Post by thread:[EE]: Altera PLD Programming

Hi All, I have been using the Altera MAX+PLUS II BASELINE software for programming small PLD's via a ByteBlaster cable & adapter. These are not genuine items but are have worked fine until now. But... now the chips are not verifying most of the time. Changing the parallel cable to a shorter one improved things somewhat but it's worked with the old cable for the last year of so. I even put the software & hardware on a different PC but with the same results. Maybe it's time I just bought a 'real' programmer and save myself all the hassle & wasted time! Any suggestions on brands? The boards I'm using them with don't support in-circuit-programming so a stand-alone programmer would be the best way to go. Regards... -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList spam_OUTpiclist-unsubscribe-requestTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu

At 10:45 AM 11/3/00 +1000, David Duffy wrote: >Hi All, >I have been using the Altera MAX+PLUS II BASELINE software >for programming small PLD's via a ByteBlaster cable & adapter. >These are not genuine items but are have worked fine until now. >But... now the chips are not verifying most of the time. Changing >the parallel cable to a shorter one improved things somewhat but >it's worked with the old cable for the last year of so. I even put the >software & hardware on a different PC but with the same results. >Maybe it's time I just bought a 'real' programmer and save myself >all the hassle & wasted time! Any suggestions on brands? The >boards I'm using them with don't support in-circuit-programming >so a stand-alone programmer would be the best way to go. >Regards... I'd be tempted to replace the buffer chip in the byteblaster first. Only takes a few minutes and might fix the problem. I'm also using homebrew versions of the byteblaster, with the 7032slc and 7128slc parts - works every time (so far). And that is with a 15 foot or so ribbon cable between the PC and byteblaster! dwayne Dwayne Reid <.....dwaynerKILLspam@spam@planet.eon.net> Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax Celebrating 16 years of Engineering Innovation (1984 - 2000) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Do NOT send unsolicited commercial email to this email address. This message neither grants consent to receive unsolicited commercial email nor is intended to solicit commercial email. -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspammitvma.mit.edu

>At 10:45 AM 11/3/00 +1000, David Duffy wrote: >>Hi All, >>I have been using the Altera MAX+PLUS II BASELINE software >>for programming small PLD's via a ByteBlaster cable & adapter. >>These are not genuine items but are have worked fine until now. >>But... now the chips are not verifying most of the time. Changing >>the parallel cable to a shorter one improved things somewhat but >>it's worked with the old cable for the last year of so. I even put the >>software & hardware on a different PC but with the same results. >>Maybe it's time I just bought a 'real' programmer and save myself >>all the hassle & wasted time! Any suggestions on brands? The >>boards I'm using them with don't support in-circuit-programming >>so a stand-alone programmer would be the best way to go. >>Regards... Dwayne replied; >I'd be tempted to replace the buffer chip in the byteblaster first. Only >takes a few minutes and might fix the problem. Good idea - this one has a 74HC244A (Mot) in it - what does yours use? >I'm also using homebrew versions of the byteblaster, with the 7032slc and >7128slc parts - works every time (so far). And that is with a 15 foot or >so ribbon cable between the PC and byteblaster! What distance can you go between the Byteblaster & the PLD socket? This setup only has about 100-150mm between them. Regards... -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList .....piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspam.....mitvma.mit.edu

Dwayne write: I'm also using homebrew versions of the byteblaster, with the 7032slc and7128slc parts - works every time (so far). And that is with a 15 foot orso ribbon cable between the PC and byteblaster! your programmer software accept the oldest Mach130 PLD? Vasile **************************************** Surducan Vasile email:EraseMEvasilespam_OUTTakeThisOuTl30.itim-cj.ro URL:http://www.geocities.com/vsurducan **************************************** -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: "[PIC]:","[SX]:","[AVR]:" =uP ONLY! "[EE]:","[OT]:" =Other "[BUY]:","[AD]:" =Ads

Hi David, we found some problems even with genuine byteblasters. We modified them as follows and now build our own when we need them; replace 74hc244 with FCT device, short out resistors on connector pins 1, 5 and 9 Might also be worth checking termination of the lines on your target pcb - never had any problems with it myself but worth a look if you still have problems. Regards, Simon -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: "[PIC]:","[SX]:","[AVR]:" =uP ONLY! "[EE]:","[OT]:" =Other "[BUY]:","[AD]:" =Ads