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Good/Cheap EPROM burner for NES repros

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:41 pm
by nesmaster14
I'm looking for a good, but affordable (between $40-80) USB EPROM burner that's compatible with Windows 7 (64 bit). I thought about getting the TOP2004, but I noticed it doesn't work with Win7. Also, US/Canada item location is preferred.

*update, I can use an XP EPROM burner as well now.

Any help is appreciated,

Thanks!

** edit found one

http://www.mcumall.com/comersus/store/c ... oduct=4225

Any input on that, good/bad^^

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:48 pm
by 3gengames
Willem, lol. Although their new ones seem a lot better, I can't tell if that is one or not. I know lots of people have trouble with older Willems.

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:26 pm
by chykn
I use the previous model, the GQ-2X. I've had very good luck with it programming 27Cxxx, 28Fxxx, 39SFxxx, 8K/32K SRAMs and a few Atmel AVR chips. It covers the basics, the provided software is pretty easy to use and the programming speed is pretty decent. Definitely faster than any parallel port or serial port programmer I've used. It will burn a 39SF040 in under a minute. I don't have the GQ-3X in the link you provided, but I can't imagine it would be any worse than the GQ-2X. I'd like to upgrade to either the GQ-3X or the GQ-4X in the near future to take advantage of the jumperless programming and 64-bit Windows support.

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:18 am
by aliman
i'm using a willem (i think it's the pcb 3 model) over parallel port (had to add it) on win7 64bit^^
no problems so far. i bought it for 30€. if you want to use it over usb, there are also willem parallel to usb adaptor specialy build for willem programmers.
it supports a whole bunch of chiptypes.
just wanted to let you know in case you are interested in these infos ;)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:36 pm
by nintendo2600
the gq-4x would have been a better choice overall if you ever intend to use chips that are 16bit or in tsop instead of dip packaging.

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:32 pm
by leonk
there's no such thing as good and cheap. There's trash to acceptable and cheap, but just as with everything in life, you get what you pay for.

I've used Willem a few years ago, but with a success rate of less than 95% I gave up on it and purchased a professional unit which is fine tuned for different eprom manufacturers (who knew that there are actually slight variations in programming 27C010's EPROMS!?!?) I haven't had a single bad burn for the last 5 years. The pro units also seem to burn chips much much faster. When burning 27C040's (for games like FF3j) a 2-3 minute saving per burn adds up really fast when you're doing a lot of burns per night!

If you're planning on doing a dozen or less burns, then go with Willem, but make sure it gets its power from AC adapter and not USB port (which can't provide the 25V required to burn some of the older/smaller eprom chips)

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 5:34 am
by l_oliveira
leonk wrote:there's no such thing as good and cheap. There's trash to acceptable and cheap, but just as with everything in life, you get what you pay for.
Couldn't have said it better.

I use an "cheap" Chinese TOP2048 programmer which can do 8 and 16BIT eproms (Such as 27C160/27C320/27C322) and a lot of flash chips.

I love to reuse/recycle used EPROMS and FLASH chips because they're essentially free stuff.

So if you're FILTHY RICH buy an ELNEC BEEPROG. If you're cheap/poor/humble, an Willen is mostly enough for your needs. Things like TOP programmers are somewhat a middle limbo between both.

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:45 am
by infiniteneslives
If you've got a lot of time and motivation to make your own you could definitely make a good one on the cheap (money wise, not time) :)