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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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9 years ago

One JIC file to multiple FPGAs

Hello!

I'm programming multiple FPGA devices of the same type with one image in one JTAG chain (programming file JIC).

It seems that the quartus programmer is programming every FPGA by itself, which is working fine.

Is there a way to just need to write the image once to the JTAG chain and all FPGAs on the chain use it as configuration? (And only verify device by device to get responses of success from all ;))

BR,

Markus

5 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    9 years ago

    JIC files are for programming AS flash, not for configuring FPGA directly. If you have multiple FPGA connected in a chain to a single AS flash (Multi Device AS configuration scheme), the configuration data would be combined in a single JIC file and programmed at once.

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    9 years ago

    Ok, seems like I mixed things up a little in my formulation.

    I have one EPCS flash device per FPGA and I want them all to get the same image.

    Currently the programmer sequentially configures every FPGA with a boot image and the sequentially writes the desired data to every EPCS using this boot image.

    So to sketch the setup with three FPGAs:

    +------+ +------+ +------+

    | EPCS | | EPCS | | EPCS |

    +------+ +------+ +------+

    || || ||

    +------+ +------+ +------+

    --| FPGA |--| FPGA |--| FPGA |--+

    +------+ +------+ +------+ |

    |

    --------------------------------+

    ... all three EPCS devices should get the same image.

    Nevertheless thank you for your answer, it might be helpful in the future.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    9 years ago

    Hi,

    Can you tel me how you connected your devices in one chain?

    What cable do you use?

    Do you have some on board buffers for driving JTAG signals?

    How many devices are connected to chain?

    It would be helpful for me.

    Thank you.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    9 years ago

    O.K., FPGAs in a JTAG chain and individual AS flash devices. In this case, the EPCS flash has to be programmed one-by-one, but the action may be scripted.

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    9 years ago

    ok. Thank you for your info.

    @vlrean:

    Just connect the devices using the scheme shown in some altera documents, or wikipedia.

    Then use USB Blaster and scan JTAG chain and you get a list of connected devices.