SPI Flash devices

I have used both Numonyx M25P16 and M25P80 with Cyclone III successfully.

The M25P80 can be problematic depending on which version of Quartus is used. The latest programming tools will generally refuse to program it even though it worked with older versions. With the newer versions of Quartus, I had to convert the JIC file to a JAM file. I could then edit the ID check in the JAM file to make it work. However, once I had my own Remote Update routines working, I didn't need to rely on the Altera tools anymore anyway.

add a file called nios2-flash-override.txt and place it in folder ..\nios2eds\bin

this file should have the following

[epcs-010216]# epcs64n (spansion-lead-free) s25fl064a0lmfi001

sector_size = 65536

sector_count = 128

This enables the Spansion S25FL064A0LMFI001

i also successfully used several other parts and posted that at niosforum but these postings are lost :-(

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EPCS ID check can be disabled in jic generation. Isn't that sufficient?

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You would think that would work. However, whether I checked this option or not, the Quartus programmer would give an error about the ID.

The fact that Altera seems to make it difficult and does not officially support using 3rd party serial configuration devices is a bit of a turn off to me. With Xilinx, they even have recommended alternatives to their configuration devices. In a cost sensitive application, being able to use a much cheaper 3rd party configuration device is a significant factor. Having no official support for this can be a bit worrying.

@ Kevin

if that is a turn off for you, the price between Altera EPCS64 and Spansion S25FL064 might be a turn on for you. for us it was the main point not to use the altera devices.

they are to expensive !

too bad that the nios forum lost the thread, there was a list what devices were working (without any modification)

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@ Kevin

too bad that the nios forum lost the thread, there was a list what devices were working (without any modification)

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Michael,

Have you searched the Google cache for the lost pages? I had a go and found a lot of threads (some by you) but wasn't sure which one you were referring to. Here's the content of one possibility:

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Today i have replaced an Altera EPCS by a Spansion S25FL064A0LMFI001

If, as mentioned bevore here, flash override has the following entry :

[EPCS-010216]# EPCS64N (Spansion-lead-free) S25FL064A0LMFI001

sector_size = 65536

sector_count = 128

I can successfully Blaster this device and will receive the following output :

EPCS signature is 0x16

EPCS identifier is 0x010216

Using EPCS size information from section [EPCS-010216]

Device size is 8MByte (64Mbit)

Erase regions are:

offset 0: 128 x 64K

In Addition i have replace an EPCS16SI8N by Numonyx M25P16-VMN6P

EPCS signature is 0x14

EPCS identifier is 0x202015

Using EPCS size information from section [EPCS-202015]

Device size is 2MByte (16Mbit)

Erase regions are:

offset 0: 32 x 64K

So M25P16-VMN6P is detected as EPCS16SI8N and can be blasterd too, what tells us that ....

Thanks for all replies now i have some much cheaper first choices and a good proven Altera second source :-)

Michael

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Cheers

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EPCS ID check can be disabled in jic generation. Isn't that sufficient?

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Sorry, dumb question, but what is JIC? Is disabling the EPCS ID Check something in the IDE or something done in code?

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add a file called nios2-flash-override.txt and place it in folder ..\nios2eds\bin

this file should have the following

[epcs-010216]# epcs64n (spansion-lead-free) s25fl064a0lmfi001

sector_size = 65536

sector_count = 128

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Does adding a file like this for a particular SPI flash, work only if you're flashing an epcs via the Nios IDE, or will it work programmatically (i.e. via nios code) as well?

Cheers!

this override file is only intended to be used with the command line nios2-flash-programmer --epcs but to honest i am unshure if the ide would also use it and might call nios2-flash-programmer as i do not use the ide.

you need this if want to store your fpga and or application image into an epcs device that is not known to nios2-flash-programmer like the spansion type

I see.. I'm actually not thinking of using a SPI flash for fpga configuration but rather just a cheap way to store nv data.

But in order to use the EPCS core with a spi flash from another vendor, I need to fake out that EPCS check, no?