Recommend a programmer to burn roms?

electro · Post by **electro** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:26 am

I am wondering if anyone can recommend a programmer to burn roms with.

I guess I would use flash chips (eeprom) instead of the old eproms?

(I'm starting small, still learning. But it would be great fun to burn one of the simple examples I have onto an eeprom.)

Thanks for any info.

T

kyuusaku · Post by **kyuusaku** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:33 am

Start with a cheap Willem, you will probably never need to move up from that unless you are interested in obsolete programmable logic/microcontrollers.

electro · Post by **electro** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:38 am

Thanks.

Are the board kits from retro zone good?

I'm a little confused about the chips. Is there an option to use either eproms and/or flash eeproms?

I guess it would make sense to use eeprom chips with flash for the PRG Rom, and the CHR Rom could just be an eprom?

T

kyuusaku · Post by **kyuusaku** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:08 pm

Retrozone's board kits are good if that's what you're looking for, other than that I don't understand the question.

The Willem is a pseudo-universal programmer, but it's all you need for parallel ROMs. It can be used to program probably any CMOS EPROM, most EEPROM and probably most FlashROMs, definitely the chips on Retrozone.

electro · Post by **electro** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:10 pm

kyuusaku wrote:Retrozone's board kits are good if that's what you're looking for, other than that I don't understand the question.

The Willem is a pseudo-universal programmer, but it's all you need for parallel ROMs. It can be used to program probably any CMOS EPROM, most EEPROM and probably most FlashROMs, definitely the chips on Retrozone.

I'm just wondering if you can use either eprom or flash eeproms for both the PRG and CHR rom chips?

I think I unerstand now, if hacking an original cart like super mario bros, you would replace the PRG rom that in there with a flash 29F010, which can be programmed with the Willem universal programmer.

Why would anyone use the UV type chips?

Thanks,
T

kyuusaku · Post by **kyuusaku** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:32 pm

Sure, the CPU and PPU don't know any better.

electro · Post by **electro** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:36 pm

I think I understand now.

The drawback of buying a board kit is that I would also have to buy the CHR rom chip as well as the PRG rom chip (and case). If hacking an old cart I would just need a flash eeprom for use as the PRG rom.

About the Willem programmer. Would I just use the software they provide with the programmer to transport my assembled code to the chip (burn the eeprom)?

Thanks,
T

kyuusaku · Post by **kyuusaku** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:40 pm

If you're hacking an old cart, you'll still need a CHR-ROM unless it's a cart with CHR-RAM, but then your project will need to use CHR-RAM.

Yeah, it's really easy to use the Willem software.

electro · Post by **electro** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:48 pm

Thanks.

T