ICTester

IC Tester for the classic CMOS and TLL ICs with Touch Display

Beware 5V ICs only!

GPL v3 License - Open Hard- and Software

Code by Frank Hellmann, 2019 http://www.gotohellmann.com/

If you like it please leave a ⭐!

For hardware requirements and libraries used see below

Version 2.6

update: updated chipdb.txt with 150+ new ICs and checked in new test vectors
new: version string for chipdb.txt
new: Z tag in chipdb.txt for high-Z check needs PCB rework for 1M pull-downs, checks not implemented in Version 2.6
new: NOVECTORS tag for ICs without tests this will only display the IC in manual
bugfix: Auto: sometimes displays wrong IC pinout
update: new CLK code for multiple clockpins (thanks, @Hans Hübner)
new: Auto: flip result pages back and fore

This project needs the Arduino IDE 1.8.10+
a Arduino Mega 2560 Module
an ILI9341 240x320 Pixel RGB TFT LCD Touch Display Shield
a 4GB Micro-SD Card that fits the Display Shield
the IC Tester PCB with:
- a 20pin ZIF Socket
- single row pinheaders (1x6pin, 1x8pin, and two 2x18pin)
- optional Red/Green-LED (Common Cathode) plus two 220Ohm resistors
- optional White LED plus one 220Ohm resistors and some heatshrink tubing

Place the PCB with the soldermask upwards and the ZIF socket left hand side
First solder the ZIF socket with the lever downwards, as the silkscreen shows
Optional Good/Fail LED:
- Solder the Red/Green LED with the Red LED towards the left side
- Solder in the two 220Ohm resistors R2 and R3
Optional Worklight LED:
- Solder in the 220Ohm resistor R1
- Keep the long legs of the LED and use some heatshrink to avoid shorts
- Solder the white LED in and position it
Solder in the pinheaders
Plug TFT and PCB into the Arduino Mega 2560

Format the SDCard as FAT/FAT32 Filesystem
Copy the database (data/chipdb.txt) into the root folder of the SDCard (chipdb.txt)
Plug the SDCard into the TFT shield and connect the Arduino Mega to the computer
Start the Arduino IDE
Check you have the following librarys installed (Tools -> Library Manager):
- MCUFRIEND_kbv (try the Adafruit_ILI9341 if the display doesn't work)
- Adafruit GFX Library (included the Bus Library as well)
- Adafruit Touchscreen
Install the patched SD library from this repository (Sketch -> Library -> .ZIP )
- SD_patched (download from above, includes Arduino Mega Software SPI fix)
Open the IC_Tester_v2.6.ino
Select the proper Arduino Mega 2560 under Tools -> Board -> Arduino AVR Boards
Select the correct COM port for upload
Compile and Upload the sketch

Beware: This Tester is for testing 5V ICs only!

Start the IC Tester and marvel at the startup screen 😏
Touch to enter main screen
Make sure the ZIF socket lever is up
Insert IC as shown on the screen with the notch facing up and pull the lever down

There are two modes of operation:

Auto tries to detect what kind of IC is inserted. This is helpful if you have no markings on the IC. To use it you'll have to adjust the number of pins of the IC with the Pins Button and then hit Auto. The IC Tester will match it against the known ICs and give you the results. You can press the touch screen to go through each found match.
Manual will check an inserted IC against the tests stored in the database. Hit Manual and insert the plain IC number without the family code here (an 74HC06 should be entered as 7406) and hit OK. This will run the test and display the results. You can savely change the IC and retest again, if you have a few of the same type to test.

The manual mode can also be used to get the pinout of an IC. Just leave the socket empty.

Display doesn't work: Most of the TFT Touch Display shields work with parallel inputs, that's the reason to use the MCUFRIEND_kbv library. If your display does not work, using the original Adafruit_ILI9341 library could help.
SD Card Error: The chipdb.txt couldn't be read. Either the file is corrupt (copy it again), the card formated with the wrong filesystem (format it with FAT), the card to big (best 4GB or below) or an older SPI library interfers with the the TFT Touch Display shield. If this is the case, install the SD_patched Library from this repository above.

I do not have all possible TTL 74** or CMOS 4*** ICs here for testing. So if you'll find one, that shows up as "*** not found" consider sending it in or add it to the chipdb.txt and test it. The format is pretty straight forward.