EEVblog #411 - MiniPro TL866 Universal Programmer Review

[kerouanton]

Some feedback about my current tests:

- I've checked how XgPro defines the IC list. It's not a text nor a binary file, but an executable DLL called InfoIC2Plus.dll that seems to contain all IC references. Disassembling it shows some function exports (GetDllInfo, GetIcList, GetIcMFC, GetIcStru, GetMfcStru) that seem related to setting the right parameters. So it's not really convenient to alter the DLL and change any parameters (but should be possible in theory).

- The PIC16F1938 has a flash size of 0x4000, but the only similar MCU that I found and used to create the Custom IC is a PIC16F1829 that has only 0x2000 for Flash. That explains why my firmware doesn't work as expected.

- I've checked on the Microchip which PIC MCUs have 0x4000 flash, but all the references I found are not listed on XgPro (16F1519, 16F1939, 16F1527, 16F1947, 16F1518, and 16F1938).

So, has anyone succeeded in flashing a PIC MCU with a flash size > 0x2000 ? I'm beginning to believe the TL866-II Plus and T-56 don't support this flash size, but that seems weird because it's not so difficult to implement.

[Quench1]

A new model of TL866 (3rd generation) has just been released - the "TL866-3G" aka the "T48":
It's supported in software version starting from v12.01

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004434848306.html

Looks like the TL866ii+ will be killed off considering the price.

[tokyoskies]

A new model of TL866 (3rd generation) has just been released - the "TL866-3G" aka the "T48":
It's supported in software version starting from v12.01

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004434848306.html

Looks like the TL866ii+ will be killed off considering the price.

Seems to be the market strategy. I got mine 3 days ago for a steal. Should I be worried???



On that note, I am worried, as my TL866II Plus is not really working! I posted my issue on XGECU forums and got some responses, but its just basically telling me that all my EEPROMs are too old and possibly faulty.
Hard to believe that, since I got some of them from Digitec on Wednesday. Anyway, I went through this thread and some folks seem to have had a similar issue. I am trying to program SST39VF020@PLCC32 with a bin I just read of my 2 "Master" EEPROMS (also SST39VF020).
I can read master and the "blank" EEPROMS fine. I saved the bin files of both masters. Now, I cannot seem to write the master bin to the blank chips. I cannot erase the blank chips either. I then thought "what the heck, I saved the master bin file, so lets erase the master eeprom".
It does not erase that either, in fact I cannot erase any chip. When trying to program a chip with the Air_Master.bin I get the following error:

APP Version : 12.05   Model : TL866II Plus
     Device : SST39VF020 @ PLCC32
Pins Detected Passed!
ID: 0x FF FF ......OK!
Erase  ...Succeeded. Time : 0.390 S
Programming FLASH ...
ERROR!  Address:0x000000   Buffer Data:0xA0   Verify:0xFF
Programming  ...Failed

I did create a new chip with ID FF FF, as I always get a Chip ID error when reading or writing, no matter what chip I use.

I tried:

1. Different USB Cable
2. Different PC with Windows 7
3. Downgrading the firmware from 12.05 to 10.13, 10.35, 11.90
4. Re-flashing 12.05 several times
5. Checked the ZIF PLCC32 socket adapter
6. Bought a new PLCC32 socket adapter
7. Bought 6 new SST39VF020 (in total I have 10 now and none can be programmed)
8. Tried a similar chip profile (Cat28F020 and Cat28C256) - Cat28F020 seemed to work at first. The erasing took much longer than on the native profile. Programming then took about 5 min, but failed in the end anyway.
9. I tried several USB ports and hubs
10. Self-Check is OK on all pins and OC protection

I am now thinking to send this back and get myself a Batronix.. Much more expensive, but if it works....

[CRC]

A new model of TL866 (3rd generation) has just been released - the "TL866-3G" aka the "T48":
It's supported in software version starting from v12.01

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004434848306.html

Looks like the TL866ii+ will be killed off considering the price.

Seems to be the market strategy. I got mine 3 days ago for a steal. Should I be worried???



