Any Linux/open source supported Universal Programmer ?

Any Linux/open source supported Universal Programmer ?
Posted by Franz Zinn on 14 Apr, 2013 16:24
Hi,

I am looking for a universal programmer like Minipro TL866 or Genius G540 that can be used with open source software on a Linux platform. Is there such a thing ? Currently my needs are only to program 27128 and 2764 EPROMs.

Apologies if this was not the right forum for the question.

regards
Franz

#1 Reply
Posted by SeanB on 14 Apr, 2013 16:35
Probably there is something, but I just installed the Oracle virtualbox and then installed XP in it, along with the software, and it works.

#2 Reply
Posted by madires on 14 Apr, 2013 16:37
There's linux software for the programmers from Batronix (e.g. Batego) and Galep IV (maybe also some other models). The software for Batronix programmers is based on the .Net framework so you have to install Mono.

#4 Reply
Posted by Franz Zinn on 14 Apr, 2013 17:22
I appreciate the suggestions. Though the Batronix and Galep devices are quite expensive for a hobbyist. I guess I can try using Virtualbox but I certainly won't get any support on that . Any idea if the TL866 or G540 software is known to work. They do install. Unfortunately I don't have a option to try before buying.

I am aware of one project that is trying to reverse engineer the G540 protocol -- http://sourceforge.net/projects/g540tool/. But as yet it is very much pre-pre-alpha :-). Wonder if there is any such project for TL866 ?

regards

#5 Reply
Posted by SeanB on 14 Apr, 2013 19:11
TL866 does work, just use the Oracle virtualbox install, not the repository version. The repo one does not handle the USB passthrough correctly, though it will do media and HID devices perfectly, it will not do other classes of device. All you lose is the automatic update, you will have to watch kernel versioning, though if you install the repository version first it does then keep the kernel updated, as the Oracle one uninstalls it partially during install.

#6 Reply
Posted by NiHaoMike on 17 Apr, 2013 03:06
There's the Bus Pirate, but that only works with I2C and SPI devices and is really slow for the larger SPI devices.

#8 Reply
Posted by bronson on 12 Mar, 2014 19:11
For google searchers (like me), there's a far more satisfying answer to this question here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-411-minipro-tl866-universal-programmer-review/msg395841/#msg395841

Haven't tried myself yet, gotta order the device first.

#9 Reply
Posted by mos6502 on 15 Mar, 2014 23:32
There's a program for the G540:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/g540tool/

The G540 runs on a Silabs C8051, so it might even be hackable.

#10 Reply
Posted by abyrvalg on 22 Mar, 2014 15:11
tridentsx, I had reverse engineered an UP-1024P (256 universal pindrivers) and made several custom algos for it. I can share the results, but it is quite complex device (and still expensive I guess): you need to program Cypress FX2 MCU and two Spartan FPGAs to do something (I had used a quick&dirty approach: just configured FPGAs as huge GPIO expanders and did some bitbang from MCU).