EPROM programming (27c160's)

[Steven Hirsch]

On Sun, 15 Aug 2010, Mark Tapley wrote:

> Tony,
>
> At 19:37 -0500 8/13/10, Alexandre wrote:
>>     I think I still have an image of the old site on my desktop, mail me if
>> you want that
>
> 	Alexandre's link,
>
> http://web.archive.org/web/20080621113020/http://www.willem.org/
>
> points to a page which my machine loads only glacially, apparently because 
> the server isn't responding fast.
>
> Meantime, my Googling for "willem programmer" produced this page:
>
> http://www.sivava.com/
>
> which describes a commercially available EPROM programmer. Packages start at 
> US$39. Many adaptors are available, prices $3 - $70. Driver software appears 
> to be Windows only (9x - XP). The programmer looks like a single 
> free-standing circuit board, ~9 IC's plus a lot of sockets including a DIP 
> ZIF socket. USB power, "DB25" data cable (!). Ah, reading further, there's an 
> AC/DC power adaptor as well, so I guess you don't need a PC with both USB and 
> Serial.

A word of warning about the sivava programmer:  It's a modified Willem 
unit with its own special software.  The developer forked the Willem 
project and never released his changes.  Caused a lot of rancor.

Also, forget about technical support.  He is glad to take your money, but 
don't expect any questions or inquiries post-sale to be answered.

Finally, the DC-DC converter used to derive Vpp for 21V EPROMs is 
underdesigned and unlikely to yield reliable results.  There was a mod kit 
available from one of the Willem forum regulars that I ended up 
installing.

All in all, the Sivava was more trouble than it was worth.  There are eBay 
folks selling "genuine" (i.e. unmodified) Willem designs for less money.

Steve


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