News:

Printed Amstrad Addict magazine announced, check it out here!

Main Menu

ICT Integrated Circuit Tester

Started by Patrick, 14:26, 28 February 21

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Patrick


Hello,
I want to present my ICT project:



It is a tester for IC from 4000 and 7400 series, but also a RAM tester (including 4116).
It uses an Arduino Mega 2560, a TFT screen and a special extension with a 40 pins ZIF support.
The software keeps evolving. I am currently adding ROM dump, to serial and SD card, and blank check.


If you are interested, you can check these links:


Patrick

The two last links are the same project.

My project is inspired by this project but it is largely enhanced:

       
  • Support up to 40 pins.
  • Power rails for +12V and -5V for 4116.
  • RAM support.
  • Better UI and better performance.
And last but not least, CPC color scheme  :)

Patrick

I just published the 2.3.0 version of the application with ROMs support:

       
  • ROM blank test.
  • ROM dump to serial.
  • ROM dump to SD card.

anyweb

it looks nice Patrickdo you have any to sell ?

Bryce

Very cool. I had "half started" a very similar project that went to the dust collection department due to lack of time. How are you protecting the Arduino i/o pins if a chip is faulty? Also, does it have a chip recognition routine?

Bryce.

Patrick


@anyweb I ordered components to make a new batch of ten ICT, so the extension will be soon available.
The price is 20 € (without shipping costs). The extension is sent mounted and tested.


@Bryce there is no protection at all. As 40 pins of the Arduino need protection, it would be too complicated to add. I have made the choice to focus on powering 4116 and keep thing simple and cheap. There is already 15 ICT made and none destroyed.
There is identification function for logic IC only.


You can watch this video made by a user:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvUMjd1iA8E
It will show you how it works.

anyweb

@Patrick  great, can I order one then please ?

Patrick

@anyweb yes, of course  :)
Just send me an email with your postal address, may be a phone number. When I ships the extension I send an email with a PayPal link for payment and a tracking link.

anyweb

ok great I sent you an email, thanks @Patrick

Patrick

Just to be clear, I only provide the ICT extension, mounted and tested.
You have to get an Arduino Mega 2560, a TFT touch screen (I used this one) and a micro SD card.

Bryce

Quote from: Patrick on 08:45, 30 March 21
@anyweb I ordered components to make a new batch of ten ICT, so the extension will be soon available.
The price is 20 € (without shipping costs). The extension is sent mounted and tested.


@Bryce there is no protection at all. As 40 pins of the Arduino need protection, it would be too complicated to add. I have made the choice to focus on powering 4116 and keep thing simple and cheap. There is already 15 ICT made and none destroyed.
There is identification function for logic IC only.


You can watch this video made by a user:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvUMjd1iA8E
It will show you how it works.

You only need to put a resistor in series with each i/o pin to protect them. This will limit the current on each pin if they are turned on and happen to be shorted to GND due to a fried IC. Otherwise every time you put a dead IC into your device the Arduino would die.


Bryce.

Patrick

@Bryce, yes I know, but it would need 40 resistors!
May be a good practice should be to check a short between VCC and GND of the IC before testing. If there is a short, don't test it with the ICT.
This way it will reduce the risk of damaging the Arduino.

Bryce

Quote from: Patrick on 09:38, 30 March 21
@Bryce, yes I know, but it would need 40 resistors!
May be a good practice should be to check a short between VCC and GND of the IC before testing. If there is a short, don't test it with the ICT.
This way it will reduce the risk of damaging the Arduino.

Or 10 of these: https://www.mouser.de/ProductDetail/Yageo/TC164-JR-07180RL?qs=Omyi%252BwOkBJUXiIftzzhAug%3D%3D

The problem you'll have is that any input pin on the IC you're testing that has shorted to ground will destroy the Arduino i/o pin immediately. This could happen very often if the device is being used to test parts during a repair.

Bryce.

Patrick

You are certainly right @Bryce.
I have to thing about it for the next version!

anyweb

#15
Quote from: Patrick on 09:29, 30 March 21
Just to be clear, I only provide the ICT extension, mounted and tested.
You have to get an Arduino Mega 2560, a TFT touch screen (I used this one) and a micro SD card.
hi again, it's time for me to start testing this, where can I get an Arduino Mega 2560, which do you recommend ? also the LCD you linked to is infact just the Uridium game, can you please link again ?

Patrick

I just published a new version, 2.4.0, of the application on GitHub repository.
The version add support for FRAM and Flash with read, erase and write operations.


On the hardware side, I ordered a new revision of the PCB with the addition of resistor's arrays to follow the @Bryce 's advice for Arduino protection.


I will let you know if everything is working well. Kicad is not friendly with resistor array: it complains about missing connection between the two associated pins of the array. But I am far from being a Kicad expert.

GUNHED

How is it connected to the CPC.  Which software will you use?
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

Patrick

@GUNHED it is not connected to the CPC.


You can connect it with USB to a PC to have a serial monitor output, but it can be used without anything but a power supply.
It's only a tool to test IC, RAM and ROM for diagnostic purpose.


This is another video on YouTube about using ICT to help to repair an ITT and an Apple II+:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9WcZNFtZFo

GUNHED

USB serial output is fine. We can just use a serial interface to feed it into the CPC. Recently the CPC got some very nice serial solutions.
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

Patrick

#20
Hello,
I received all the components for the 2.1 revision but there is a problem:



I don't have the right footprint for the resistor array pointed by @Bryce so the PCBs are not usable. BTW, the component is very small and I don't know if I will be able to solder this.
I am looking for a component with the right size. I found the YC324-JK-07180RL but it is not in stock.


@Bryce , can I change the resistance value and switch to 220 ohms (the YC324-JK-07220RL is in stock).

Bryce

Yeah, shouldn't be a problem. You'll limit the current to around 22mA then.

Bryce.

Patrick

Thanks @Bryce !
BTW, the 220 is reordered and expected to be in stock in November.

Bryce

What's the package size you are looking for? I'm pretty sure I either have them already, or can get them within days.

Bryce.

Patrick

#24
@Bryce I used the Kicad footprint R_Array_Convex_4x1206. I should have used the R_Array_Convex_4x0603 (or maybe concave, I am not used to).

Did you ever used the TC164-JR-07180RL and how did you solder it?


I have two options:

       
  • Keep the current design and footprint, and source a compatible component.
  • Modify the footprint to use the TC164-JR-07180RL largely available, but maybe difficult to solder.
Meanwhile, I ordered PCBs of original revision because I have orders pending.

Powered by SMFPacks Menu Editor Mod