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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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16 years ago

Computer does not reconize the FPGA board

I have a problem with my starter board and i hope annyone can help me fix it.

I have 2 cyclone 2 FPGA starter board's from Altera.

Its the EP2C20N board (it has the EP2C20F484C7N FPGA)

I turned both of them on, they both show the demo application and seem to work fine. But when i plug them to my computer there is a difference.

The problem is only in one board. When i insert the USB to the computer it wil say that there is new hardware found. And then reconize the stater board as a "USB <-> Serial" and NOT as the USB blaster.

I can not install the drivers, and i cant get it to be reconized as an USB blaster.

the second one, works fine. The computer will see that its an USB Blaster, and i can install the drivers. But even with the drivers installed the first bord still wont work because the computer doesnt see its an USB Blaster.

both boards are the same, i tried on an other computer, the same problem occurs. So im sure the problem is on the test board and not on computer.

Does annyone know what is the problem. and how i can fix this problem.

5 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    the story with the usb blaster driver is sometimes a pain even more worse if you have other FDTI chip based devices.

    on some pc there are no problems and they can realy plug and play with whatever combination or pluged order of ftdi devices, even the usb blaster

    on some other thing will never realy work and another time thing change from good to worse or the vice versa.

    sometime it helps to power off power on the complete stuff sometimes not.

    sometimes the usb blaster ist USB-0 and sometimes it is USB-1

    sorry no realy help or solution, but you are not alone

    we have several FDTI based designs on our own but no idea how to get them working reliable when used in combination with the usb blaster.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    I dont think its a driver issue. Because 1 bord works fine the other one says its a "USB <-> Serial" device. Maybe the FDTI chip is broken?

    I also like to add that the USB blaster is intergrated on the starter board. So I cant use an other USB blaster or something.

    p.s. I tought the board worked a minute ago. but i just switched the working board for the not working one by accident.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Are there any jumpers or switches on the board that could account for the non-working condition?

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    there are no jumpers on the board. and the whole board is protected by a plastic that is mounted above it. so you cant touch or dammage anny chips easy

    there are 10 switches and 4 buttons on it. but those are for user aplications.

    there is 1 switch that can be put in RUN or PROG, and a power button.

    But even with the power off the computer should see the USB Blaster (thats what it does with the working board) and not a "USB <-> Serial" device.

    here's a picture of the board:

    http://www.altera.com/products/devkits/altera/images/fig1-cyclone2-staterkit.jpg

    Also id like to add that both starter board's are new.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    here is a better picture of the board:

    http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/5038/fpga.jpg

    EDIT:

    Im gonna send it back, and get a new one. I think the connection between the FTDI chip and the rest of the altera bord is somehow damaged and thats why i can't program it. so getting another is the best solution.

    Thanks for the replies and help. :)