Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: Leon@lfheller.demon.co.uk (Leon Heller)
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!news.mathworks.com!udel!gatech!swrinde!pipex!peernews.demon.co.uk!lfheller.demon.co.uk!Leon
Subject: Re: GALs, PALs for the home hobbiest... possible?
References: <mark.stephens-0803951044020001@mstephens.gsfc.nasa.gov>
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Date: Wed, 8 Mar 1995 23:04:33 +0000
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In article <mark.stephens-0803951044020001@mstephens.gsfc.nasa.gov>
           mark.stephens@gsfc.nasa.gov "mark stephens" writes:

> I have a microprocessor based controller board developed around Motorola's
> 68HC11.  It has expanded RAM and ROM and other I/O and so it uses two quad
> NOR gates chips as glue logic.  There is also an LCD which, due to it's
> slower than bus speed, is connected to a port.  I'd love to wrap all this
> up into one chip.
> 
> I'm aware of these programmable logic devices, have downloaded National
> Semiconductor's Opal Jr. and got real excited until I remembered that
> having a file to download is only half the equation!  How then to burn the
> device?
> 
> Is there is a publication from National or whomever that has a circuit
> with timing diagrams, I can create the circuit and program a 68HC11 to
> perform the burn.  Is there any such beast?  Any thing else I should look
> into?  I know there are commercial products, like PROM burners, but it
> just doesn't seem to be that hard... or is it?

I've just booked to go to a Lattice seminar. They sell a starter kit
for 50 pounds (UK) that includes software, sample chips (like an
in-system programmable 22V10 GAL and others) and a connection cable
that plugs into the printer port. The seminar only costs 24 pounds,
and you get the starter kit *and* a programmer board (100 pounds
worth). This looks like the cheapest way to get into this type
of programmable logic. I especially like the idea of programming
the chips in-circuit. I found one of their data books in the library
at work, and there are some interesting application notes in it.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller                       | "Do not adjust your mind, there is
G1HSM                             |  a fault in reality": on a wall
Email: leon@lfheller.demon.co.uk  |  many years ago in Oxford.
Phone: +44 (01734) 266679         |
