Forum Discussion
This had better be a very expensive, very unique, one-of-a-kind system, or else it is going to be nowhere near cost effective to go this repair route.
The EPM7064LI44 is not a JTAG programmable device, so that leaves a very small class of equipment (old style parallel programmers) that are able to program blank devices. I have an EEtools (google them) TopMaxII USB programmer that is capable of programming EPM7xxx series parallel devices, given the appropriate socket adapter. If you had to go this route it will set you back about US$1K total for a full setup.
Finding usable EPM7064LI44 devices (basically EPM7064 in a PLCC44 package) is going to be an issue. They are no longer made. NOS from a surplus chip dealer, eBay, etc will have to do.
You will need the binary programming (POF) file. What do you mean by 'firmware code' hardcopy? Is this ABEL, Verilog, VHDL, or something else? Legacy versions of Quartus|| and MaxPlus are still available that can support compilation and programming for the EPM7064 series. Quartus 13.0sp1 or earlier.
If you are really lucky, an EPM7064S JTAG programmable part will be compatible, depending on four I/O pin assignments. It is supported by 13.0sp1 AND relatively inexpensive Altera USBblaster programmers.
In any event this is going to be a LOT of work, and could end up being very expensive, depending on some of your answers to above.
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FYI I use EPM7064SLC44 (EPM7064S version in PLCC44 package) for some existing projects now. I do development in Verilog using QuartusII 13.0sp1 on a Win7 64 system, and program devices with a Terasic USBblaster|| USB/JTAG clone. Works well. But I do have my own stock of EPM7xxxS series devices that I bought before they went EOL.
Thank you for your response. To clarify, this is a very expensive and very unique system. It was installed in only 3 Bell 407 helicopters in the world. No other aircraft. So I am only aware of three of these systems in existence. It is used for a very specific landing function that no other Bell 407 can perform. It would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for the aircraft owner to have another system installed to perform the same function. If one even exists. If it is possible, it will be worth it.
I do have the (POF) file for it. Please excuse my ignorance, this is all very new to me and I don’t quite have the language down yet. What I mean by firmware code, is I have all the engineering data from the original manufacturer. The aircraft owner was smart and bought all the engineering data from the company when they went out of business. One of the documents I have is called (by them) the firmware code. It appears to me to be the programming language printed out on paper. I’m sorry, I don’t know what ABEL, Verilog, VHDL is. I do not believe it is written in Binary. I do at least recognize that format. On the firmware code document, it does mention MAX+Plus II Version 8.2.
If you can help familiarize me with what I’m looking for and help me learn the language, I have a lot of resource to back up this project. I literally is this aircraft owners last option. I appreciate any help you can be.