BP Microsystems EP-1 - single board Z80 computer?

jafir · May 30, 2020

So I wanted to program some Motorola MCM68766C EPROMs and I’ve got a xeltek 280U that lists those as compatible, but it fails after the first bit no matter what I try. I see that others have had similar results with similar USB programmers.

So I got on eBay and I bought an EP-1 that others have had success using. The version I received was the later rev 4 hardware and it was running version 3.15 code. I found where someone had archived old software packages for this unit, and it included a 3.20 software. The instructions had you write an eprom with the 3.20 code and then open the device and swap it for the original.

When I opened it up I was surprised that it was powered by a Z80 with 2K of RAM. Some people suggest that you need DOS to use the programmer, but I found one person that said all you need is a terminal program that can send data with xmodem.

ldkraemer · May 30, 2020

jafir,
Yes, The BP Microsystems EP-1 Programmer is a GREAT Programmer. I've used them for years. All you need is any
Terminal (or Computer running a Terminal Program). I don't use xmodem protocol, I just read and write HEX bytes.

It will do a good Job and I've never had a problem, with any of the units I've used.

BP Microsystems still has their website available with the documentation and Software. Or they did the last time
I was on their website.

Here is their list of parts it will program:

Code:

Model:              EP-1 EPROM Programmer
Software:           V3.20, Copyright (C) 1985-1995 BP Microsystems, Inc.
Phone:              (713)688-0920 or 800-225-2102
Hardware:           Type 4, 6.144MHz
Chip Type:          None Selected 
File Address Range: 0 - 0
Baud Rate:          1200
Protocol:           PCDOS3: Used with EP.EXE V3.XX
>

H
STATUS COMMANDS               DEVICE COMMANDS
 FINd  Find part names         Blank   Blank
 PARTS Lists supported parts   List    List chip contents on screen
 Stat  Programmer status       Manual  Manually program
                               Program Program from hex file
SETUP COMMANDS                 PB      Program from binary file
 Addr  Set addressing mode     PROTect Protects microcontrollers
 BAse  Set file start address  RB      Read, producing binary file
 Chip  Select a chip           RH      Read, producing straight hex file
 PAGe  Select active page      RI      Read, producing Intel hex file
                               RM      Read, producing Motorola hex file
MISCELLANEOUS COMMANDS         RT      Read, producing Tekhex file
 PROTO Sets comm. protocol     SUM     Calculate/set checksum
 Help  Produces this screen    Verify  Verify from hex file
 Quit  Return to DOS           VB      Verify from binary file
 Test  Test programmer         FILL    Program a range with a value

BP Microsystems, Inc. support hotline: 800-225-2102 or 713-688-4600.
Call for a free printed device list. Firmware updates are available from
our BBS at 713-688-9283.
>


