INTRODUCTION TO THE CHIPMASTER 2000
  • OVERVIEW
    The Chipmaster 6000 is a universal device programmer which works through your PC's parallel port.
    It features a 48-pin universal pin driver and an expandable TTL pin driver. An on-board processor and FPGA let it handle today's (and tomorrow's) complicated DIP-type silicon PLD's, microprocessors and high density memory chips without adapters. We designed the Chipmaster 6000 for both laboratory and mass-production applications. It supports over 1200 different devices, including PAL, GAL, CPAL, EPLD, PEEL, MAX, MACH, PLSI, microprocessors, EPROM, series EPROM, PROM, and Flash memory. Most devices are selected automatically. Optional ROM emulator modules support devices up to 16-bits.
  • FEATURES
    Easy to setup and use
    Socket and Pin Driver
    48-pin DIP/ZIF socket for 8- to 48-pin 300 / 600 mil devices
    Four DACs for V CC , V PPI , V PP2 and V PP3 with 8 bit resolution.
    Software controllable rise time and current protection.
    TTL driver supports pull-up/pull-down or tri-state control (software selected) on all 48 pins.
  • DEVICE SUPPORT
    Memory: PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, Flash Series
    Logic: PAL, GAL, CEPAL, PEEL, FPLA, EPLD, CPLD, FPGA
    Others: Single-chip microprocessors
  • DEVICE OPERATIONS
    Read, blank check, device insertion/contact check, verify, checksum, EPROM ID check, erase chip, function test, program, security fuse, microprocessor configuration, device search, edit buffer
  • DIGITAL IC FUNCTION TESTER
    Supports TTL and CMOS devices with up to 48 pins
    Accepts JEDEC test vectors
    2500 nsec rise time
  • ROM emulator (optional)
    The ChipMaster 6000 becomes the ROM during the prototyping stage. For example, you could experiment with and fine tune a microcomputer's BIOS routines before a chip was ever burned.
    Supports 8 and 16 bit EPROMs up to 4Mbit. Comes with 128K x 8 on-board SRAM, user upgradable to 128K x 8 by replacing SRAM chips.
    100 nsec access time
    File Format Conversion
    JEDEC, POF, Binary, Intel HEX, Intel EXT HEX, Motorola S and HP 64000ABS

(Edited Source: http://www.testech-elect.com/logical/cm6000.htm)


Here you'll learn how to:

  • Prepare an EEPROM for programming
  • Link the ChipMaster to a variety of popular EEPROMs
  • Read the contents of an EEPROM
  • Program an EEPROM
  • Verify your program

Let's get started...

  
Before we start, connect the ChipMaster to your computer's parallel printer port and have the included software running.

When you start the ChipMaster 6000, you are presented with the following screen. Basically, it confirms that the ChipMaster has been found on the printer port and is ready for action.

As a demonstration of the general features of the ChipMaster, the following steps will show how to program an EEPROM.

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STEP 1: Setup

Insert an EEPROM into the ChipMaster's ZIF (zero insertion force) socket. When the ZIP's lever is in the up position, it is ready to accept a chip. Secure the chip by returning the lever to the down position.

This demonstration will use the SGS-Thompson M27C64A, which is a 8Kx8 CMOS EPROM 200nS.

Pull down the Device menu and choose Auto Select EPROM Alt+A.

or press

The pop-up box presents two options: choose the first (M27C64A).

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STEP 2: Verify

To be assured that the EEPROM is blank, preform the following steps:

1. Pull down the Device menu and choose Read Alt+R.

or press

(The green "Busy" light on the ChipMaster will flash, indicating a read operation.)

2. Then pull down the Device menu and choose Edit Alt+E.

or press

.
STEP 3: View Memory Contents

Voila, you're looking at the EEPROM's contents!

Every location contains "FF" which is the hexadecimal representation of the binary string "1111 1111". This indicates that the EEPROM is empty, and ready to program. If the contents were not all "FF's" the software would not allow us to program (overwrite) the device. We would have to erase the EEPROM by exposing it to ultraviolet light before moving ahead.

