Looking for an AP-64e EPROM Burner

You looking to get one to clone?  I'd love to have one also, but I think they are pretty rare and I'm not sure I'd want to pay the $$$ I'd expect an original to sell for.  But it would be a fun project to build!

These look neat, but I have to be genuinely curious why one would want one / want to use one instead of a newer EPROM burner. Does it support rare/older ROMs that newer ones may lack support for, or is it just really cool? 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the AP-64 can only program Eproms up to 2764.  (8K x 8)

macnoyd wrote:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the AP-64 can only program Eproms up to 2764.  (8K x 8)

I believe you are right.  A friend of mine back in the day had a Mountain Computer ROMWriter, and it could ostensibly only program 2716s, however he built adapters to semi-manually program 2732 and 2764 with it.  Kind of a kludge, he programmed the larger EPROMs in banks.  Program part of it, flip some switches, program the next part...

Stargeezer wrote:

I guess its mostly because it would be cool to have one.

If prices are too high or its too annoying to build, I'll probably by a GQ-4

I use the (much hated by many people) MiniPro TL-866 (I have the original version and the newer II version).  A lot of other people's complaints about the MiniPros are either asking too much for what it is (and programming voltage limitations, ettc, can be overcome with 3rd party add-ons that are availavle) or complaints about the Chinese software which I don't use, there is an Open Source software that works great.  It does stink that the newer II version can't program some of the older parts, which is why I keep the older version around.

I've been curious about the GQ-4, but never got a solid answer from anywhere if there is software to drive it from non-Windows platforms.  I mostly use Linux although I have a semi-recent Intel based MacBook.  I'd rather have native software than try to run under emulation like Wine.  A VM isn't an option really either unless the software works with ReactOS because I don't have Windows to run in the VM, and I'm not going to buy it, and the downloaded pirated versions are a no for me due to I don't trust them not to have malware in them.

I've heard good things about the Willem programmers and they appear to support non-Windows platforms but they're expensive and I haven't been able to justify putting out that kind of $$$

I have a TL-866 II, and I've programmed a few things with it, but I primarily use it for it's feature of basic 74 series logic IC checks. My primary burner is a TOP3000, but AFAIK I'm pretty well stuck on windows with that one; I just attach it to an old lenovo and consider it a singular tool. The reason the TOP is my primary is it doesn't need any adapters for 42 pin chips, which I use a lot of. 

skate323k137 wrote:

I have a TL-866 II, and I've programmed a few things with it, but I primarily use it for it's feature of basic 74 series logic IC checks. My primary burner is a TOP3000, but AFAIK I'm pretty well stuck on windows with that one; I just attach it to an old lenovo and consider it a singular tool. The reason the TOP is my primary is it doesn't need any adapters for 42 pin chips, which I use a

I build my own desktops still, albeit, it's basically just installing memory sticks and a storage device anymore.  Laptops I usually buy used and the first thing I do when I get them is wipe the hard drives because who knows what malware infestations might be on there.  So I have no Windows to use even if I wanted to, which I generally don't.  The MacBook came from my previous employer, when they shut down they let me keep it as part of my severence, so I knew the pedigree of it and didn't need to wipe it for safety.  It is approaching the age where Apple will stop supporting it and then it soon will be like the other Macs I have which can't be used for anything online anymore because the versions of the Chrome and Firefox browsers that will run on them are all deprecated and won't work with any web sites that require https, which is most of them.

I did find that someone has Linux compatible software for the TOP2049.  It appears that is an older model and I don't know a lot about the different models to know if that software would work with a TOP3000 or if not if it could be hacked to work.

https://bues.ch/cms/hacking/toprammer.html

https://github.com/mbuesch/toprammer

It's nice to have an old-school EPROM burner, especially if you burn 2716 EPROMs semi-regularly.

Most of the new burners can't support the 24V (miniumum - the recommended voltage is 25V) programming voltage of garden variety 2716s.

The low burn voltage 2716A chips are pretty hard to find, so having an old EPROM burner with good software  is a good tool to have.

Plus, since Apple IIs always have the high bit set in ASCII, many new burning software return gibberish on the hex editor.

Keeping the hex editing in-metal makes looking at the programming all that much more easy.