Data I/O Officially Takes an Anti Repair Stance!
Data I/O NASDAQ: DAIO Was Founded in 1969 and once the gold standard in manual device programmers! Data I/O was known for their excellent support and a repair-friendly approach making the Return on Investment (ROI) of the equipment unmatched. (I am still using a 40 year old unit) However, by the mid-1990s, the company stopped supporting third-party and self repairs by around 2005 they had fallen dramatically behind the competition. Data I/O had fallen so far behind that they became nearly irrelevant in the manual device programmer market in the last 15 years.
While Data I/O continued to produce chip programming equipment mostly focusing on their PSV production programmers, they were quickly outpaced by companies that embraced innovation and delivered friendly user interfaces, faster programming speeds, immediate adapter availability “not day or weeks” or having to call sales rep to get one, and friendly customer service even if your a small business they want your business!
In the aftermath of Data I/O’s spiral to irrelevance for the manual programmer market. Data I/O left behind a large amount of orphaned, unsupported, and broken equipment. Fortunately, the community primarily individual owners, hobbyists, and small programming shops have stepped up to keep some of this hardware operational by recovering and backing up IC chips that fail, reverse engineering boards, and even developing a modern Windows 10 control software (PL2260 Plus) that supports nearly all pre FlashPak programmers.
Here is some Data I/O Stock History 1981 to Date of Posting. Here is their quarterly report dated June 2025 as of this writing. Yes, I am Stock Holder!
As a small business running a small chip programming lab, a pcb repair shop, as well as a personal owner of Data I/O equipment, I have been happy with the quality of my vintage Data I/O equipment.
Winter of 2025 I was approached to repair a broken modern Data I/O programmer manufacture date after July 2016 from an Oregon resident that acquired one for personal/hobby use I believe it was a LumenX or something I really dont recall the model I am a programmer nerd but had to decline as my repair queue was full and knowing data I/O recent past on no repair documents and that there’s prob a lot of custom silicon in the thing so without quick access to repair documents/tool/parts it was not economical to reverse engineer it. Customer also did not have the software to use it.
At that time there seemed to be a lot of Surplus of secondhand units hitting the secondary market most are in unknown and/or non functional condition. That repair inquiry prompted me to take a closer look at the Data I/O’s current offerings and see about their right to repair support. “Last I looked they were not small business friendly” In doing so, I discovered that Data I/O had recently appointed a new CEO with a clear mission to revitalize the brand. This led me to reach out to him directly and inquire about the right to repair. The receptionist Janice had been nothing but rude or they just don’t answer the phone when calling. I have since been in discussions with William “Bill” Wentworth, CEO of Data I/O, specifically regarding the Right to Repair.
Call Log March on 31st a 31Min Call with him on my 503 number I made a call at to him at 5:05pm to his Publicly Available Number 603-233-7423 he responded at 5:26pm
On this call Initially William “Bill’ Wentworth sounded sincere that he wanted to bring Data I/O back to its former status of being a leader in the Device Programmer Market. He stated he is in transition to the new ceo position and he need till June / early July to finish up prior obligations and he would be happy to have further discussions on whats needed for compliance and they he was open to the right to repair. He requested that I send him an e-mail with what I was seeking and more info.
I sent bill an e-mail on May 13th with the requested info. (I never received a reply) I gave him the time he requested. As a small business owner myself also I understood running a company and bringing it back form the brink. As I had seen that data I/O is rebounding and gave him more time just because I believe that Data I/O would do the right thing and willingly embrace and support the right to repair as part of that former company that prided themselves on quality and product longevity and repairability. Maybe even use it as marketing strategy. I Guess I was Wrong!
Text Messages below are Form William “Bill” Wentworth on 09/30/2025 confirming they are not going to comply and threatening me with a criminal complaint and his lawyers. Funny thing is I tried to get his layers info so I could send them the right to repair document request directly but that request was also denied from the Receptionist Janice Miller back in early 2025.
Not sure whats up with my SMS it broke the message up out of order it does that form time to time. From the sounds of it Data IO is in big trouble as a company that’s trying to stay alive. what a better way to sink it is to be anti repair.
Here is the mixed up text message in the proper order.