.
STEP 4: Change Memory

To change memory contents, simply cursor to the memory location, and type in a new value. Memory locations 0000000 to 000000F have been loaded with the hexadecimal values 01 to 10, while locations 0000020 to 000002F contain the hexadecimal values for the ASCII characters spelling my and my partner's first names. Note how the Text box to the right of the memory dump displays the ASCII representation of memory.

This new assignment of memory will now be programmed into the EEPROM. And once this data is programmed, it will remain for several years until the EEPROM is again erased.

Click the button to close the pop-up window.

.
STEP 5: Program

Once again, pull down the Device menu and this time choose Program/Auto Alt+P.

or press

(The green "Busy" light on the ChipMaster will flash, indicating a program operation.)

.
STEP 6: Confirm

Repeat STEP 3 to confirm that you have successfully programmed the device.

This screen indeed confirms that the desired locations have been changed. Had this program not been trivial, the EEPROM might contain a computer's BIOS program, or the code for Space Invaders.

Hopefully, this demonstration shows how easy it is to program an EEPROM. Programming is easy -- deciding what to program is the hard part!

You are

.
   

To learn more about programmable devices and the ChipMaster 6000, check-out the following sites.

 EEPROM's defined

http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/E/EEPROM.html

ChipMaster 6000 homepage

http://www.testech-elect.com/logical/cm6000.htm

Student Page

http://www.geocities.com/eprom99/

COMP 227 Page

http://progdev.sait.ab.ca/cmph200/eprom.htm
   
   
CMOS Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor
EARPROM Electircally alterable programmable read only memory
EDO DRAM Extended Data Output Dynamic Random Access Memory
EEPROM Elecrically erasable programmable read only memory
EPROM Erasable programmable read only memory
FLASH Selectively Programmable EEPROM
FPAL Fuse-programmable array logic
NVRAM Non-Volatile Random Acces Memory
PLA Programmable array of AOI logic
PLD Programmable logic device
PROM Programmable Read Only Memory
RAM Randon Access Memory
Read The process of retrieving data from a memory
Refresh To renew the contents of a dynamic memory
ROM Read only memory
SRAM Static random access memory
UV EEPROM Ultraviolet erasable programmable ROM
   
  1. What Does EPROM stand for?
    a) Erasable Pre-Reading Operating Manual
    b) Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory
    c) Enabling Pre-Loading Operating Mechinism
    d) Enabled Program to Read Oscilliscope Malfunctions
  2. How do you erase an EPROM chip?
    a) Apply a 10 volts to the bottom right pin of the EPROM chip
    b) Expose the EPROM to ultraviolet light
    c) Run the uninstall application in the Chip Master 2000 program
    d) Touch the chip,s pins to a strong magnet
  3. What numbering system is used to program EPROMs on the ChipMaster?
    a) Hexadecimal
    b) Binary
    c) Octal
    d) Decimal
  4. When inserting a chip into the ChipMaster's ZIF socket you place it:
    a) Directly in the center of the socket
    b) Anywhere in the socket; placement has no effect on how the chip is read by the ChipMaster
    c) Aligned at the very bottom of the socket
    d) Aligned at the very top of the socket
  5. What is the maximum number of pins a EPROM chip can have to fit on a Chip Master board
    a) 8
    b) 128
    c) 48
    d) 10
  6. How many bits of data will the SGS-Thompson M27C64A EEPROM hold?
    a) 128
    b) 1024
    c) 64000
    d) 128000
  7. What is the Decimal equivalent of Hexidecimal "41"?
    a) 64
    b) 32
    c) 41
    d) 65
  8. What is the ASCII equivalent of Hexidecimal "41"? (HINT: See Step 4 above)
    a) Z
    b) C
    c) A
    d) M
  9. Can the ChipMaster program PROMs as well as EEPROMs?
    a) Yes
    b) No
  10. Which port do you connect the ChipMaster through?
    a) USB
    b) Parallel
    c) Mouse
    d) Video