Rom Emulator

[Tony Duell]

> 
> 
> Hi
>  I just got from our scrap pile=2C a Abi ROM emulator. I got no instruction
> manual but it looks like I can download a current release from the web.
> I've not used one of these before but this looks like a great debug
> tool since one could create small programs to run specific debug test
> and stick it into systems without blowing EPROM ( always a drag ).

An EPROM emuloetor is certainly a very useful thing to have. I built one [1]
some 21 years ago (actually a combined emulator/programmer) and have used 
it a lot. As you said, it sure beats burning an EPROM time and again.

[1] 3 boards of TTL logic, RAM, and a dumb UART. A microcontroller would 
have made life a lot easier, but how the heck could I program the 
firmware ROM for that without a programmer :-).

>  I've always though it would be great to have one but never could
> justify the several hundred bucks to buy one.

There have been sevearl designs in magazines ove the years. My favourite 
was in Elektor, it was just RAM and a handful of TTL parts. It was loaded 
from a Centronics printer port,

>  The one thing I wonder about is that the company is still selling this
> unit as an ISA board interface. I'm surprised they haven't come up to
> PCI or USB. I'm sure there is a larger market for an inexpensive USB
> unit.

I've seen plenty of them with RS232 or Centronics host interfaces. I 
assume they can be used with the appropriate USB converter cable, but for 
obvious reasons I've not tried.

-tony