Forum Discussion
Honored ContributorCyclone 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: the FPGA reads the flash status register, the flash electronic signature and then read the RBF header; it fails at this point. We know there is a difference in the way the flash electronic JEDEC signature is read (RES command not supported in 128Mbit device). How do we tell the Cylone III device to use the RD_ID command (read identification) instead of the RES command (read electronic signature)?14 Replies
Altera_Forum--- Quote Start --- I have exactly problems with my custom board (fpga - EP2C20Q240), but i use M25P128 instead EPCS128 and ID also = 0xFF, but not 0x18 (as must be in EPCS128). Did you add additional CPLD chip on your board which generate respond with ID=0x12, am i right ?? Have you made this with EP2C20*. Thanks. --- Quote End --- Hi svale, I also want to use an M25P128. Is it a Micron device? Did it finally work on your board without Problems? Greets sim- Altera_Forum--- Quote Start --- So, can you confirm that you have been able to use the Spansion part successfully? Looking for info on the 128 Mb device in my case. --- Quote End --- Yes, I can confirm - it works :)
- Altera_Forum
So, can you confirm that you have been able to use the Spansion part successfully?
Looking for info on the 128 Mb device in my case. - Altera_Forum
Just for your knowledge : about Quartus 8.0, I noticed some interesting new options in the "convert programming files " dialog box . Just click the new "Advanced" button.
It seems you can tune your programming files, including the EPCS ID check :) Regards. - Altera_Forum
Thanks for the update..
- Altera_Forum
Fixed using Quartus II 8.0!
I think the Flash ID is ignored and the bit stream is loaded regardless of flash ID. - Altera_Forum
I have exactly problems with my custom board (fpga - EP2C20Q240), but i use M25P128 instead EPCS128 and ID also = 0xFF, but not 0x18 (as must be in EPCS128).
--- Quote Start --- 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!). [/LIST] --- Quote End --- Did you add additional CPLD chip on your board which generate respond with ID=0x12, am i right ?? Have you made this with EP2C20*. Thanks. - Altera_Forum
After nCONFIG is release, here is what is observed:
- Status register of the flash is read; - Flash Electronic signature is read (128Mbit device do not respond to this command) - First 80 bytes (approx) of RBF are read (it looks like a key surrounded by FFs) - nSTATUS is assert to indicate a failure We hope that there is something in the key that we could be set in Quartus that tells the configuration state machine to ignore the flash ID. - Altera_Forum
I understand, that the read ID instruction is executed first, before reading any data from the device. If so, the issue can't be related to the serial flash content and isn't controllable by Quartus anyway. It's a matter of Cyclone III silicone (configuration controller IP) only.
As you already found out, there's nothing specific to selected configuration device in configuration data, the different file types have basically identical content, except for a different header that is stripped of before programming. What happens after the Read ID command failed? Does the configuration process start a new or is there any additional communication with AS device? In addition to the said handbook references, I didn't find any hints in Altera knowledge base. So if EPCS128 is actually unsupported by Cyclone III, the bug seems to be yet unknown at Altera. If it's a silicone bug, I would expect that it isn't specific to a particular Cyclone III chip. - Altera_Forum
Yes, we've opened a service thread on this issue with Altera.
So far they tell us is that it should work and it have been tested with Cylcone III (no details about which device exactly).
