Hi everyone !
I have a cheap USB Blaster $9 clone (with a sandpapered cpu with 74hc244) since almost a year, for which I didn't had any problem programming my boards in AS mode, or JTAG direct mode until now.
Recently, I've purchased a Cyclone IV board which has only a JTAG, so the EPCS flash on it can only be programmed using JTAG indirect using SFL.
But, I'm not able to program the EPCS with my cheap Blaster, the SFL macro seems to be loaded properly on the FPGA according to jtagconfig -n, but then, the quartus_pgm is unable to communicate with the SFL and see the EPCS :
Info: ************************************************** *****************
Info: Running Quartus II 64-Bit Programmer
Info: Version 13.0.1 Build 232 06/12/2013 Service Pack 1 SJ Web Edition
Info: Copyright (C) 1991-2013 Altera Corporation. All rights reserved.
Info: Your use of Altera Corporation's design tools, logic functions
Info: and other software and tools, and its AMPP partner logic
Info: functions, and any output files from any of the foregoing
Info: (including device programming or simulation files), and any
Info: associated documentation or information are expressly subject
Info: to the terms and conditions of the Altera Program License
Info: Subscription Agreement, Altera MegaCore Function License
Info: Agreement, or other applicable license agreement, including,
Info: without limitation, that your use is for the sole purpose of
Info: programming logic devices manufactured by Altera and sold by
Info: Altera or its authorized distributors. Please refer to the
Info: applicable agreement for further details.
Info: Processing started: Wed Feb 19 12:11:02 2014
Info: Command: quartus_pgm -m JTAG -o pi;output_files/blinker.jic
Info (213045): Using programming cable "USB-Blaster(Altera) [1-1.3]"
Info (213011): Using programming file output_files/blinker.jic with checksum
0x1A5AF94D for device EP4CE10@1
Info (209060): Started Programmer operation at Wed Feb 19 12:11:03 2014
Info (209016): Configuring device index 1
Info (209017): Device 1 contains JTAG ID code 0x020F10DD
Info (209007): Configuration succeeded -- 1 device(s) configured
Error (209037): JTAG Server can't access selected programming hardware
Error (209012): Operation failed
Info (209061): Ended Programmer operation at Wed Feb 19 12:11:26 2014
Error: Quartus II 64-Bit Programmer was unsuccessful. 2 errors, 0 warnings
Error: Peak virtual memory: 286 megabytes
Error: Processing ended: Wed Feb 19 12:11:26 2014
Error: Elapsed time: 00:00:24
Error: Total CPU time (on all processors): 00:00:00
I'm now suspecting the Blaster clone itself ... So, I've ordered a new one based on FT245+CPLD, hoping I did the right choice across all the offerings ... But shipment will take 4 weeks before I can try it ...
(I've choose the following one :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FT245-CPLD-USB-Blaster-Programmer-Download-For-Altera-FPGA-CPLD-Stable-Version-/180978173969?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a2323c811)
Is anybody got such behaviour with their clones ?
Thanks in advance.