Author Topic: EEVblog #411 - MiniPro TL866 Universal Programmer Review (Read 1448456 times)

Quarlo Klobrigney · « **Reply #1650 on:** June 30, 2019, 10:55:07 pm »

Refashed everything is working EXCEPT the software says that it is too old. v6.85 from their own website! I am lost until someone who knows better than I.

UPDATE I put v6.71 on and it reads a M328P as bad ID but it reads the data.
And now I can actually read the 877 data & ID!
Bad firmware or what did I miss 33 pages ago?

v6.82 Doesn't work either. I am using Radioman's v2.51.

Frvnt · « **Reply #1651 on:** July 01, 2019, 07:50:17 am »

Hi !
Sorry for popping like that but I couldn't find answers about my problems in the past pages..

I'm trying to program a 29C801 chip with my TL866 but it fails just after clicking on "programming", no matter how heavy is the file I try to program. The error message is : "ERROR! Address:0x000002 Buffer Data:0xC208 Verify:0x0200"

I've tried to change the chip, the USB cable, the computer I'm working on, the VPP voltage (should be 12,75v for 29C801) but nothing works. Self test shows Ok everywhere.. Where should I look ?

Thanks a lot for any help, I'm a little bit diheartened $:-\$

https://ibb.co/pzr75GT

Circlotron · « **Reply #1652 on:** July 01, 2019, 08:41:12 am »

^^ M27C801 is an ST eprom. I use them all the time. Your 29C801 is flash? I don’t expect the programming algorithms would be the same. Don’t know enough to explain why.

Circlotron · « **Reply #1653 on:** July 01, 2019, 08:43:13 am »

Can someone explain to me what the “pulse delay” setting does?

radioman · « **Reply #1654 on:** July 01, 2019, 10:05:59 am »

Quote from: Circlotron on July 01, 2019, 08:43:13 am

Can someone explain to me what the “pulse delay” setting does?

This is how long the VPP programming voltage is applied to the chip for each memory cell. This is from the manufacturer datasheet but you can alter this setting to increase this time if the chip is not "burned" properly.

ebastler · « **Reply #1655 on:** July 01, 2019, 10:37:55 am »

Quote from: Frvnt on July 01, 2019, 07:50:17 am

I'm trying to program a 29C801 chip with my TL866 but it fails just after clicking on "programming", no matter how heavy is the file I try to program. The error message is : "ERROR! Address:0x000002 Buffer Data:0xC208 Verify:0x0200"

I've tried to change the chip, the USB cable, the computer I'm working on, the VPP voltage (should be 12,75v for 29C801) but nothing works. Self test shows Ok everywhere.. Where should I look ?

Are you sure you have the right part number there? 29C801 seems to be quite exotic?

As Circlotron had pointed out, according to your screenshot you have selected a different part in your programmer software, and can't expect it to be compatible.

radioman · « **Reply #1656 on:** July 01, 2019, 10:53:16 am »

Quote from: ebastler on July 01, 2019, 10:37:55 am

Are you sure you have the right part number there? 29C801 seems to be quite exotic?

The same thing i wanted to say about this. This part is so exotic that it doesn't exists! Sure this was a typo but what confused me is the error message which indicates an 16bit chip but the screenshot shows an 8bit eprom.

Frvnt · « **Reply #1657 on:** July 01, 2019, 04:48:54 pm »

Doh ! Sorry, this is effectively a M27C801 from ST, not a flash one

...and by highering the VPP voltage to 16 and increasing pulse delay, I was able to write up to 003FF0 but it seem that some data have been duplicated because line 003F80 is the same as line 001F80...

Quarlo Klobrigney · « **Reply #1658 on:** July 01, 2019, 06:36:42 pm »

Software & hardware are strange bedfellows.
So I went to make a working copy of my 6.82 version with my melabs programmer via ICSP. Instead of hitting the read icon I hit the program button with an empty buffer!

It also lacked the usual "Are you sure warning" It gets straight to it.
So lets start again with the donor file so kindly provided by oPossum.
I then updated it to version 6.85 and everything is working without any bugs, not like 6.82. Go figure.

ebastler · « **Reply #1659 on:** July 01, 2019, 06:48:30 pm »

Quote from: Quarlo Klobrigney on July 01, 2019, 06:36:42 pm

Software & hardware are strange bedfellows.
So I went [...]

Seems to me that there is a third fellow in bed with those two -- the user and his antics...

Gandalf_Sr · « **Reply #1660 on:** July 02, 2019, 09:36:52 am »

I have an old TL866A (I bought the A) but haven't used it for a couple of years. I came back to this thread and tried to catch up with what's changed, any summary would be appreciated.

I notice that Autoelectric has a new product called the TL866II Plus and the link has all sorts of comments about how the old TL866CS/A are obsolete, are not supported by their latest (Vn 8.51) firmware, and should be destroyed!!!!

Other than it goes down to 1.8V and has 18V vs 21V max programming VPP, I can't see much difference TL866II Plus vs TL866A and many of the ebay hits for 'TL866' come up with new TL866II Plus items for sale.

Any thoughts on keeping my old TL866A and what software works best with it (on Win 10 64 bit) vs getting the new TL866II Plus?

oPossum · « **Reply #1661 on:** July 02, 2019, 03:52:06 pm »

Latest software is generally the best. There have been a few updates to the software and firmware since the TL866II came out. Note that the software for the TL866A/CS is not the same as the software for the TL866II. Make sure you download the correct version.

