Don't find the software for MAX V CPLD Development kit

[duodiscus92]

Hi

I have purchased a Max V CPLD Development kit. *

I have succesfully installed Quartus Prime Versions 21.1.0 Lite Edition

However I didn't find software for the Max V CPLD Development kit.

I only found Board Test System (BTS) but when I launch it, nothing happen.

Does somebody can help me ?

Thanks.

[ak6dn]

Did you look here?   https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/details/fpga/development-kits/max/v-cpld.html

There are numerous downloads available.

[duodiscus92]

Yes, I looked on that link, then downloaded and installed the Complete Kit Document Installation

It provides several pdf files (ref manual, quick start manual) plus the Board Test System (BTS). But I never succeed to execute BTS.

Maybe some USB is missing ? Not clear ...

From my understanding, BTS is only a test software to verify that the board is OK.

But I found nothing explaining how I can upload a design to test it.

All the doc refers to Quartus II Web Edition which is now replaced by Quartus  Prime Lite

Maybe there are some compatibility problems ?

Maybe I need to uninstall Quartus Prime Lite and try to find into some archive an old Qaurtus II Web Edition ?

Don't know what to do.

[ak6dn]

Did you read the User Guide PDF included? The instructions seem pretty obvious to me.

That is an old board, been around for years. The documents reference QuartusII Web Edition, which is the old name of the free tool.

Now you would want the Quartus Prime Lite edition, which is the new name of the free tool.

The latest version Quartus Prime Lite v21.1 supports the MaxV series.

You need to be on a 64b Windows 10 or Windows 7 system. Windows 11 is NOT yet supported.

[duodiscus92]

Yes , I have read the user guide (and other) : all links provided in the guide are obsolete and redirected to "Developper Zone" where last software updated may be downloaded.

Yes,  Quartus Prime Lite Edition 21.1 is installed + the add-on for Max V family (file max-21.1.0.842.qdz).

Yes, my computer is running under 64b Windows 10.

In addition I have installed USB-Blaster driver (but I am not sure that it is really required when using this board).

But the situation didn't evolve : unable to executes Board Test System : a double click on BTS application do nothing (conversely, Quartus Prime works well.)

Desperately don't know what to do. Maybe it must be considered that this low cost board is definitively obsolete ? In that case I will ask the retailer for reimbursement and warn him not to continue selling this board ...

[ak6dn]

Yes you need the USB Blaster driver installed. This board has an embedded USB Blaster implementation (pretty much all these Altera development boards do) so you need to connect it to your CPU via USB to be able to communicate with the board.

You could try launching the Quartus Programmer tool in Quartus Prime Lite and see if it detects the embedded USB blaster.
It should. Then you should be able to select that USB Blaster device, and do a scan and your MaxV device should show up in JTAG.

If you can't get the above working then either your USB blaster driver did not install correctly or your development board is misconfigured.

Since I don't have one of these boards I can't really say anything more detailed.

Typically these boards come pre-programmed with the POF (compiled binary program file) for the demo sample application.

As to why the BoardTestApplication.exe appears to do nothing I suspect is it has issues finding your embedded USB Blaster device.

As to the utility of the board, you don't really need to have the BoardTestApplication to use it, it is just a nicety when you first power on.

The other files installed by the software have the definitions of the chip top in verilog and vhdl that you would use to build your own design.

[duodiscus92]

Quartus Prime Programmer shows as on the screenshot below.

So it seems to prove that the development kit is recognized ... isn't it ?

[duodiscus92]

Curiously, Prime Programmer autodetects a 5M240Z ship but actually the board is equipped with a 5M570Z ...

[ak6dn]

Not uncommon, unfortunately. The two devices happen to have the exact same 32b JTAG ID code of 0x020A60DD

From the "Max V Device Handbook v1.1" table 6-3 32b IDCODE values for the Max V.

Turns out the 5M240Z in the T144 package has the same IDCODE value as the 5M570Z in any package.

Autodetect is ambiguous in this case, and it just chose a part.

When you assign a POF file to that device, you can chose the correct part number to assign as well (ie, a manual override).

[duodiscus92]

Solved !  

I have done a small test (led blinking) which works fine. The BTS don't wok but indeed, it not a real problem

Thank you so much for your help.

Now I have to master the different tools and deepen my knowledge in Verilog: it's another challenge

[ak6dn · Accepted solution]

Yes, that is what I would expect to see.

You should be able to assign the board test image POF file to the FPGA, and then click the VERIFY button to check if it is preprogrammed.

The image should verify 100% if the chip is preprogrammed.

Would also verify that your board is basically functional and can be used.