Everyone is buying the wrong CH341 programmer

[Sparklingx]

Everyone is buying the wrong CH341A programmer, I have learned from my mistake. Don't buy the Black one or Green one.
Buy this one in the photo. Most stable and all your common problems (reading but not writing/erasing, software hanging, disconnects after attaching chip, test cable connected but chip not found/ device disconnected) will be gone.

Otherwise you'll have to solder capacitor from GND to VCC if you have those symptoms in your black or green miniprogrammer.

[stj]

if it uses a different chip and can program 1.8v parts then good, otherwise i wouldnt buy any of them.
invest in a T48 or T56.
i know the T48 is 10x the cost but it's an investment

[Sparklingx]

if it uses a different chip and can program 1.8v parts then good, otherwise i wouldnt buy any of them.
invest in a T48 or T56.
i know the T48 is 10x the cost but it's an investment

No you shouldnt buy any of them. Try to understand what I am trying to say. Chip is not the matter here. That big electrolytic capacitor in important.

[spleenharvester]

Thanks, good intel, I'm going to be buying my first CH341 soon.

Do you happen to know the value of that cap? I am struggling to find the good one in the UK so may have to solder my own to one of the black ones

[Sparklingx]

Thanks, good intel, I'm going to be buying my first CH341 soon.

Do you happen to know the value of that cap? I am struggling to find the good one in the UK so may have to solder my own to one of the black ones

You will find the one I have recommended in ebay. Or if you face the symptoms I have mentioned you can solder a 10v 100uf or above cap(im using 10v 470uf) with it also you can solder a smd ceramic cap(1uf or above) parallally if you want. adding the electrolytic one will do the job just fine.

[SMDFlea]

Thanks, good intel, I'm going to be buying my first CH341 soon.

Do you happen to know the value of that cap? I am struggling to find the good one in the UK so may have to solder my own to one of the black ones

Get one of these with adjustable voltage https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007083918895.html Better than the black PCB version.

[spleenharvester]

Thanks both

[Sparklingx]

The one I have mentioned has 3.3v and 5v switch(adjustable) only lacking is 1.8v .... I know about this green adjustable version from aliexpress too but doubt it someone is not having problem without a big cap using the test clip, disconnecting the moment clip touches the chip or reading but not erasing or writing software hanging sudden connection drop etc unstable situation. . I dont trust chinese SMD caps. May be it is because of chinese low quality SMD caps and voltage dropping too low. Anyway its fixable so yes get between these two but know the symptoms and how to fix it. A big cap is necessary sometimes for the test clip to work.

[CapLeaker]

If I’d buy a programmer it would be an xgecu T48 or T56 as stj suggested.

[redbaron1007]

If I’d buy a programmer it would be an xgecu T48 or T56 as stj suggested.

I second this one it's worth the cost if you are programming chips more than once a year. Even then it's worth it because you'll know if it doesn't work its the code you're programming or the chip itself and not the programmer not doing its job right. Fought the cheap ones for way to long before I upgraded and it was worth it on the first chip I programmed. The software with the T48/T56 is also just so much nicer than the stuff that comes with the CH341's.

This being said I do still use a modified CH341 like the usb on in the picture with an X in the original post. I modified it to be compatible with reading error logs on the ps5 and reading/editing the NOR on the PS5. Works great for that since console service tool is basically built around that. I guess the BWE software technically is to but I steer clear of BWE software when I can.

[CuriousDave]

I use the programmers to rebuild ME region for Intel Mac and read the most of the ROM from different device with MiniPro TL866A which can read Mac EFI without removing. I tried CH341A once but not again. The connector clip was burning hot and app froze.
I bought another one called SFLY model SP10A on eBay. It works well for the job and I used the 1.8V adapter came with the CH341A to read the T2 ROM and other ROM in the macs. Works flawlessly. I paid only $35 when I bought it but now $50+.
It is Sofi Programmer clone which is normal for china.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355115942735

I bought the T48 and T56 with expectation for the device would be able to read the WSON8. Ended up returning the programmer. I think the programmers are okay for their own use and personal preferences.

[stj]

wson is the same pinout as soic, as long as you have the adapter the T programmers should be fine.

[stj]

btw, i got the T56 to repair a very high end gaming motherboard,
some boards now are using flash chips that are locked in QIO mode.
that means you have to read and write them 4bits at a time - the cheap programmers cant do that.
i know - i have atleast 7 different programmers here!

incidentally, if you dont want to brick a motherboard - dont update the bios from window$!!
i have seen so many machines with messed up bios updates because of windows it's unreal!
boot from dos off a usb stick to update bioses.

[Billy1690]

Hi i got a ezp2023+ programmer to flash the bios on my hp spectre x360-13- i set it up and used the crocodile clip to read the chip on a working laptop when i took it off my laptop no longer posts it now has a flashing cap lock ive tried flashing recommended dump files still the same so im thinking the programmer could be faulty & pushing the wrong voltage and messing up the flash do you think the T56 or a CH341
would be a better option lads any advice would be great

[Sparklingx]

Hi i got a ezp2023+ programmer to flash the bios on my hp spectre x360-13- i set it up and used the crocodile clip to read the chip on a working laptop when i took it off my laptop no longer posts it now has a flashing cap lock ive tried flashing recommended dump files still the same so im thinking the programmer could be faulty & pushing the wrong voltage and messing up the flash do you think the T56 or a CH341
would be a better option lads any advice would be great

t56 is obviously better but just for casual bios flashing 😒 ezp2023+ is more than enough imo. assuming you dont have a repair shop. 9 . Did you check your chip voltage? is it 1.8v?

[Billy1690]

Hi buddy sorry for the late reply i think its a 1.8v ill have a look later i have a EZP2023+ at the moment but i think somethings not right with it if thats possable on just taking the first reading from the bios chip with the crocodile clip stopped the laptop from posting and now im getting flashing caps lock i tried flashing recommended dump files with the chip removed but no change still flashing so i was thinking of getting a different programmer thinking that would fix the issue

[stj]

post the chip part number

[Billy1690]

Sorry Great Sage the numbers worn off the chip but when i test the chip with the software it says winbond w25q64
And the software default is 3v in device settings

[lotas]

Never use this crocodile type clothespin, throw it in the trash.

[Billy1690]

Yes i have done now beginning to think its trashed the motherboard if thats possible