EEVblog #411 - MiniPro TL866 Universal Programmer Review

[timofonic]

Now with a cloner, and if the sale stops coming in, this programmer shall be abandoned.  And it shall become another brick in my cabinet.

Whole premise of a programmer with logic hidden in a black lasered/grinded over markings box is flawed.
Programmer should be open hardware bitbanging platform with high amount of configurable logic level voltage GPIOs + open source application.

if you look at TL866 its just a shift register with a bunch of latches and variable logic level power supply. Thats all there is to it, add USB microcontroller with 8-10 pins to control this mess and hardware is done.

So do you want to be a pioneer? There are others like Open Programmer, but lacked a proper community behind it and a complete multiplatform multipurpose IDE behind it.

[Rasz]

Now with a cloner, and if the sale stops coming in, this programmer shall be abandoned.  And it shall become another brick in my cabinet.

Whole premise of a programmer with logic hidden in a black lasered/grinded over markings box is flawed.
Programmer should be open hardware bitbanging platform with high amount of configurable logic level voltage GPIOs + open source application.

if you look at TL866 its just a shift register with a bunch of latches and variable logic level power supply. Thats all there is to it, add USB microcontroller with 8-10 pins to control this mess and hardware is done.

So do you want to be a pioneer? There are others like Open Programmer, but lacked a proper community behind it and a complete multiplatform multipurpose IDE behind it.

wasnt willem open? never used it
but I did use (and contributed to) programs like now defunct Uniflash http://www.rainbow-software.org/uniflash/, source code available (turbo pascal), supports crapload of parallel flash (and some lpc) chips http://web.archive.org/web/20070820104156/http://www.uniflash.org/hardware.htm
then there is flashrom  covering most parallel and spi chips https://www.flashrom.org/Supported_hardware#Supported_flash_chips
source available, plus it supports tons of cheap programmer hardware https://www.flashrom.org/Supported_programmers

[timofonic]

Now with a cloner, and if the sale stops coming in, this programmer shall be abandoned.  And it shall become another brick in my cabinet.

Whole premise of a programmer with logic hidden in a black lasered/grinded over markings box is flawed.
Programmer should be open hardware bitbanging platform with high amount of configurable logic level voltage GPIOs + open source application.

if you look at TL866 its just a shift register with a bunch of latches and variable logic level power supply. Thats all there is to it, add USB microcontroller with 8-10 pins to control this mess and hardware is done.

So do you want to be a pioneer? There are others like Open Programmer, but lacked a proper community behind it and a complete multiplatform multipurpose IDE behind it.

wasnt willem open? never used it
but I did use (and contributed to) programs like now defunct Uniflash http://www.rainbow-software.org/uniflash/, source code available (turbo pascal), supports crapload of parallel flash (and some lpc) chips http://web.archive.org/web/20070820104156/http://www.uniflash.org/hardware.htm
then there is flashrom  covering most parallel and spi chips https://www.flashrom.org/Supported_hardware#Supported_flash_chips
source available, plus it supports tons of cheap programmer hardware https://www.flashrom.org/Supported_programmers

Old unmaintained code, tons of projects and lack of common structure. What about a clean API abs able to use it as library?

Too much projects, but not a big one.

I know third is a difficult effort to achieve. Even stuff like QUCS, Sigrok and KiCad lack manpower.

[lupy]

@spiridonas the answer is in your questions!

Now the problem I encounter... Reading 29F200 flash memory (sop44)...   I'm getting different read every time, also when verifying. Checked adapters and good contact, ID is all good. If I'm reading different flash memory ex 29F400 (tsop48) there's no problem.

Hi I have exact the same problem with autocarg. I tried to read and write many times the flash 29F400BB sop44 but every time with different  checksum. Please any help for this problem.
Many thanks in advance.

what is bad ?
1)base adapter
2) sop 44 adapter
3) programmer tl866a

Thanks

TL866 and base adapter can be excluded because you can read and write the TSOP48 chip variant.
Remain the sop44 adapter (might be a bad pin contact) or the memory chip itself.

"Base adapter" if I understand you correctly. That's the one with some chips on it (your first picture, left one) is not genuine. Radioman has been working on a solution for that, but I don't know how far he has come with this.

Is far enough! i have an experimental replacement firmware for that Attiny13, and also the first version of Linux version of my firmware updater is ready to be tested here:
https://github.com/radiomanV/TL866

There's no do documentation yet on how to compile but i will update the readme file soon. Who want to contribute are welcome. Thanks.

Hi everyone,
I was dealing with the same problem yesterday and thanks to Mr. Radioman there is a solution. You have to program the Attiny13 chip on the TSop48 board.
Here are the fuses settings:
Low:0x75
High:0xFe
Lock:0xFF
I am applying the archive with code.bin and config.bin when you load them the fuse settings will be loaded automatically. After that you can load the correct tsop.hex in the chip.
After that you will have a working tsop48 board version V3 which is recognized  by minipro with the latest 6.50 update. This also applies to the early V0 boards which are recognized as illegal boards if You upgraded from CS version.

[flocaddy]

Hello,
I have a problem .. i can only read 24c02 eeproms ... can't write...
The field for Delete is hidden ...
I have tested a lot of 24c02

greetz, from Germany

Florian

[groff]

You can't erase eeprom 24Cxx. If you want blank IC fill it with FF and program it.
If still can't programming check the contact on the pins and if all is OK maybe the IC is bad. Try another one.

