Remember burning firmware with UV EPROMs back in the 90s?

Honestly, I miss the old days of programming EPROMs. I used to have to erase them under a UV light for 20 minutes, then burn the code with a clumsy programmer that cost me $300 back in '95. Now I just plug a USB drive into a modern board and flash the BIOS in 30 seconds. Has anyone else completely skipped over the whole SMD soldering phase and jumped straight to hot air rework? I feel like my old desoldering iron is just collecting dust now.

3 comments

3 Comments

ruby_patel271mo ago

You say "clumsy programmer" but those old EPROM burners taught you to respect the process. I still have my Data I/O 29B in the garage. That thing was built like a tank, not some flimsy USB dongle that windows forgets exists after one update. Hot air rework is fine for tiny resistors but give me a proper desoldering iron with a vacuum pump any day. Pulling a 40-pin DIP out clean without lifting traces is a skill, not a shortcut. New stuff is faster but it's also more disposable.

lindab491mo ago

That 29B was a beast, mine still works too.

drewsullivan29d ago

Ruby, you're getting pretty worked up about an old programmer. @lindab49, you're not helping by keeping that thing alive. I get that the 29B was built like a tank but so was my first car and I don't miss rebuilding the carburetor every other weekend. Desoldering a 40-pin DIP without lifting traces is a skill I'd rather not need anymore.

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