Upside Down PLCC Adapter/Reader

[trag]

I only have one example of the Rev. 3 6880M and I didn't want to risk corrupting the Flash contents by desoldering it, if possible.

I noticed that a PLCC socket will fit over a PLCC chip, while it's still soldered to its host board. The chip will just be upside-down in the socket.

So I made these Upside Down PLCC-32 to DIP-32 Adapters. The intent is to read the contents of the ubiquitous PLCC-32 chips carrying card firmware without removing them from the host boards. I don't know how well reading in-circuit will work, if at all, but I figured it's worth a try. Plus it gave me an excuse to make some more PCBs. That's just good fun.

And as long as I was doing one for the 6880M, I did a couple more for the various orientations in which one might find the PLCC chip. Gives one options to avoid physical interference from other components.

If reading the chips in circuit works, then these should work with the TL866II+. Of course powering the Flash may power interfering circuits on the host board....

 

[Trash80toG4]

Nice work, trag. Inverted socket is how the MicroMac Performer Accelerator (and likely every other) interfaces with the PLCC(?) 68000 in the Classic.

 

[spudgunjake]

Hi All, any idea where I can get one of these, saves me time desoldering the chip

All the best John.

PS Great Idea.

 

[humidbeing]

Kinda rude to post like this and not share gerbers, or even a place to buy. Leaving everyone else out in the cold.

 

[Trash80toG4]

That comment was absolutely rude. Make a polite request.

 

[humidbeing]

That comment was absolutely rude. Make a polite request.

spudgunjake already tried that with zero response. why would I expect different results?​

 

[luRaichu]

@trag please post the design files

 

[trag]

I would check them with a Gerber viewer to be sure, but they've been here, https://www.sphinxgroup.org/PCB/Designs/ since before I posted the original message.

Sharing a design's existence doesn't put one under any obligation to share. And these are truly simple minded designs. They're not hard to layout. Just sharing the idea should be enough. The same thing could be done in an afternoon with perf. board and wire wrap.

Looking at the date on @spudgunjake 's message, I certainly never saw it. It was in the middle of when I was trying to get my Dad's stuff out of his house and his estate (legal sense, not real estate sense) sold. Life happens to folks sometimes.

All that said, I have multiples run off. I don't know if these tiny boards are mailable as letters, the Post Office has gotten rather officious about not handling tiny packages as letters any more, but anyone who wants to send me a self addressed envelope and specify which board they need, I'm happy to drop one in the envelope and let you pray that the Post Office is feeling generous.

 

[Kai Robinson]

spudgunjake already tried that with zero response. why would I expect different results?​

Please re-read the Forum Code of Conduct here: https://tinkerdifferent.com/pages/conduct/

If you can't be polite, respectful of others - maybe this isn't the place for you.