Forum Discussion
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!