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Altera_Forum
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18 years ago

Cyclone 3 migration from EPCS64 to EPCS128

Hello all, In our design, we are using successfully the EP3C10 and EPCS64 configuration device (AS mode). We need to switch to the 128Mbit device (EPCS128); the FPGA fail to config in that case:...
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Altera_Forum
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18 years ago

Thanks anakha, we've already tried to change configuration device from "auto" to "EPCS128" without success; in fact the 2 .rbf are identical.

In this document: "chapter 10. configuring cyclone iii devices (http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/cyc3/cyc3_ciii51010.pdf) (ver 1.1, jul 2007, 1,419 kb)", there is nothing related to the EPCS128 support BUT in this one: "chapter 4. serial configuration devices (epcs1, epcs4, epcs16, epcs64, and epcs128) data sheet (http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/cfg/cyc_c51014.pdf) (ver 3.0, aug 2007, 685 kb)" they do confirm that EPCS128 devices should work with EP3C10 FPGA.

Since the EPCS128 doesn't respond to Flash "Read Silicon ID" command (ID=0xFF), we did a patch with a CPLD that make the Flash respond to this command with ID=0x12 (EPCS4 ID) and the FPGA successfully configured (eureka!).

My conclusion: the EPCS128 is not supported by the EP3C10F256C8 (this is the flavor we use) with a bitstream built with Quartus II v7.2 SP3.

Either one of the following:

  • There is an errata that I'm not aware of for the EP3C10F256C8 (we will try the EP3C10F256I7 next week).

  • The doc is wrong and the 128Mbit device have never been tested with the EP3C10F256C8 FPGA.

  • There's something in Quartus II tool that I'm not aware of.
Notes:

  • We also tried with a Spansion 128Mbit flash without success, electronic ID in that case = 0x17.

  • We also tried with Cyclone II EP2C20F256C6N wihtout success (different board).