what do I need to develop for 87c58 'non-avr MCU from atmel' - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: nour
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 07:37:19 am
content: I have some non-avr atmel microcontrollers that is actually part of Q-matic dot matrix LED display systemthey arets87c32x2-MCBts87c58x2-MCBI want to know what is required to write code, compile and burn the output to the chipsis it c or assembly ?I really want to use them because I have bunch of them around but can't make them display any text, just basic information by using built-in setting button nothing moreI know c and very basic assembly also I used avr based MCU and arduinothanks

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 08:03:31 am
content: They are 8051 compatible so any 8051 compiler would do. And a standard oldskool 8051 parallel programmer as well. But they seem to be so old they are not electrically erasable like flash, so to erase the current firmware so you can burn a new version you need to expose them to a strong UV light for 30 minutes.I guess the best bet for you would be to simply remove the microcontrollers and then plug in the i/o of the arduinos into the relevant pins in the old sockets. Then you can control the displays from an environment/cpu/language you're already used to.But of course you need to figure out how to control the displays. Without the schematics available this will require a lot of work and reverse engineering. By your question "is it c or assembly" I guess that this will be a too big of a job for your current level of knowledge.

author: andersm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 08:03:43 am
content: Looking at thedatasheet, the 58x2 is an EPROM device. If your device doesn't have a windowed package, it's effectively one-time programmable. Otherwise it's just an 8051.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 08:31:59 am
content: Generally, the best bet with old LED matrix displays is hack the interface from the controller to the panel(s). Its usually a logic level shift register and some way of selecting a high current row driver, but for %DEITY%'s sake for development purposes only, either include a hardware missing pulse detector and lockout circuit to your row selection logic or drop the LED supply voltage considerably as the LEDs are multiplexed and are commonly pulsed at several times their continuous abs. max. If rating so if you stall the multiplexing due to a code error or while using a debugger, you will probably burn out a significant number of the lit LEDs on that row. Figuring out the interface usually only needs you to grab a few chip datasheets and follow back from the column driver chip nearest to the interface connector and from the row drivers. You can generally assume that to access columns further down the shift register string, you just need to shift in more bits.

author: nour
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 02:22:18 pm
content: OTPI don't know how I missed such a wicked evil word in the datasheetI hate OTP chips I really hate them all, the worst device mankind ever inventedI have no choose but to remove the chip and complete my reversing...I am almost done,it is relatively simple design even it contain a lot of components but most of them are just repeated (at the end it is just dot matrix LED)I was hoping to use those MCU, I have almost 5 of them for almost 10 years in my stuffto the bucketany one knows any useful usage for such a chips beside crashing them all

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 03:07:02 pm
content: erase them using xrays

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 03:10:17 pm
content: Does dirct sunlight causes problems on EPROMs?Have anyone made any tests?Alexander.

author: Len
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 05:08:53 pm
content: Quote from: firewalker on November 19, 2015, 03:10:17 pmYes, sunlight can erase EPROMs. I think it takes a few days or weeks. That's why you put a sticky paper & foil label over the erase window after programming.

author: nour
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2015, 06:17:25 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on November 19, 2015, 03:07:02 pmas soon as I have access to xray I will do itand I think that wouldn't help much at allbecause even if I was able to erase them all, it is still OTP devicenothing changedanyway thanks

author: andersm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2015, 08:20:09 am
content: Quote from: nour on November 19, 2015, 06:17:25 pmIf you can erase it, it's not OTP.