PROGRAMMING AN 8031 U

[brad.sanders at circellar.com]

M>> I'm getting ready to start a project that would have to have
M>> a micro-controller programmed. 

M>> My problem(s) -
M>>      * I'm unsure of the avalibility of 8031 uCs

Made in a skillion variants by a jillion sources: Intel, AMD, Philips, 
Siemens, Atmel...

If you need an 8031, you can get one. An 8752 (Eprom enhanced 8031) is 
also readily available. If you just need one, contact Atmel via their 
web site and request a sample: they make one that uses EEPROM, so you'll 
have the luxury of "updating" the code in that chip at a later date. If 
you need a dozen 8031s, contact the Circuit Cellar here. They even have 
CMOS 8052s with the built in ROM basic.

8052s are no sweat.

M>>      * I have no experience using an (E)EPROM programmer

Not hard really: if you can copy a floppy, you can use one.

M>>      * And I don't have an EPROM programmer

Time to make that investment. I threw one together in an evening.

M>> I do have the assembly code needed and I'm pretty sure I can get 
M>> an 8051 assembler... 

I'm real sure you can. Since you have net access, a quick netsearch wil 
point you to dozens of FTP sources for 805x assemblers. This is about 
THE most ubiquitous chip since the 650x derivatives.

M>>      * I don't forsee having to program many (if any) EPROMS in the
M>>        future and, consequently, I don't want to buy or probably
M>>        build one from a kit. 

"Any?" If you don't have to program "any," why the post? It sounds to me 
like you'll need at least ONE.

If you go to Atmel's site, there you'll find complete documentation on 
building a simple parallel port programmer, how to use their "ISP" 
feature to program some chips with just five wires, etc.

If you can build a circuit that would require a "custom" EPROM (or even 
an off the shelf PAIA EPROM) then you can build a programmer to burn 
your own. A PROM burner is a basic necessity of any hacker. Think of it 
like this: wouldn't it suck if you had to go to the library every time 
you wanted to print a file?

(I do, and it does..)