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ortek_service · 4th Feb 2023, 12:13 am

Yes, I recall the (quite low-priced at the time) Dataman MEMPro - as well as the rather similar PIKPro and T51Pro 'Specialised Programmers'.

And these were basically just a deliberately-restricted Dataman 40-Pro, as you can buy a small plug-in 'upgrade unlock dongle' PCB (at £175+VAT!):
https://www.dataman.com/xpro-upgrade...ro-t51pro.html

RS did sell the MEMPro: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/chip-programmers/0384901
- Now discontinued, and 'Replaced' by the 'fuller' / less-restricted / more capable (but more-expensive) Dataman 40-Pro.
Which RS are selling for £723 (Inc. VAT). However, Dataman are selling it direct for a lot less at £425+VAT=£510:
https://www.dataman.com/programmers.html

However, whilst the MemPro (Like all Dataman 'Pro' series programmers), does support the 2708 (And also the rather less-common 2704), they all required a special '2708-module' adaptor, to provide the additional supply rails. And that's another £105+VAT to get one from Dataman:
https://www.dataman.com/adapters/mem...ro.html#Cat121
- Although it should be possible to make your own rather cheaper, as they probably didn't have the code-protected PIC ID IC on these. Although, I've never actually physically seen one / a good-enough picture to see what they consist of / couldn't find anyone who'd rev-Eng'd one.

Unfortunately, the Dataman 40-Pro (Like the even-more restricted specialised versions of it) still doesn't support Bipolar-PROM's
- Even though it has plenty of pin(drivers) etc. and uses the same control software as the 48Pro(+/2) ones that do. So I suspect another deliberate restriction.

Dataman do also sell an S6 (at £650+VAT) - But it's not really anything like the older S3/S4 (and S5 never seemed to get sold) 'Softy' ones - USB-powered one. However, this doesn't support either 2708's or Bipolar-PROM's at all!

So the cheapest one they do, that does support the 2708 (albeit with the extra 2708-module), as well as Bipolar PROM's is the 'full version' 48Pro2, that's rather expensive at £865+VAT = £1038 direct from them.
There is a slightly-cheaper (£765+VAT) 48Pro2C version, but the device-list doesn't list the 2708 (or any Bipolar-PROM's), even though H/W spec. looks the same. In 2015, the 48Pro2C did support 86,000 rather than 88,000 for the 48Pro2, and I discovered it's another case of a deliberately-restricted model, that costs £245+VAT for the small Unlock Dongle board: https://www.dataman.com/xpro2-upgrad...n-48pro2c.html
Therefore it doesn't really seem worth buying a 48Pro2C, if you ever want to use these older devices, as end-up paying rather more overall with the unlock 'upgrade'.

Note: The Dataman Pro-Series (and their control software) are actually rebadged Elnec designs.
So they should have equivalent Elnec models (but not as easily obtainable in the UK etc.)

However, it is apparently possible to obtain used Dataman 48Pro's for rather less than £300 - Often less than the Advantech-designed original Dataman 48(LV/(U)XP) models go for (and whose free software was frozen a long time ago and now requires expensive yearly-subscription to later versions. Plus never supported 2708's or Tesla PROM's)

4th Feb 2023, 12:13 am	#2
ortek_service Octode Join Date: May 2018 Location: Northampton, Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 1,440	Re: Dataman Mempro Yes, I recall the (quite low-priced at the time) Dataman MEMPro - as well as the rather similar PIKPro and T51Pro 'Specialised Programmers'. And these were basically just a deliberately-restricted Dataman 40-Pro, as you can buy a small plug-in 'upgrade unlock dongle' PCB (at £175+VAT!): https://www.dataman.com/xpro-upgrade...ro-t51pro.html RS did sell the MEMPro: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/chip-programmers/0384901 - Now discontinued, and 'Replaced' by the 'fuller' / less-restricted / more capable (but more-expensive) Dataman 40-Pro. Which RS are selling for £723 (Inc. VAT). However, Dataman are selling it direct for a lot less at £425+VAT=£510: https://www.dataman.com/programmers.html However, whilst the MemPro (Like all Dataman 'Pro' series programmers), does support the 2708 (And also the rather less-common 2704), they all required a special '2708-module' adaptor, to provide the additional supply rails. And that's another £105+VAT to get one from Dataman: https://www.dataman.com/adapters/mem...ro.html#Cat121 - Although it should be possible to make your own rather cheaper, as they probably didn't have the code-protected PIC ID IC on these. Although, I've never actually physically seen one / a good-enough picture to see what they consist of / couldn't find anyone who'd rev-Eng'd one. Unfortunately, the Dataman 40-Pro (Like the even-more restricted specialised versions of it) still doesn't support Bipolar-PROM's - Even though it has plenty of pin(drivers) etc. and uses the same control software as the 48Pro(+/2) ones that do. So I suspect another deliberate restriction. Dataman do also sell an S6 (at £650+VAT) - But it's not really anything like the older S3/S4 (and S5 never seemed to get sold) 'Softy' ones - USB-powered one. However, this doesn't support either 2708's or Bipolar-PROM's at all! So the cheapest one they do, that does support the 2708 (albeit with the extra 2708-module), as well as Bipolar PROM's is the 'full version' 48Pro2, that's rather expensive at £865+VAT = £1038 direct from them. There is a slightly-cheaper (£765+VAT) 48Pro2C version, but the device-list doesn't list the 2708 (or any Bipolar-PROM's), even though H/W spec. looks the same. In 2015, the 48Pro2C did support 86,000 rather than 88,000 for the 48Pro2, and I discovered it's another case of a deliberately-restricted model, that costs £245+VAT for the small Unlock Dongle board: https://www.dataman.com/xpro2-upgrad...n-48pro2c.html Therefore it doesn't really seem worth buying a 48Pro2C, if you ever want to use these older devices, as end-up paying rather more overall with the unlock 'upgrade'. Note: The Dataman Pro-Series (and their control software) are actually rebadged Elnec designs. So they should have equivalent Elnec models (but not as easily obtainable in the UK etc.) However, it is apparently possible to obtain used Dataman 48Pro's for rather less than £300 - Often less than the Advantech-designed original Dataman 48(LV/(U)XP) models go for (and whose free software was frozen a long time ago and now requires expensive yearly-subscription to later versions. Plus never supported 2708's or Tesla PROM's) Last edited by ortek_service; 4th Feb 2023 at 12:28 am.