At 21:58 15-10-98 +1000, you wrote:
>I have found an ancient PROM burner, a Data I/O System 19, with a Unipac
>module fitted. Test stickers on it are dated 1980.
Wow... that does go back a ways! The System 19 was the predecessor to what
some consider Data I/O's most successful venture outside of the UniSite:
The 29A/29B series.
>I had hoped to be able to use it to back up older ROMs which my circa 1995
>EPROM programmer can't handle. Is it usable for this?
Depends on what software version came with it. Data I/O discontinued
support for that unit about 7-8 years ago, so updates (even if you could
afford them -- DIO has a reputation for being very pricey) are no longer
available outside of other System 19 owners (I'm not one -- I got lucky
some years ago and grabbed a UniSite).
>It has a serial type connector but no software (it predates the PC). There
>is an LED and a hexadecimal keyboard. It looks like it was meant to be used
>manually !! Typing stuff in character by character.
Yes and no. You can use it to read PROMs, and then (with the right
commands and hookup) transfer the data to an attached computer. That
connector is standard RS232, DCE if I recall correctly.
>There's nothing on Data I/O's website about this and they haven't replied to
>my email as yet.
That's no surprise. They can also be very snooty if they think you're not
a big spender. They've been getting a little better in the past year or so,
but they've still got a long way to go.
>Can anyone offer advice?
Best I can suggest is to dig around on other sources you may have for
used/surplus test gear. Even the big names, like Tucker Electronics, may
have some old manuals they're willing to part with.
Ideally, I would look around and see if you can find a 29B chassis. The
19's a rugged old workhorse, but it is just too darn old for much of the
stuff out there.
Worst case, I (and at least a couple other folks on the list) offer chip
programming and reading services. If you've got something you desperately
need programmed, read, or archived, let me know the device number and I'll
tell you if I can do it.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho, Blue Feather Technologies
(Hamateur: WD6EOS) (E-mail: kyrrin_at_jps.net) (Web:
http://table.jps.net/~kyrrin)
SysOp: The Dragon's Cave (Fido 1:343/272, 253-639-9905)
"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our own
human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
Received on Thu Oct 15 1998 - 09:11:01 BST