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LVDS and PLL IP on DE1

Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hello, 

 

I am trying to implement a LVDS to RGB converter in the DE1 board. 

I am using the LVDS and PLL IP Megafunction. I used as a template the "Design Example 2: Cyclone II ALTLVDS Using External PLL Option" from the ALTLVDS Megafunction User Guide. I changed the FPGA used because it's not the exact same one as in the DE1 board. 

 

 

Then when I am assigning the pins to the expansion header of the DE1 board (I also precise in the "I/O Standard": LVDS), Quartus Fitter gives me the following error: 

 

"Error: Can't place PLL "lvds_pll:inst2|altpll:altpll_component|pll" -- I/O pin "ref_clock" (port type INCLK of the PLL) is assigned to a location which is not connected to port type INCLK of any PLL on the device" 

 

Can somebody explain to me what this error means and how I can solve it? 

 

Thank you in advance, 

 

 

Meach
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hi Meach, 

 

You probably use an ordinary I/O pin for your ref_clock. 

You ref_clock must be connected to a dedicated clock input. 

 

Success, Ton
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Hello Ton, 

 

Yes I am using one I/O pin from the expansion header because I thought that I need to get somehow the LVDS clock. 

If I want the LVDS data to be synchronised, how can it be if I don't have its clock in input? 

 

Meach
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Aditionally, you can't use LVDS with the DE1. 

The GPIO pins are connected to a bank powered at 3.3V VCCIO.  

For LVDS, they'd have to be connected to a back with 2.5V VCCIO and have the proper external resistors. 

 

Among the examples and documentation of the DE1 board, you should have a mock up project that contains just an empty top level and all the correct pin assignments. 

I suggest you take it as base for any project you do on the DE1.
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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Oh great! 

 

There is no possibilities to use it anyway with the DE1?  

 

For the pin assignment I prefer doing it myself for any project. I prefer to check them anyway every time and so far I do not need to assign every time all the pin of the board. 

 

Meach
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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So like rbugalho wrote: no LVDS for DE1. Too bad. 

But if you ever gonna design your own board, make sure your LVDS-clocks are connected to a pinpair labeled "LVDSCLK" in http://www.altera.com/literature/dp/cyclone2/ep2c20_ep2c15a_ep2c20a.pdf. And make sure the external termination is right (I used 100 Ohm with success). 

 

Good luck, Ton
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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For now I am only interested in development board but if I will design my own one later, I will keep that in mind. 

 

Also this is a bit off topic but basically if I want to use the LVDS protocol with a development board, I have to make sure that the board has adjustable Input Signal Levels, right? 

rbugalho said that it should be connected to 2.5 VCCIO. But I read that the maximum input voltage of LVDS is 2.4 V. So for example with 1.8 VCCIO, will it work? 

 

Thank you 

 

Meach
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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To use LVDS with a development board, the board needs to have a LVDS interface. 

IIRC, the Cyclone III starter kit has. 

 

VCCIO is the voltage that powers the I/O elements. The maximum LVDS signal voltage is 2.4V but the FPGA I/O elements must be powered with 2.5V for LVDS. 

Trying to use LVDS with 1.8V VCCIO is not document anywhere, AFAIK, and it will problably not work.
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Altera_Forum
Honored Contributor II
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ok thank you rbugalho, that's exactly what I wanted to hear! 

 

I made some research and instead of looking for another development kit I think I will go for a Quad Link LVDS Interface HSMC Daughtercard + GPIO-HSMC Card and the DE1. 

 

 

 

Meach
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