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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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16 years ago

Novice JTAG test enquiry

Hi All

First post here.. hope this is the right place. I have accepted a design consultant post for a non-electronics company looking to modernise

a system by migrating from discrete components to a Altera CPLDs.

Part of my brief has also been to look into JTAG testing of the final circuits

PCB for assembly errors. I have trawled the web-site but it is not immediately

apparent how to do this. Can you use the STAPL language for example

to set pin values via the device's JTAG registers ? Or are there simpler (low-cost) methods to acheive this.

Advice or pointers on this aspect greatly appreciated.

Paul

------------------------Update 11/11/09 -----------------------

Just came across this web-site offering Free JTAG stuff - www.jtaglive.com (http://www.jtaglive.com)

5 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    JTAG boundary scan is rather one element in testing than the universal tool. For this and other reasons, it's typically handled by in-circuit test systems, in combination with other stimulation and signal probe techniques. Also the boundary scan software part is mostly played by the test system.

    There are also small boundary scan tools usable in prototyping and development. Also Altium Designer has JTAG boundary scan capabilities.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    There are "big" (and usually expensive) boundary-scan tools which can 1) generate test vectors from PCB netlists and 2) allow to develop, debug and run high-level scripts to do boundary-scan testing, clusters (non-JTAG devices) testing and flash programming.

    Have a look at:

    http://www.xjtag.com (http://www.xjtag.com)

    http://www.jtag.com (http://www.jtag.com)

    http://www.flynn.com (http://www.flynn.com)

    www.asset-intertech.com (http://www.asset-intertech.com)

    www.goepel.com (http://www.goepel.com)

    http://www.corelis.com (http://www.corelis.com)

    And there are "small" affordable boundary-scan tools for prototyping and developing which allows to monitor and control pins states.

    Have a look at:

    http://www.topjtag.com (http://www.topjtag.com)
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Many thanks for the speedy responses.

    I have checked out a couple of the links and the tools look intriguing but mostly no prices. A bit like the sort of restaurants I avoid ;) .

    All the best

    Paul.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi All

    I've been keeping an eye on the JTAG scene since my last post and a google alert just brought up this new site.

    www.jtaglive.com (http://www.jtaglive.com)

    Looks like they do a collection of basic JTAG/boundary-scan tools including a FREE base-level wiggler for buzzing connections. Even better it works with USB-Blaster I think.

    Cheers all

    Paul
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Thanks you for the hint. Jtag.com is known as provider of bodundary scan hard- and software solutions. It's good, that they also entered the basic tool segment. topjtag, that has been mentioned above by grunberg, is also supporting Altera programmings cables and has an attractive price for the full featured tool.