On that note, I am worried, as my TL866II Plus is not really working! I posted my issue on XGECU forums and got some responses, but its just basically telling me that all my EEPROMs are too old and possibly faulty.
Hard to believe that, since I got some of them from Digitec on Wednesday. Anyway, I went through this thread and some folks seem to have had a similar issue. I am trying to program SST39VF020@PLCC32 with a bin I just read of my 2 "Master" EEPROMS (also SST39VF020).
I can read master and the "blank" EEPROMS fine. I saved the bin files of both masters. Now, I cannot seem to write the master bin to the blank chips. I cannot erase the blank chips either. I then thought "what the heck, I saved the master bin file, so lets erase the master eeprom".
It does not erase that either, in fact I cannot erase any chip. When trying to program a chip with the Air_Master.bin I get the following error:

APP Version : 12.05   Model : TL866II Plus
     Device : SST39VF020 @ PLCC32
Pins Detected Passed!
ID: 0x FF FF ......OK!
Erase  ...Succeeded. Time : 0.390 S
Programming FLASH ...
ERROR!  Address:0x000000   Buffer Data:0xA0   Verify:0xFF
Programming  ...Failed

I did create a new chip with ID FF FF, as I always get a Chip ID error when reading or writing, no matter what chip I use.

I tried:

1. Different USB Cable
2. Different PC with Windows 7
3. Downgrading the firmware from 12.05 to 10.13, 10.35, 11.90
4. Re-flashing 12.05 several times
5. Checked the ZIF PLCC32 socket adapter
6. Bought a new PLCC32 socket adapter
7. Bought 6 new SST39VF020 (in total I have 10 now and none can be programmed)
8. Tried a similar chip profile (Cat28F020 and Cat28C256) - Cat28F020 seemed to work at first. The erasing took much longer than on the native profile. Programming then took about 5 min, but failed in the end anyway.
9. I tried several USB ports and hubs
10. Self-Check is OK on all pins and OC protection

I am now thinking to send this back and get myself a Batronix.. Much more expensive, but if it works....

I am having exactly the same result.

It's bizarre because it worked great the firsrt few days. I wonder if they are knockoffs and there is some sort of software detection going on that's bricking them.

[Black Phoenix]

I know that is a working tool but heck the T48 is ugly as hell in terms of design. The MiniPro looked okay, but this one I can't go by the design.

It almost makes me try to design an alternative case for it in Solidworks. That and the font that Chinese like to use in their products, that kinda Times New Roman like called Zhongyi Songti.

But that's just small gripes I had, not regarding the tool itself since I've used in the last gig I done.

[TodayIsFridayInCalifornia]

Does anyone else have issues using their TSOP48 adapters with the original TL866? I needed to replace the ATTINY13A on mine just to get it to be recognized as a V3 adapter, but whatever I do no chips will properly ID and I can't get anything in or out of them even if I bypass the ID check.

I really don't feel like buying the T48 if I don't have to (especially given how infrequently I actually need to use it), but I feel like I'm being pushed in that direction.

[landsfiskalen]

Finally decided to try and resurrect my old TL866CS clone. Tried to force the boot loader with the 100ohm resistor trick, but no luck. Decided to try and program it through ICSP from my TL866 II Plus. I downloaded the stock firmware from radiomans repo (https://github.com/radiomanV/TL866/tree/67487e2cd60fa8f755e977c9fc656559452f5092/TL866_Updater/C%23/firmware). But I get an error when trying to program it, I think it uses the same PIC as the original (but it's been grinded off), so tried with that one. It reads ok, but when programming I get this error message:

error flash address 0x00000 buf_val:0x87 ic_val:0x00

Does anyone have any clue on how to solve this?

Best regards,
landsfiskalen

[radioman]

Hi folks. As i don't read this thread regularly, please drop me a PM if you encounter some issues regarding to the TL866 programmer.

