other places do you suggest? Digikey isn't any better. Newark is
worse.
>
> >ICT's software is free but it is also buggy and PEEL's are not well
> >suported by third parties.
>
> Huh? I have been using the PLACE software for 4 years now, making dozens
> of different
> 18CV8 and 22CV10 designs, and I have yet to see a single bug (I am an
> assembly
> language programmer, so I do know what bugs are!).
Try some large logic minimization some time. Lotsa bugs. I am also an
assembly language programmer (and C, and Perl, and REXX, and...) I know
what bugs are too.
>
> >That said, PEEL's are usefull and really don't even have to choose.
> >PEEL's are JDEC compatible with GAL's. Most low cost device programmers
> >will handle both. So get you PEELs. Use them as PEEL's or GAL's
> >whichever way suites. I use a EE Tools Allmax with Intel/Altera's
> >PLDshell and/or ICT's PLACE. I prefer PLDshell but I need PLACE to take
> >advantage of the extra PEEL features (like bi-directional I/O)
>
> They are JDEC format, but not pin or MACROCELL compatible.
You MUST be thinking of PEEL arrays. PEELs are more certainly pin compatible.
> I pay about $1.45 for 22CV10s and $.65 for 18CV8s in 1000 lots. I can
> order as
> little as 100 for the $1.75 price, but I do buy factory direct.
Even 100 units is a rather large order for a hobbyist.
Eric Edwards
> >> PEEL are far more versatile than GALS, as each output can be a
> different
> >> MACROCELL,
> >
> >PEEL Arrays. Not PEELs.
>
> No, PEELS... I have never worked with any of their PA parts. Each output
> can be
> configured as a different MACROCELL, unlike GALs which are stuck with the
> same
> MACROCELL for all outputs.
I guess you mean differently configured macrocells. Clearly each output
on a GAL is a seperate macrocell.
> >What other places do you suggest? Digikey isn't any better. Newark is
> >worse.
>
> I don't really know a place for the hobbiest to get them reasonably.
Did you read the subject line? If there is no reasonable place for a
hobbyist to get them, they aren't too usefull are they? Fortunately,
PEELs are available. They just aren't significantly cheaper than GALs
from hobbyists sources.
>
> >Try some large logic minimization some time. Lotsa bugs. I am also an
> >assembly language programmer (and C, and Perl, and REXX, and...) I know
> >what bugs are too.
>
> I have, numerous times. I have several 22CV10 designs that have only 3
> terms
> left! I have never seen a problem.
What can I say? We built differnt cicruits. I killed the opotomizer the
first time out. The logic equations (adjusted for syntax) worked just
fine with PLDshell. I ended up using PLDshell to pre-optomize the
equations and stuffed the resulting equations into my PLACE file. Then it
worked.
Philip Freidin
The ongoing thread has wandered into the weeds, arguing the nomenclature
about PEELs, 22V10s, and GALs.
To resolve the issue for my usage, I now have a production universal
programmer. If a hobbyist wants a few of ANY device programmed, send me
email (preceding sending me JEDEC files including test vectors, blank
components, and return mail packaging and post), and I will program the
parts for free.
Philip Freidin.
flip...@netcom.com
In article <mark.stephens-2...@mstephens.gsfc.nasa.gov> mark.s...@gsfc.nasa.gov (Mark Stephens) writes:
>I'd really, really like to get rid of the NOR gate glue logic and replace
>it with some species of GAL. I have PLDasm and it's manual and can now
>create the JDEC files. Unfortunately, my PROM programmer is just that...
>PROMs only.
>
>Do I need to get another programmer or can one home brew for a specific chip?
>
>thanks!
>
>mark
>
>--
>mark stephens "In constraint,
>NASA GSFC Code 521 is freedom"
>Greenbelt, MD
>(301) 286-4269 mark.s...@gsfc.nasa.gov
What ???? NASA doesn't have a programmer????