New Contributor
Regular ContributorAside from the fact that getting Intel to give you access to the old MaxPlusII software will be like pulling teeth, do you have the requisite programmer to program images into the device? That series predated programming via JTAG, so you need one of the old/legacy/obsolete 3rd party programmers to program images into the devices. And oh yeah the appropriate PLC44 socket adapter as well.
Personally, unless you have multiple dozens of these devices hanging around, I would opt for a current generation device like the MicroChip/Atmel ATF1500 series, and relegate those EPM7032V devices to the scrap heap. The Atmel ATF1500 series is functionally a superset of the Altera EPM7K series but it is still a product in current production by MicroChip, same packaging (ie, ATF1502 is an EPM7032 clone, and comes in a PLC44 package as well as others) and there is a currently available toolset supplied by MicroChip/Atmel. Likewise for the ATF1504/EPM7064 and ATF1508/EPM7128.
Or you can do what I do and use QuartusII 13.0sp1 (which is available for download still) and supports the MAX7K series parts. And then you can use the MicroChip/Atmel POF2JED tool to convert an Altera .pof file to the MicroChip .jed file to program the parts via the MicroChip USB programmer dongle. I have used this path to convert multiple existing legacy EPM7032S and EPM7064S designs from Altera parts to MicroChip/Atmel ATF15xx series parts.
That would be my 2c as a (now retired but still active FPGA hobbyist) and ham op.
New ContributorCiao AK6DN!
Thanks for the reply, appreciated.
The Microchip alternatives you propose is very intersting, I'll will take into consideration. regarding rhe MAX7032VLC44, yes, I've some dozens of that. I'm also not pnly an ham op. hobist, but a retired telecom professional too. Duting my life I've decommisioned several R&D labs and accumuated in my basement very quite old materials I've not the courage to assing the the nearest waste bin.
Yes programming is an issue. EPM7032VLM is a 3.3 V non-JTAG device. Fortunately I got on eBay an old HiLo ALL-03 Universal Programer that support EPM7032VLC44, and based on the wonderful job done by Matthieu Benoit http://matthieu.benoit.free.fr/ I've prepared both a SAC-201 bus programmer controller clone ISA card and a dedicated PLCC44 adapter.
I'm now in the phase of testing the toolchain, starting from the programmer HW.
Luckily last day I've noticed that, even if Intel removed any info on downloading MAX+Plus II on their site, from the License Center is still possible to askfor a license, so I did, reciving promptly the license.dat file (thank Intel!). Moreover, digging on the tons of CDs alsoderiving from labs decommissioning , yes, I'm a serial accumulator of old technology :), I found an old MAX+PLUS II CD, wher I got the SW.
Thanks again for the reply and enjoy ham radio!
73
Luigi, IZ2JOU
