RCT – Firmware v.20 – English

This update may reset the configuration to the default setting. After the update, the SD card and other settings may have to be made again.

Reports about the RCT

RCT helps repairing an Apple I

The Retro Chip Tester (RCT) was recently used in the repair of one of the rare Apple I.

BasicGallery, the historical archive of BasicNet, switched on the Apple-I on Friday, October 15th, after replacing two non-working components. Marco Boglione acquired the Apple I at a Christie’s auction in 2010 for 157,245 euros.

Marco Boglione is an Italian entrepreneur and the founder and president of BasicNet, which includes the brands Kappa, Robe di Kappa, K-Way, Superga, Jesus Jeans, Briko and Sebago. The computer exhibition is located in Turin, on the first floor of BasicVillage, the headquarters of BasicNet.

The complete report can be found here. More nice pictures with the RCT – side by side with the Apple I – can be found here.

Pictures: basicnet

RCT on YouTube

I am pleased about the many positive reports on YouTube:

A playlist with all reports can be found here.

New Features

RCT programs 2708 EPROMs

The RCT can now also program the EPROM 2708. This requires a simple, inexpensive adapter that provides the programming voltage. This feature is currently classified as experimental and I would appreciate your feedback on it.

Detection of Page Mode and Static Column Mode for DRAMs

The RCT tries to identify the DRAM features, i.e. Page Mode and Static Column Mode. So you can check quickly if you have SCRAM or a faked IC that does not support it.

Improvements

  • The full version of the used firmware is displayed in the Info menu (e.g. v20B5, when a „beta 5“ is used).
  • Logic menu: The 100-step jumps after a while have been reduced to 20-step jumps.

New Adapters

VC20 Adapter

A new adapter allows dumping Commodore VC20 cartridges. The Gerber data for the current version of the adapter has already been published.

2107 Adapter

For the Intel 2107 there is now an adapter board available that also allows reliable testing of compatible ICs (e.g. MM5280, TMS4060).

Use the adapter only(!) with the corresponding menu item „2107 – 2107 Adapter“ from firmware v.20. Otherwise the adapter can be destroyed. However, there is no danger to the RCT or the memory IC. The „old“ entry for direct testing of 2107 ICs has been removed.

The Gerber data for the current version of the adapter has already been published. The schematics of all adapters are available in the BOM.pdf now.

New Display Driver for OLEDs

The display driver has been optimized again for OLEDs. Now OLEDs should also work reliably with the WS0010 controller (e.g. from Newheaven). If problems arise anyway, only a small modification of the display will reliably help (see manual).

New Hardware Version

Based on suggestions, I have modified the board a little. In rev.1.2k („j“ was skipped due to the similarity to „i“) the following ideas have been included:

  • There is a fourth button (it corresponds to pressing SELECT/JUMP at the same time to jump back one menu level).
  • The decoupling Adapter was integrated on the board, i.e. there are now jumpers next to the ZIF socket.

The fourth button is not absolutely necessary, but makes operation maybe a little more convenient. It can also be retrofitted to all boards (see sec. „Tweaks“ in the manual). Whoever packs the tester in a housing will probably continue to use the Decoupling Adapter and not assemble the jumpers.

New Logic ICs supported in v.20

New Logic ICs

40xx: 4006

75xxx: 75154

8xxx: 8250, 8251, 8252, 8263, 8264, 8266, 8267, 8290, 8291, 8415A, 8455A, 8470A, 8471A, 8480A, 8481A, 8490A, 8808A, 8815A, 8816A, 8829A, 8840A, 8848A, 8855A, 8870A, 8875A, 8880A, 8881A, 8885A, 8890A, 8891A

8Hxx: 8H16, 8H70, 8H80, 8H90, 8T37, 8T38

Amxxxx: Am25LS07, Am25LS08, Am25LS09, Am25S10, Am25LS15, Am25LS22, Am25LS23, Am25LS2518, Am25LS2521, Am7307, Am7308, AmZ8121, Am8307, Am8308, Am93S10, Am93S16, Am9341

DMxxxx: DM7131, DM7160, DM7837, DM7838, DM8098, DM8121, DM8123, DM8131, DM8160, DM8837, DM8838, DM9009, DM9300, DM9301, DM9322, DS3662, DS7837, DS7838, DS8837, DS8838

Misc: TD6238x, ULN201x, D345, D346, KR559IP1, KR559IP2, SNG40, SNG60, SNG90, SNG130, SNG140, SNG150, SNG160, SNG190, SNG220, SNG230, SNG240, SNG260, SNG260, SNG260, SP302A, SP304A, SP305A, SP306A, SP314A, SP317A, SP334A, SP337A, SP357A, SP358A, SP370A, SP374A, SP375A, SP377A, SP380A, SP381A, SP384A, SP387A, SP391A

New Custom Definition Files

There are new definition files for special memory modules.

