How do I use N25Q512 Quad-SPI Flash, instead of ECPQ512?

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I'm out of ideas on this as well. I have successfully programmed a micron 26Q256A quad spi chp on my SoCKit board. My previous posting is from my notes on how to do it. It may be that the programmer doesn't like the 512k version.

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It's not going to be my day (see attached Errata)

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It's not going to be my day (see attached Errata)

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I come back to this issue which can be interesting to me if I would like to replace and EPCQL by a SPI MICRON Flash.

If the "ASx4 mode" is not supported by the EPCQ512, have you tried the "ASx1 mode" configuration ?

If the PCB, hardware is designed to support the ASx4 it should work with the ASx1 configuration. In that case only one SPI Data line is used instead 4 and the configuraton time will be slower.

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I come back to this issue which can be interesting to me if I would like to replace and EPCQL by a SPI MICRON Flash.

If the "ASx4 mode" is not supported by the EPCQ512, have you tried the "ASx1 mode" configuration ?

If the PCB, hardware is designed to support the ASx4 it should work with the ASx1 configuration. In that case only one SPI Data line is used instead 4 and the configuraton time will be slower.

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Hi,

Yes, I tried x1 mode with the N25Q512, but the Quartus Prime programming software wouldn't work as you can't select micron chips in that software.

I can't discount their (also) being a problem with my custom hardware which is preventing this from working.

I can't comment on whether the EPCQ512 would work in x1 mode as I don't have that chip fitted, but as that is an Altera chip then I would expect that workaround to work with the Altera software.

As a slight aside, the new SoCrates II dev-board from EBV is listed as being fitted with N25Q256, so it will be interesting to see how they program those chips!

If they are going to production with the N25Q256, then I would have though that you should be pretty safe using that chip too. (usual disclaimer apply!)

Ref: http://www.ebv.com/products/product-details/9956/

The only difference I can see is that N25Q512 is a dual-die flash chip, whereas the N25Q256 is a single-die flash chip.

This difference may or may-not be the reason why I can't program the N25Q512 on my board using the Quartus Prime programming software.

I asked for technical support from Altera and they (using polite corporate language) told me and my company to get knotted.

They just want everyone to carry on buying Altera EPCQ chips at 20x the cost of the Micron N25Q chips.

For now I am trying to configure the FPGA from the SD-Card attached to the HPS side of the chip. (which is a different can of worms!)

Time permitting I will write my own QSPI programming software and get to the bottom of why my N25Q512 won't work with the Quartus Prime programming software.

This would download the configuration file (via a serial port) to a NIOS-II configured via JTAG. The NIOS-II would store the configuration file in SDRAM, then check the CRC, and then program that file into the N25Q512 using Micron's 'C' libraries.

There is an official partner program between MICRON and ALTERA : https://www.micron.com/solutions/micron-valued-partner-program/chipset-partner/altera

And if you look at the section "Download Micron Flash and DRAM support for Altera Platforms", the SPI NOR Flash N25Q is validated for Cyclone V. But I don' know what means "validated" : boot from MICRON FLASH or program FLASH also through Quartus tool....

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There is an official partner program between MICRON and ALTERA : https://www.micron.com/solutions/micron-valued-partner-program/chipset-partner/altera

And if you look at the section "Download Micron Flash and DRAM support for Altera Platforms", the SPI NOR Flash N25Q is validated for Cyclone V. But I don' know what means "validated" : boot from MICRON FLASH or program FLASH also through Quartus tool....

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Yes, we fell for that marketing spin, and designed-in two Micron (BGA) flash chips (for FPGA and HSP boot), only to be told that Altera won't support programming them, won't help us debug the problem, won't confirm or deny whether there is a technical reason why the N25Q512 will or won't work with the Cyclone V. Then they just told us to go away and re-layout the board for EPCQ512 (SOIC) chips.

Even if the EPCQ512 were available from any distributor the UK, they would still add £200 to the BOM and thereby make the product unsaleable.

I no longer trust Altera.

My direct experience is that unless your product is going to sell >100K units, you get no support and you are on your own.

I'm facing similar problems trying to use a Macronix flash.

I found useful information in an app note by Cypress for their alternates. Google AN98558 and have a look at section 3.2 onwards. You may be able to program using nios2flash even though Quartus refuses to do the job.

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I'm facing similar problems trying to use a Macronix flash.

I found useful information in an app note by Cypress for their alternates. Google AN98558 and have a look at section 3.2 onwards. You may be able to program using nios2flash even though Quartus refuses to do the job.

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Thanks, very interesting. I'll look into it.