Stratix II/Stratix II GX Device Configuration

Configuration Scheme Overview

Stratix^® II/Stratix II GX devices support the following configuration schemes:

• Serial—To Conserve Pins
  • Active Serial (AS)
    • Uses the Stratix II/Stratix II GX device to control the configuration process and get the configuration data from a serial configuraton (EPCS) device.
  • Passive Serial (PS)
    • Uses an external intelligent host such as a PC, an enhanced configuration (EPC) device, or a microprocessor to control the configuration process synchronously and supply the configuration data serially to a Stratix II/Stratix II GX device.
  • JTAG
    • Configures Stratix II/Stratix II GX devices via the IEEE Standard 1149.1 interface.
• Parallel—For Faster Configuration
  • Fast Passive Parallel (FPP)
    • Uses an external intelligent host, such as a PC, an EPC device, or a microprocessor, to control the configuration process synchronously and supply the configuration data in a parallel manner to the Stratix II/Stratix II GX device.
  • Passive Parallel Asynchronous (PPA)
    • Uses an external intelligent host, such as a PC or microprocessor, to control the configuration process asynchronously and supply the configuration data in a parallel manner to the Stratix II/Stratix II GX device.

How to Configure Stratix II/Stratix II GX Devices

• For Prototyping or Debugging
• Using Altera Programming Cables
  • The Quartus^® II programmer supports configuring Stratix II/Stratix II GX devices directly using PS or JTAG interfaces via Altera^® programming cables.

• In the Field
  • Serial Configuration Devices (EPCS1, EPCS4, EPCS16 & EPCS64) Features (PDF)
    • The Stratix II/Stratix II GX device gets its configuration data from the EPCS device automatically after power up. However, you need to program the EPCS device first.
  • Enhanced Configuration Devices (EPC4, EPC8 & EPC16) Data Sheet (PDF)
    • The EPC device configures the Stratix II/Stratix II GX device automatically after power up. However, you need to program the EPC device first.
  • MAX Series Configuration Controller Using Flash Memory White Paper (PDF)
    • A MAX^® or MAX II device is used as a flash memory configuration controller to configure Altera FPGAs.
    • Source code (ZIP)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are the configuration files for Stratix II EP2S60 engineering sample (ES) devices and EP2S60 devices compatible?
2. Why does the configuration behavior for an Altera FPGA behave differently with Quartus II software versions 4.1 and 4.2 if there is a configuration device that performs configuration if nCONFIG is toggled?
3. What version of Quartus II software supports the Stratix II remote system upgrade feature for use in AS configuration mode?
4. Is the JTAG ID code for the ES version different from the production version in Stratix II devices?
5. Why doesn't the AnF bit of the control register in the remote configuration block set to "1" when the Stratix or Stratix II device is configured with the application image?
6. What is CONFIG_IO?