PARTS

AMD
    8753H   *1B,C     8751H   *1B,C     87C51  *1C        Am27128           
    Am27128A          Am2716            Am27256           Am2732            
    Am2732A           Am2732B           Am27512           Am2764            
    Am2764A           Am27C128D         Am27C128P         Am27C256          
    Am27C512          Am27C64D          Am27C64P          Am27H256          
    Am2817A           Am2864A           Am2864AE          Am2864B           
    Am2864BE          Am28C256          Am9716            Am9761H *1B,C     
    Am9864            
Atmel
    AT27C128          AT27C256          AT27C256R         AT27C512          
    AT27C512R         AT27LV512         AT27C513          AT27C515          
    AT27HC256         AT27HC256L        AT27HC256R        AT27HC256RL       
    AT27LV256R        AT27HC64          AT27HC641         AT27HC641R        
    AT27HC64L         AT28C04           AT28C04E          AT28C04F          
    AT28C16           AT28C16E          AT28C16F          AT28C17           
    AT28C17E          AT28C17F          AT28C256          AT28C256E         
    AT28C256F         AT28C64           AT28C64E          AT28C64F          
    AT28C64X          AT28HC16          AT28HC16L         AT28HC191         
    AT28HC191L        AT28HC256         AT28HC256E        AT28HC256F        
    AT28HC256L        AT28HC256LE       AT28HC291         AT28HC291L        
    AT28HC64          AT28HC64E         AT28HC64L         AT28HC64LE        
    AT28PC64          AT28PC64E         
Bowmar/White
    8014              8020              8023              
Catalyst
    CAT27128A         CAT27256          CAT27512          CAT2764A          
    CAT27HC256        CAT28C16A         CAT28C17A         CAT28C256         
    CAT28C64A         CAT28C64B/T       CAT28C65A         
Dense-Pac
    DPV27C256         DPV27C512         
Electronic Arrays
    EA2716            
EXEL
    XLE28C16A         XLE28C64          XLM28C16A         XLM46C15          
    XLM46C16          XLM46P15          XLM46P16          XLS2804A          
    XLS2816A          XLS2817A          XLS2864A          XLS2865A          
    XLS28C16A         XLS28C64          XLS46C15          XLS46C16          
    XLS46P15          XLS46P16          
Fujitsu
    MBL8742H *1A      MBL8749H *1A      MBL8749N *1A      MBM27128          
    MBM27128-X        MBM2716           MBM2716H          MBM27256          
    MBM27256-W        MBM27256-X        MBM2732           MBM2732A          
    MBM2764           MBM27C128         MBM27C128P        MBM27C256         
    MBM27C256A        MBM27C256A-W      MBM27C256AP       MBM27C256H        
    MBM27C512         MBM27C512P        MBM27C64          MBM27C64-W        
    MBM27C64-X        MBM28C64          MBM28C65          MBM83256          
    MBM83512          
Generic
    27011  (12.5V)    27128  (21V)      27128A (12.5V)    2716   (25V)      
    27256  (12.5V)    2732   (25V)      2732A  (21V)      2732B  (12.5V)    
    27512  (12.5V)    2764   (21V)      2764A  (12.5V)    27C128 (21V)      
    27C16  (25V)      27C256 (12.5V)    27C32  (25V)      27C512  (12.5V)   
    27C64  (12.5V)    27C64  (21V)      
General Instrument
    27256             27C128            27C256            27C512            
    27C513            27C64             27HC64            27HC64L           
    28C04             28C04F            28C16             28C16F            
    28C17             28C17F            28C64             28C64A/AX         
    28CP256           28CP256A          28CP256B          
Greenwich
    GR27128           GR27256           GR27512           GR27513           
    GR2764            GR281             GR881             GR3281            
Hitachi
    HN27128A          HN27128AG         HN27128AP         HN27256           
    HN27256G          HN27256P          HN27512           HN27512G          
    HN27512P          HN27C256          HN27C256FP        HN27C256G         
    HN27C256AG/HG     HN27C512G         HN27C64           HN27C64G          
    HN462532          HN462532G         HN462716          HN462716G         
    HN462732          HN462732G         HN4827128         HN4827128G/P      
    HN482732A/AG      HN482764          HN482764G/P       HN58064           
    HN58064P/FP       HN58C65           HN58C65P/FP       HN58C66P/FP       
Hyundai
    HY2764            HY27C64           HY27C64A          
ICT
    27CX256           
IDT
    IDT78C16A         IDT78C256A        IDT78C64A         IDT78M64          
    IDT78M64S         
Intel
    27011             27128             27128A            27128B            
    2716              27256             2732              2732A             
    27512             27513             2758              2764              
    2764A             27C011            27C128            27C256            
    27C512            27C64             2816A             2817A             
    2864              2864A             68C257            8041A  *1A        
    8042   *1A        8048AH *1A        8049AH *1A        8050AH *1A        
    8741A  *1A        8741AH *1A        8742   *1A        8742AH *1A        
    8744H  *1B,C      8748   *1A        8748H  *1A        8749H  *1A        
    8751H  *1B,C      8755A  *1A        87C256            87C257            
    87C51  *1C        87C64             P27128A           P27128B           
    P27256            P27512            P27513            P2764A            
    P27C128           P27C256           P27C64            
Microchip Technology
    27256             27C128            27C256            27C512            
    27C513            27C64             27HC256           27HC256L          
    27HC64            27LV256           28C04             28C04A/AF/F       
    28C16             28C16A/AF/F       28C17             28C17A/AF/F       
    28C64             28C64A/AF/AX      28C256            28CP256           
Macronix
    MX27C256          MX27C64           MX27C512          MX27L256          
    MX27L512          
Mitsubishi
    M5L27128K         M5L27128K-I       M5L27256K         M5L27256K-I       
    M5L2732           M5L27512K         M5L2764K          M5M27128P         
    M5M27256          M5M27256P         M5M27512P         M5M2764P          
    M5M27C128K        M5M27C256         M5M27C256A/AK/K/P M5M27C512AK       
    M5M27C512AP       M5M28C64AP        M5M28C64P         
Mostek
    ET2716            ETC2716           ETC2732           MK2716            
    MK2764            MK38XXX           MK48T08           MK4848Z30         
Motorola
    MCM2532           MCM2716           MCM68764          MCM68766          
National
    MM2716            MM2716E           MM2758-A          MM2758-B          
    MM2758Q-A         MM2758Q-B         NM27C128          NM27C256          
