Any Linux/open source supported Universal Programmer ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Franz Zinn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2013, 04:24:33 pm
content: Hi,I am looking for a universal programmer like Minipro TL866 or Genius G540 that can be used with open source software on a Linux platform. Is there such a thing ? Currently my needs are only to program 27128 and 2764 EPROMs.Apologies if this was not the right forum for the question.regardsFranz

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2013, 04:35:28 pm
content: Probably there is something, but I just installed the Oracle virtualbox and then installed XP in it, along with the software, and it works.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2013, 04:37:51 pm
content: There's linux software for the programmers from Batronix (e.g. Batego) and Galep IV (maybe also some other models). The software for Batronix programmers is based on the .Net framework so you have to install Mono.

author: smashedProton
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2013, 04:50:27 pm
content: The arduino works for avr Chips

author: Franz Zinn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2013, 05:22:43 pm
content: I appreciate the suggestions. Though the Batronix and Galep devices are quite expensive for a hobbyist. I guess I can try using Virtualbox but I certainly won't get any support on that . Any idea if the TL866 or G540 software is known to work. They do install. Unfortunately I don't have a option to try before buying.I am aware of one project that is trying to reverse engineer the G540 protocol --http://sourceforge.net/projects/g540tool/.But as yet it is very much pre-pre-alpha :-). Wonder if there is any such project for TL866 ?regards

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2013, 07:11:34 pm
content: TL866 does work, just use the Oracle virtualbox install, not the repository version. The repo one does not handle the USB passthrough correctly, though it will do media and HID devices perfectly, it will not do other classes of device. All you lose is the automatic update, you will have to watch kernel versioning, though if you install the repository version first it does then keep the kernel updated, as the Oracle one uninstalls it partially during install.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2013, 03:06:00 am
content: There's the Bus Pirate, but that only works with I2C and SPI devices and is really slow for the larger SPI devices.

author: tridentsx
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2013, 10:59:46 pm
content: If you have a TOP2049 and only need support for the devices listed below then you could use toprammer open source s/w on Linux.Its quite easy to add other devices if you know verilog and python.I think an open source programmer would be excellent even for windows. I have threee programmers now that has been orphaned no longer supported on newer OS and newer h/w. An open source programmer would prevent that from ever happening again. If it had a true universal poin driver it would be easy to add new algorithms and sdupport for any device as needed.http://bues.ch/cms/hacking/toprammer.html•27c16, 27c32, 27c64, 27c128, 27c256 27c512 EEPROM•74hc4094 (logic testing)•Atmel AT89C2051•Atmel AtMega32•Atmel AtMega8•Atmel AtMega88•Atmel AtMega88pa•Atmel AtTiny13•HM62256 SRAM (logic testing)•M2764A EPROM•M24c01, M24c02, M24c04, M24c08, M24c16 I2C EEPROM•Microchip PIC10F200•Microchip PIC10F202•Microchip PIC10F204•Microchip PIC10F206•Microchip PIC10F220•Microchip PIC10F222

author: bronson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 07:11:01 pm
content: For google searchers (like me), there's a far more satisfying answer to this question here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-411-minipro-tl866-universal-programmer-review/msg395841/#msg395841Haven't tried myself yet, gotta order the device first.

author: mos6502
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2014, 11:32:56 pm
content: There's a program for the G540:http://sourceforge.net/projects/g540tool/The G540 runs on a Silabs C8051, so it might even be hackable.

author: abyrvalg
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2014, 03:11:57 pm
content: tridentsx, I had reverse engineered an UP-1024P (256 universal pindrivers) and made several custom algos for it. I can share the results, but it is quite complex device (and still expensive I guess): you need to program Cypress FX2 MCU and two Spartan FPGAs to do something (I had used a quick&dirty approach: just configured FPGAs as huge GPIO expanders and did some bitbang from MCU).

author: timofonic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2015, 06:28:08 pm
content: Quote from: abyrvalg on March 22, 2014, 03:11:57 pmSorry for necroposting!It would be nice if you show your research. Maybe this could be useful for a hypothetical future OSHW+FOSS universal programmer + tester?