DRAMs

Tested:

  • SMJ44400, TC514400, HM514400 (1024k x 4 – DRAM)
  • TMS4050 (4k x 1 – DRAM)

Untested:

  • EDH41512 Module 1 (2x 256k x 1 – DRAM)
  • EDH41512 Module 2 (2x 256k x 1 – DRAM)
  • EDH42256 (256k x 2 – DRAM)
  • MT1259-P (256k x 1 – DRAM)
  • MT4067-P (64k x 4 – DRAM)
  • TMS4051 (4k x 1 – DRAM)
  • ZIP16 (64k x 1 – DRAM)
SRAMs

Tested:

  • AE88128 (16k x 8 – SRAM)
  • AS6C4008, CY62148, CYM1464, CYM1465, M5M5408, P4C1048, F7447APC, BS62LV4006 (512k x 8 – SRAM)
  • CD4061, HEF4720 (256 x 1, negative Dout – SRAM)
  • CD4061, HEF4720 (256 x 1, positive Dout – SRAM)
  • EMM8108, CXK5808, UPD421 (1k x 8 – SRAM)
  • GTE 3539 (256 x 8 – SRAM)
  • P4C163, CY7C182, IMS1695, IDT7189, M5M5179, uPD4369, TMM2089 (8k x 9 – SRAM)
  • SN74172 port 2 (dualport 8 x 2 – SRAM)
  • TC4036 (4 x 8 – SRAM)
  • TC5047, uPD445 (1k x 4 – SRAM)
  • TC5516, LC3516, uPD447, uPD449 (2k x 8 – SRAM)
  • W24129 (16k x 8 – SRAM)
  • X2210, X22C10 (64 x 4 – NOVRAM)
  • X2212, X22C12 (256 x 4 – NOVRAM)

Untested:

  • 74C930, 6518 (1k x 1 – SRAM)
  • 74F211, 74F311 (16 x 9 – SRAM)
  • 74F212, 74F312 (16 x 9 – SRAM)
  • 74F213, 74F313 (16 x 12 – SRAM)
  • 74LS208 (256 x 4 – SRAM)
  • 74LS216, 74LS316 (64 x 4 – SRAM)
  • 74LS217, 74LS317 (64 x 4 – SRAM)
  • 74LS218, 74LS318 (32 x 8 – SRAM)
  • 82S21 (32 x 2 – SRAM)
  • A6173081, HY638100, IS63C1024, CY7C1019, M5M512R88 (128k x 8 – SRAM)
  • AS5C2008 (256k x 8 – SRAM)
  • CY7C188, M5M5279, uPD43259 (32k x 9 – SRAM)
  • CY7C1001, CY7C1002, M5M51014 (256k x 4 – SRAM)
  • CY7C1014 (256k x 4 – SRAM)
  • CY7C1016 (256k x 4 – SRAM)
  • CY7C1046 (1024k x 4 – SRAM)
  • CY7C1088, UPD431003 (128k x 9 – SRAM)
  • CY62138 (256k x 8 – SRAM)
  • EMM4200, EMM4300, GTE4200, uPD410 (4k x 1 – SRAM)
  • EMM4801 (4k x 1 – SRAM)
  • HM6503H (2k x 1 – SRAM)
  • HM6503L (2k x 1 – SRAM)
  • HM6533 (1k x 4 – SRAM)
  • i2113, P2113, C2113 (512 x 4 A0H – SRAM)
  • i2113, P2113, C2113 (512 x 4 A0L – SRAM)
  • KM658128 (128k x 8 – PSRAM)
  • MK4816 (2k x 8 – PSRAM)
  • M5M5260A (256k x 1 – SRAM)
  • M5M5269 (32k x 9 – SRAM)
  • M5M52B88, uPD46258 (32k x 8 – SRAM)
  • M5M51001 (1024k x 1 – SRAM)
  • M5M54001 (4096k x 1 – SRAM)
  • P4C107, CY7C107, CY7C1007 (1024k x 1 – SRAM)
  • P4C174 (8k x 8 – CACHE TAG SRAM)
  • TMS4036 (64 x 8 – SRAM)
  • TMS4047 (1k x 4 – SRAM)
  • uPD46259 (32k x 9 – SRAM)
  • uPD431002 (128k x 9 – SRAM)
  • X2004, X20C04, X20C05 (512 x 8 – NOVRAM)
  • X2016, X20C16 (2k x 8 – NOVRAM)
  • X2017, X20C17 (2k x 8 – NOVRAM)
ROMs

Tested:

  • Signetics 2600 (2k x 8 – ROM)

Untested:

  • 74S262 (128 x 9 x 5 – CHROM)
  • 82S114 (256 x 8 – PROM)
  • 82S115, Am27S15 (512 x 8 – PROM)
  • Signetics 2608 (1k x 8 – ROM)
  • Signetics 2617 (2k x 8 – ROM)
  • Am9216 (2k x 8 – ROM)
  • AT28C256 (32k x 8 – EEPROM)
  • HM-7644 (1024 x 4 – PROM)
  • IM6653 (1024 x 4 – EPROM)
  • IM6654 (512 x 8 – EPROM)
  • IM6657 (2048 x 4 – EPROM)
  • IM6658 (1024 x 8 – EPROM)
  • Intel 2817 (2k x 8 – EEPROM)
  • M48T08, M48T18, M48T58 (8k x 8 – Timekeper SRAM)
  • M48Z08, M48Z18, M48Z58 (8k x 8 – Zeropower SRAM)
  • M48T35 (32k x 8 – Timekeper SRAM)
  • M48Z35 (32k x 8 – Zeropower SRAM)
  • MMI6335, MMI6336 (256 x 8 – PROM)
  • MMI6350, MMI6351 (1024 x 4 – PROM)
  • MMI6386, MMI6387 (1024 x 8 – PROM)
  • TMS2508, (1024 x 8 – EPROM)
  • TMS2758, HM6758, 2758 (1024 x 8, AR=0 – EPROM)
  • TMS2758, HM6758, 2758 (1024 x 8, AR=1 – EPROM)
PLAs

Tested:

  • 82S100 (64k x 8 – PLA)

Manuals

The manuals have been updated and can be downloaded from my website.

The interactive IC comparison list has also been updated, as have the PDFs with the supported ICs.

Links