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Finally got all components and sockets a couple of day ago and my pcbs are just waiting for the eproms to be burned! Takes painfully long time to program them since its 10 eproms and I need to program the 512k banks separately so it's 80 times around 3 minutes :(... and i am worried that I might have some problem with my adapter since I haven't been able to get the 27c800 correct perhaps... hmm. Will know more when I receive the new eprom hopefully this afternoon.
 
When I found that my g540 can't write 27c322 I briefly considered getting an adapter, but then bought a top3000 instead. I would probably watch TV while burning ROMs, lose track of banks, and end up forgetting either to load the next image or advancing the bank selection...
 
When I found that my g540 can't write 27c322 I briefly considered getting an adapter, but then bought a top3000 instead. I would probably watch TV while burning ROMs, lose track of banks, and end up forgetting either to load the next image or advancing the bank selection...
I actually looked at the top3000/top3100 several years ago but had a advantec universal programmer at work that was really good so I didnt buy it... now I am waiting for the "next" new universal programmer in top3000 pricerange... I feel that its to late to buy the top3000 now maybe?... or heck, I am only dealing with old games anyway so might actually be a good choice after all.

The TL866 I bought mainly for programming S29GL064-256 flash. Will be perfect to use the bigger flashes for the PGM boards! With proper voltagetranslation/buffers ofc.
Right now I am fixind a adapter to put all neo geo mvs C roms on 256 flashes (one for odd and one for even C). That adapter pcb will have leveltranslators :). We could intergrate that onto the pgm boards when they are ready... but the problem is that not everyone is comfortable in soldering those smd flashes and its not allowed to sell boards already programmed :S
 
The companies that produced the top3000 and g540 have fallen off the internet, so it is tricky to get updates (or just signed Win10 drivers). I think some bits of the g540 are reverse-engineered, but only to program a handful of chips. It would be great to have an open-source solution, so you are not stuck with a useless bit of plastic when the company disappears. I remember there used to be lots of example circuits during the C64 era to program EPROMs, but nowadays many programming algorithms are more complicated (and confidential).

For my SNES project I've got an adaptor for LoROM to 29F040 for programming/testing in-circuit. Something similar would be possible for PGM, as they are just using PC-XT slot connectors, but you'd need an additional connector for the write signals. Or, my KoV2 board has a small adaptor board for the program ROM that contains a surface mount ROM that fits into the DIP socket, something like https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TSOP66-Type-II-0-65mm-0-026-to-2-x-IDC3x11-connector-UK/153426985327 They could be populated in the factory, and then programmed by the user.
 
I have the Top3000 and for the price and functionality, you can’t really go wrong!
 
I have a Wellon which cost a significant amount, but recently @oneleaf86 gave me a Mini Pro, which are rather cheap, and I love it! I use it more than the Wellon for PICs and Atmel etc. Some of the bottom end programmers are actually really good.
 
I
I have a Wellon which cost a significant amount, but recently @oneleaf86 gave me a Mini Pro, which are rather cheap, and I love it! I use it more than the Wellon for PICs and Atmel etc. Some of the bottom end programmers are actually really good.
I have a Wellon as well. The VP798. It was very expensive.. but does the job, The only thing it doesn't do is 128mbit chips. You have to buy the VP998 for that. I really don't like the idea that the more you pay.. the more chips are supported...

T.
 
Boards ordered, wish me luck... I decided to take a slightly higher risk and order 10 each again.
Well i'm keen on more than 1 "set" of boards :) Hopefully this will be the final revision?? I would love to build 1 of each game for testing....

T.
 
Are there indicative pricing on these yet?
I haven't crunched the numbers, yet. It depends on the order size, and I need to get the cost for the prototypes back. It will be much cheaper than a converted cart, though the size of the PCBs doesn't come cheap. I hope they will be affordable for everyone.
 
Well i'm keen on more than 1 "set" of boards :) Hopefully this will be the final revision?? I would love to build 1 of each game for testing....
Yes, I hope they will be final, unless I made any stupid mistakes when I moved stuff around to optimise component placement to fit the everything into the cartridge... They should arrive early next week, and I should have enough stuff to test them right away.
 
When I found that my g540 can't write 27c322 I briefly considered getting an adapter, but then bought a top3000 instead. I would probably watch TV while burning ROMs, lose track of banks, and end up forgetting either to load the next image or advancing the bank selection...
d*mn, I have tried many times now but yeah, as you said.. I did loose track of the dips (which is inverted on my adapter PCB btw!! GRR), burned wrong image to the bank etc.. damnit, I the frustration is real. I NEED a new programmer for the 27c322 :((((

TNM5000 Programmer (250$)
Stager VS4800 (80-100$) doesnt even support 27C322
Top3000/3100 (100-150$)
Wellon VP798 (450$)

are the contestants... atm Stager VS4800 (80-100$) is on my mind since I think its newer than the top3xxx series

hmm... the more I check the more it points towards top3xxx.. but I must say it bothers me a bit that its soo old, and no support :/
 
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GQ4x4 with a 16-Bit Adapter can also do 27c322

Currently I'm using a ChipMax2 which is a USA made and well supported professional programmer (though it's 2x the price of a Top3000)
 
Look what the postman brought me today:
IMG_20190524_185944.jpg

This is version 1.1 of the prog board, and version 1.2 of the char board. :)

What is different?
- changed the electrolytic capacitor footprints to make soldering easier (2.54mm grid instead of 1.2mm)
- tweaked the length of the card edge connectors to leave enough space for bevelling
- optimised out a handful of vias
- char board: tweaked the positioning of the logic chips to leave more space for the capacitors
- prog board: moved all chips a few mm away from the two holes for the mounting posts to leave space for the tabs
- prog board: expanded the prototype area into the empty space

(The blue pcbs are for SNES cartridges using 512k x 8 flash chips and an adapter to rewrite them. There is no room in the cartridge for sockets.)

IMG_20190524_225424.jpg


This is a set assembled with DoDonPachi. Yes, I checked if the prototype area has any impact on the cost: gerber files with and without the holes return the same quote, so I assume they are factored into the general manufacturing cost.

IMG_20190524_231341.jpg


Game running fine.

Oh, and if anyone is wondering what it looks like if there is a bad contact to the B1 and B2 ROM:
IMG_20190524_225428.jpg


Cleaning the oxidation from the legs with a bit of sandpaper seems to have fixed it.
 
Amazing work, i'm SO glad to see something non destructive, this needs to happen with as many games and system as possible.

If you sell one or need more testing, i'll jump right in !
 
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