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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
15 years ago

USB Blaster driver for Max+plus II

I am using MAX+PLUS II trying to program EPM7128STC100-15. I have a USB Blaster download cable. I can not install the driver. The instruction on Altera website does not apply because it's for Quar...
Mikexx's avatar
Mikexx
Icon for Occasional Contributor rankOccasional Contributor
1 year ago

For a simple solution with running Max-plus under Windows XP you might like to look at VirtualBox.

This is a discussion on accessing a LPT device from within a virtual machine, it might assist in understanding the issues at hand.

https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=54187

Otherwise, perhaps get an old PC with a real LPT / Centronix interface!

  • _AK6DN_'s avatar
    _AK6DN_
    Icon for Frequent Contributor rankFrequent Contributor
    1 year ago

    Running WinXP in VirtualBox will get you a running version of MaxPlusII but it does not help the LPT port access issue.

    Even if you have a VirtualBox LPT port it still needs to be connected to a real physical LPT port for the ByteBlaster programmer dongle.

    I think WinXP on a legacy motherboard with an LPT port is the best option.

    Maybe a PCI card LPT adapter will work, IDK first hand; it depends if the MaxPlusII driver can handle other port addresses besides the standard ones on a motherboard.

    I don't think a PCIe parallel port will work, nor a USB parallel port adapter either.

    A MasterBlaster serial interface cable would seem to be the most amenable to using on more recent hardware, but I have never used one of these and don't know if it is supported by MaxPlusII. The MasterBlaster user guide (attached) only references early versions of QuartusII (prior to 8.1) as being supported and does not mention MaxPlusII at all. So it might be a dead end.

    From the documentation:

    • Eagle_Savy's avatar
      Eagle_Savy
      Icon for Occasional Contributor rankOccasional Contributor
      1 year ago

      Hi Gents/All,

      Thank you for helping me along in this project of mine, and it is sincerely appreciated.

      I can see the merit in every thought expressed in each of the responses received so far.

      I also have to add that I am running MAX+PLUS II version 10.2 on Windows 11, and it has compiled and simulated very well so far; the only issue left now is for me to configure the EPF81500AQC240-2 by using a ByteBlaster, and ultimately burn the Configuration data in the EEPROM (EPC1PC8, or EPC1441PC8, EPC1213PC8 or EPC1064PC8); and this is where the Parallel Port (LPT) issue has surfaced. As I understand all the response received thus far, the Programmer and the ByteBlaster will not work unless I return to an old machine running Windows 2K or XP the latest or earlier. Also, the MasterBlaster documentation kindly provided seems to refer to Quartus; would this apply to MAX+PLUS II version 10.2 as well?

      Please, kindly confirm if my understanding here is in line with your response.

      Gratefully appreciative.

      Savvy Eagle

      P.S. The USB to LPT adaptor arrived yesterday, and as some of you advised, it has not worked sadly!!!

      Thank you.

      • _AK6DN_'s avatar
        _AK6DN_
        Icon for Frequent Contributor rankFrequent Contributor
        1 year ago

        I mounted the MaxPlusII v10.23 ISO file I have (I don't have the s/w installed) and found this in the READ.ME text file.

        So it would appear the MasterBlaster serial port programmer is supported in that release (last known MaxPlusII release
        I believe).

        But of course you then have to track down a MasterBlaster pod, or the schematics to it to replicate it. The user guide
        I posted earlier does not go into that much detail (no internal device schematic).

        Good luck on your project. I don't know that there is much more I can say.

        MasterBlaster Support

You can use the MasterBlaster Serial/USB Communications Cable to
download configuration data to ACEX 1K, FLEX 6000, FLEX 8000,
FLEX 10K, and FLASHlogic devices, or to perform in-system programming
for MAX 3000A, MAX 7000A, MAX 7000S, MAX 9000, FLASHlogic, EPC2, and
EPC16 devices. You can connect the MasterBlaster to a RS-232 serial port,
which is also called a "COM" port on the PC , or, for Windows 98,
Windows 2000, or Windows XP only, to a USB port. The MasterBlaster
receives power from 5.0-V or 3.3-V circuit boards, from the 5.0-V
USB cable, or from a DC power supply, which is supplied with the
MasterBlaster hardware.

To install and set up the MasterBlaster for device configuration or
programming, follow these steps:

1. With either a standard RS-232 cable or a standard USB cable,
connect one end of the cable to the MasterBlaster, and the other end
of the cable to the appropriate port on the computer.

Note: If you are using the MasterBlaster communications cable with the
USB port, the Windows 98, Windows 2000, or Windows XP operating
system prompts you to locate the USB driver for the MasterBlaster
communications cable. The MasterBlaster driver file is mblaster.inf
and is located in your \maxplus2\drivers\i386 directory.

2. Connect the 16-pin female header end of the communications cable
to the 16-pin male MasterBlaster port, and the 10-pin female header
to the 10-pin male header on the target printed circuit board.

3. Open the MAX+PLUS II Programmer or Simulator. Choose the Hardware
Setup command (Options menu), and then select either MasterBlaster
(COM) or MasterBlaster (USB) in the Hardware Type drop-down list box.
If you selected MasterBlaster (COM), ensure that the correct COM port
name is selected in the RS-232 Port drop-down list box, and that the
appropriate baud rate is specified in the Baud Rate list box. Choose
OK.

        .