chip burner?

[EyeTalk2Trees]

I'm new to the TR world so what does it take to set up to burn your own chips?? I'm talking hardware and software here, i know you have to know what you are doing andthat takes time and practice, but the actual set up? is it a machine or a tool?? How do you get blank chips? what are the prices of these, where do you find stuff like that??

 

[BM Computer Src]

We sell a complete package called the Turbo Six Tuner. It includes the chip burner, eraser 3 blank chips and graphical tuning software for $299. You may download a free evaluation version of the software, send me an email at webmaster@bmcomputersource.com

Thanks,
Bob

 

[2QUIK6]

I'm just getting into it also for my TPI, but the same setup will work for the GN/TR also, just need different chips.
I chose a Pocket PRogrammer from Xtronics for the hardware, $150 ( www.xtronics.com/memory/EPROM.htm )
Then chose TunerCat for the .bin editor, $70 plus $20 for the GN definition file, www.tunercat.com
That's all you need, unless you want spare chips, then you can find them at www.digikey.com and www.jdr.com for the GN you want 2732 or 2732A chips, about $3-$4 each.
And a UV eraser for the chips, also at www.jdr.com get the pocket sized one for $39, unless you make a device to hold flash eeproms which can be erased electronically, see my most recent post here in this forum for that info if interested, just was updated today so its at the top of the post list.
*
Here's a very helpful tech article about all you need for this: http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/promintro.shtml
*
I can't beleive I didn't start doing this years ago, the Tunercat software makes it sooo easy.

 

[EyeTalk2Trees]

2quik6,
You use the same setup for your TPI? Thats exactly what I want to do, my brothers have TPI, my father a Typhoon, and MY GN. I want a setup that will be able to do them all. We where hoping to get our hands on a LS-1 soon, will this set up do that one as well?

thanks so far

 

[JayC]

If your car isnt converted to an 87 ECM, none of the software mentioned will work on your vehicle. I'd hate to see you buy it and it not be what you need.

The ECM conversion is worth doing, though so I'd step up and do it so you can run the 87 ECM.

FWIW the only tuner out for the LS1 is LS1 Edit. Prepare to bend over and take it like a man for that package.

 

[2QUIK6]

As Jay pointed out, I didn't realize you had an '84. At the bottom of the Pocket Programmer's page is a list of all the chips it can handle without an adapter, the '86-'87 GN/TR use the 2732 or 2732A chips and the '90-'92 TPI use the 27C256 chips, but the same chips can also be used for the pre-90 TPIs if the file size is doubled first because they were 16k chips and the 90-92s are 32k chips, easy to do, just copy the file into another file twice, appending it to the end, then the pre-90 ECM will use the first 16k bytes.
As far as the LS1, it uses a different type of chip, it can be programmed "on the fly" just by plugging in a special programmer directly into the ALDL, the chip does not have to even be removed, the Pocket Programmer and other devices for our cars the chip has to be removed and erased first, unless you build a special adapter for it and use flash electronic erasable chips.

 

[terryk]

If there is enough demand, I'll do an EPE file for GMEPro for the 84/85 hot air. By demand, I mean at least two.

Terry

 

[wilkinshc]

2quik6,

After you add up all the pieces you got, it does not seem that cheaper($291.00) then just getting it from Bob at Bm Computer Source($299.00). Not to mention the shipping from 4 different place would cost more then the $8 you saved. I am sure Bob would still help anybody but its nice to give him the extra dollar for the advice and help to get you to the point you can burn your on chip.

Chuck

 

[2QUIK6]

Originally posted by wilkinshc
2quik6,

After you add up all the pieces you got, it does not seem that cheaper($291.00) then just getting it from Bob at Bm Computer Source($299.00). Not to mention the shipping from 4 different place would cost more then the $8 you saved. I am sure Bob would still help anybody but its nice to give him the extra dollar for the advice and help to get you to the point you can burn your on chip.

Chuck

Yep, never said it was, I just evaluated several different tuners and read up on several on the burners, and built my own combination of what I personnaly liked and found user friendly for what I needed it for, which will mainly be my trucks TPI unit, but everything will work for the GN as well. You're not going to find anything significantly cheaper than $300 with any kind of gaurantee, thats for sure.
Now you could just get a burner and the free windows based editor, and hunt down spare chips in a junk yard for $150, but thats pushing it

 

[terryk]

I've had good luck finding eproms on Ebay. Doctor Circuit I think is one guy.