    NM27C512          NM27C64           NM27C64Q          NM27LC512         
    NM27LC64          NM27LV512         NM27LV64Q         NM27P512          
    NMC2732           NMC27C128B        NMC27C128BQ       NMC27C128BN       
    NMC27C128C        NMC27C128CQ       NMC27C16          NMC27C16H         
    NMC27C16HQ        NMC27C16Q         NMC27C256         NMC27C256Q        
    NMC27C256B/C      NMC27C256BN       NMC27C256BQ       NMC27C32          
    NMC27C32B         NMC27C32BQ        NMC27C32E         NMC27C32EH        
    NMC27C32H         NMC27C512         NMC27C512A        NMC27C512AN       
    NMC27C512AQ       NMC27C64          NMC27C64N         NMC27C64Q         
    NMC27C64B         NMC27C64BN        NMC27C64BQ        NMC27CP128        
    NMC27CP128Q       NMC9817           NMC98C64A         
NEC
    8748HD *1A        uPD27128          uPD2716           uPD27256          
    uPD2732           uPD2732A          uPD2764           uPD27C256         
    uPD27C256A        uPD27C512         uPD27C64          uPD28C04          
    uPD28C05          uPD28C256         uPD28C64          
OKI
    MSM27128A         MSM27128AS        MSM27128AZB-RS    MSM2716           
    MSM27256          MSM27256AS        MSM27256ZB-RS     MSM2732           
    MSM2732A          MSM27512          MSM27512AS        MSM27512ZB-RS     
    MSM2764           MSM2764A          MSM2764AS         MSM2764AZB-RS     
    MSM2764RS         MSM27C128AS       MSM27C256         MSM27C256H/HZB/ZB 
    MSM27C64AS        MSM2816ARS        MSM28C64A         
Quick Pulse
    27011             27128A            27256             27512             
    2764A             
Ricoh
    RD27C256          RD27C64           
Rockwell
    R2764             R2764C            R27C64            R2816             
    R5213             R52B13            R52B33            R87C32            
    R87C64            
Samsung
    KM2816A           KM2816AI          KM2817A           KM2817AI          
    KM2864A           KM2864AH          KM2865A           KM2865AH          
    KM28C256          KM28C64           KM28C64A/B        KM28C65           
Seeq
    27128             27256             2764              27C256            
    27C256A           27HC256           2804A             2816A             
    2816AH            2817A             2817AH            2864              
    2864H             28C256            28C64             28C64A            
    28C65             36C16             36C32             38C16             
    38C32             5133              5213              52B13             
    52B13H            52B33             52B33H            5516A             
    5516AH            5517A             5517AH            55B33             
    55B33H            82005             82025             86063             
    E52B33            E52B33H           M52B33            M52B33H           
SGS-THOMSON
    ET2716            ETC2716           ETC2732           M27128A           
    M2716             M2716P            M27256            M27C256B          
    M27C512           M2732A            M27512            M2764             
    M2764A            M27C64A           M28C64C           M48Z32            
    M48Z32Y           MK2716            MK2764            MK38XXX           
    MK48T08           MK48T18           MK48Z30           ST27128A          
    ST27256           ST2764A           ST27C256          TS27C17AC         
    TS27C17AP         TS27C256          TS27C256P/Q       TS27C64           
    TS27C64A/P/Q      TS28C16A          TS28C16AC/AP      TS28C17A          
    TS28C64           TS28C64C/P        
Sharp
    LH57126           LH57126J          LH57127           LH57127J          
    LH57128           LH57128J          LH27254           LH27255           
    LH57256           LH57256J          LH5762            LH5762J           
    LH5763            LH5763J           LH5764            LH5764J           
Signetics
    27C256            27C512            27C64A            87C256            
    87C64             SC87C51 *1C       
Simtek
    STK28C256         QSPM27128         SPM27128C         SPM27128H         
    SPM27C256         SPM27C256H        SPM27C64          SPM27C64C         
    SPM27C64H         SPM2864           SPM2864C          
SMOS
    SPM27128          SPM27128C         SPM27128H         SPM27C256         
    SPM27C256H        SPM27C64          SPM27C64C         SPM27C64H         
    SPM2864           SPM2864C          
Synertek
    SY2716            
TI
    SMJ2516           SMJ2532           SMJ2564           SMJ27C128         
    SMJ27C256         SMJ27C512         TMS2516           TMS2532           
    TMS2532A          TMS2564           TMS25L32          TMS27128          
    TMS2732A          TMS2764           TMS27C128         TMS27C256         
    TMS27C512         TMS27C64          TMS27P32A         TMS27P64          
    TMS27PC128        TMS27PC256        TMS27PC512        TMS27PC64         
    TMS28C64          
Toshiba
    TC54256AF         TC54256AP         TC54512AP         TC57256           
    TC57256AD         TC57256ADI        TC57256D          TC57512AD         
    TC57H256D         TMM23128-H,H      TMM23128-H,L      TMM23128-L,H      
    TMM23128-L,L      TMM2364-H,H       TMM2364-H,L       TMM2364-L,H       
    TMM2364-L,L       TMM24128AF/AP     TMM24256AF/AP     TMM24256BF/BP     
    TMM24512          TMM24512AF/AP     TMM24512F/P       TMM2464A          
    TMM2464AF/AP      TMM27128          TMM27128A         TMM27128AD        
    TMM27128ADI       TMM27128D         TMM27128DI        TMM27256          
    TMM27256A         TMM27256AD        TMM27256ADI       TMM27256BD        
    TMM27256BDI       TMM27256D         TMM27256DI        TMM2732           
    TMM27512          TMM27512AD        TMM27512ADI       TMM27512D         
    TMM27512DI        TMM2764           TMM2764A          TMM2764AD         
    TMM2764ADI        TMM2764D          TMM2764DI         
VLSI Technology
    VT27C256          VT27C512          VT27C64           VTC27C256         
Waferscale
    WS27C128F         WS27C256F         WS27C256L         WS27C512F         
    WS27C512L         WS57C128F         WS57C128FB        WS57C256F         
    WS57C256FB        WS57C512F         
White Microelect.
    8014              8020              8023              
White Technology
    8014              8020              8023              
Xicor
    X2804A            X2816A            X2816AI           X2816AM           
    X2816B/C          X2816H            X28256            X2864A            
    X2864AI           X2864AM           X2864B            X2864H            
    X28C256           X28HC256          X28VC256          X28C64            


