ROM preservation - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

21 Dec 2001

On December 21, Christopher Smith wrote:
...
  I've been thinking recently that I should possibly
get a ROM reader/writer
 so that I can preserve the ROMs out of all my old parts, and I was wondering
 whether anyone had some experiences (good or bad) with any different
 programmers?

 Which programmers are good, which aren't so good, and why? 
  If you're serious about programmable devices, Data I/O is the only
real choice in my opinion.  The company's policies leaves a bit to be
desired...their software updates are prohibitively expensive, and it's
nearly impossible to use their earlier programmers without docs
because you need to translate chip part numbers to "device numbers" to
enter into the programmer...but other than that the boxes are great.

  I have a Data I/O 2900 that I adore.  I highly recommend that model,
or its big brother, the 3900.

...
  Where is the best place to get one, and which is the
best to get on a tight
 budget? 
  eBay.  Sure, everyone here poo-poos eBay, but face it...it's where you
can get anything you want, any time you want.

...
  What about making your own?  (Note that I think this
may be an interesting
 project, but I'd really rather put my time into other things right now, so
 this is near the bottom on my list of options...) 
  It's fun, and certainly practical...See early literature by Steve
Ciarcia for examples of some simple ones.

...
  One called "Leaper 3" interests me because
of its ability to copy one ROM to
 another without any kind of computer hookup, which I imagine might be
 useful, but I know nothing else about it. 
  Ahh, a "real" device programmer. :-) I despise those dumb things that
can't do anything unless connected to a PeeCee running
Windows...totally useless to those of us who use real computers and
don't allow Windows boxes in our homes.

    -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
St. Petersburg, FL         "Less talk.  More synthohol." --Lt. Worf