Programming larger EPROMs on a Needham's PB-10

[[email protected]]

I use an old, rather well-worn Needham's PB-10 for programming EPROMs.
Lately, I've had call to program larger chips - and while my old
beastie can handle 27c080's, that's where it tops out. I love the
Needham's, and would love to be able to use larger EPROMs with it -
such as the 27c160 or 27c320...

I know my programmer can handle 16bit EPROMs (like the 27c1024) with
an adapter. However, since Needham's has been out of business for a
few years now, and the PB-10 has been obsolete for even longer -
finding the proper adapter might be a hard thing to do. I've found
schematics to build an adapter intended for the Willem programmer - as
well as pre-made versions on eBay. It seems like such an adapter
_should_ work with any programmer. I just might have to add a manual
switch on the highest address bit, and program a 27c160 in two passes.

So, basically, has anyone had any experience using the PB-10 with
larger or 16 bit EPROMs? Anyone have the schematics of the official
adapter? Anyone have an adapter or even another PB-10 to sell?

And what about the software? Is there any way to hack in extra device
types?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

-Ian

 

[Rich Webb]

I use an old, rather well-worn Needham's PB-10 for programming EPROMs.
Lately, I've had call to program larger chips - and while my old
beastie can handle 27c080's, that's where it tops out. I love the
Needham's, and would love to be able to use larger EPROMs with it -
such as the 27c160 or 27c320...

I know my programmer can handle 16bit EPROMs (like the 27c1024) with
an adapter. However, since Needham's has been out of business for a
few years now, and the PB-10 has been obsolete for even longer -
finding the proper adapter might be a hard thing to do. I've found
schematics to build an adapter intended for the Willem programmer - as
well as pre-made versions on eBay. It seems like such an adapter
_should_ work with any programmer. I just might have to add a manual
switch on the highest address bit, and program a 27c160 in two passes.

So, basically, has anyone had any experience using the PB-10 with
larger or 16 bit EPROMs? Anyone have the schematics of the official
adapter? Anyone have an adapter or even another PB-10 to sell?

And what about the software? Is there any way to hack in extra device
types?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

If you do as you suggested and use an adapter that makes the larger
eprom look like a set of (manually selected) smaller ones, you might be
okay. It looks like the datasheet for ST's M27C160 includes the details
needed to program it, so if the PB-10 has a compatible smaller part,
you're golden.

As far as adding new devices, I don't know about the PB-10 but the
software for the EMP-11 that I still have hanging around uses a
directory full of DLLs that contain the magic pixie dust for each of the
various devices/families. Maybe there's an ex-Needham's employee out
there who could reveal how to setup the DLLs ...

On the other, other hand, if you're only looking at selected eproms then
a roll-yer-own programmer isn't that hard to throw together with modern
microcontrollers *if* you have the proper algorithm for the device.

If you don't have any luck here, try asking in comp.arch.embedded.

 

[[email protected]]

If you do as you suggested and use an adapter that makes the larger
eprom look like a set of (manually selected) smaller ones, you might be
okay. It looks like the datasheet for ST's M27C160 includes the details
needed to program it, so if the PB-10 has a compatible smaller part,
you're golden.

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping will work. The largest part supported
seems to be the AMD 27C080. I'm hoping that the programming algorithym
for this will be close enough to work with other chips. I have an
Atmel 27C080 that I've been meaning to try with it. Unfortunately,
there doesn't seem to be any 8 megabit EPROMs listed under the other
manufacturers.

The biggest problem with the 27C160 is that it's a 16bit device. It
can be _read_ as an 8bit device, but I believe that it really needs to
be programmed as 16bit. The PB-10 doesn't directly support 16bit chips
without an adapter. So, I really need to make/find a 16bit adapter -
and add the capability of manually toggling the highest address bits.

As far as adding new devices, I don't know about the PB-10 but the
software for the EMP-11 that I still have hanging around uses a
directory full of DLLs that contain the magic pixie dust for each of the
various devices/families. Maybe there's an ex-Needham's employee out
there who could reveal how to setup the DLLs ...

The programmer software for the PB-10 is DOS based, and I _believe_
that the definitions are in EMPLIB.DAT. It's a binary file, and I
haven't done any digging into it.

On the other, other hand, if you're only looking at selected eproms then
a roll-yer-own programmer isn't that hard to throw together with modern
microcontrollers *if* you have the proper algorithm for the device.

I thought about that too. I could always throw together a traditional
4040 counter and parallel port programmer, and just use the "slow and
simple" method of programming EPROMs. Or I could find a Willem and use
it for the larger parts... But my first choice would be to get the
PB-10 to do it. I actually really like the software that drives it.
It's fast and easy to use, and has a nice interface. The built-in
buffer editor and other functions really come in handy. And it runs
great under FreeDOS on my 486/66 with an EGA monitor.

If you don't have any luck here, try asking in comp.arch.embedded.

Hadn't thought about asking there - yeah, I might have to give that a
try.

Of course, I'm probably one of the few people that actually still uses
EPROMs...

-Ian