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FPGA USB jTAG cable

ypahnu over 8 years ago

I'm just starting into this world of FPGA, I got a really cheap FPGA that I think it's good for my LVDS prototype project.
The board
http://vi.vipr.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=112582201546&t=1506728163000&tid=10&category=65507&sell…

I was wondering if i can use a mini USB blaster clone
https://www.ebay.com/itm/altera-Mini-Usb-Blaster-Cable-For-CPLD-FPGA-NIOS-JTAG-Altera-Programmer-TO/372115068657?_trkpar…
and use it in the ISE project Navigator ?

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johnbeetem over 8 years ago

That's an amazing price for a Spartan 6SLX16 board. Let us know how it works out.

That's an even more amazing price for a programmer. Perhaps too good to be true. Regarding compatibility, the cable is obviously wrong since it has an Altera 2x5 pin plug and the board has a Xilinx 1x6 header. So you'll need an adapter cable or jumpers.

ISE probably doesn't know how to talk to the Altera Mini-Blaster. A quick search found this 2011 discussion at the Xilinx community forum: Can you use an Altera JTAG usb programmer to program a Xilinx board? Answer: yes, but not with Xilinx tools.

I use a US$15 Adafruit FT232H breakout board as a JTAG programmer. I don't know if ISE knows about it -- I have my own programming software.
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michaelkellett over 8 years ago

You can't use an Altera programmer easily with the Xilinx chips.

The cheapest programmer I could find quickly on Ebay was this:

https://www.ebay.com/p/1pcs-Xilinx-Platform-USB-Download-Cable-JTAG-Programmer-FPGA-CPLD-C-mod-Xc2c64a/693907073?iid=201…

about $25

I use a similar device (ie cheapo clone) and it works fine. The real thing from Xilinx is £228, Digilent and others make alternatives at intermediate prices.

MK
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