The only reason to get the newer TL866II would be if you need device support that only it has. That would mostly be lower voltage parts that the older TL866A/CS can not do due to hardware limitations.

Circlotron · « **Reply #1662 on:** July 03, 2019, 01:13:49 am »

Just had a look at the programming pulses for a 27C801 eprom (pin 24) for the TL866CS and newer TL866II Plus. What's the deal with every second pulse not even going fully to ground?

oPossum · « **Reply #1663 on:** July 03, 2019, 01:21:39 am »

It has three logic levels. Low, High, and Program.

oPossum · « **Reply #1664 on:** July 03, 2019, 01:23:35 am »

It is doing two program pulses followed by a read (verify).

radioman · « **Reply #1665 on:** July 03, 2019, 11:43:08 am »

Quote from: oPossum on July 03, 2019, 01:23:35 am

It is doing two program pulses followed by a read (verify).

Correct! the VPP and /G share the same pin. /G is the output enable pin and must be pulled low to read the chip. I wonder how the /E (chip enable) pin is manipulated in the write process? pulled low for the entire writing process or after the VPP voltage is applied is pulled low for what 'pulse delay' time is necessary?

Frvnt · « **Reply #1666 on:** July 04, 2019, 02:07:49 pm »

Thanks for helping

For the record, I put the TL866 USB cable to a Y USB cable with 2 male connectors to get the power of 2 USB ports to be sure there were'nt any issu with my computer powering. It didn't change anything.

Gandalf_Sr · « **Reply #1667 on:** July 06, 2019, 01:03:33 pm »

I downloaded and installed the latest Windows program from autoelectric and then the manuals. The program runs on my Win 10 64 bit PC just fine and I originally got the Chinese help. I tried replacing the .chm and .chw files in the minipro folder with the English ones I downloaded but now I don't get anything coming up when I click on help from the programmer drop downs.

Any ideas?

Circlotron · « **Reply #1668 on:** July 06, 2019, 11:54:29 pm »

Are the new help files the exact same name as the old ones? Maybe the expected file names are hard coded rather than looking for just any .chm or .chw file?

Sorcerer · « **Reply #1669 on:** July 08, 2019, 01:37:58 pm »

Hello all ....

I've tried the operation just now and everything works fine.
The names of the chinese CHM file and the name of the
english one was exactly the same.
I just copy the english CHM file over the existing one and
all is OK ( and in english).

Regards
Serge

BrianG61UK · « **Reply #1670 on:** July 08, 2019, 02:04:55 pm »

Quote from: Sorcerer on July 08, 2019, 01:37:58 pm

Hello all ....

I've tried the operation just now and everything works fine.
The names of the chinese CHM file and the name of the
english one was exactly the same.
I just copy the english CHM file over the existing one and
all is OK ( and in english).

Regards
Serge

Don't think I've ever needed the help file.
Isn't it in indecipherable chinglish anyway?

Macbeth · « **Reply #1671 on:** July 08, 2019, 10:33:08 pm »

I've only ever used my TL866 with older stuff like PLCC 32, 44, SOIC8 and good old fashioned DIP and have the necessary adapters.

Recently I need to work with TSOP48 Flash and so have bought an 8 piece upgrade adapter kit that should even work with SOP56 whatever that is used for.

What I would like to know is if these very common TL866A/CS compatible adapters can be used with the TL866II+? Backwards compatible? If not, then no need to purchase the new model until absolutely needed.

Macbeth · « **Reply #1672 on:** July 08, 2019, 10:42:24 pm »

Quote from: BrianG61UK on July 08, 2019, 02:04:55 pm

]Don't think I've ever needed the help file.
Isn't it in indecipherable chinglish anyway?

I vaguely remember the English help file gave me some pointers with programming some ATtiny AVR's in HV mode and setting the fuse bits correctly. It was a long time ago, before google translate was any use, but I did seek out the Chinglish help files and they did come in use.

Point is some information whether it be in Chinglish, Mandarin, or Russian is better than no information at all.

jellytot · « **Reply #1673 on:** July 14, 2019, 02:06:44 pm »

Quote from: Macbeth on July 08, 2019, 10:33:08 pm

I've only ever used my TL866 with older stuff like PLCC 32, 44, SOIC8 and good old fashioned DIP and have the necessary adapters.

Recently I need to work with TSOP48 Flash and so have bought an 8 piece upgrade adapter kit that should even work with SOP56 whatever that is used for.

What I would like to know is if these very common TL866A/CS compatible adapters can be used with the TL866II+? Backwards compatible? If not, then no need to purchase the new model until absolutely needed.

AFAIK the original adapters for the TL866 are compatible with the TL866II+ except for a new TSOP48 adapter for Nand Chips.

orion242 · « **Reply #1674 on:** July 15, 2019, 01:36:58 am »

Quote from: jellytot on July 14, 2019, 02:06:44 pm

AFAIK the original adapters for the TL866 are compatible with the TL866II+ except for a new TSOP48 adapter for Nand Chips.

I haven't had any issues with the old adapters with the II+. Only used the old TSOP48 adapter with 29F400BTs, but it works just fine with the II+.


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Author Topic: EEVblog #411 - MiniPro TL866 Universal Programmer Review (Read 1448456 times)

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