EPCS16 equivalent that works at 2.5V?

[Altera_Forum]

As a follow up to this thread.... 

 http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34049  ...this board is having a re-spin and I'd _really_ like to use a cheap eprom that works at 2.5V, that has been proven.  Does anyone have any recommendations?   I've only started searching so will come back with anything I find.  Thanks for any pointers,  Nial

[Altera_Forum]

Micron part, compatible, 2.5V operation. 

Product page: m25px16-vmn6p (http://www.micron.com/parts/nor-flash/serial-nor-flash/m25px16-vmn6p)  Regards, Alex

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Micron part, compatible, 2.5V operation. Product page: m25px16-vmn6p (http://www.micron.com/parts/nor-flash/serial-nor-flash/m25px16-vmn6p)  Regards, Alex  --- Quote End ---     Fantastic, just what I was looking for, I'll order a few for testing.  Thanks Alex.

[Altera_Forum]

Alex, 

 I've just realised this device doesn't support the RES (Read Eelectronic Signature) command that the EPCSX's do.  Does this cause any problems when programming? (I think there's a checkbox somewhere to ignore this now, isn't there?)  Thanks for any feedback,  Nial.

[Altera_Forum]

I've used this part many times without any problems. The FPGA programmer within Quartus will just use it and won't concern itself with the device ID. 

 However, the FLASH programmer, within Eclipse, that you may use for programming FLASH devices from niosII may have an issue with it. If so, you will need to add an entry to the 'nios2-flash-override.txt' file which is located in the {quartus-install-directory}\nios2eds\bin. If you don't have one you'll have to create one.  The following post discusses this at length. http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20576 (http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20576)  Regards, Alex

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  I've used this part many times without any problems.   --- Quote End ---    I've got some EP25PX16's and am trying to program via JIC.  When creating the JIC In Convert Programming Files -> Advanced I've enabled the "Disable EPCS ID Check" tick box but when I try to program the device it's failing with...  Error (209025): Can't recognize silicon ID for device 1 Error (209012): Operation failed  Any ideas?  Thanks,  Nial.

[Altera_Forum]

Is 'device 1' not the FPGA itself? How early through the programming cycle does the programmer report this? Can I presume you can still configure the FPGA using a .sof via JTAG - without trying to program the FLASH? 

 I've never had to disable the EPCS ID check before.  Do you, by chance, have direct programming access to the EPCS or only via the FPGA?  Regards, Alex

[Altera_Forum]

Nial, 

 Good news (a little bad) and more good.  Good news - I don't have a unit with the Micron part fitted to hand. So, I bought some (M25PX16-VMN6P), fitted them to a board and reproduced the error you reported.  Bad news - the programmer in Quartus is not going to program the Micron part via .jic (not as is, out of the box - see my question below). As the error suggests, it seems the programmer doesn't like the FLASH's device ID that device 1 (the FPGA) is reporting.  All the designs I've used this part on in the past contained a Nios. As a result, for initial board bring up and subsequent bench work, I will have used the FLASH programmer within Eclipse and used a Nios core to program the serial FLASH.  Good news - the work around. Having fitted a Micron part to a convenient board (Cyclone IV based) I have just been through this sequence again - successfully. The board in front of me is booting an FPGA image (that does NOT contain a Nios core) from the newly fitted Micron FLASH.  Sequence in brief: a) Program the FPGA, via JTAG, with the Nios core with an EPCS interface and JTAG debugger. b) Using the FLASH programmer within Eclpise, program the .sof (from the project you want on the board) into the serial FLASH. c) Power cycle the unit. It should now boot as required.  I'm hoping you have a little Nios experience and this all makes sense. If not, let me know and I can help further.  for anyone else reading - is there a way of specifying valid serial flash device id's for the quartus programmer, in a similar way in which you can for the niosii flash programmer (using the 'nios2-flash-override.txt' file)?  Regards, Alex

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Nial, I'm hoping you have a little Nios experience and this all makes sense. If not, let me know and I can help further. for anyone else reading - is there a way of specifying valid serial flash device id's for the quartus programmer, in a similar way in which you can for the niosii flash programmer (using the 'nios2-flash-override.txt' file)? Regards, Alex  --- Quote End ---     Alex, thanks for your further input, sorry for my slow reply but I've been looking at other things.  First off it's good you're seeing what I am, I won't waste any time looking at layout etc.  I haven't looked at Nios for a few years so am pretty rusty, I would much prefer to have a programmer workaround. I'll ask a tame FAE I  know if he can look into this.  WHY do altera insist in devices with the same ID as the EPCS? You'd think they'd be trying to make it as easy as possible!   Nial.

[Altera_Forum]

> Do you, by chance, have direct programming access to the EPCS or only via the FPGA? 

 It's just via the FPGA for simplicity of routing/ reduction in any possible noise pickup and because this has always worked!   Nial.

[Altera_Forum]

Altera probably want to sell you their expensive chips, rather than you using off the shelf cheaper parts.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Altera probably want to sell you their expensive chips, rather than you using off the shelf cheaper parts.  --- Quote End ---    I'm not sure, it was an Altera FAE who told me the EPCS parts were ST parts re-branded!  This machine only has QII 11.0 installed. I've had a look in the bin directory, there's a pgm_parts.txt file with  entries for the EPCS16 but the values associated with it don't look like part IDs etc.   Nial.

[Altera_Forum]

Unfortunately, 'pgm_prts.txt' doesn't do what we want. This simply specifies a some basic parameters and licensing related to the parts your particular installations can work with. 

 Cheers, Alex  PS. And yes, EPCS parts are simply re-badged serial FLASH parts. I think Altera has deals with ST and others...

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  I'm not sure, it was an Altera FAE who told me the EPCS parts were ST parts re-branded!  --- Quote End ---   That's true, but the EPCS16 equivalent is M25P16, not M25PX16. The latter has beside 2.5V capability a different organization and other features.  The annoying point is that Altera is promoting 2.5V I/O voltage since years but didn't yet manage to provide 2.5V compatible serial flash devices in the lower MBit ranges.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  That's true, but the EPCS16 equivalent is M25P16, not M25PX16. The latter has beside 2.5V capability a different organization and other features.  The annoying point is that Altera is promoting 2.5V I/O voltage since years but didn't yet manage to provide 2.5V compatible serial flash devices in the lower MBit ranges.  --- Quote End ---    So as far as you are aware there currently isn't a 2.5V EPCS16 equivalent? I can stick with my separate voltage regulator (it's only ~$0.40) but it would have been nice to have just the config prom.   ALTERA, get your collective fingers out and implement a work round.   Thanks all for your input.   Nial.

[Altera_Forum]

The obvious workaround would be to support M25PX16 by Quartus programmer.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  The obvious workaround would be to support M25PX16 by Quartus programmer.  --- Quote End ---    Exactly!   Is it worth a few of us raising simultaneous service requests?  I'll do one now....  SR 11029669  Can anyone else interested please also submit a request so they get the message?  Nial.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  Exactly! Is it worth a few of us raising simultaneous service requests? I'll do one now.... SR 11029669 Can anyone else interested please also submit a request so they get the message? Nial.  --- Quote End ---     I'm afraid the output of this SR is that they've confirmed they will not support the M25PX16 .  So it doesn't look like there is a 2.5V EPCS16 equivalent that we can use.  I wonder what Xilinx have?  Nial

[Altera_Forum]

Did anyone confirmed that M25PX16 can work with this and how ?