Most recent revision dated July 19 2010. Corrections appreciated. - Herb Johnson
PALs and GALs like those used in Tilmann Rei's GIDE IDE interface (16V8, 20V8) are still in use today. They were commonly used in 1980's and 90's digital designs to replace random logic. The devices themselves are bits of logic with fusable links; programming them consists of burning up appropriate fuses. The "GAL" devices are modern equivalents, easier to find and program. Major digital parts distributors like Digikey and Jameco stock such parts.
PAL's and GAL's are programmed, after determining the "logic" they will implement, by some kind of "assembler" from logic equations to either an Intel HEX format or a JEDEC format file. An early software tool to create these files is called "PALASM". A Web search for "PALASM" readily found this Web site page on PALASM by Eric Smith from 2004 at brouhaha.com. He provides the original FORTRAN sources from MMI to convert logic equations to JEDEC code which can be used by PAL programmers and simulators.
The brouhaha page above says: "There are additional links to MS-DOS executables at these sites as of 2009:
PALASM 4 V1.5 for MS-DOS at this link.
Docs on PALASM 2 may be found at this link.
PALASM 2.3d for MS-DOS may be found at this link. "
Additional Web sites list PAL and GAL programmers and resources, such as Benoit's Web page on PLD's. ALso, there's
For programmers, I simply searched for "gal programmer" and found the following inexpensive build-yourself designs. They mostly use a PC's parallel port and run under MS-DOS. This is similar to old-style PIC (Microchip controller) programmers. (Professional units still require a PC connection to operate, and cost more. I did not find in 2009 any ready-to-go kits that were cheap.)
GALBlast Version 1.6 Manfred Winterhoff
--dead link, try this apparent copy
ELM Home Page, Simple GAL Programmer
EPROM and GAL programmer (for Windows) by Jaap Havinga
Elektor magazine published a GAL programmer. They sell CD-ROMs of several years' issues.
"Project: GAL programmer" by Manfred Nosswitz, Elektor Electronics (magazine), May 1992
"Project: GAL Programmer Upgrade" by M. Nosswitz, Elektor Electronics, June 1993
This repairfaq Web page on the subject, which refers back to the some of the programmers mentioned here. The page is decades old so the Web links are likely dead.
...and one can find GAL programmers as kits or products for $50-$100 (and up of course), from eBay sellers. Buyer beware of course: some of this stuff takes a few weeks to arrive from Thailand and may not be in English! NOte: I don't believe the so-called "Willem EPROM Programmers" will program PALs or GALs. If you want my opinion: build your own from parts, or get a GAL/PIC/EPROM device from a US company. - Herb Johnson
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Copyright © 2010 Herb Johnson