Author Topic: Found 8951 clone, programming advice please!  (Read 1077 times)

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Offline throbscottleTopic starter

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Found 8951 clone, programming advice please!
« on: October 23, 2024, 01:09:45 am »
I have found a Syncmos sm8951ac25pp, on a board dismantled from an old money counting machine, which as far as I can make out just needs connecting to a serial port to erase and re-program it. I'd quite like to have a tinker with it, flash some LEDs, whatever. It would be a useful learning exercise if nothing else.

I also have, bought long ago, a USB to serial converter (I think Connexant but I don't have it to hand to check) with which I failed to make a working serial port PIC programmer about 15 years ago. Now, I'm given to understand that my original project didn't work because the timings with these converters aren't quite right, so I was using a dodgy thing to attempt a dodgy thing. But 8951 needs a direct connection with no funky stuff in between - I think. So do you think it will work?

If not, I found a project for an Arduino based programmer - which seems overkill, but I am starting from a place of deep ignorance here...
 

Online PCB.Wiz

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Re: Found 8951 clone, programming advice please!
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2024, 04:28:34 am »
I have found a Syncmos sm8951ac25pp, on a board dismantled from an old money counting machine, which as far as I can make out just needs connecting to a serial port to erase and re-program it. I'd quite like to have a tinker with it, flash some LEDs, whatever. It would be a useful learning exercise if nothing else.

I also have, bought long ago, a USB to serial converter (I think Connexant but I don't have it to hand to check) with which I failed to make a working serial port PIC programmer about 15 years ago. Now, I'm given to understand that my original project didn't work because the timings with these converters aren't quite right, so I was using a dodgy thing to attempt a dodgy thing. But 8951 needs a direct connection with no funky stuff in between - I think. So do you think it will work?

If not, I found a project for an Arduino based programmer - which seems overkill, but I am starting from a place of deep ignorance here...

That's very old.
The 2002 Data sheet mentions #EA/VPP and says 'To program the flash block, a commercial programmer is capable to do it. '
That indicates it is a 12V or similar Vpp part, without a boot loader.

Unless you have an old dedicated device programmer lying around, you are better to find a modern part that includes a bootloader.
AliExpress have cheap boards with STC8H8k64U parts that are light years ahead of that Syncmos part.

Or if you intend to spend a bit more time, find an Evalboard that includes a Debugger module - eg SiLabs or Nuvoton or ABOV.
 

Offline throbscottleTopic starter

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Re: Found 8951 clone, programming advice please!
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2024, 09:32:23 pm »
Ahhh... That's a shame. In that case I might try to have a tinker when my to-do list drops below 70,000 ;)

One good thing - it has caused me to see what 8051 descendents are out there, so I might well follow your suggestion since I've been intrigued about them for a long time. STC8H8k64U is cheap!
 


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