Signal to noise ratio (Was Re: Adapting serial mice to

From: Richard Erlacher <edick_at_idcomm.com>
Date: Thu Jul 12 21:20:59 2001

GAL and PAL programming is quite on-topic, but will offer some real challenges,
as the device manufacturers jealously guard some of the programming algorithms.
I do, somewhere, have spec's for two GAL devices that were new in 1985, when I
needed to be able to erase them if my device was subjected to various modes of
tampering. Lattice did, indeed publish a spec for programming and erasing their
16V8 and 20V80 devices.

Programming spec's are difficult to find, but, if you find 'em, they're probably
not terribly difficult to implement. It's somewhat risky, as one reason for the
quick upsurge in EEPROM based parts was that they weren't as easy to misprogram,
which often happened with bipolar PALs even when they were just being verified.

If you find programming algorithms, I suspect that there'll be several folks on
this list interested in the programming spec's. Current devices are, in many
cases, programmable "in situ" so there's no need for a device-specific
programmer. Unfortunately there are precious FEW in-system programmable
PAL-compatibles.

Dick

----- Original Message -----
From: "Iggy Drougge" <optimus_at_canit.se>
To: "Tony Duell" <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2001 6:15 PM
Subject: Re: Signal to noise ratio (Was Re: Adapting serial mice to


> Tony Duell skrev:
>
> >Incidentally, considering a PIC16F84 programmer can be made using a
> >couple of standard, cheap, chips linked to a PC printer port, I often
> >wonder why so few hackers seem to have one....
>
> Any pointers to a nice project?
> How about GALs or PALs?
>
> >> noise on this damm list already and i've just added to it. Anybody know =
>
> >Actaully, I think this is 100% on-topic. It comes under 'restoration
> >techniques' or something like that. It is (and should be) OK to talk here
> >about modifying or converting modern parts to work with classic computers.
>
> Very much agreed. As long as it doesn't turn into a hex inverter vs. PIC flame
> war, which this seems to be heading towards. =)
>
> --
> En ligne avec Thor 2.6a.
>
> Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build
> bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the universe trying to produce
> bigger and better idiots. So far, the universe is winning.
> -- Rick Cook, Mission Manager, NASA Mars Pathfinder Project
>
>
Received on Thu Jul 12 2001 - 21:20:59 BST