DIO board testing, successful EPROM duplication!!!

[BrianJ]

Hey guys! I need some info on the DIO boards...is there a way to "test" the boards funtionality? Here's the scenario I'm in...

Casey Pittman on the boards here is sending me a DIO board with a V 2.x eprom in it. I'm going to see if we can duplicate the eprom so I can provide them to those who need them. Now, I'd like to be able to "test" the board before I read and duplicate the eprom...I'd like to make sure everything is working as it should before messing with it. Then, I'll remove the eprom, read it, duplicate it on another chip and then install that chip into the board and test it...

I'm just not familiar with them at all...so don't know what I should be looking for in terms of testing. Any advice would be appreciated...thanks!

Brian

[anyhorizon]

If the GI equals the GO, you have GIGO and a working eprom. The rest is in the database.

Peter

[BrianJ]

What's GI and GO...?

[anyhorizon]

What's GI and GO...?

Now Brian, I'm beginning to become a little concerned. Old computer proverb: GIGO -> Garbage In Garbage Out. Keep up

Peter

[BrianJ]

Give me a break...I've been on muscle relaxers and pain killers all week from my accident...I'm a little "cloudy".

So, basically, just install the card and route out of it and back into it to make sure it's working...?

[anyhorizon]

Brian, I wouldn't wish an accident on anybody and I'm sorry that you've had one. However, as has been articulated previously, this place is not for spoon feeding. The manual and the database with its myriad links is easily able to address most of what you ask and most definitely, your current question. Sometimes there are issues which come up that are out of the ordinary and all here will attempt to help but you're asking about an I/O card. It isn't rocket science.

Peter

[BrianJ]

There are alot of people on here that are extremely knowledgeable on this platform, from what I've read it seems some may have even been involved in it's design and testing which would lend to the wealth of knowledge here.

With that being said, and with all due respect, I did search for information about the V2 eproms, but didn't find what I was looking for. This is what I found on the database...

"DIO8 Cards: If you have old DIO8 cards, you should check their EPROMs to insure that they are 24-bit. The DIO8s first shipped with 16-bit EPROMs. If the EPROM says "ver 2" or above then it is 24-bit. Mackie will ship you 24-bit EPROMs if you need them. To date, they do not charge for the EPROMs, but that may change and they may charge you for shipping. If you purchased a used d8b with DIO8 cards installed, or purchased some used DIO8 cards, you should check to make sure the EPROMs are up to date. All you have to do is remove the cards and look at the paper label on the EPROMs. Who knows how long they were on the shelf before they found their way to you, or if the party you purchased your board from performed any upgrades."

Unfortunately this didn't answer my question either...so I asked Casey about it and he suggested I post and ask the community, so I did. Maybe I should have worded the question differently? When I asked how to "test" the board, I was meaning to make sure it was working "PROPERLY"...in other words, all 24-bits...

I have a degree in electronics, so I'm somewhat familiar with eprom's. However, I'm not that familiar with music production circuits in general, and since I couldn't find anything about anyone having tried to duplicate these chips in the past I thought I'd ask. I didn't write the eprom code, so I don't know how it functions within it's environment...I was looking for a way to test it to make sure it was working exactly as it's factory counterpart...to make sure we're getting 24-bits, etc.etc. Now, if all that can be tested is putting something in and seeing if it comes out, then so be it, but I was looking for something a bit more in depth than that.

I apologize for not being as clear as maybe I should have been in my first post. As someone who's new to the platform I'm sure I'll miss plenty of "simple" things while transitioning into this new hardware for me. By no means was I asking for anyone to "spoon feed" me. If you feel my future questions are too simple, feel free to delete the thread if you like, but please PM me and let me know it was deleted intentionally so that I don't re-post it.

Thanks to you and everyone else who's helped me along thus far, it really is appreciated.

Brian

[anyhorizon]

How could this, linked from the database, not be of help?

Peter

[BrianJ]

Peter, thanks for that link...that does explain each version of the EPROM and what it does...

I had not seen that before...when you said database I thought you were talking about the link in the navigation bar of this site that says "Database"...that's what I've been referring to whenever someone mentioned the "database". The information in my last post was from there.

Although your link does explain how each version differs, what I was asking is how to "verify" it. Since I'll be burning completely new EPROMs I'd like to be able to verify they are working properly. For example, in that huge 16-bit or 24-bit debate thread, they were using various tools/software to determine how many bits were being transmitted, etc.etc. Something like that might be useful in testing the new EPROMs to insure they are doing what they are supposed to be.

What if the EPROM burner makes a mistake or there's some glitch that isn't caught by the burner software...? Would the EPROM function at all? That probably depends on where the glitch is located in the code, it may be possible to pass audio just fine, but at a wrong bitrate...? Or, what if someone just put a version two label on the chip and its reqlly a version 1 chip...how could I tell the difference? These are just some of the things that came to mind...I was just trying to figure out if there was a relatively simple way to check for these things...

But that link is great, tlooks like here's a ton of great info there...so whenever someone mentions the "database" that's what thy are talking about??? Not the link in the nav bar?

Thanks again for the help!

Brian

[anyhorizon]

The link I provided is in the database menu here. http://www.sonido-7.com/d8b/mackiesupport.html#Post2

Regarding the eprom version listed on the paper stick-on, why would anyone attempt to alter that or deceive?

If you want to be absolutely sure, get Izotope Ozone or buy a Hammerfall card with Bitscope.

Peter