Altera Arria GX - Manual (Page 17)

Altera Corporation Getting Started User Guide 2–11
October 2007 Arria GX Development Kit
Getting Started
Using the
Arria GX
Development
Board for Your
Applications You can use the Arria GX development board to develop PCI Express as
well as other applications.
PCI Express Applications
As you develop the application, at some point you program the FPGA
with your design by downloading programming files to the development
board. You can use the following programming methods:
■ By SRAM Object File (SOF)
With this method, you download an SOF directly into the FPGA with
the development board installed in Computer #1. This method is
faster to make changes and debug your application. One
disadvantage of this method is that it requires a second computer.
Another disadvantage is that the FPGA does not retain the
downloaded programming file after the board is powered down.
■ By Programmer Object File (POF)
With this method, you download a POF to the on-board flash device.
The advantage for this method is that whenever the development
board powers up, the flash device configures the FPGA. Production
systems can use this method of programming because the flash
device would load the application when the shipped product
powers up at the customer site.
SOF Programming
For SOF programming, perform the following steps:
1. With Computer #1 powered off, install the Arria GX development
board into an open PCI Express slot.
2. Plug the external power supply into the DC Power Input (J1) on the
development board.
3. Insert the 10-pin female USB-Blaster plug into the JTAG Header (J6)
visible through the bracket on the side of the board.
4. Connect the USB cable between the USB-Blaster device and
Computer #2, the computer that you will use to program the FPGA.
1
Ensure that Computer #2 already has the Quartus II software
loaded and licensed and the USB-Blaster drivers installed.