There are not many modern programmers today, below $500 . a review and questions answered, below. redux1
there are plenty of dedicated programmers sold for the likes of PIC or ARM, endless. (does 1 job or family of PICs)
but not universal programmers. (today, lots of old dead relics sold on ebay dead, best of which was DATA-IO{tm})
It is a cheap programmer. $42
It has many limits and some devices are dead like the generic SRAM sections are DOA.
It has devices that fail, 6116 is dead, totally.
the good does outweigh the bad for sure, tested many chips, 27C256, dallas chips all work, and FLASH and EEproms work.
Modern chips work as most have charge pumps inside the chip for VPP making the programmers (HW) job , more child's play today.
It has limits of weak TTL signalling (old school limits back to 1970) mostly never a problem with MOS or CMOS chips today. Pin driver limits !
Limits also due to USB power used, many laptop will not work at all at 100mA, (use a powered (3amp) hub for a fast cure here) or use desktop
My HP modern Laptop does 500ma power on USB so works great.
The 2 questions asked most often.
1: Can I write my own device test plan, that is the programming algorithms?, answer no. (it's closed source) not designed to do that at all. (nice dream and if possible worth more money,(i got some)
2: given that, what can I do? , answer plenty !
your chip not listed, so...
use another chip that is same pin-out, and same logic on clock pins CS/OE/WE. (many are exactly the same , same size array and function (eproms ,flash, and nvram.)
or make an adapter that attains that goal. (just wires and sockets , solder jumped)
lets say you have SRAM with a battery (like me and to my horror the 6116 selection is dead the whole page SRAM is dead, and DRAM is joke no way an this tool do dynamic refresh!!!)
The whole section for sram is grayed out , no reads possible. (not sure if that limit is minipro or the firmware)
I used the Dallas DS series NVRAM selections and it works perfectly (matching size) eg, 2k x8 or 8k x 8 etc. (chip in hand, not inside my scope)
Relic Legacy devices from 1970s.
the only tricky parts are folks using relic MOS EPROMS, 2716s is a prime horror here, as each maker uses different VPP program levels and huge long programming pulses this 866 can not do.
the cure is easy, ditch the mos and get say a 27Cxxx chip and use that. (in all cases make sure the VPP is correct and see? it can be changed on the programming page of MINIPRO.!nice.
learn to read your old chips datasheet, learn that 27256 and 256A and 267B do not use the same VPP, learn that or fail or blow up a 13v chip with 21v vpp, the data sheet don't lie , please read it.
In my causes I dreamed of reading on IN CIRCUIT NVAM (6116 class) and failed.
the Processor inside is cheap $3 PIC (ok no issues there)
Limits. the Pin drivers on the 866 has no spec. so i had to read the schematic and look up the spec on the PIC.
that each PIC port output is limited to 3.4mA IOL for 3.4mA (max) at 0.4v Vol. if you circuit uses more current this weak PIC fails.
That means any devices, that have pull up resistors , to 5v can fail real easy. (as mine did)
The 6116 selections , is dead, it is grayed out, and totally useless, but the DS1220 works ok.
I can't use it to back live NVrams in scopes due to 866, weak VoL limits.
Sure wish I could backup my TEK scopes NVRAM. (6116 type)
what fails is the CS bar pin does not go to ViL , low spec, and overloads the programmer. (ViL is voltage input low , TTL jargon)
I may build up an adapter (have one now just wires) to add one non inverting buffer chip on that CS line, rated at 5MA (mine is that) or 2 transistors, 1 for inversion and other for open collector drive to CS bar.
in fact my scope uses 2 transistors in exactly that way, to toggle CS bar.
hummm I have plan.....
How ever I did test all my SRAMS in my junk box with a 3v coin cell across VDD to VSS.
all passed 100% , could watch foot ball come back do a read and all data there was good.
using Dallas selections (matched) for say 6116 Ram.
how that helps others.
ask more quesitons. even ask for tests we can do. (have a full lab)