   
                      IC Tester HELP - Testing section
                          Testing IC Tester device
                                      
   Here are instructions for testing IC Tester device and cable.
   . -------------------------------- .
   | Positions of electronic elements |
   ` -------------------------------- '
   
   On picture above is silkscreen layer with position of elements on
   board.
   You can help with it in next testing, with green color is marked
   copper lines which are on top side (components side) and with blue
   color copper lines from bottom side.
   After soldering, we need to check if everything is properly soldered.
   For that purpose, remove all ICs from sockets, then you'll need
   multimeter or something else to test if wire or copper line on board
   is whole or it's broke.
   We don't need perform full check right now, only basic will do, follow
   this steps:
    1. Check connections from SOC1 and IC1 socket. Check that each pin on
       SOC1 socket is connected with ONLY ONE pin at IC1 socket and not
       with any other pin at SOC1. If it's connected with more pins or
       none you need to resolder that it have only one connection.
    2. Now check on same principle connections between IC1 socket and
       CONN1.
    3. Next we must check inputs, test if copper line which connects R1
       and CONN1 connects on IC2 to IC5 sockets ONLY pin 3 at each
       socket. If there are more connections or none on some socket you
       need to resolder that it have only connection at pin 3.
    4. Test if copper line which connects R2 and CONN1 connects on IC2 to
       IC5 sockets ONLY pin 1 at each socket. If there are more
       connections or none on some socket you need to resolder that it
       have only connection at pin 1.
    5. Test copper line which connects R3 and CONN1, which connects ONLY
       pin 2 at IC2 socket. Next test connection between pin 9 at IC2
       socket and pin 2 at IC3 socket. In that case pin 9 on IC3 socket
       with pin 2 on IC4 socket and pin 9 on IC4 socket with pin 2 on IC5
       socket. If there is a more or none connection at sockets you need
       to resolder them.
    6. Now check that there are ONLY connections between pin 9 at IC5
       socket with LED3 and D1.
    7. Found copper line which connects CONN1 and pin 15 at IC5 socket
       (it have top to bottom side connection near IC6). Make sure that
       it connects ONLY pin 15 at IC2 to IC5 sockets and LED1, otherwise
       you need to resolder that.
    8. Check that GND copper lines connects on IC1 socket ONLY pins 9 and
       12 and on IC2 to IC5 sockets ONLY pins 8, if not resolder sockets.
    9. Test cable, in way that each wire isn't connected with any other
       wire.
   10. Connect cable to device, and make power up. Check that there's +
       power at both sides of D2. If isn't, check for orientation of +
       and - at input power or orientation and correctness of D2.
   11. Now check that there is power of +6 volts at both sides of D3. If
       isn't, check that IC6 working or for orientation and correctness
       of D3.
   12. Check that +6 volts power are ONLY on pin 24 at IC1 socket and on
       pins 16 at IC2 to IC5 sockets. If not resolder sockets.
       
