Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!ucsd!ucsdhub!loral!dml
From: dml@loral.UUCP (Dave Lewis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: EPROM programmer
Summary: It's doable
Message-ID: <1843@loral.UUCP>
Date: 14 Sep 88 15:47:35 GMT
References: <13240002@hprmokg.rnd.hp>
Reply-To: dml@loral.UUCP (Dave Lewis)
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga
Organization: Loral Instrumentation, San Diego
Lines: 38

In article <13240002@hprmokg.rnd.hp> alh@hprmokg.rnd.hp (Al Harrington) writes:
>Does anyone know if there is an EPROM programmer for the Amiga?

  I've been considering building an EPROM programmer for a several months. It
would handle all 2716 --> 27512 devices (except the TI 3-voltage 2716), the
Motorola 8K X 8 24-pin chips (26764? I've got some, but forget the number) plus
any others I can find specs for. I could write a design-your-own-EPROM mode to
program any device that even resembles an EPROM.

  Thing is, how much demand would there be for a really high-performance EPROM
programmer at, say, $250? One with an on-board processor (6809 or 68000), 64K
or more of RAM to store programming data, "done" interrupt, automatic verify...
automatic high/low byte shuffling for 16-bit two-EPROM applications (possibly
0/1/2/3 byte shuffling for 32-bit 4-chip sets). Zorro-2 board, of course, with
a selection of outboard programming-socket modules - single, dual, gang. A
simple user interface: the screen shows a bunch of manufacturer's logos; select
one with the mouse, select a part number and go. (Actually, software would be
the hardest part of the project. Coding a user interface can drive ya to drink.)

  I think I could design the beast and start turning 'em out in four or five
months IF I was sure of selling enough to get quantity discounts on the PCB's.
Circuit boards that are <$50 in large quantities can be >$400 in small numbers.
I've got the tools to do the job and the money to start it up - would I make
some bucks or lose my ass?

  Another project I've been considering is a board with 4-8 serial ports on it
and, again, a local processor to handle data blocking. I'd want the local micro
to talk Xmodem, Ymodem and Kermit without bothering the Amiga's 68000 about it.
It would interrupt the Amiga at end-of-file, end-of-line, or every character.
The Amiga's micro would hand it a data block, it would interrupt when the block
is gone. Who'd be interested in that one? I'd need the services of a Real Amiga
System Programmer to do this one properly (how would you go about integrating a
Multiple-Serial-Handler into the system?).
-- 
Dave Lewis      Loral Instrumentation      San Diego    (619) 282-3341
  ihnp4 --\   bang --\ kontron -\
  hp-sdd --\ calmasd ->-> crash ->--> loral!dml
  sdcrdcf -->--------> sdcsvax -/      (uucp)