I downloaded the stock firmware from radiomans repo

 
First, those files (.bin) are not intended to be used as firmware files ready to be flashed by a programmer. These are part of the firmware updater project (the serial code is invalid).
You should run the firmware updater tool and generate a new firmware (in the firmware tab) and load the generated hex file into your programmer (contains the correct fusebits).
If you don't have my updater tool (posted here, in this thread) I'll attach here an original firmware file extracted from a working TL866A.
 Regarding to your error, how the tl866ii is connected to the 'dead'?

[Ricks]

  I have a T48 that is bricked due to a failed firmware update.

Recovery anyone ?

[Ricks]

runs again.

[alm]

runs again.

For the benefit of anyone else running in the same problem, how did you recover?

[Qw3rtzuiop]

For the benefit of anyone else running in the same problem, how did you recover?

The newest software seems to have a bugfix if my translator works corretctly.
http://forums.xgecu.com/viewthread.php?tid=20&page=1&extra=#pid23

[Marcustv]

Is the T48 a viable alternative to the TL866 ?

[james38]

The TL866II is not really more supported.
The T48 has some benefits to the TL866.
You can read a comparison table on their website.

It depends on which chips you are want to programm.
The TL866II provides many chips in the wild but the T48 can do some newer chips.
The T56 has the biggest chip portfolio he provides.

You must choose by yourself which one fits the best for you.

Regards Chris

[Marcustv]

The TL866II is not really more supported.
The T48 has some benefits to the TL866.
You can read a comparison table on their website.

It depends on which chips you are want to programm.
The TL866II provides many chips in the wild but the T48 can do some newer chips.
The T56 has the biggest chip portfolio he provides.

You must choose by yourself which one fits the best for you.

Regards Chris

Thanks for the clarification

[regged]

Hi all. Does anyone know how to add new chip support to this programmer? I want to program S29JL032H70TFIG2 but there is absolutely no information on internet, how many banks, how many words or can i program this chip correctly with other model?

[SuperSVGA]

Hi all. Does anyone know how to add new chip support to this programmer? I want to program S29JL032H70TFIG2 but there is absolutely no information on internet, how many banks, how many words or can i program this chip correctly with other model?

Are you sure it ends with G2 and it's not S29JL032H70TFI02 or something? There are quite a few S29JL032 models supported.

[ollihd]

Can anyone suggest a legit source to buy an authentic t48 or t56 from? It seems there is a lot of clones/fakes out there.

[ebastler]

Can anyone suggest a legit source to buy an authentic t48 or t56 from? It seems there is a lot of clones/fakes out there.

Is that so? I don't think I have ever read about clones of the T48 or T56. Knock-offs were becoming a big problem for the original TL866 (CS and A), but it seems Xgecu has been successful in keeping the successor products safe from cloners. They still have a piracy warning notice for the TL866 on their website today, but nothing concerning the current models: http://www.xgecu.com/en/

So I think you can buy a T48 or T56 from whichever source is convenient, and can be pretty confident that it will be genuine.

[Qw3rtzuiop]

Can anyone suggest a legit source to buy an authentic t48 or t56 from? It seems there is a lot of clones/fakes out there.

They have a store on aliexpress. https://xgecu.aliexpress.com/store/4805043?

[JacquesBBB]

I no longer can use my minipro programmer (V. 6.17) . Probably, if I understand because I updated the firmware.

I need to instal the minipro_setup685.exe, but the original site autoelectric.cn  is unreachable.
Can someone post it here  ?

Thanks

Update :  I found it on xgecu.com  . Obviously they change name.

[james38]

Have you tried this Url? http://www.xgecu.com/en/
Note it is only reachable with "http"

[JacquesBBB]

Have you tried this Url? http://www.xgecu.com/en/
Note it is only reachable with "http"

Yes James, I found it on this site ( see my above  updated post).

[sswcharlie1]

Hi

Has anyone used the TL866  with the TMS1000 and checked the rom.

Thanks

Charles

[rsjsouza]

Charles, the TMS1000 is a masked ROM that has no electrical way to be read from the outside. The only way is to decap the IC and decode the metallization layers.