Flashing using the USB blaster¶

Its possible to flash the .sof using the USB blaster, but this only lasts until the board is restarted.
To do this:
#Connect power to the board
#Connect the jtag
#In quartus go to tools->programmer
#In the programmer select 'add file' and choose the .sof file
#Tell it to start

To store on the flash chip you need to make a .jic file. The v1 board has a chip compatible with the EPCQ128. The v3 board has a chip compatible with the EPCS128.

Making a jic file from a sof¶

I now tend to always make and post .jic files with each release, so this is really just a FYI.

1. In quartus go to file->convert programming files
2. Select programming file type 'jtag indirect programming file'
3. Select configuration device (v1:EPCQ128, v3:EPCS128, v3.1:??)
4. Select mode: Active serial
5. Set appropriate file name
6. In 'input files to convert' select 'flash loader' and click 'add device' on the right
7. Select 'Cyclone V' on left and the correct FPGA on the right (v1: 5CEBA2, v3: 5CEBA4)
8. In 'input files to convert' select 'sof data' and click 'add file'
9. Select the .sof file to convert
10. Select properties on the new line and enable 'compression'
11. All done, click ok to save .jic file
12. Then flash using the programmer as you would with a .sof - it takes longer but it will last over a reboot
    Alternatively I'll post .jics from time to time...