configuration controller in custom board

[Altera_Forum]

Hi! Everyone! 

 Is it necessary to design configuration controller in custom board?  If it just give stablity to system, is it mandatory or optional?  Thanks!  Regards http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[Altera_Forum]

OK, what exactly do you mean by configuration controller? EPCS? 

 IzI

[Altera_Forum]

If you want the board/system to boot into a functional state then, yes, some sort of config controller (EPCS, EPC, etc.) is necessary.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by iztok.jeras@Jan 26 2007, 09:14 PM ok, what exactly do you mean by configuration controller? epcs?  izi <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=20895)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---    Yeb, EPCS!  But I wondered that controller is necessary when I use CFI.  Using CFI, controller is unnecessary.  thanks! http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by slacker@Jan 27 2007, 01:37 AM if you want the board/system to boot into a functional state then, yes, some sort of config controller (epcs, epc, etc.) is necessary. <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=20905)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---    Oh my &#39;nios&#39; GOD. http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif   Thanks!  very helpful!

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by jaeper+jan 28 2007, 05:27 pm--><div class='quotetop'>quote (jaeper @ jan 28 2007, 05:27 pm)</div>  --- quote start ---  <!--quotebegin-slacker@Jan 27 2007, 01:37 AM if you want the board/system to boot into a functional state then, yes, some sort of config controller (epcs, epc, etc.) is necessary. <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=20905)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---    Oh my &#39;nios&#39; GOD. http://forum.niosforum.com/work2/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif   Thanks!  very helpful! <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=20972)</div> [/b]  --- Quote End ---    Please keep in mind that you still need to load a hardware image from that CFI flash into your FPGA on power up. For that, you&#39;ll likely need a PLD. A lot of the Nios II Altera development kits use a "Max + Flash" combination and the config controller design is shipped with the Nios II EDS. I recommend this solution highly...  Cheers,  - slacker

[Altera_Forum]

If you are going for a simple and cheap solution than using only an serial SPI flash (EPCS) is better. 

 The epcs can hold both the hardware configuration image and the software. A parallel flash would be needed, if you need a very high read speed, or very large amounts of flash.  EPCS and other SPI flash chips - sizes from 1Mbit to 64Mbit (usualy op to 512kB are used for the hardware image, the rest can be used for software and flash file systems) - read speed of 1MB/s is easily achievable   IzI