PROM programming in the UK ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: netdudeuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2024, 07:34:27 am
content: HiIs there anywhere in the UK that I could get a couple of vintage PROMs programmed ?Thanks

author: marcopolo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2024, 12:42:55 pm
content: Hi,You should specify the PROM model to be programmed.Marc

author: Phil_G
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 03, 2024, 11:00:52 am
content: Ask here, our members can do most promshttps://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=16

author: netdudeuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2024, 08:58:28 pm
content: Quote from: Phil_G on August 03, 2024, 11:00:52 amThanks Phil. I'm already on thereIt seems like a really friendly community.

author: Squarewave
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2024, 12:43:06 pm
content: Most people here could program them, which PROMs are you looking to get programmed?

author: Phil_G
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2024, 08:49:36 am
content: Thats a very confident statementI believe its 74S287 and N82S129N

author: Squarewave
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2024, 05:19:48 pm
content: Quote from: Phil_G on September 10, 2024, 08:49:36 amWell, I just thought that the many excellently astute and well considered folk here may be able to turn their hand at programming them. I may be more confident at their technical acumen than you happen to be

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2024, 05:25:28 pm
content: It's not a matter of acumen, it's a matter of having access to vintage device programmers that still work, or the more exotic and expensive modern programmers that still support obsolete PROMs. Not so easy.

author: Squarewave
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2024, 05:32:15 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on September 11, 2024, 05:25:28 pmOne of the reasons I hope to get my Micromaster working again, the support it has for some older devices may well come in handy.

author: peter-h
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2024, 04:47:23 pm
content: OMG these are the old fusible-link PROMs.I did somebody else's (!) final year univ project - an arbitrary waveform generator - using an 8 bit one of these, driven by a sync counter, and feeding an 8-bit DAC. In 1978.The place I would start is Ebay, and old Data-I/O kit. It is possible the Chiplab supports these; it did just about everything. I can't see any on Ebay right now but there is a lot of that kit on the used TE market.Distributors can program chips if you buy a load from them but this chip is about 40 years obsolete. I am not sure of the current situation; the last time I got some CMOS 22V10s programmed (1000pcs) was 10 years ago.

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2024, 05:00:41 pm
content: Quote from: peter-h on October 31, 2024, 04:47:23 pmI assume the present thread is obsolete as well. Neither has the OP ever told us which parts they want programmed, nor do they still seem interested in the exercise.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2024, 05:14:26 pm
content: Quote from: peter-h on October 31, 2024, 04:47:23 pmI would start with trying to find someone with a Data I/O, Stag or other programmer from the old days who knows how to use it. Those things are a minefield of needing just the right machine, with just the right adaptor modules, firmware updates, etc. to program anything but the most mainstream parts. For someone who doesn't know the machines that can be a nightmare. They were never all that reliable, using a lot of what were not always the finest quality connectors to connect all the plug in modules together. So, finding a working one, and verifying that its working to spec. for the part you want to program may be a challenge.

author: peter-h
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2024, 12:14:41 pm
content: Yes.I got the impression these are for some sort of a DPLL radio. I recall DMEs used them for channel to frequency lookup.Probably an easier way, if you have the data, is to make a simple adaptor which carries some EPROM and which plugs into the old fusible link PROM socket. EPROMs were slower but not that slow if you tied /CE and /OE to GNDThen you can also use an EPROM emulator - gosh another journey into the 1980sbut I still have a few of those in a box. Very easy to load different data that way for testing.

author: netdudeuk
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2025, 04:13:38 pm
content: Quote from: ebastler on October 31, 2024, 05:00:41 pmMy apologies. I forgot to get back.Yes, I was looking for fusible-link PROMs and for the benefit of others, someone at vintage-radio.net very kindly gave me one of those, procured the other and programmed both of them -N82S129N as a drop in replacement for the 74S287AM27S29 as a drop in replacement for the 74S472