Problem PAL GAL programming problems!

[Ronnie Dent]

I have a wellon vp-280 that can programme gal and pal chips but having no luck doing them! the software either hangs or I get an over current detection or it just fails! the programmer is fine as I just burnt a set of roms a couple of days ago. I have been told the gal can only be written to once but the programmer goes through an erase and I seem to be able to erase them so not sure on that? It could be the fail has ruined them? I'm using NS 16V8 Gal and tried a PAL latiice 16V8 also with no luck. I will post up some pics of the chips and a screenshot of the failed burn, as for the PAL chip my programmer only lists an AMD chip version which is PALCE. Any help advise welcome.

Thanks Ronnie

 

[Lurch666]

No idea why it's failing but gals can be reprogrammed any amount of times,they are not write once like proms.

 

[Ronnie Dent]

No idea why it's failing but gals can be reprogrammed any amount of times,they are not write once like proms.

Thank you, at least I know they can be re used

 

[porchy]

They can be reused but do make sure you select the correct device type and manufacturer. PALCE16V8 and GAL16V8 are generally fusemap compatible but they have very different programming algorithms. Older PAL devices are different again and use high voltages on different pins. You will destroy a device if you get those mixed up. I'm not 100% sure about Nat Semi devices but there is a chance they used a different algo again or possible a different voltage to place them into programming mode

 

[Ronnie Dent]

They can be reused but do make sure you select the correct device type and manufacturer. PALCE16V8 and GAL16V8 are generally fusemap compatible but they have very different programming algorithms. Older PAL devices are different again and use high voltages on different pins. You will destroy a device if you get those mixed up. I'm not 100% sure about Nat Semi devices but there is a chance they used a different algo again or possible a different voltage to place them into programming mode

Thanks for the reply, in desperation I did try a few variation of device manufacture and pal gal etc so may have done damage! But I sent them to someone to try on their galep programmer

Thanks Ronnie

 

[favouredson]

As you have found from your device list, modern programmers tend to handle PALCE and GAL rather than standard PAL ICs.
Your screenshot shows that a blank check was performed after programming, which seems a bit odd. It might work if you are able to turn off the security option.
However, my TOP2049 simply stopped programming GALs (it still reads them) and I was unable to find a solution so I ended up buying an XG Pro T48 to be able to program them.

 

[Ronnie Dent]

As you have found from your device list, modern programmers tend to handle PALCE and GAL rather than standard PAL ICs.
Your screenshot shows that a blank check was performed after programming, which seems a bit odd. It might work if you are able to turn off the security option.
However, my TOP2049 simply stopped programming GALs (it still reads them) and I was unable to find a solution so I ended up buying an XG Pro T48 to be able to program them.

Thanks I need to look at getting something else to do these also

Ronnie

 

[GadgetFreak]

In your picture you have PAL16L8's these would require a JED file that had been compiled for this specific device and unlike a GAL16V8D it does not support registered outputs, also being a PAL it is possible they are write once devices, though this varies with manafacturer & part number.
For the Lattice GAL16V8C I think it most likely that your programmer needs to support Lattice GAL16V8's as already mentioned.

 

[Ronnie Dent]

In your picture you have PAL16L8's these would require a JED file that had been compiled for this specific device and unlike a GAL16V8D it does not support registered outputs, also being a PAL it is possible they are write once devices, though this varies with manafacturer & part number.
For the Lattice GAL16V8C I think it most likely that your programmer needs to support Lattice GAL16V8's as already mentioned.

Hi thanks for the reply, as I said the programmer only lists AMD PAL devices but it does support Lattice GAL16V8C but that also fails, I forget in which way it fails either the programmer hangs and has to be shut down or only a couple of times it reports over current or just fails as in the pic

Thanks Ronnie

 

[Georgian2]

GALs can be burned like 100 times. You can't verify them (pal or gal) if the security bit is set. Usualy, the programmer burns them, then verify and then sets the security bit. After that you can no longer read them. There should be an option to uncheck the security bit.

 

[Ronnie Dent]

Ah thanks, that makes sense, there is a security check box, I have now sent them to someone else to burn nut maybe I could try this method in future and forget the PAL variant.

Thanks Ronnie

 

[cliff_poole]

I've been delaying my response because I too had a problem programming GALs with a Wellon VP-280, but I can't remember exactly what the problem was. In the end, I gave up and used a different programmer, so you might be on the right track with the securlty option.

I think it was erasing them but then refused to write suggesting they weren't blank. IIRC, the programmer I went on to use didn't have any erase options, it automatically overwrote.