Gold-Mate PC
The Gold-Mate PC: (Category Other Programmers/Copy Stations)
This little gem is a strange bird. It is a copy station that will work as a stand alone copier. But hook it up to a PC and you can use it as a real programmer too. That's why I have difficulties fitting it into any of the 3 programmer categories. This device is more like a hybrid.
The Gold-Mate PC will handle Goldwafers, Piccard-1 and Silvercards.
So how does it work:
Stand alone operation.
First read the card you want to copy as follows:
- Set the red mode jumper to position 1.
- Apply power to the device (the green power led will light up).
- Insert the card to read (the red status led will light up).
- Wait until the red status led goes out (from 13 to 53 sec. depending on the card type).
- The memory buffer of the Gold-Mate PC is now filled.
Making copies is just as easy as reading masters:
- Set the red mode jumper to position 2 if you do not want the copy to be protected.
- Or set the jumper to position 3 if the copy should be protected.
- Apply power to the device if that's not yet done (the green led should be on).
- Insert the card to write (the red led will light up).
- Wait until the red status led goes out (from 17 to 73 sec. depending on the card type).
- Your card is ready to use.
Isn't that a piece of cake :-)
But instead of reading a master, you can also fill the programmers buffer from your PC.
The necessary software is supplied with the programmer, or you can download it from the download section.
I will discuss the PC operation in the Software section of this site.
The performance:
I have tested the Gold-Mate PC performance with both a Goldcard and a Silvercard.
These are the times (best-worst):
| Goldcard | Silvercard | |
| load buffer | 10-11 sec. | 50-53 sec. |
| read card | 13-14 sec. | 41-42 sec. |
| program card | 17-19 sec. | 71-73 sec. |
 | Read Card Write Unprotected  Write Protected 
|
Please make sure that you insert the cards with the contacts facing down because the programmers contacts are on the PCB.
Error codes:
During reading or programming, the red status light should light up uninterrupted.
If the led starts flashing, there is something wrong.
Below, you can see the meaning of the flashing codes.
| # flashes: | Meaning: |
| 1 | No card inserted |
| 2 | The PIC is code protected |
| 3 | Error verifying PIC |
| 4 | Error verifying 24C16 Eeprom |
| 5 | Error verifying 24C64 Eeprom |