Again I will let my lawyers take care.
Please stop calling me and my employees. You are harassing myself and my team. harassment is defined by 3 or more attempts.
I have counted myself 10 plus Take Care.
I have a comp at that is struggling to stay alive have some respect for trying to get the business back to its past glory. All your doing is taking away form that journey you should be ashamed of yourself as a human being as i’m trying to to save jobs for the state of Washington and your trying to profit. Take Care
In My opinion, the Receptionist Janice Miller, is Very rude, hostile, and unprofessional I was not rude or disrespectful to her at all. She should either be terminated or reassigned to a role where she has no customer interaction.
In Data I/O’s glory days, Data I/O set the standard for repair and support support providing schematics, parts, and the other resources needed to keep equipment running. If William truly wants to restore the company to that level of excellence, embracing the Right to Repair would be a wise move.
What I asked for in my initial request is for the standard Repair Documents and Tools Including Schematics Firmware and Calibration Tools For Data I/O Products manufactured Between July 01 2015 (Oregon) to the Present they should have that info as they are current production. I did request If Possible the same info for legacy/orphaned equipment that is no longer manufactured if it could be located as it would help keep some more of the older equipment working as the older equipment supports devices that the modern stuff will not as the hardware is not capable of supporting.
Bill claims he wants to return Data I/I to their former glory, He don’t realize that Data I/O’s former glory was when they were the unmatched industry leader when they embraced repair provided manuals and schematics to third party repair shops or the consumer. Supporting repair made the equipment last longer and gave a better Return on Investment (ROI), Data I/O innovated at the time with cutting edge tech.
October 3rd 2025 I sent an additional Formal Right to Repair Document Request. This was the reply form the CEO he actually responded to this one. Lets assume I will be hearing from his lawyers on the issue. I can imagine what it will cost them to bring in the lawyers vs providing requested repair documents.
I have been Very Kind, I Even Left 5 Star Reviews (I Have since Changed to 1 Star 09/30) and have also posted praise of the quality of equipment on public social media posts. Still hinting that I hope they would be supporting #righttorepair.
Lets examine where Data I/O lost their way in repairability?
Years / President / Vice President (S)
1969-1973 Grant C. Record / Betty L. Record (Repairable Equipment)
1974 1977 Grant C. Record / Milton F. Zutschel (Repairable Equipment)
1978 1982 David L. Mitchell / Richard W Woods / Charles A D’Ambrosia (Repairable Equipment)
1982 David L. Mitchell / Melvyn D. White (Repairable Equipment)
1983 1987 Lawrence L Mayhew / William D. Ellis (Repairable Equipment)
1987 Data I/O Acquired and Merged with Futurenet Corp? (Who is Future Net Corp) The Unisite Was Repairable. I believe the Unifamily Series 2900/3900/designs were acquired technology. I discussed this briefly with Bill, who was uncertain about the specifics, though he acknowledged it sounded right but possibly just the 2900 / 3900 and/or the Labsite series. He mentioned he would try to look into it, but suggested that information was likely lost to time. He never followed up, and I suspect he didn’t actually pursue it further. I did a little research and found that Futurenet was Schematic Capture Software “FutureNet DASH” with the same address.
1988 a Very Large Gap In Records… Only thing on record was a Amendment of stock By the VP Joseph H. Matthews. Their electronic devices in the early 90’s “Unifamily Series 2900/3900” allegedly were repairable the Schematics are out there someplace. It Seems this is the era that data I/O started to become Anti Repair In the Mid to late 90’s. (So What Happened Here?)
Records Resume in 1999
1999 Frederick R Hume (Not Repairable)
2000-2012 Frederick R Hume / Joel S Hatlen / Mark L Edelsward / Jim Rounds / Helmut Adamski (Not Repairable)
2013 – ???? Anthony Ambrose / Joel Hatlen (Not Repairable)
2014 William Wentworth. (Not Repairable)
I Found a First 40 years info on Data I/O Kind of odd that they left out the 2900/3900 series form the list?
