With the resurgence of retro computing over the previous couple of years, lots of hobbyists wish to hack their very own firmware or mess around with studying meeting for numerous microcontrollers. This inevitably requires some kind of storage medium. Electrically erasable programmable read-only reminiscence (EEPROM) chips are widespread and cheap now, however programmers for them could be fairly costly. This superior little package makes use of a Pico, 74HC245 and a ZIF socket to create a flexible and easy-to-use programmer!

Again within the Seventies and Eighties, EPROM chips have been widespread, however as a result of they wanted to be uncovered to UV to be erased, the code->debug->refine cycle may take a very long time. Additionally they required excessive programming voltages, generally upwards of 20V. Fashionable EEPROM could be electrically erased in a number of hundred milliseconds, and absolutely programmed in just some seconds. Additionally they don’t require any programming voltages, simply 5V throughout each studying and writing.

Word that the Pico is a 3.3V gadget, which is why the 74HC245 bus transceiver is used to soundly interface with the EEPROM. Additionally, as a result of this board doesn’t generate the excessive voltages wanted to program EPROMs, it might probably’t write to them (although studying them shouldn’t be an issue). The design is open supply, so an enterprising hacker may add a small enhance converter circuit to allow programming EPROMs if wanted! Try the product web page and the video under for more information.