EPROMs, these UV-erasable memory chips of the 80s and 90s, the moment performed a vital position in a great number of digital products. They’ve turn out to be relics of a bygone period, but for fans of vintage electronics, the attract of these mild-sensitive units continues to be potent. Now, we’re diving into [Kevin Osborn]’s nostalgic journey as he uncovers the secrets of outdated EPROMs loaded with Atari 7800 code.
[Kevin] used to function at Standard Pc Enterprise, which made the Atari 7800 and numerous games for the process. Hence, he experienced a handful of previous carts and advancement EPROMs sitting down up in his attic alongside with an aged console. Just lately, he decided to attempt and uncover what was on the EPROMs and begun an investigation. They would not run in his Atari, and he immediately understood why: the EPROMs weren’t cryptographically signed, so the program wouldn’t load them.
Following a little get the job done, he was equipped to dump the EPROMs with the aid of a TL866II+ reader. After some hacking, he was in a position to fettle the data on the EPROMs into a little something that would operate on the A7800 emulator. This was easy ample, as the emulator does not run checks for correctly signed code. From there, he was capable to use a UV mobile phone sanitizer to wipe the EPROMs, and re-burn them with signed versions of their primary code. This took the software of some higher voltage, but with the aid of an external electrical power provide, it labored. He was equipped to productively operate the obscure ROMs on authentic Atari 7800 console hardware.
UV-erasable PROMs, or EPROMs, have long been outmoded by the additional practical electrically-erasable PROMs, or EEPROMs. Their arrival fast sped up embedded progress for all of us, and ought to be tremendously appreciated. If you have been tinkering with your individual historical retro finds, never be reluctant to fall us a line.
