While waiting for more solid core wire so I can continue layout out the breadboards, I decided to build the EEPROM programmer so I could get a jump on burins the EEPROMs for the computer.

Although I am sticking to breadboards for the first iteration of my TTL computer, I did make one concession - the EEPROM programmer. There are several reasons why I chose this route. Firstly, there are just too many wires and it would be hard to get the wiring neat enough to satisfy me. Secondly, I did not like the idea of stuffing the 28C16s into and ripping them out of a breadboard multiple times like Ben Eater does in his videos - especially with the power constantly on! Finally, I do have other uses in mind for the programmer, so I wanted something a bit more robust...

I recently ordered a bunch of PCBs from JLCPCB for my Tangible Computing project, so I slipped an extra board into the order. I used a ZIF socket for the EEPROM and plugged the Arduino Nano in using a 32 pin socket (with two pins removed) so I can re-use the Nano if I want. The board worked first try and with a little modification to Ben's code I was even able to dump the contents of a 2732 EPROM I want to clone for another project, then flash a 28C16 with the contents. Awesome stuff! I am going to have fun with this. My next task is to write some better control software - something a bit more generic than Ben's software, which can be used for other upcoming projects.