Altera MasterBlaster Serial/USB - Manual (Page 9)

© July 2008 Altera Corporation MasterBlaster Serial/USB Communications Cable User Guide
1. Installing the MasterBlaster
Serial/USB Communications Cable
Introduction
The MasterBlaster TM serial/USB communications cable is a download cable that
allows PC and workstation users to program and configure devices in-system. The
MasterBlaster cable provides multi-device JTAG chain configuration and
programming support for SRAM-based devices, such as APEX
TM 20K and Mercury TM
devices, EEPROM-based devices, such as MAX ® 3000 and MAX 7000 devices, and
configuration devices, such as the EPC2 and EPC16. You can also use the
MasterBlaster cable to run SignalTap
® II logic analysis. The MasterBlaster cable also
provides multi-device passive serial (PS) chain configuration support for
SRAM-based devices, such as APEX 20K and Mercury devices. This cable can be used
in 2.5-, 3.3-, and 5.0-V systems.
Altera® offers a variety of hardware to program and configure Altera devices. For
conventional device programming, in-system programming, and in-circuit
reconfiguration, designers can choose from a wide range of programming hardware
options.
This user guide provides the following information about the MasterBlaster ™
serial/USB communications cable.
■ How to install the cable and its driver software
■ How to use the cable after installation
■ A complete list of the cable’s features
■ A functional description of the cable
Installation
The MasterBlaster communications cable connects a circuit board to the USB
(Windows 2000, Windows XP x32 edition, and Windows Vista x32 edition only) or RS-
232 serial port (called a COM port on a PC) on a PC, UNIX, or Linux workstation. The
10-pin female plug for the cable connects to a 10-pin male header on the circuit board
that contains the target device(s), as shown in
Figure 1–1 . Programming or
configuration data can be downloaded from the serial or USB port, using the Quartus ®
II Programmer, through the MasterBlaster cable to the circuit board through these
connections.
1 The Quartus II software version 8.1 and later will no longer support MasterBlaster
communication cable.
The MasterBlaster communications cable receives power from any one of the
following sources:
■ 5.0- or 3.3-V circuit boards
■ 5.0 V from the USB cable (Windows 2000, Windows XP x32 edition, and Windows
Vista x32 edition only)