Ok, I now get it.  Since that it total 160K ROM space, 8031/8051 can only 
access 64K space with 16-bit address lines. Let’s figure out how to access them 
 with bank select lines and write down which chip is on specific bank number.

 

Tim

 

From: Simh [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Timothe Litt
Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2017 10:42 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Simh] DEC VT emulators on MAME

 

You can remove the ROMs (EPROMS) nondestructively with hot air.  But an easier 
approach would be to tack some wires onto the connector & wire them to a 28 pin 
DIP header.  Then your existing programmer can read them.

The schematics don't seem to contain the ROM module, but one can infer a lot 
from the connector.

It looks like there are 2 banks of ROMs on the cartridge; there are also 2 
select lines.  Address bits go to A15; the 27c256 uses a0-a14.

So there are probably 2 chips on one bank, 3 on the other.  Since they don't 
write the EPROMs (they'e windowless, so OTP), they probably use A15 for OE and 
the bank lines for CS.  It's not obvious how the 5th chip is selected - perhaps 
there is a decoder on the card.  A couple of NAND gates, or perhaps a decoder 
to decode the 2 bank selects?  I didn't backtrack through the schematics to 
find out how the selects are generated.

In any case, some time with an ohmmeter should let you figure it out.  At worst 
you'd need 2 headers (1/bank), but most ROM programmers have strong drivers 
(address), and even 5 chips in parallel should be OK for the data bus.  So you 
can probably get by with 1, and some jumpers (or a dipswitch) to set A15/the BS 
for dumping each one.

DEC ROMs should have a checksum (or more likely, CRC), so you can verify that 
you dumped them correctly.  This would usually be in the last byte(s) of each 
chip - except where booting starts at the highest address.  (E.g. some Intel 
CPUs).  Then look at the beginning :-)

Have fun.



On 18-Apr-17 09:25, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>  
wrote:

Just a quick update: I've broken open the VT340 ROM cartridge.  Inside are 5 x 
surface-mount N27C256 ROMs.
 
Some pictures of the ROM cartridge are now included on this page -> 
http://avitech.com.au/?p=1818 
 
Is there anyone who has the tools, time and interest to remove these ROMs and 
dump the contents?  If so, please let me know and I will pay the cost of 
shipping to get this cartridge to you.
 
Malcolm.
 
 
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