EEVblog #411 - MiniPro TL866 Universal Programmer Review

[BravoV]

Really? Then check this: http://www.sivava.com/slt866_willem-usb.html or this: http://www.sivava.com/willem_programmer-svv.html
Rebranded version or copy/clone? Ah! and the name SLT866 is funny also.

Hey radioman, don't be sad, your work there definitely one of the kind on this earth here. 

Interesting on that Willem programmer, just curious if the program can be used on this TL866 ? 

[radioman]

Interesting on that Willem programmer, just curious if the program can be used on this TL866 ? 

The program is very interesting: http://www.darkwire.com.au/html/willem_usb_programmer.html 

sounds familiar? 

[BravoV]

LOL ... ok, seen enough and "pretty convincing"  , no more details needed. 

[radioman]

Yeah, in the title bar is displayed "Willem EPROM 5.80 programmer" but at the hardware interface is TL866CS, right. The GUI issue in XP is as it should be, even the "scoket" is there LOL...

[FishMan]

Is it possible to make/buy a cable to go from the 6 pin ICP port, to a standard 10pin/6pin DIP header ?
I have had a "Google", but nothing obvious comes up.
Thanks,

[fluxcapacitor]

Heres another copy/clone by Kee Electronics.I was going to buy one of these before i bought the minipro last year.

http://www.keeelectronics.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=33

[radioman]

Because one of the forum users asked me how to downgrade from A to CS i have updated my firmware generator with option to generate both A and CS versions of the firmware. Thanks to @zerocool80 which provided me a valid CS dump.

Download here:
TL866 firmware updater

[trisonic]

Because one of the forum users asked me how to downgrade from A to CS i have updated my firmware generator with option to generate both A and CS versions of the firmware. Thanks to @zerocool80 which provided me a valid CS dump.

Download here:
TL866 firmware updater

now its a complete tool! thanks radioman!

[MrAureliusR]

Is it possible to make/buy a cable to go from the 6 pin ICP port, to a standard 10pin/6pin DIP header ?
I have had a "Google", but nothing obvious comes up.
Thanks,

Yes of course it is. Very simple to do. Just buy a 6 pin SIP cable (such as this one from SparkFun. I'm sure you can find others on different websites, that particular cable just jumped to mind) and some SIP and DIP pin headers. Solder a 6-pin SIP header onto some veroboard or protoboard, and then either a 6-pin or 10-pin (or both) DIP header on the other side. Solder wires between the correct signal pins and voila! You've got your very own conversion board. I have a bunch of these that I've made for converting between 10-pin and 6-pin AVR headers. It's a great, simple skill to develop. Interface boards such as these are always handy - it seems you never have the right cable when you need it!

EDIT: By 'other side' I mean the opposite end of the board, not the actual opposite side. You want all the pins pointing up on the same side, and all the connections on the other. I can post pictures of my 6-pin to 10-pin boards if you want

[BravoV]

Because one of the forum users asked me how to downgrade from A to CS i have updated my firmware generator with option to generate both A and CS versions of the firmware. Thanks to @zerocool80 which provided me a valid CS dump.

Download here:
TL866 firmware updater

But why ? 

Returning a product ? 

[radioman]

Because one of the forum users asked me how to downgrade from A to CS i have updated my firmware generator with option to generate both A and CS versions of the firmware. Thanks to @zerocool80 which provided me a valid CS dump.

Download here:
TL866 firmware updater

But why ? 

Returning a product ? 

I don't know, but I had a nice discussion in private with him about encryption method used, how data packets is transmitted over USB and so on, he want to learn, so he asked me if it's possible to downgrade for no particular reason; so this was a two step update: added option to backup firmware, someone provided me an cs dump and then added the cs firmware generation. Technically there's no difference between the two versions of bootloader, only decryption key table is different. Of course the big difference is the main firmware, which in cs is a reduced version.

[FishMan]

Solder a 6-pin SIP header onto some veroboard or protoboard, and then either a 6-pin or 10-pin (or both) DIP header on the other side. Solder wires between the correct signal pins and voila! You've got your very own conversion board.

Thanks, sounds a good idea, but the main problem I'm having is which pins go to which pins?
I have a pinout diagram for a 10 and 6 pin DIP with MISO, MOSI, SCK, RES, etc. and a 6 pin SIP with PGC, PGD, etc.
How do they equate to each other ?
Thanks,
Paul

[lalder1]

Does any one know if this will program mach210. if it does not can anyone recommend a similar programer that would. i just cant see spending around 1000 $ just for one chip seems this programer will handle the rest of my chips. thanks for the help....

[jinzo]

Does any one know if this will program mach210. if it does not can anyone recommend a similar programer that would. i just cant see spending around 1000 $ just for one chip seems this programer will handle the rest of my chips. thanks for the help....

There's a supported chips list here: http://www.autoelectric.cn/minipro/MiniProSupportList.txt
And I don't see mach210 in there - so I would say it doesen't support it.
You can write to autoelector@yahoo.com (translate your text to chinese) if they're willing to implement it. They said to me that they'll consider new chips in the 2014 :/

[radioman]

For those who do not have a dedicated Pic programmer and want to upgrade from CS to A i have updated my firmware generator and now there's an easy and safe way to do that: just select the firmware version you want and click reflash.