QUIT

>

The 1B and 1C parts are Adapter Modules that Plug into the EP1 for programming Large Pin DIP Microprocessors.

Larry

deramp5113 · May 30, 2020

I’ve used an EP-1 programmer for years - ever since I purchased it new way back when. It’s been a great and reliable programmer for 35 years.

XMODEM is not an option in my firmware version, so I’ve always just done a simple text file send of .hex files using a terminal emulator. This requires that hardware or software handshaking is enabled on your terminal emulator. This worked fine until having to switch to a USB serial adapter for use with newer PCs without a serial port. The drivers for the USB adapters allow too much overrun before stopping from a handshake signal and then overrun the EP-1’s receive buffer.

To get around this problem, I put an Altair 8800 in between the PC and my EP-1 that functions as a serial buffer between the modern PC and the old EP-1. I’ve actually ended up finding several handy applications for the SERBUF program I wrote for the Altair. It’s a good way to interface between a modern PC and old equipment like the EP-1, a cassette interface, or a Teletype.

Your post made me want to dig further into the firmware available for my EP-1. I found an EP-1.zip file that contains the latest firmware for each hardware version of the EP-1. I learned that I have hardware version 3 running v2.05 firmware. Looks like I can update to the v3.2 firmware. I’m going to try that update today and play with the XMODEM option.

Mike

gslick · May 30, 2020

I had a BP Microsystems EP-1 Programmer in the past before selling it to someone else on the forum a while ago. It's the only BP Microsystems programmer with a serial port interface and that is standalone as far as all of the device programming algorithms being baked into the programmer firmware.

All of the later models used an LPT port interface before they eventually switched to a USB port interface, and the DOS or Windows programmer software on a PC host is required because the selected device specific programming algorithms are downloaded to the programmer from the PC host software.

So on the plus side the EP-1 doesn't require any specific software to control it through the serial port interface, as long as a hex file can be downloaded to the EP-1. On the minus side the supported device list of the EP-1 is baked into the programmer firmware and there was no way to update the supported device list through software (short of updating the firmware in the EP-1 EPROM to the final version).

The only device programmers I have ever used are BP Microsystems. I currently use USB interface BP-1410 or BP-1610 units. Along the way they updated from Z80 processors to 286 and then 486 processors in the units I have.

BP Microsystems EP-1 - single board Z80 computer?

jafir

Veteran Member

ldkraemer

Veteran Member

deramp5113

Veteran Member

gslick

Veteran Member