Vasile, I think you're right.  I can't find any other DIP programmable
array that will do what I want.  Someone did make a good point about using
some sort of NVRAM/EEPROM/EPROM, and Lord knows I have a ton of windowed
EPROMs I could erase and re-use, but I like the GAL better due to its
size.  I do have CUPL, just have to get a 5.25" floppy drive working to
read the disks!!  I've hand-assembled GAL files before, could propbably
remember how to do it with a little work.  It isn't rocket science.

Someone else suggested a couple of families I had already considered and
rejected due to lack of a DIP package.  It's just too difficult to try to
prototype a PLCC or surface mount package on a asolderless breadboard,
which is a requirement for this project.  Yes, I know there are DIP
adapters available, but now the cost is raised considerably for something
I'll use exactly once.

So now it's just a toss-up to see if it's less of a pain in the tush to
design and program a GAL for this thing or just use a PIC.  All it's doing
is taking some signals in from the master and remote station pushbuttons
and deciding which audio channels to enable.  I plan to have one "call the
master" and one "page everyone" button on each remote station, and the
master will have selective call and page-all buttons.  There will be one
background music channel on all the time to all stations and a separate
intercom audio channel.  The remotes will have some very simple logic to
turn the audio sources on and off as needed, but the master will require
more work.  I'll see how many pins I'm really going to need and go from
there.

By the way -- anyone following this thread have any more recent sofware
for the ALL-02 (also osld as the JDR MOD-MUP)?  Mine dates back to the
original stuff JDR delivered with it back in (I think) 1991.  Hi-Lo
doesn't support it any more and has no software or documentation on their
web site any more.

Dale
--
"Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that
curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly."
          - Arnold Edinborough


On Thu, 22 Nov 2001, Vasile Surducan wrote:

> Dale, the best alternative for a Gal is just a Gal. It has free software
> for a simple homebrew programmer and a free dos compiler (Palasm).
> If you need the programmer schematic and software then mail me.

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