Download here:
TL866 firmware updater

[ubistvo]

Hello
I am new here
I am Zoran from SERBIA
I also buy TL866CS but i did not get PSOP44 adapter and now i need so much
I asking is anybody here have schematic for adapter PSOP44 i have main board V3 TSOP48 SOP44 I just need how to connect 29f400 to read and write.
I buy some adapter PSOP44(http://www.programatory.com/niemcy/data/adapterypl/psop44zifdip44/psop44zifdip44a.jpg)
and just need to connect here(http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/755/826/490/490826755_843.jpg)
Thank you

[bobkat2769]

Hello
I am new here
I am Zoran from SERBIA
I also buy TL866CS but i did not get PSOP44 adapter and now i need so much
I asking is anybody here have schematic for adapter PSOP44 i have main board V3 TSOP48 SOP44 I just need how to connect 29f400 to read and write.
I buy some adapter PSOP44(http://www.programatory.com/niemcy/data/adapterypl/psop44zifdip44/psop44zifdip44a.jpg)
and just need to connect here(http://i01.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/755/826/490/490826755_843.jpg)
Thank you

You bought the wrong adapter. They sell standard adapters for all of the 40-pin programmers like this and many others. If I were you I would just return that 44-pin adapter and get the proper adapter unless someone here has one already and wants to take the time to trace it and check for errors. That's not something I'd care to try. 

This is the adapter you want. I was only able to find one seller that had it by itself and not part of an adapter set and they ship internationally from Hong Kong.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PSOP44-adapter-for-TL866CS-TL866A-programmer-29F800-29LV800-39VF800-/131004691743

If I were you I'd just order this one and save yourself a lot of time banging your head against the wall. =^.^=;;

[ubistvo]

I know that they have but I am from SERBIA and we can not buy still by ebay and from china they are close way
So i am stuck with this adapter and if someone have a time to trace me from original adapter i will be thanks for that
Thank you

[FishMan]

Solder a 6-pin SIP header onto some veroboard or protoboard, and then either a 6-pin or 10-pin (or both) DIP header on the other side. Solder wires between the correct signal pins and voila! You've got your very own conversion board.

Thanks, sounds a good idea, but the main problem I'm having is which pins go to which pins?
I have a pinout diagram for a 10 and 6 pin DIP with MISO, MOSI, SCK, RES, etc. and a 6 pin SIP with PGC, PGD, etc.
How do they equate to each other ?
Thanks,
Paul

Bump ?

[bobkat2769]

I know that they have but I am from SERBIA and we can not buy still by ebay and from china they are close way
So i am stuck with this adapter and if someone have a time to trace me from original adapter i will be thanks for that
Thank you

I didn't know that Serbia couldn't use paypal, unlike most of the world.

I did a little research into your problem but couldn't find anything definite. From what little I could find out the major problem seems to be paypal not verifying accounts in your country but no reason was given.

You know, I just checked the Paypal main site, and it does list Serbia as a country they serve. So you might want to try and open a Paypal account again. If you have problems contact CS to get help opening your account. Once you have a paypal account you should have no problems on ebay with most international sellers like the ones in Hong Kong that sell the adapter you need.

If you still can't open a paypal account then you might want to contact the seller for alternate payment. Most likely if you can offer them some kind of reliable international way to pay them they will ship to you. Also, if you have any friends in nearby countries that don't have the payment problem you can always buy through them.

A third option is to check into an Asian brokering company. I've used a few for buying things on the Japanese auction sites like Yahoo and others. It cost me a little more, but I was able to buy items I could not otherwise purchase like rare CDs that are only available in Japan.

And, IIRC, someone was talking about how to use them in this thread or another here on EEVblog. So you might want to read this thread from the beginning or search for it here on the forums.

I hope this info helps you and others in your situation.

BobKat

[radioman]

Solder a 6-pin SIP header onto some veroboard or protoboard, and then either a 6-pin or 10-pin (or both) DIP header on the other side. Solder wires between the correct signal pins and voila! You've got your very own conversion board.

Thanks, sounds a good idea, but the main problem I'm having is which pins go to which pins?
I have a pinout diagram for a 10 and 6 pin DIP with MISO, MOSI, SCK, RES, etc. and a 6 pin SIP with PGC, PGD, etc.
How do they equate to each other ?
Thanks,
Paul

Bump ?

Here:

[FishMan]

Here:

Super!
Thanks.
Paul

[morfej]

Anybody could advice what to check if self check result is like attached picture ... so "Overcurrent protection action, Short circuit" on pin no 4 ?

I just received programmer and tried to id and read 29F800BB TSOP which I tested with GQ-4X just fine. TL866A can't identify the chip at all.

br

[PA0PBZ]

Anybody could advice what to check if self check result is like attached picture ... so "Overcurrent protection action, Short circuit" on pin no 4 ?

If it does the same without the chip check the adapter.

[morfej]

Self check is run without the adapter, nothing attached on ZIF socket of TL866A.