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EPM7128E read and programming

mmAMC7
Novice
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We need to read an EPM7128ELI8420 manufacture by Alter.
to Store this programm and prrogramming a new EPM7128ELI8420, for this we are using a PA84-48F adaptar and the TOPMAXII (S/N TM 23676, SOFT REV 6.1) but it has not work so far.
My question is: What is the correct hardwaer and software to read and programmng  an EPM7128ELI8420??
 
Thank in advance for your help
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ak6dn
Valued Contributor III
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There is no way in any practical sense to bypass the security fuse to allow reading the device program.

The whole point of the security fuse is to make reading the device program impossible.

You need to either find the original source/program code, or try and reverse engineer the device.

There are current production devices that can replace the EPM7128E (like the EPM7128S from Intel or the ATF1508ASV from Microchip/Atmel) but you need the source code (best) or program POF file to do it.

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ak6dn
Valued Contributor III
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Per the Max Loader software (I am using v6.1h on my system) adapter PA84-48F is not the correct one to use for the EPM7128E device. You need adapter PA7128/E-84LC instead. Contact EEtools directly.

PA84-48F:
    Vcc pin:22,38,64,73, Gnd pin:8,16,27,42,49  for Xilinx XC9572 PLCC84

PA7128/E-84LC:
    Vcc pin:3,13,26,38,43,53,66,78, Gnd pin:7,19,32,42,47,59,72,82 for Altera EPM7128E PLCC84

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mmAMC7
Novice
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Hi,

Thanks for your prompt reply, please you support in the following:

  1. we heard that Altera marked incorrectly EPM7128S chip as EPM7128, it is correct?
  2. There are some function in the Chip EPM7128E or  EPM7128S to avoid read the program?

 

Thanks again

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ak6dn
Valued Contributor III
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re question (1) I have never heard of such a thing. I doubt very much this could have happened and mismarked devices made it thru QC to distributors. Not impossible, but highly unlikely.

However, I would not put it past unscrupulous vendors to take old chips, remove the existing silkscreen, and reprint them with a more favorable part number to sell. This does happen, principally out of distributors based in the far east, and sold thru channels like eBay, Alibaba, etc.  If you buy your parts thru certified Altera/Intel distributors you should not encounter this process.

re question (2) not sure what you mean. Are you referring to the security fuse? If the security fuse is set it prevents the device image from being read. You can only erase/reprogram the device. Reading the existing image is not possible.

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mmAMC7
Novice
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Thanks for your quick response
Are you referring to the security fuse? yes i am referring to it.
Quetion:
If the security fuse is set, We wouldn't can get read and store the pogramming from the chip when we use the number EPM7128S in steap of EPM7128E??

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ak6dn
Valued Contributor III
1,483 Views

If the security fuse is set on any device, you can't read it. No way, no how. You can only ERASE and WRITE (REPROGRAM) it. That is the whole point of the security fuse.

With respect to 7128E vs 7128S they are two very similar devices with a very important distinction.

The -S parts have a JTAG port, and you can program them using a JTAG based programming device, like the Alter USB Blaster. That is what I do.

The -E parts are upgraded original parts with similar internal features to the -S, but they still require a classic parallel programmer device (like the EEtools TopMax series with the correct adapter).

You can't just willy nilly change the part number; it has to correspond to the physical parts you have. Bottom line -E and -S program differently.

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mmAMC7
Novice
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Thank you for your help
We are try to fix a electronic cards that's why we need read the EPM7128E.
There is some way to bypass security fuse ???

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ak6dn
Valued Contributor III
1,471 Views

There is no way in any practical sense to bypass the security fuse to allow reading the device program.

The whole point of the security fuse is to make reading the device program impossible.

You need to either find the original source/program code, or try and reverse engineer the device.

There are current production devices that can replace the EPM7128E (like the EPM7128S from Intel or the ATF1508ASV from Microchip/Atmel) but you need the source code (best) or program POF file to do it.

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