Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: galannthegreat on May 20, 2009, 12:49:10 PM

Title: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: galannthegreat on May 20, 2009, 12:49:10 PM: I found about 50 of these little 20 QFP chips, part no. GAL16V8B-15LJ, and I'm having a very hard time figuring out what they do. So I want to find a use for the chips (which I only paid $0.75 for the bunch). So if anyone out there knows what they can do or what they could be used for, that would be of great help.

Thanks, Kurt.
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: Webbot on May 20, 2009, 01:06:15 PM: Sure you've already found the datasheet http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/70195/LATTICE/GAL16V8B-15LJ.html (http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datasheet-pdf/view/70195/LATTICE/GAL16V8B-15LJ.html)
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: chelmi on May 20, 2009, 01:57:32 PM: These chips are GALs (Generic Array Logic). Basically you can program it to perform simple logic functions. The bad news is that you need a specific compiler and a programmer to program them. I'm not sure there is a cheap solution available :(
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: galannthegreat on May 20, 2009, 02:19:11 PM: So I've got a bunch of GALs and I don't what to do with them ::)... Well if anyone has any interest in some I will part with a bunch.
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: Soeren on May 21, 2009, 03:40:58 AM: Hi,

They're about as usefull to you as acne ;)
Personally I prefer PEELs when I need something of that kind, as they are eraseable/reprogrammable.

Where those GALs/PALs/PEELs/whatever really shine, even today, is when you need high speed programmable logic in small(ish) DIP packages.
But... As mentioned, you need a compiler and a programmer (and time/place to learn how to use and program them in the first place).
Sorry to say, but in other words... To you, they're fancy looking tac-pins.
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: galannthegreat on May 21, 2009, 10:06:32 AM: I'll find a use for them, because next year I'm sitting in a lab all day and I have a university budget at my command to eventually use these and some more cool stuff. Thanks all! :)
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: Webbot on May 21, 2009, 01:56:19 PM: @galan - I love "+ve thinking". Make those suckers work - and tell us the great things you did with them.
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: SmAsH on May 21, 2009, 02:24:44 PM: good luck with uni galann!
we expect reports of what you build ;)
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: galannthegreat on May 21, 2009, 02:51:43 PM: Yes, and maybe I'll have some gerber files and eagle files to share! And luckily for me I can get stuff made up in minutes using their CNC PCB milling machine, and it even takes exported files from eagle!
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: SmAsH on May 21, 2009, 02:57:03 PM: :o my god...
what uni was it again?
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: galannthegreat on May 21, 2009, 03:06:40 PM: Well it's called UFV (Unniversity of the Fraser Valley), and I'm taking my Electronics Technician Common Core program. My instructor, whom I know, supports student projects and the like.

From there I can take specializations in Automation (same classroom :P), or in Robotics at BCIT or SAIT.
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: SmAsH on May 21, 2009, 03:12:34 PM: yeah, im thinking about uni after year 12...
but all the decent robotics uni's are over in america!
i still have another 3 years or so to decide.. amazing how it opens up all those opportunities...
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: galannthegreat on May 21, 2009, 04:09:43 PM: I'm sure there are some in Ausi for ya to check out :).
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: awally88 on May 21, 2009, 11:39:56 PM: Quote
yeah, im thinking about uni after year 12..

Australia doesn't have the big names that America does but there are still a lot of good university degrees out there! I know Deakin University near Melbourne does a Robotics degree however most universities I looked at do a Mechatonics (Mechanical/ Electronics) degree which is what I'm doing and should hopefully get me into robotics. Adelaide University and University of South Australia both have Mechatronics degree. Even if they don't have a degree like this you could always do mech eng or elec eng doubled with computer science which will help out. I don't really remember that much about the east coast sorry, I was never that interested in moving that far away. I'm currently doing third year mechatronics/comp sci at Adelaide uni and i'm talking with lecturers trying to organise a robotics club of sorts at our uni

Look in the university guides and they'll tell you all the degrees you can do!
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: SmAsH on May 22, 2009, 01:38:27 AM: wow, another person that lives in australia!
ive heard quite a bit about deakin uni, once im on holidays i may go up there and have a look.
im also trying to organize a robotics club sorta thing at my school...
closest i have is the solar car team which i applied for...
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: awally88 on May 22, 2009, 10:39:25 PM: Monash in Vic is also supposed to be really good for engineering in general but I'm not sure about the amount of robotics stuff they do.
Title: Re: Found some interesting chips from Lattice Semiconductor
Post by: SmAsH on May 22, 2009, 10:47:37 PM: my sisters starting medical and maybe bio engineering at monash next year!
ill ask her to ask if they have any of that stuff down there!