[LinuxBIOS] 32 Pin Dip Plug Cable

[roger]

I probably should have posted this question prior to constructing this
cable, but anybody heard of a "32 Pin Dip Plug Cable"?  Scanning through
the Digikey catalog, I'm seeing some with other pin numberings, but as
to whether or not their sizing is correct for the 32 DIP pin connector
of a bios chip is extremely questionable.

http://www.eskimo.com/~roger/files/linuxbios/Photos/IMG_3357_32PinDipPlugCab...

I am concerned about voltage/amps dropping, but so far reading from the
chip works!  (This means also I'm a great solder!)  Writing is another
story I'm about to experiment tonight with.  (I used 26 stranded gauge
wire for reference.)

Soldering required the full day today.

I need something like this for relocating the flash parts because they
are tightly fitted within the motherboards.

Tue Apr 10 20:10:37 PDT 2007

[Peter Stuge]

On Tue, Apr 10, 2007 at 08:20:56PM -0700, roger wrote:
> I probably should have posted this question prior to constructing
> this cable, but anybody heard of a "32 Pin Dip Plug Cable"?

Part of it could be done by this:

http://www.emulation.com/catalog/off-the-shelf_solutions/logic_analyzer-scop...
> Scanning through the Digikey catalog, I'm seeing some with other pin
> numberings, but as to whether or not their sizing is correct for the
> 32 DIP pin connector of a bios chip is extremely questionable.

.100 between pin centers, .600 between center of the two pin rows.
> http://www.eskimo.com/~roger/files/linuxbios/Photos/IMG_3357_32PinDipPlugCab...
>
> I am concerned about voltage/amps dropping, but so far reading from
> the chip works!

Voltage and current will be fine, the only thing to worry about is
interference and timing. Long wires become antennas, and they can
also cause delays in signalling that leads to corrupt data.

In practice though, I think it will work just fine.
> Soldering required the full day today.

The bug katcher from emulation tech is $34.14, but not available
according to the web page. These kind of things are unusual enough
to be too expensive to buy just for hobby use, even if it takes a
long time to build them from scratch.
> I need something like this for relocating the flash parts because they
> are tightly fitted within the motherboards.

Hm how will it help? For development, when hotplugging chips?
If so, then you could piggyback another flash chip and put a switch
on the chip select sighal.

//Peter

[Corey Osgood]

Peter Stuge wrote:
> The bug katcher from emulation tech is $34.14, but not available
> according to the web page. These kind of things are unusual enough
> to be too expensive to buy just for hobby use, even if it takes a
> long time to build them from scratch.

And a BIOS Savior RD1-2M (2Mb, 5V) is only $24 from frozencpu (and they
do have some). Lots less work and for less than it costs to fill the gas
tank.

-Corey