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Re: Q40/Q60 Roms

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2021 1:57 pm
by Pr0f
I think you can program those EPROMS, but you won't be able to erase them as they are probably the OTP type - if there is no Window on the package, then these are one time only programmable - so no erase - just program then verify. You may also have to turn off ID notification checkbox on the TL866 to stop it trying to check the device is from the specific vendor - then just make sure you select an EPROM with the same programming voltage and pin layout and size


Just looked these up and see that in fact they are electrically erasable types - so ignore my post above about OTP. It's a 14V erase and 12V program for these chips. The device list for the programmer says it does do 9 vendor variants of the 40pin dip version of 27C4096 - so you may be in luck with an adaptor if your programmer came with some?

Re: Q40/Q60 Roms

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2021 2:02 pm
by Derek_Stewart
Chr$ wrote:
Derek_Stewart wrote: The Winbond W27C4096 EEPROMS, are not expensive, but will take over 10 weeks to arrive from China... So I will stick normal eproms.
I got some W27C4096 from China. Eager to try them out - I then discovered that my TL866 doesn't support them! I can read them by setting it to an NEC UPD27C4096 (and a couple of other types). But cannot erase or program them because the compatible types are UV eproms.

Are you able to program Winbond W27C4096 EEPROMS Derek? Or if anyone knows if it's possible to make an adapter or something, I'm all ears.
Hi Chris,

I have a eprom programmer that will write to Winbond chips.

Re: Q40/Q60 Roms

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2021 2:22 pm
by Chr$
Pr0f wrote: Just looked these up and see that in fact they are electrically erasable types - so ignore my post above about OTP. It's a 14V erase and 12V program for these chips. The device list for the programmer says it does do 9 vendor variants of the 40pin dip version of 27C4096 - so you may be in luck with an adaptor if your programmer came with some?
it did come with various adapter, but none that fit a DIP40. I don't seem to be able to erase them as all the other 27C4096 variants are non EEPROM. That's a shame, I'd hoped I could have various SMSQ/E versions etc for the Q40 and would be able to change/try different things quickly. The TL866 plus does support a lot of other Winbond EEPROMS.

Re: Q40/Q60 Roms

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:47 pm
by mk79
Chr$ wrote:I got some W27C4096 from China. Eager to try them out - I then discovered that my TL866 doesn't support them! I can read them by setting it to an NEC UPD27C4096 (and a couple of other types). But cannot erase or program them because the compatible types are UV eproms.
I don't see support for any 16-bit EEPROMs in the TL866, so I guess you're out of luck.

Though programming an EEPROM is relatively easy, no strange voltages, so one could potentially whip up an Arduino based programmer if one is bored enough ;-) Similar to https://github.com/beneater/eeprom-programmer or https://medium.com/@erikvanzijst/diy-ee ... fd11a486ea, just a bit bigger

Re: Q40/Q60 Roms

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2021 11:30 pm
by Derek_Stewart
Hi,

I bought a TL866 to replace my MSDOS based HILO SYTEMS ALLO3A programmer, but, the TL866 is quite limited to the ICs it can recognise.

I have to use a 486 PC running MSDOS 6.22 to run the ALLO3A, connecting to a custom ISA parallel port, which is a nice programmer, though obsolete, can be made to define unknown ICs, which the TL866 can do, but is a little harder.

The AllO3A can programme the Q40/60 eproms, but I have to use Sneakernet to transfer the data fikes by floppy disk.

Re: Q40/Q60 Roms

Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:07 am
by Pr0f
I was looking at the Minipro - there is a Linux version of programming tool on GitHub - I think they may use a different method to define what chips it can program, as the Windows executable uses just a single DLL file with all that info in it. Still trying to get my head around what is actually in there.

https://github.com/radiomanV/TL866 is the link for the Linux tool

Like Derek - i now have 2 of those HiLo Systems programmers - picked up a another working one for a fiver on ebay - but it's good to have spares right ;-) This programmer is very extensible - but hard to find the 'top's that define what packages / devices you can program.

The TL866II+ is very good for standard eprom/flash/pic/avr and standard GAL's and the logic test has got me out of a hole more than once - so for the money it's a good programmer - plus it fits in your pocket / laptop bag.

Re: Q40/Q60 Roms

Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2021 11:25 am
by Chr$
Thanks for the hints. But I think with my lowly level of expertise, I may as well source some spare UV EPROMS that I know I can program and will just have to put up with the wait time when erasing!