Quartus 13.1

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, 

 I'm quite a novice, so please bear with me,  I just installed Quartus 13.1 (from 13.0) and upon opening a working project using a Cyclone II, Quartus 13.1 tells me it doesnt have support for this device !!  So my options are; 1] Continue using 13.0 2] Throw away my £150 development board and buy one using a device 13.1 supports (joke)  Am I missing something or is this how it is?  Thanks  Brandon

[Altera_Forum]

Download an older version from Altera ftp. In my work I use 10.1 version, with no problem.

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, 

 Yeah I still have 13, 12 and 11 on my PC, so I'm not scuppered apart from not using the latest bells 'n whistles. As an 'Altera Teacher' you dont see this as a disadvantage (?)  Thank you for your prompt reply.  Brandon

[Altera_Forum]

No. Disadvantage no. In Quartus 10.1 I have support of Cyclone 1, 2, 3, 3LS, 4 GX, 4 E, some Arria, Stratix 1, 2, 3. But if you like the latest software, Quartus 13.0 support Cyclone 2.

[Altera_Forum]

I can not install Quartus 13.1 . 

MD5 is correct. How to resolve below error .  http://www.geocities.jp/adekat7/error131.png

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Download an older version from Altera ftp. In my work I use 10.1 version, with no problem.  --- Quote End ---    Are there any plans to add the CYCLONE II family again to future versions of Quartus?   Regards  Friedrich

[Altera_Forum]

It is quite a common tactic for vendors to remove support for older devices from newer versions of software. This prevents customers hanging on to old technology. At least it makes all historical versions of the tool available. 

It also removes the need to maintain full backwards compatability (meaning potentially less development costs etc - which would not be paid for by the purchase of old technology).  So I highly doubt C2 will be added back in.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Are there any plans to add the CYCLONE II family again to future versions of Quartus?   Regards  Friedrich  --- Quote End ---   Nope, Altera is not planning to add the CII in the future versions

[Altera_Forum]

This is ridiculous. 

The website tells me it's compatible, so I download 4.5GB of software and all of a sudden I'm greeted with a big fat 'incompatibility kiss of death' in the form of the absence of 'Cyclone II' in the project options. I wonder what Xilinx offers.... hmmm. It may be time to follow my employer's FPGA preference.  Please, regardless of my future manufacturer preference and to avoid other frustrated users, update your Cyclone II website to state that it is no-longer supported.

[Altera_Forum]

By the way... which version of Quartus 2 supports Cyclone II chips?

[Altera_Forum]

Using the "select by device" option only gives me the option for 13.0 (the last version to support cyclone 2). 

And Xilinx pull the same things with ISE (and especially with Vivado). Altera are nothing special.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Using the "select by device" option only gives me the option for 13.0 (the last version to support cyclone 2).  --- Quote End ---   Where does it say this? Are you saying that when you're in the New Project dialogue in Quartus, it will recommend a version (13.0) for a specific device?    --- Quote Start ---  And Xilinx pull the same things with ISE (and especially with Vivado). Altera are nothing special.  --- Quote End ---   Sucks that we have to live with that. :(

[Altera_Forum]

It's written in page 9 of http://www.altera.com/literature/rn/rn_qts_dev_support.pdf that Cyclone II devices are no longer supported in 13.1

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  It's written in page 9 of http://www.altera.com/literature/rn/rn_qts_dev_support.pdf that Cyclone II devices are no longer supported in 13.1  --- Quote End ---   I'll remember to read every document that isn't liked to on the Cyclone II website before downloading next time. :p Either that, or Altera could state it explicitly on the Cyclone II website and change the link to point to the software that is compatible. Either way.

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, 

the easiest way is to use the "select by device" option on the download page - choosing the device gives you the versions available that supports this chip :-)  BTW: Besides the discussion regarding removed device support in the latest Version for the free WebEdition... Up to now the Subscription Edition was worth (or required) to be bought for either device support (large devices) or additional features (like logiclock).  Let's assume, I have an electronics in production with a Cyclone II and my business requires longer than some few years customer support. I decided to go with ALTERA as the FPGA are (and I hope this remains unchanged) long time available (you can still buy the IC). Maybe due to some additional requirements regarding validation of design, etc. I decide to switch to subscription edition, as I want to use logiclock on this Hardware. How will this license be sold, as I have to buy a "old" subscription edition. Will this QII 13.0 subscription be sold at same cost like the latest one (as it is my "fault" not providing the matching hardware)?   I would prefer to have some kind of "support packages" for older devices which are not included in the "standard" download, but which are provided as separate downloads. This will guide new users to go with latest devices, but this would also provide support for existing users to continue using their hardware. I do not know if the software structure of QII supports such a scenario... This would also provide existing users the option to benefit in the new version's optimized features ALTERA makes marketing with..  Well - if the "X"-company is reducing device support with newer version, wouldn't it be a "measureable advantage" if ALTERA would not do the same :-D Just my two cents :-)

[Altera_Forum]

A Full quartus licence allows you to run any version of quartus (and Max+Plus2 for REALLY old projects). And you can have multiple versions installed on any machine.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  I'll remember to read every document that isn't liked to on the Cyclone II website before downloading next time. :p Either that, or Altera could state it explicitly on the Cyclone II website and change the link to point to the software that is compatible. Either way.  --- Quote End ---    Unless they changed it in the last couple of days, it indicates that the Cyclone II is not support right on the download page: http://oi39.tinypic.com/k0prhl.jpg   To be fair, had I not read this forum post I most likely still would have downloaded 13.1 to use with CII w/o noticing the lack of support.  Maybe it should be bright red indicating a change that certain devices are no longer supported rather than which are supported. :)

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  A Full quartus licence allows you to run any version of quartus (and Max+Plus2 for REALLY old projects). And you can have multiple versions installed on any machine.  --- Quote End ---    Ok, but that's somewhat like buying a new car with a lot of new features and chose (or having to chose) to drive with the one or more generation's older one with less features... ;)

[Altera_Forum]

Im afraid so, but I suspect making the new features compatible with all old products makes no financial sense.

[Altera_Forum]

I agree that investments into "being backward compatible" just for "being backward compatible" is not the best option to spend money. I just thought as there is also the option to get the software and device support packages separately (Download Center => individual files) that ALTERA only dropped the Cyclone II device support file from the list. If the Cyclone II device support package of 13.0 would no longer match we might end with one Hardware with Device xyz and the matching QII installation on the PC in some years... Nice if you try to use a newer QII version's feature with an older one 0:-)

[Altera_Forum]

But its way more complicated than that - for the same device and source code different versions of the tools (and the same version on linux and windows) will give different compile results.  

The IP libraries also differ, with interfaces changing between versions.