Altera promoting counterfeit FTDI IC usage in product

Any windows user concerned about violating the FTDI license can use the Linux version of the Quartus Programmer. It doesn't use any FTDI IP, and it works fine inside of a VM.

It is not about concerned Windows users. Any windows user will:

* access the JTAG as usual as the board is USB Blaster compatible

* not know that he is violating FTDI License

The product pages do not say:

"We use counterfeit FTDI device technology, you are only allowed to use Quartus on Linux or Linux VM."

This disclaimer isn't there.

I think it is pretty much concern for Altera to be sure that the product based on Altera FPGA does not offer counterfeit USB Blaster.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the delay in addressing your Forum queries. Due to an unexpected back-end issue in our system, your Forum cases, along with others, did not get through as intended. As a result, we have a backlog of cases that we are currently working through one by one.

Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. However, this process will take some time, and we kindly ask for your patience and understanding during this period. The cases will be attended by AE shortly.

We appreciate your patience and understanding, and we are committed to providing you with the best support possible.

Thank you for your understanding.

Hi,

Let me know if you have any proof so we can escalate to Altera committee.

Thank you.

Regards,

Aiman

Hi

OK let me explain it in detail, from the kiwi link:

https://www.crowdsupply.com/ulab/ulab-kiwi

you can read that there is "onboard USB Blaster" support. This means that to be LEGAL there must be FTDI device FT245 on the board.

If you now look this image:

https://github.com/OmriRaz/Kiwi-Project-Samples/blob/main/Images/Back_Kiwi.jpg

then close to oscillator marked X3 you see a Microchip MCU

if you look this image:

https://github.com/OmriRaz/Kiwi-Project-Samples/blob/main/Images/Kiwi-Lite-front-02.jpg

then you see between the USB connector and the FPGA an SOIC device this is also an Microchip MCU.

Now, it ILLEGAL to clone FT245 with an MCU, it violates at least the FTDI drivers end user license.

So here we are this means that kiwi project is really using illegal methods to add USB Blaster support.

There are many similar illegal clone projects from China, but they are really all illegal!

But the Kiwi project is the only clone project ENDORSED by Altera. So please do something.

endorsing illegal products is not good for Altera!

Hi,

I have escalate this issue to our internal team. Thank you for providing the information to us.

Regards,

Aiman

I’m glad that your question has been addressed, I now transition this thread to community support. If you have a new question, feel free to open a new thread to get the support from Intel experts. Otherwise, the community users will continue to help you on this thread. Thank you.