   O.K. That's it. Now we finish basic testing at device and cable.
   Detach cable from device and place ICs at their sockets.
   Now start ictester program with option -t, eq: ictester -t and follow
   instructions.
   Here are in details write all phases of that testing:
    1. Port functionality
          + Remove all hardware devices which may disrupt testing port,
            you can leave hardware devices if they aren't powered and if
            in that state do not respond to communications from port or
            obstruct it.
          + If connected, disconnect ictester device from port, you may
            leave cable in parallel port as disconnected from ictester
            device. In that way you can test cable again.
          + Close or stop all programs that may use port, if program uses
            port but don't obstruct data transfer you can leave it, but
            safe is to terminate.
       Now you can press enter key and test port. If error occur, it will
       be one of those:
          + Testing port port_no failed.
            Can't get response from port, it may be blocked from other
            device or program. 
            There's problem in communication with port, possible hardware
            for that port don't exists or not working properly. There can
            be also problem in drivers which working with that port.
          + Testing port port_no failed.
            Got answer from port during test phase.
            It's possible that some other hardware device respond or some
            software disrupt data transfer.
            It's possible that there's some hardware attached at port, of
            course some program can obstruct testing port too.
            So remove all hardware from port and close all software which
            may use it and repeat test.
       If there's still error then something is wrong with port, try to
       use another port.
    2. Test device connection
          + DO NOT CONNECT POWER ON ICTESTER DEVICE !!!!, remove external
            power supply and
          + connect ictester device to port, put cable to parallel port
            and to IC Tester device, of course WITHOUT EXTERNAL POWER !
       Now you can press enter key and do test. If error occur, it will
       be one of those:
          + Test fail, not found device.
            Respond from device not detected, follow next steps:
               o check if ictester device is connected to right port
               o check if all wires on 25pin connector are properly
                 soldered
               o check if all wires on ribbon connector are properly
                 connected
               o check if resistors R4 and R5 are soldered properly
       If there's still error then recheck integrity of all copper lines
       at IC Tester.
    3. Test device power up
          + now connect power to ictester device
          + WATCH FOR ORIENTATION WHEN CONNECTING + AND - WIRES !!!
            There's diode D2 which protects from switching + and - wires.
       When you connected power, LED2 (yellow led diode) will light up.
       Now you can press enter key and do test. If error occur, it will
       be one of those:
          + Test fail, not found respond from device.
            There isn't confirmation from device that there's power
            present, to solve problem follow next steps:
               o check if you are properly connected power to ictester
                 device
               o check if any power coming to ictester device
               o check if input power is 6V or up to 9V, possible low
                 input power
               o check that IC6 - 6 volt regulator working properly
               o check if resistors R4 and R5 are soldered and working
                 properly
       If there's still error then, if you fix the problem, send me email
       and wrote what was the problem and how you fix it.
       You can not fix the problem? No, that's not the option, FIX IT !!!
       :-)
    4. Test read on device
       You will need piece of wire for this test.
          + remove from test socket any IC or other part that may be in
            it
          + use wire for connecting GND and pins at test socket
       Follow instructions provided by the program. If error occur, it
       will be one of those:
          + Error on pin pin_no, it's possible that pin pin_no and pin
            pin_no are connected together. 
          + Error on pin pin_no, pin not connected to GND ?
            You must connect with wire requested pin on test socket and
            GND, you connect wrong pin, aren't you?
            To solve problems follow next steps:
               o check leads on ictester board which connects IC1 socket
                 and SOC1 if they correctly soldered
               o check if IC1 socket is correctly soldered and IC1
                 correctly connected
               o check if all wires on 25pin connector are properly
                 soldered
       If there's still error then problem could be in cable or in IC1,
       recheck again if they working properly.
    5. Test write on device
       After we tested IC1 and reading from test socket SOC1, now we'll
       test setting GND on test socket.
          + remove from test socket any IC, wire or other part
       Now you can press enter key and do test. If error occur, it will
       be one of those:
          + Test fail, setting data on device fail during set pin_no pin.
            To solve problems follow next steps:
               o check ICs from IC2 to IC5, if they connected and working
                 properly
               o check leads on ictester board if they correctly soldered
                 and connected from IC2 to IC5 sockets.
               o check if all wires on 25pin connector are properly
                 soldered
          + Test fail, there are some errors at tested pin pin_no.
            Program will tell you which leads and parts you must check on
            ictester board.
          + Test fail, there are some errors at pin pin_no.
            There's error at some other pin at SOC1, program will tell
            you which leads and parts you must check on ictester board.
            When you got which parts may be involved in error, do
            following steps:
               o check transistors, if they connected and working
                 properly
               o check resistors, if they connected and working properly
                 to transistors
               o check IC, if it's connected and working properly to
                 resistors
               o check leads on ictester board if they correctly soldered
                 and connected
       If there's still error recheck if IC2, IC3, IC4 and IC5 working
       properly.
    6. Test active write on device
       You will need resistor of 560 to 1000 ohms for this test.
          + remove from test socket any IC or other part that may be in
            it
          + use resistor for connecting two pins at test socket
       Follow instructions provided by the program. If error occur, it
       will be one of those:
          + Test fail, setting data on device fail during set pin_no pin.
            To solve problems follow next steps:
               o check ICs from IC2 to IC5, if they connected and working
                 properly
               o check leads on ictester board if they correctly soldered
                 and connected from IC2 to IC5 sockets.
               o check if all wires on 25pin connector are properly
                 soldered
          + Test fail, resistor which connects pin pin_no and pin_no is
            too strong.
            This resistor which you use is too resistant for this
            testing, use resistor with fewer ohms.
          + Test fail, resistor which connects pin pin_no and pin_no is
            too weak.
            Resistor which you use, is not enough resistant for this
            testing, use resistor with more ohms.
          + Test fail, there are some errors at pin pin_no.
            Program will tell you which leads and parts you must check on
            ictester board.
            When you got which parts may be involved in error, do
            following steps:
               o check transistors, if they connected and working
                 properly
               o check resistors, if they connected and working properly
                 to transistors
               o check IC, if it's connected and working properly to
                 resistors
               o check leads on ictester board if they correctly soldered
                 and connected
       If there's still error recheck if IC2, IC3, IC4 and IC5 working
       properly.
    7. Test read/write on device
       On last test we tested how ictester sets +5 volts, now we will
       perform setting GND and +5 volts simultaneously.
          + remove from test socket any IC or other part that may be in
            it
       Now you can press enter key and do test. If error occur, it will
       be one of those:
          + Test fail, setting data on device fail during set pin_no pin.
            To solve problems follow next steps:
               o check ICs from IC2 to IC5, if they connected and working
                 properly
               o check leads on ictester board if they correctly soldered
                 and connected from IC2 to IC5 sockets.
               o check if all wires on 25pin connector are properly
                 soldered
          + Test fail, there are some errors at pin pin_no.
            Check which transistors and resistors are connected with
            pin_no and:
               o check transistors, if they connected and working
                 properly
               o check resistors, if they connected and working properly
                 to transistors
               o check leads on ictester board if they correctly soldered
                 and connected
       If there's still error, it's possible that input data are
       corrupted, recheck cable and try to close all programs that may
       use this port.
       
   If all tests went O.K., then testing is complete, you can safely use
   IC Tester device for testing ICs.
   That's it, you can now read Program - ictester section to find other
   options, which are available from program and how to use it.
   
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   (C) Copyright Silvio Klaic, you can write to me at sklaic@student.math.hr
