Cheapest programmer for Dreamcast 5V BIOS?

I have a bunch of Japanese VA0 Dreamcasts and a load of MX29F1610MC-12 chips. I was hoping I might be able to program the chips using my MiniPro TL866 and a SOP44 adapter, given there were a number of chips on the supported list with similar nomenclature and package size, but no luck

What is the cheapest known programmer out there which I could use? Hoping not to have to spend too much, as I'm not sure if it will see much use once I'm done with the ten or so consoles I have at the moment.

 

Piggyback install and flash with dreamshell.

 

If he plans to flash a lot of chips and not install them in Dreamcasts, he could piggyback a socket and flash in DS.

 

I almost put a disclaimer against this in the original post, knowing it would come up. It's what I'd do for one console, but for a whole bunch I'd rather spend some money rather than go through the hassle of straightening the legs on each chip, soldering the required switch and resistors, and then making a hole for the switch or hooking up the voltage to the new chip internally. From what I've seen, I know the programmers aren't cheap cheap, just thinking comparatively. I'm not against the idea of spending a lot either, if it's something I could mostly recoup on without much trouble - I have a Taobao order at the moment, so if it's Chinese brand I could just add it to that. Just looking for recommendations on what has been tried and tested before spending anything.

I did think about this as well. I believe Yamaichi make some low-profile SOP44 sockets, but they're not particularly easy to find or cheap (at least not as single units). If I'm really bored one afternoon, I might wire up the DIP adapter I have.

 

Well, you did state cheapest programmer and thats the DC.

I use an Dataman 48Pro+ which is a rebranded elnec beeprog+

Works for basically everything.

 

You could use an Arduino 2560 for this if I am not mistaken. The adapter for the IC would probably cost more than the Arduino though, but overall it should not cost an arm and a leg.

 

It is also possible to do it with one of these Arduino cart readers:

https://github.com/sanni/cartreader/

Depending on how you acquire one though it won’t be ultra cheap. But it is ultra cool!

 

I want to confirm the TL866 and TSOP-48 (or SOP-44) adapter with pin jumpers does not work either. Only option is the above or TOP3000 ($150, cheapest programmer that supports these natively) unless you want to run 44 wires for the piggyback socket.

 

I ended up buying this one for a reasonable price used from China. It's overkill just for one chip, but I'm sure it'll pay for itself over time.

http://www.zlg.com/tools/tools/product/id/118.html

 

Does the Dreamcast BIOS bin need to be offset when programming directly to the chip and are there some that have known issues with the 29F1610? Just done a couple of seemingly clean installs with japanese_cake's v1.032 bios and neither console boots

 

No. But did you install the chip correctly?

People still seem to want to lift pin 23 and connect to 3.3v, which makes no sense.
Also pin 1 and 44 are wired up differently.

 

Hmm... I haven't lifted any pins, connected pin 23 to 44, and connected pin 1 to B14 on the GDROM connector.

 

Assuming B14 connects to the TSOP's /WE line, then thats all correct.

 

I would just run through another pass with your soldering iron the legs again or I use my multimeter probe on the outermost edge of the pad and the other on the top of the leads to check continuity. I've missed one or two before, assuming your programmed and verified the chip correctly before install.

 

Grrrrr... figured out while messing with an Aladdin XT that my programmer was acting weird and although it looked like the chips were being programmed and verified, they were actually still blank. Reinstalled the programmer software and now it's working fine.