Vintage Altera - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: @rt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 04:02:58 pm
content: Hi GuysI was given some old tubes of Altera, and if possible would like to have a go at writing for them since I have never touched FPGA,and since they were free, it doesn’t matter too much if I wrecked them, or am unsuccessful.The chips are: EPM7032LC44-10, EPM5032DC, EPM7064LC44-15, EPM5032PC, and (not Altera) CY7C342B-35JC.I have no specific design goal other than to see if I can use them, so my question:Can a programmer still be purchased for these? or potentially be home-brewed, and software available?I only assume there might be a problem because I think these chips are from the mid to late 90’s.I realise the programmers are probably expensive, and may not be compatible with vintage chips,and the first part would rule it out for me anyway!Cheers, Brek.

author: Rasz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 05:01:31 pm
content: hardware wont be a problem, software mightmy old post from hackaday:Quotealtera byteblaster ($15 usb or homemade lpt) will work with all of them, software license to generate projects targeting them might be different story. I wasnt lucky

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 06:10:00 pm
content: Get yourself a USB Blaster off Ebay, and download Quartus II version 13.1, which is the last release that supports the MAX 7000 series.http://dl.altera.com/13.0sp1/?edition=webThe MAX 5000 devices are very old (data sheet is 1999). You'd need to download and install Max Plus II, which was the earlier development software:https://www.altera.com/support/support-resources/design-software/max_plus-ii/sof-maxplus2.html

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 07:38:59 pm
content: Those are OTP devices. one time programmable. ...

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 09:27:38 pm
content: Some of those max5000 did have a window and you could erase them with uv light, not sure if these are the same.I also have some of these uv erasable chips left but my problem 12 yrs ago or so as I recall is that maxplus had a very expensive license, is there a free version around now after 15 years?

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 09:31:46 pm
content: BTW I really never ever understood why a hardware company that makes loads of money on their chips which is their core business wants expensive licenses for their software, bullocks!

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 08, 2015, 09:58:43 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on September 08, 2015, 09:31:46 pmI am not 100% sure about the FPGA business, but for microprocessors this was only true in the old days, when everything cost a lot of money to enter the club. Nowadays most is free (or very reasonably priced).

author: @rt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 09, 2015, 04:06:04 am
content: Thanks for the repliesI was given tubes of them for free so OTP is not a problem, and one of them is windowed.I didn’t realise there were cheap dev boards available, and was always under the impression that it was into the thousands to get into,so I might look into something newer so long as I don’t get stung too much with the software side.Cheers, Brek.

author: electro-logic
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2015, 01:26:28 pm
content: Hello,You can use USB Blaster to program the MAX7000 that is the most interesting IC of all.I don't think they are OTP but they are programmable a limited number of times like one hundred.I have proposed an homebrew devboard for EPM3064 that is very similar and can be adapted to EPM7032/7064 (just compare pinout and make need changes) and that can be made with toner transfer:http://electro-logic.blogspot.it/2014/02/logiche-programmabili-un-possibile.htmlHave fun,LeonardoPS: Try google or bing translate to translate article if you don't read Italian