Intel notes

Intel/Altera

Note

  • CYC1000

  • C10LP-RefKit

  • DE0

  • de0nano

Loading a bitstream

SVF and RBF files are supported.

sof to svf generation:

quartus_cpf -c -q 12.0MHz -g 3.3 -n p project_name.sof project_name.svf

sof to rbf generation:

quartus_cpf  --option=bitstream_compression=off -c project_name.sof project_name.rbf

Warning

As mentioned in cyclone handbooks, real-time decompression is not supported by FPGA in JTAG mode. Keep in mind to disable this option.

You can have Quartus automatically generate SVF and RBF files by adding these lines to the qsf file, or include them in a tcl file in FuseSoC

set_global_assignment -name ON_CHIP_BITSTREAM_DECOMPRESSION OFF
set_global_assignment -name GENERATE_RBF_FILE ON
set_global_assignment -name GENERATE_SVF_FILE ON

file load:

openFPGALoader -b boardname project_name.svf
# or
openFPGALoader -b boardname project_name.rbf

with boardname = de0, cyc1000, c10lp-refkit, de0nano, de0nanoSoc or qmtechCycloneV.

SPI flash

RPD and RBF are supported. POF is only supported for MAX10 (internal flash).

pof to rpd:

quartus_cpf -c project_name.pof project_name.rpd

sof to rpd:

# CYC1000
quartus_cpf -o auto_create_rpd=on -c -d EPCQ16A -s 10CL025YU256C8G project_name.svf project_name.jic
# C10LP-RefKit
quartus_cpf -o auto_create_rpd=on -c -d EPCQ16A -s 10CL055YU484C8G project_name.svf project_name.jic

file load:

openFPGALoader -b boardname -r project_name_auto.rpd
# or
openFPGALoader -b boardname -r project_name.rbf

with boardname = cyc1000, c10lp-refkit.

MAX10: FPGA Programming Guide

Supported Boards:

  • step-max10_v1

  • analogMax

Supported File Types:

  • svf

  • pof

  • bin (arbitrary binary files)

Internal Flash Organization

The internal flash is divided into five sections:

  • UFM1 and UFM0 for user data

  • CFM2, CFM1, and CFM0 for storing one or two bitstreams

max10 internal flash memory structure

Flash usage depends on the configuration mode. In all modes:

  • CFM0 is used to store a bitstream

  • UFM0 and UFM1 are available for user data

  • The remaining CFMx sections (CFM1, CFM2) can be used for additional bitstreams or user data

Using svf

This method is the simplest (and slowest) way to load or write a bitstream.

Note

This method is required to load a bitstream into SRAM.

openFPGALoader [-b boardname] -c cablename the_svf_file.svf

Parameters:

  • boardname: One of the boards supported by openFPGALoader (optional).

  • cablename: One of the supported cables (see --list-cables).

Using pof

To write a bitstream into the internal flash, using a pof file is the fastest approach.

openFPGALoader [-b boardname] [--flash-sector] -c cablename the_pof_file.pof

Parameters:

  • boardname: A board supported by openFPGALoader (optional).

  • cablename: One of the supported cables (see --list-cables).

  • --flash-sector: Optional. Comma-separated list of sectors to update. If omitted, the entire flash is erased and reprogrammed.

Accepted Flash Sectors:

  • UFM0, UFM1: User Flash Memory sections.

  • CFM0, CFM1, CFM2: Configuration Flash Memory sectors.

Example:

openFPGALoader -c usb-blaster --flash-sector UFM1,CFM0,CFM2 the_pof_file.pof

This command updates UFM1, CFM0, and CFM2, leaving all other sectors unchanged.

Using an arbitrary binary file

Unlike Altera Quartus, it supports any binary format without limitations (not limited to a .bin). With this feature, it’s not required to provides the file at gateware build time: it may be updated at any time without gateware modification/rebuild.

Note

This approach is useful to updates, for example, a softcore CPU firmware.

Basic usage:

openFPGALoader [-b boardname] -c cablename [--offset $OFFSET] the_bin_file.bin

  • boardname: a boards supported by openFPGALoader (optional).

  • cablename: One of the supported cables (see --list-cables).

  • $OFFSET: To start writing $OFFSET bytes after User Flash memory start address (optional, default: 0x00).

This command erases and writes the contents of the_bin_file.bin into UFM1 and UFM0. If --offset is specified, the binary content is written starting from that offset.

Depending on the max10 configuration mode (see picture), it’s possible to extend User Flash Memory area by using CFM2 and CFM1. This is not the default behavior and user must explictly change this by using –flash-sector argument:

  • --flash-sector UFMx or --flash-sector CFMy (with x= 1 or 0 and y = 2 or 1) to specify only one sector

  • --flash-sector UFM1,UFM0 is equivalent to the default behavior

  • --flash-sector UFM1,CFM2 to erase and update UFM1, UFM0 and CFM2 (equivalent to --flash-sector UFM1,UFM0,CFM2)

Intel/Altera (Old Boards)

Note

  • Cyclone II (FPGA) (Tested OK: EP2C5T144C8N)

  • Max II (CPLD) (Tested OK: EPM240T100C5N)

Loading a Serial Vector Format (.svf)

SVF files are supported.

To load the file:

openFPGALoader -c usb-blaster project_name.svf