$300 for a programmer, eraser and software is not all that bad really. Crappy programmers can be frustrating.

 

[JayC]

So true.. I've owned a plethora of programmers and to be honest, most of them suck. I've owned, and would rate in this order...

EMP-10 - DOS based but works great. The algorithms for programming EPROMs are far superior to anything any other burner offers, even other Needham's models. Only drawback is it's a bitch to get to work on faster PCs and doesn't play well with Windows XP although I did get it going reliably.

EMP-11 - Windows based programmer. Software is kind of clunky and it doesnt have the nice algorthm assortment that the EMP-10 does. Needham's claimed that putting that in the EMP-10 software was a mistake. They shoulda kept that mistake in the EMP-11.

Chipmax - I probably should have given this burner more of a chance. Windows based, nice software, kind of pricey but again no algorithm assortment and it takes a while to program 2732s and 2732as although I did find the AMD algorthm was pretty speedy.

PB-10 ISA card based EPROM programmer. Nice features like the EMP-10 but unfortunately ISA is so 1990s.

Pocket Programmer - The spawn of Satan. This is the biggest piece of crap programmer ever made and it amazes me that so many people tout this thing like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Obviously they have never used a quality programmer if they think this thing is worth it's weight in salt. Horrible software is this units biggest drawback. The support from Xtronics kind of sucked too. The fact that I had this unit burst into flames when I was using it doesn't help my opinion of it. This used to be my "portable" burner because it was small and compact. That's about it's only plusses.

EZEP - First programmer I ever had. Even worse software than the Pocket Programmer and support wasn't that great.

I'm currently using the EMP-11 because it's Windows based. I'm not real pleased with the software but I guess for most people it's fine. It probably is the best out of the lot and they do upgrade the software pretty regularly and the updates are free. I see that Xtronics is charging for software upgrades for the Pocket Programmer. FWIW Needhams has a USB programer coming out soon. That looks pretty cool but it's pricey.

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by JayC

Pocket Programmer - The spawn of Satan. This is the biggest piece of crap programmer ever made and it amazes me that so many people tout this thing like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Obviously they have never used a quality programmer if they think this thing is worth it's weight in salt. Horrible software is this units biggest drawback. The support from Xtronics kind of sucked too. The fact that I had this unit burst into flames when I was using it doesn't help my opinion of it. This used to be my "portable" burner because it was small and compact. That's about it's only plusses.

I've been using a Pocket Programmer for over 5 years, and finally killed the original one by dropping it once too often.
It was $56 to repair, and returned with some Windows software rather then the straight DOS version I had.
I felt so helpless with out a burner I bought a second one, the new one is Pocket Programmer II.
I used Needhams for a while but having to add a board in the ecm tied it to the PC, rather then using it with a laptop.

For Proms, forget the 2732s
Go to

Craig Moates
E-mail Address(es):
craig.moates@cox.net

He makes a little adapter board that lets you use a 29C256 EEPROM, and it allows you to do 8 bins at a time, and switch between them.

 

[TurboJim]

Or buy a thumbwheel and do it that way (I assume its the same thing)

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by TurboJim
Or buy a thumbwheel and do it that way (I assume its the same thing)

Yep.
Moates was getting $45, and like 9 for the EEPROM. For the price it seemed right.

 

[Hyper]

chip burner

Bruse email me at whra3@earthlink.net please! I have a question for you.

thanks Jeff

 

[V6 Beast]

Bob @ BMC computer source... I have sent a couple of emails with questions and gotten no reply... do you guys still sell the kit to burn chips??? I sent the emails to webmaster@bmcomputersource.com


Sully

 

[BM Computer Src]

???

Hello,

I'm sorry I dont have any emails unanswered in the inbox right now. I dont know why I am not getting your emails. Could you please try sending to bob@bmcomputersource.com as well?

Thank you and sorry for the odd problem!

Bob

 

[chris]

Upgrades to BMCS package

What does it cost for additional def files for this package?

 

[BM Computer Src]

$20 per vehicle type.

Thanks,
Bob

 

[V6 Beast]

I resent the mail to ya but here are my questions

I have an 87 GN and I am looking to start tweaking my current chips a bit for my particular car.

1) I see there is a demo availible. Can I get a copy? You can email it to me if it is less than 10 Mb or reply with a link.

2) Will I be able to read my current chip and use it as a starting point? I am not going to be looking to sell chips or anything. I just want to tweak my current setup a bit.


thanks

Steve Sullivan
87 Gn