USB interface use by NIOS apps

[patk]

Can the USB interface be used by regular apps or is it locked down for only the JTAG/arrow interface? If I use a separate JTAG cable can I get around this?

[JH]

Hi,

FTDI on MAX1000 has 2 ports. First port is fix for JTAG, second one is connected to FPGA fabric, see schematics:

• https://shop.trenz-electronic.de/en/Download/?path=Trenz_Electronic/Modules_and_Module_Carriers/2.5x6.15/TEI0001/REV03/Documents

This is used for uart by default, see:

• https://www.trenz-electronic.de/fileadmin/docs/Trenz_Electronic/Modules_and_Module_Carriers/2.5x6.15/TEI0001/User_Guide/MAX1000%20User%20Guide.pdf

Other Links to sources and documentation:

• https://wiki.trenz-electronic.de/display/PD/TEI0001+Resources

br
John

[patk]

I found out as I expected that the FTDI driver on Windows only lets one app access the USB interface at a time. It looks like you can use either the JTAG or the COM on the interface but not both. Does the separate Arrow USB programmer 2 get me past this road block?

[JH]

Hi,

why do you think it doesn't work on Windows?
I've tried out on my Win10 with CYC1000 and internal loopback from BDBUS0 to BDBUS1. See attachment picture.

br
John

[patk]

I finally figured out the second port on the FTDI driver. When the driver first installs with the Arrow blaster only the JTAG com port is turned on and shows in the device/serial ports. I found out that I had to manually open up the FTDI driver and enable a second VCP. This may have been obvious to someone familiar with the FTDI driver and the Arrow blaster, but new to me and its not easily found or documented.

I did get the second com port to work with the MAX1000.

[JH]

Hi,

thank you very much for this information.

I don't know why it works on my place, maybe this was set correctly during my Xilinx JTAG driver installation.  We use second FTDI port for uart also with our JTAG programmer for Xilinx devices.

I've forward this notes to the Arrow Programmer driver/setup files developer, so I hope they can solve this issue during the next update.

br
John
 

[blipton]

I understand the FT2232H-56Q port A is physically wired to the JTAG port of the fpga  (J4 on the MAX1000)..  but as a thought experiment, if port B was not available, would it be possible to :

jumper TCK/TXD (J4.3) to a GPIO (ex. J6.1)
           TDI/RXD (J4.5) to a GPIO (ex. J6.2)

and in the Logic connect these GPIOs to a UART?

Then, if you wanted to program/debug, you would set the Port A driver D2XX (Arrow USB).. and to switch to a Com port, you would just need to change the driver to VCP?

Also, does the Arrow USB driver work for other FTDI / MAX10 chips?  ex.  FT4232HQ / 10M50SCE144A7G?

[JH]

Hi,
you can find schematics here:

• https://shop.trenz-electronic.de/de/Download/?path=Trenz_Electronic/Modules_and_Module_Carriers/2.5x6.15/TEI0001/REV03/Documents

JTAG is connected to port A of the FTDI. With JTAG_EN Pin you can disable MAX10 JTAG IOs to use them as normal IOs on J4 connector
BDBUS0...5 from Port B of the FTDI are connected normal FPGA IOs. They can be used default for UART. See FTDI Datasheet.

FTDI needs special configuration to be work with arrow drivers.
Intel Device is't relevant.

br
John