Eprom programming help

[shreyashrox]

I wanted to do some programming for EPROM i.e write in some data.
I am totally unaware of all this(since new), pl. suggest me some software.
I heard PIC is occasionally used by people. Is AVR also related to this,kindly help!

 

[XoioX]

Hi Shreya,

By Eprom programming I suspect you mean put some data in an EPROM memory (or these days more likely EEPROM, often referred to as E2, pronounced E-squared).
In that case, yes Microchip is a very good company to start with as they supply a number of small E2 devices - Note PIC is a microcontroller family manufactured also by Microchip and it can be used to write to an E2. Please check the Microchip website (Google Arizona Microchip)

AVR is another type of Microcontroller family, this time by Atmel. I believe they also manufacture (or did anyway) EEPROM devices.

Once you find a device that is the required size for the data you need to store, you will find the relevant software to progran that data from a PC. (Normally these are free to download)

 

[KerimF]

I wanted to do some programming for EPROM i.e write in some data.

I used to program EPROM when I had only the option to use the uP Z80. That was long time ago.

Now by using flash MCUs as SST89E58RDA , data and code can be programmed on the same IC.
And it is possible to update even its program by its own internal code (the process is called: In Application Programming, IAP) while it runs on the project board.

 

[FvM]

The question is unclear.

Do you want to program a particular EPROM type? Which?
Or are you just looking for a means of non-volatile data storage? If so, what's the intended interface and capacity?

 

[dick_freebird]

Thw "Willem" EPROM programmer will handle a lot of types. I've used
it only for 27C512 types (64Kx8). I bought the most advanced version,
at the time (~2 years back). I was using the EPROMs for I & Q vectors
(baseband) of a handwired digital modulator.

 

[shreyashrox]

Thanks xoiox and dick_freebird,it was v.helpful.
But now,as kerimF said, eprom was used long back, many other ppl are suggesting me the same.

I was asked to design 32 LEDs and obtain a pattern as they 'll provide. So I would obtain 32 pins and use a 32pin connector(OR will make an array,i will manage that), now comes the software to program these 32 pins, to obtain the pattern. They also expect me to use basic techniques(that is why I thought of eprom,but chuck it now, apologies) , for they don't want me to directly power the circuit,they want me to manually design the power input taking care of power backup and manage pulse mis-triggering,etc. type problems. Hope you are getting my problem.
Just suggest me the programming software thing now

 

[shreyashrox]

no idea, I thought computer has a eprom,i can directly use that,totally unaware.
Anyways it is no more a problem,I changed my mind. Thanks for replying

 

[KerimF]

EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory) didn't stay being popular because, as you know, it needs to be erased by a UV light anytime it has to be updated.
EEPROM is a good choice even these days which is electrically erasable (on board) when reading speed is important (parallel addressing and parallel data output). Writing is relatively much slower.
SEEP is a serial memory. It is like EEPROM but the address should be sent serially, the same for the sent/received data. Thus reading and writing is even slower. But I use it almost with every uC that needs a sort of interface/backup though many uCs have an equivalent internal SEEP for data retention or their cells are of the flash type thus they can act as SEEP.

Most of my designs were oriented to control light. In the past, my controllers should drive 220V bulbs, now LEDs.
My first controllers were made with a clock oscillator, an address counter and an EPROM followed by the driver circuit.
Now, my LED controllers consist of a 20-pin uC for up to 13 outputs, or 40-pin uC for up to 30 outputs. The LED output driver is usually an NMOS transistor like FQP50N06L for heavy loads.
In case I have needed to drive too many outputs (up to 4096 for example), I sent the data from the uC to a number of "16-bit constant current LED sink driver" IC, connected in series (with buffers in between when necessary). The panel patterns reside in the uC itself.

Kerim

 

[Brhodes0627]

EEPROM and EPROM are chips that control old style CPU's (Eprom means Electronically programmable memory, EEproms are erasable eproms ) They both require that you know how to code to the CPU you are trying to talk to. It is really old school stuff. What are you trying to do or learn?

As for PIC, that also requires a programmer, and coding knowledge, totally dif language than what goes into a Eprom. Usually i use a PIC to control a FPGA. EEPROMS and EProms are usually used to control 40 pin CPU's (hence why I said old school).

---------- Post added at 19:14 ---------- Previous post was at 19:12 ----------

crap, my mom busted me, i defined proms wrong. Either way they are very old school, still useful though for many applications.