Hey! Had this lying around for a while, thought I'd share some info: DATA I/O system IX. This is a PROM programmer, from the mid/late 1970's.
Bought it because I hoped to convert it into an EPROM burner - probably could, it seems to support 24 pin devices - if there were ANY technical references to find on it.
It is manual, with hex displays for address and data, and a hex keypad to enter data. it can also do other functions, like, read from prom, and duplicate etc.
On the back, it's outfitted with an RS232 (the REAL RS232 with db25 connector), so it may be possible to program from a computer - either that or to connect "slave" programmers.
Setting this up for a different prom type is easy as can be! All you have to do is change two large pcb's and the socket. The "personality" pcb's for individual prom types are one analog, which I assume deals with all the voltages and timing stuff, and one digital, which may set up registers to load to the chip, configure legs, and access the analog board.
Jumpers on the socket apparently control the type of device (size, at least); with the socket I have installed, it will only count addresses as high as FF (256 in decimal) - without it: FFF.
This is probably from the earliest days of microprocessor-controlled device burners (disregarding those who are plugin modules for minicomputers and early micros). Their website has a "history" section, which lists their products from the 70's until now. There, it's claimed that the system 19 is the first processor (which was the 6800) based system, but the system IX DOES have the MC6800! -they're WRONG!
Their 70's history page:
http://www.dataio.com/company/aboutdataio/40thanniversary/1970sThe microcomputer section of the burner is pretty much as standard 70's micro as can be: 4 boards with card-edge connectors plugging into a backplane,
boards being: CPU/Rom/little RAM; RAM; Serial/parallel interface; "personality" board interface.
The CPU card seems to use almost by-the-application note standard 6800 stuff: MC6800 cpu, MC6871 clock can, MC6810 RAM, a 1K mask rom,
and 2x 2708 1Kx8 EPROM's. Cool how they've silkscreened the memory map below every memory chip on there!
(Board pics: Disregard pink napkin backdrop!)
RAM board consists of 2x AM9131 256x4 Bytes Sram, with slots for two more. Also: some 74LS goodness.
The Serial/parallel IO boad features, again, standard MC68 family stuff: MC6850 ACIA (UART), for the serial port,
and MC6821 Peripheral controller, which most likely serves as a parallel interface for the programmer AND the front panel.
The lower right card-edge connector goes off to the serial DB25 connector on the back, likely making the two 8-pin chips near it the send/receive RS232 level converter (they're MC4-- something, can't recall-) - Also; the obligatory baudrate dipswitch!
I STILL have no clue which PROM the personality boards is setting it up for - you would think that they'd either be nice enough to label it somewhere-
or or at least that the guy who fries the wrong PROM for the 200th time would put an embossing tape label on the thing stating it!
The PROM socket assembly has 715-1035-1 on it; that doesn't seem to be a PROM type, but i could be wrong.
Maybe i should just find a handful of common PROM's with the right pin count and try them and see if i get lucky.
Quite a neat bit of device history! - Thought I'd share since this device is apparently pretty rare.