Sp33dFr34k
Champion
It's definitely not recent, found a (rather useless) video on it dating back from 2014:
- Thread starter twistedsymphony
- Start date
Even if a bit older than I thought, I guess it still works fine for writing EPROMs to fix game boards from the 80s and 90s.
Sp33dFr34k
Champion
Well I was rather excited about a new version which could potentially support more chips but was a bit bummed out this was not the case
I seem to recall that the TOP3100 indeed supports some more chips than the TOP3000, however I can't find now the document where I read that. But anyway, the extra supported chips do not seem to be very used in the arcade world, so for this hobby, the TOP3000 seems to be enough.Well I was rather excited about a new version which could potentially support more chips but was a bit bummed out this was not the case
Nah, my TOP3000 has the same 48 pin socket that the TOP3100 has, so that's not it.
Sp33dFr34k
Champion
@twistedsymphony did you get this running fine on W10? Still haven't upgraded and looking at the TOP3000 atm
nope my Top3000 got thrown in the trash... literally.
Sp33dFr34k
Champion
Damnit... so what are you using now then?
AlxUnderBase
Enlightened
@Sp33dFr34k i used my Top 3000 with windows 10. i have another pc but it's old and there i have windows xp sp.3 installed....but on xp i don't know if he will work.
Sp33dFr34k
Champion
Thanks Alex, I don't see an alternative for that money so I ordered the TOP3000 and will also get some of the 1000uf 10v caps just in case.
Essentially my Top3000 was dead, it had programmed about a hand full of chips among dozens of failures before it simply refused to communicate over USB. I sent it to another AP member who had a confirmed good, working software setup and he couldn't get it to work either so we trashed it.
After the Top3000 I moved to an EETools ChipMax 2, which is a really fantastic programmer, arguably the nicest programmer with the nicest software I've ever used.
Honestly, I got sick of wasting time with all the crappy Chinese programmers. Moving to the ChipMax2 was a breath of fresh air. Zero problems installing the software, because it's a legit professional grade product, everything is in English, from the software, to the official website, to the documentation, and it has real support, because it's a USA made product. It programs about twice as fast as my GQ did, has a much nicer socket, metal enclosure. Not to mention I had a literal pile of chips that my GQ4 and Top3000 refused to program and the ChipMax2 wrote to them like they were brand new.
However, I've since moved to an Xeltec SuperPro, it's not as nice as the ChipMax2 but it has a much larger list of compatible chips, which I needed for some obscure stuff I was working with.
Neither of these are comparable price wise to the Top3000 as they both retail around $600 but if you wait for one to come up you can often find them used for around $350 (which is what I paid for each).
they're twice the price but well worth it IMO.
I hopefully will get a better programmer in the future. However my Top3000 has had no errors and I even run it on a Mac.
I opened my unit when I got it and thankfully it didn’t have the leaky caps like other users have reported.
I opened my unit when I got it and thankfully it didn’t have the leaky caps like other users have reported.
Sp33dFr34k
Champion
Thanks for your elaborated reply TS, I remembered you've bought the ChipMax2, but that's really out of my pricerange. Hopefully mine works well, otherwise I will just file a claim and see from there..
MoppelTheWhale
Grand Master
not just in case - replace them right away and remove a bit of the plastic
Out of the Cheap Chinese programmers the TopMax3000 is probably the best, at least in terms of features/chip compatibility. it seems a lot of them end up DOA or fail within a short time frame.
unfortunately for me, mine sort-of work until I was beyond the claim period. And once that happens you're looking at spending about as much as you would on a much nicer programmer.
pacoarcade
Professional
The Minipro TL866A works very nice and its software is reliable. I use the Top3000 only for the 27C400/27C800/27C160 and 27C322 since the software is a royal pain in the ass.
the TL866 is a great programmer for the price, but I wouldn't use it for any 16-bit chips.... which unless you're only exclusively working with boards from the 80s is most things.
Sp33dFr34k
Champion
Yes, I will!not just in case - replace them right away and remove a bit of the plastic
Guess you're right, I have a cheap MiniPro programmer which has served me well, but compatibility is a bit shit. Still working fine and quick though. I guess I'll just take my chances, no way back now
LittleLarrySellers
Professional
I have the Top3000 running on an XP box with no issues so far. Granted I have done some very basic stuff as of now.
I am getting ready to try the Pacmania to Splatterhouse conversion and know I have to fudge the pins to make it work. Do any of these higher end programmers handle non-jedec w/o having to do a mod?
I am getting ready to try the Pacmania to Splatterhouse conversion and know I have to fudge the pins to make it work. Do any of these higher end programmers handle non-jedec w/o having to do a mod?
I hate my top3000.
It only does 16 bit eproms reliably.
For the rest I have a Batronix BX 40, I love it.
Wish I had't screwed up my Wellon VP280 that's the best chinese programmer, programmed everything you throw at.
It only does 16 bit eproms reliably.
For the rest I have a Batronix BX 40, I love it.
Wish I had't screwed up my Wellon VP280 that's the best chinese programmer, programmed everything you throw at.