[flocaddy]

So I can only rewrite the 24cxx When I have previously filled with ff ?

[Kjelt]

So I can only rewrite the 24cxx When I have previously filled with ff ?

There is no erase on these kind of I2C chips.
If there were there would have been a seperate I2C command, there is not so the chip will take care of erasing the byte or page it self (automagically) when a write command is received.
You can just write over the data as long as the WP pin is disabled, else you can not write anything.
So if you can't write, check the datasheet and the WP pin.

[flocaddy]

It is a BOSCH b58253 EEPROM I can not find the datasheet .

But it should be rewritable ..

I have pin 7 isolated as I put it in the Programmer

The chip works in process wonderful!

For programming I unsoldered him!

[Kjelt]

You see the M in leftbelow corner? Microchip has produced this chip and indeed it is a 24c02 and here is the datasheet:
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/466355.pdf

So pin7 is the WP and should NOT be isolated but connected to Vcc (write protected) or ground (write enabled).
If you want to write the chip, pin 7 should be tied to ground, but the programmer should take care of that pin I would think.

[flocaddy]

You see the M in leftbelow corner? Microchip has produced this chip and indeed it is a 24c02 and here is the datasheet:
http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/466355.pdf

So pin7 is the WP and should NOT be isolated but connected to Vcc (write protected) or ground (write enabled).
If you want to write the chip, pin 7 should be tied to ground, but the programmer should take care of that pin I would think.

okay i test it after work and give a review! Thanks!

[flocaddy]

I test it dont work 

[crx991]

You don't need the link wire, the programmer does all the job automatically.
So remove the link wire, check the connections and retry.

[flocaddy]

thanks!!!!!  i did another 24c02 from old motherboard and its works great!!!!!

Thank you very much!  O0

[midnite]

I just bought one of these from a local EBay seller in the UK.

I think it's a pretty good tool and does what it says on the tin.

i paid £19.95 INC postage. (approx 40 $AU)
It came with 5 adaptors 1 solder pad type, 2 zip socket and 2 plcc. i installed software version 6.50 on windows 10 without issue.

i have since reflashed the unit to TL688A from CS just need to solder in a pin header.

well worth the money for me

[retro_vegard]

Hi,

Has anyone been able to program the MX29LV160TMC/SOP44 flash with the TL866?
There is a device called MX29LV160T, but its listed as TSOP48 and not a SOP44 like I have.

I´m wondering if there is a problem with my SOP44 adapter.

[anku]

TL866CS   -   ST M28F512  PLCC32  VERIFY ERROR !

Hi  Everyone  , I  bought  a TL866CS , trying to  write  an ST M28f512  PLCC 32 .  During writing  procedure  I get    VERIFY ERROR MESSAGES .  I  read  a lot  of pages in this thread and some guys suggest  to  disable  over current protection  of TL866 cause  in some cases like mine helps !   To do  that as  I read  I need  to "short C22" on the PCB.   I am  not an Electronic guy   so I am a little bit confused what does it mean to short C22. 

Please  check  the  photo  I place  here   and if   someone can explain me clear  I will appreciate .

Thanks

[BrianG61UK]

To short C22 do A or B.

But note that I personally can't advise about if that's likely to help with your problem.

[anku]

thanks a lot brian

[gauze]

I updated my software today and I noticed (it might have been there before) a list of logical devices (74xx, etc) has anyone aware of anyone building an adapter with a test clip on it to try to test DIP package components in-circuit (unpowered)?

[helius]

You can't test actives in-circuit, they share power supply nodes.
Even testing passives in-circuit is pretty limited, it can sometimes work by applying a high enough frequency signal that the trace inductance keeps most of it away from the rest of the circuit.

[james38]

Hi ,

i have another problem to erase an M25P128 SOP16 also known as M25P28V6.
It is a Flash-Chip with 16MB storage.

I use the TL866A with MiniPro V6.50 FW:3.2.72
Adapter is a SOP16 to 16DIP.

The curious effect is that i can erase the whole chip until address 0xEFFFFF.
At 0xF00000 i can not erase or reprogram the chip.
In config WPEN is ON (1) an there is "None Protection" selected. Status reg. Byte is 0x80
"Off-Protection before programming" is set.

I don't now if it is a software bug or a chip failure.
Maybe I overlook something important.

Does someone have any ideas what it could be?

[daybyter]

Is anyone using the linux minpro software to burn GAL's? I'm trying to write a jedec file to a Lattice 22v10D, but the minipro software just complains about a incorrect filesize.

[crx991]

Is anyone using the linux minpro software to burn GAL's? I'm trying to write a jedec file to a Lattice 22v10D, but the minipro software just complains about a incorrect filesize.

Hi!,
IRC with GAL minipro software has a Bug...

[netdudeuk]

Is anyone using the linux minpro software to burn GAL's? I'm trying to write a jedec file to a Lattice 22v10D, but the minipro software just complains about a incorrect filesize.

Hi!,
IRC with GAL minipro software has a Bug...

I used to be able to program the GAL22V10D but found that a software update stopped this from working.

I had to buy the G540 programmer for the GALs that I needed to program afterwards.