Now, On with the complaints for Denial of Repair Documentation. (Photo Source Data I/O Archive.org)
I will file my justifiable complaints with the California, Oregon, Washington, and Minnesota Attorney Generals for noncompliance with the applicable Right to Repair laws. Filling a Right to Repair complaints with the States Attorney Generals that will trigger a Letter and Investigation is a Multi Step process. Want to be 100% Sure the company cannot say they were unaware of the law.
Step 1,
Better Business Bureau Complaint | PDF of Complaint (10/01/2025) BBB Transmitted it to Data I/O 10/02 Will Await Data I/O’s reply.
October 12th 2025 Data I/O has not responded to my complaint Better Business Bureau Complaint.
Step 2,
Federal Trade Commission | PDF of Complaint (Date Filed) (Delayed Due to GOV Shut Down)
Step 3, Send Complaint to The Attorney generals
Complaint California | PDF of Complaint (Date Filed)
Complaint Minnesota | PDF of Complaint (Date Filed)
Complaint Oregon | PDF of Complaint (Date Filed)
Complaint Washington | PDF of Complaint (Date Filed)
Government Awards (List If Any) Write Agencies send AG Correspondence.
Alleged Ransom Ware Cyber Incident in August 2025 ?
In my opinion, the cyber security situation at Data I/O raises some big questions. According to an SEC filing, the company suffered a ransomware cyber incident in August 2025, a fact also acknowledged on their website. Personally, I can’t help but wonder whether this was truly an external attack or if it might have had internal origins, given the kind of leadership and personnel currently in place. Alternatively, one could speculate whether the incident was overstated or even staged as a way to deflect attention from deeper financial or operational distress. It certainly makes one think. Maybe an investigation should be done by the SEC on the incident.
I was Hoping this would have ended with Data I/O embracing their past and and restoring their legacy of repairable equipment and embrace Right to Repair. I gave them the opportunity and they made me go down this rabbit whole. Seem like the longer I look the more I uncover. I will Update as I get more info and details.
For now if you value the investment in the equipment and after sales service seek another brand. Data I/O has lost the prestige of customer service and repairability. I don’t think Data I/O will be around much longer from the sound of it it’s is a sinking ship.
In today’s internet immediate demand economy it should not take a phone call to customer service “if they answer the phone” and/or week to months wait for an adapter unless its “customized”.
There is a reason why Data I/O don’t have demos the modern control software is not intuitive or user-friendly with a lot of bugs from what I have been told.
Why would any company large or small invest thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, into equipment that could/will lose support within a year or two, or in some cases, immediately after purchase because of the lack of customer/owner support?
When making capital investments of this scale, businesses naturally consider long-term support, access to that support, accessory availability, software updates, repairability, and eventual resale value. If a manufacturer fails to provide fast reliable customer service, parts availability, or repair options and even goes out of their way to make second-hand equipment difficult or impossible to use that equipment it stops being an asset and instead becomes a liability on the companies books.
A new face and the same methods won’t fix Data I/O’s brand reputation. The company must change and deliver friendly, reliable customer service, ensure parts and tools are readily available, offer transparent repair options, and provide equipment that doesn’t rapidly lose value or leave customers abandoned.
Final Quote From William Wentworth!!
“We are focused on growing Data I/Os core business expanding the core, create a product line with forward compatibility (Data IO first) and has the best technology and value on the market, add new business units, diversify our revenue streams and new service models. ”
I wish that was true, If they went back to their core they would be supporting repair like they did in the past!
10/23/2025
I have received a letter from Data I/O Legal Council Once Again Denying The Repair Documents and Demanding that I Withdraw My BBB Complaint Against Data I/O. Umm No!! I will not be withdrawing my complaint to the BBB or any of the attorney general complaints. it Also Contains other anti repair stuff.
Additionally Data I/O Failed to Respond to the BBB Complaint I had Filed.
As Soon as the Government Re-Opens a Complaint Will be Filed With The FTC and then the Attorney generals of the States that I have an economic nexus in.
I plan for file a small claims suit for reverse engineering costs some time in 2026 now that Washington states Right To Repair law is effective (Jan 01 2026), if they provided the documents required by law the expense to do so would not be needed so that = damages!
I will Update if any changes.
Last Updated on February 13, 2026 by Steven Rhine