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New ContributorProgramming Altera Max EPM3256AQC208-10N PQFP-208
Hello, I have an Altera Max EPM3256AQC208-10N PQFP-208, the chip is not connected to the card but is single. How can I read the data in this chip and programming data into it? Which devices should I use? I know that USB Blaster is used for programming this type of chips. But how can I connect its JTAG header to the chip? Maybe you know a good method.
27 Replies
RobertFordThere are two ways to do this, the first is to read it in a MPU with a PLMQ7256-208 adapter in MAXPLUS II or you can go the hard route and solder the VCC, VCCIO, GND and JTAG pins to a breakout board and read it that way with an ALTERA Byte Blaster or similar device in MAXPLUS II.
NurAiman_M_IntelSuper Contributor
We do not receive any response from you to the previous answer that I have provided. This thread will be transitioned to community support. If you have a new question, feel free to open a new thread to get the support from Intel experts. Otherwise, the community users will continue to help you on this thread. Thank you
- NurAiman_M_Intel
Hi,
You can refer to Intel website for more USB blaster information:
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/details/fpga/development-kits/cables-adapters.html
You can make the purchase through Intel authorized distributor:
Regards,
Aiman
_AK6DN_Frequent Contributor
I have both a TerASIC Blaster (available thru Mouser, DigiKey, etc) for about US$69,
and a Waveshare USB Blaster v2 (available thru Amazon) for about US$34.
Both have never given me any problems.
I did try one of the el cheapo USB Blaster clones from Amazon for about US$10 and had reliability issues with it.
It got recycled in the electronics trash bin.
- _AK6DN_
Yes, that is all my development card does. It has hardwired GND and +3.3V connections, and wires the JTAG pins TDI/TDO/TMS/TCK to the Altera standard 2x5pin 100mil header connector for the USB Blaster cable. There is a pushbutton connected to RESET~ with a pullup and a capacitor to ground. All other pins go to header pins for easy access.
akifhWhich USB blaster should I buy?
https://5.imimg.com/data5/SELLER/Default/2022/3/FW/SA/SR/32823511/usb-blaster-altera-cpld-or-fpga-programmer-1.jpg
- akifh
Can I read the data in this chip with Quartus II 11.0 SP1?
- _AK6DN_
I don't know about that version, I don't have it installed anywhere.
But I plugged in my EPM3064A eval board and a USB Blaster into my Win7 64b laptop that has both QuartusII 6.1 and 9.1sp2 installed.
On my laptop I have both QuartusII 6.1 Web and 9.1sp2 Web, and they both were able to detect my EPM3064A device, verify the program against what I know I programmed in it using 13.0sp1, and then examine and save the device contents to a .pof file. Which I could then set to verify mode, and verify the files read both by 6.1 and 9.1 versus the device successfully.
Most specifically in the Programmer Tool the 'Examine' checkbox is enabled and able to be set to read the device and save the contents to a file. This feature is not present in 13.0sp1, the 'Examine' checkbox is disabled.
So proof that QuartusII 6.1 and 9.1sp2 Web can do what you want to do with an EPM3064A in a PL44 package. 11.0sp1 I can't say.
In both those versions the EPM3256AQC208 appears in the supported device list as well, so I expect it would work for you, given you have access to a USB Blaster, at least one those versions of QuartusII on a supported O/S (Win7 64b; I don't know about Win10 64b install?) and a suitable hardware development board to allow access to the appropriate signals on the physical chip.
And the security bit must not be set in the device. If it is, all bets are off.
- akifhThank you. Last question, what can I do if I don't have a development card? If I connect the chip to the appropriate pins of the USB Blaster and supply 3.3v from the outside, will it work?
- akifh
Can I move the data in the EPM3256AQC208-10N to a newer Altera Max chip? Does it work?
- _AK6DN_
No. The internal chip programming images are very device specific.
They are compiled for the exact device they get programmed into, and a different image is built for each device.
So even if you were able to read the image out of your device, it could only be used in the exact same type of device,
except that the speed grade does not matter. So a -4N or -6N or -10N all use the same images.Same for commercial C vs industrial I speed grade. Image does not care about temp grade or speed grade.
- _AK6DN_
QuartusII 13.0sp1 is the oldest version of Quartus available from Intel via their download page.
Earlier versions are not available from Intel without going thru an NDA process.
That being said, I'm not sure any version of Quartus ever supported reading the EPM7K/EPM3K program memory.
I seem to recall that it was only ever supported in the prior MaxPlusII software that supported those devices.
And that software is even harder to find and run (ie, requires early Windows versions).
- akifh
If I find the MAXPlus II and can run it, can I read the data inside this chip? Can I connect MAXPlus II to the chip via USB Blaster?
- _AK6DN_
I checked the documentation inside the MaxPlusII v10.23 (last version or so before Quartus) and it mentions supporting the MAX7000 and MAX9000 series but no mention of MAX3000 series. That came later in Quartus I believe.
Also no mention if USB Blaster in MaxPlusII. Only the old Altera Programming Unit (APU) and ByteBlaster (an LPT port device that was the precursor to the USB Blaster) are mentioned.
So it would appear the answer is no to both of those questions.
- _AK6DN_
Not sure what you are referring to with this: "The friend above says that it can be read with the program. "
That being said, I have QuartusII 13.0sp1 on my system and an EPM3064A development board attached thru a USB Blaster and I know for a fact that QuartusII 13.0sp1 Programmer cannot read/examine the program in the device. The software does not support it.
An Arduino with software that bit bangs the JTAG pins could conceivably communicate with the device and read the program IF YOU KNEW THE JTAG PROTOCOL to do it. That is a big if. The programming protocols are not public information and were only available under NDA to third party programming tools company.
I think your only option at this point is to investigate the Xeltek IS01 that I mentioned above. It MIGHT be capable of reading back the program, I don't know. I don't have one of those devices. You will have to contact them to see if it can. It is an expensive option tho. Those programmers are not cheap (US$1000 class). If you could find someone that has one that would certainly help.
- akifh
Don't support older Quartus versions?
- _AK6DN_
You can get the pinout listings of the device from this page:
As to using QuartusII 13.0sp1 to read the current program out, it is not possible with that software. The read/examine device program for those series parts (MAX3000 and MAX7000 series) was deprecated in QuartusII. So your ONLY option is to use a third party programmer that supports the device.
You could connect a USB BLaster to the device JTAG TMS, TCK, TDI, TDO pins, supply VCC and GND on all the relevant power pins and get QuartusII 13.0sp1 to communicate with the device. But it will ONLY allow you to blank check it and reprogram it. Reading back the current program, protected or not, is not possible with that software.
You can google 'Xeltek IS01' and get info on a third party ISP programmer that supports that device thru JTAG that (probably, you need to check with the vendor) can read back the device programming IF the security bit is NOT set.
- akifh
The friend above says that it can be read with the program. OK, which programmers can I use? Can I do it with Arduino?
