The Altera equivalent of this download cable is a freebie when you order free
samples of their newer low-voltage CPLD's (3000-series) It's essentially the
same thing, though you might have to rearrange the signals at the board in
order to make the software work.
Building your own is a viable option as well, particularly if you put a
crosspoint switch between the parallel port and the buffers in the cable, so
that you can rearrange the signals to make it compatible with different
vendors' software. It's very straightforward, though finding a small
crosspoint switch that fits in a DB25 shell is not so easy.
Since they're all in-situ-programmable, it's not necessary to socket them,
though sockets may seem advisable anyway. The smaller parts cost <<$10,
however, so the socket is a questionable option for a number of reasons.
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: <swtpc6800_at_attbi.com>
To: <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 2:40 PM
Subject: Re: PLD help
> I use the Xilinx XC9500 family of CPLDs. They are 5 volt
> and come in PLCC packages. (You can socket these and
> even get wire wrap sockets.)
>
> The design software is free and the programming is
> simple. The official download cable is $95 but I have
> built several for under $15. (Xilinx publishes the
> schematic.)
>
> You can find links to the Xilinx web site plus a design
> example (floppy disk controller) on this web page.
> http://home.attbi.com/~swtpc6800/
>
> -------------------------------
> Michael Holley
> swtpc6800_at_attbi.com
> www.swtpc.com
> -------------------------------
> > Hello, all:
> >
> > Well, I'm picking up the 6502 SBC project that I started last year.
> > To reduce chip count I'd like to use Atmel PLDs for address decoding. I
> > downloaded some app notes from Atmel's web site but are there any
practical
> > tips for using/programming these devices for use in a hobbyist project?
> >
> > Rich
> >
> > ==========================
> > Richard A. Cini, Jr.
> > Congress Financial Corporation
> > 1133 Avenue of the Americas
> > 30th Floor
> > New York, NY 10036
> > (212) 545-4402
> > (212) 840-6259 (facsimile)
> >
>
>
Received on Wed Jan 09 2002 - 17:40:42 GMT