DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition

Getting Started User Guide

101 Innovation Drive

San Jose, CA 95134
(408) 544-7000 Development Kit Version: 1.0.0
www.altera.com Document Version: 1.0.0
P25-11490-00 Document Date: May 2005
Copyright © 2005 Altera Corporation. All rights reserved. Altera, The Programmable Solutions Company, the stylized Altera logo, specific device des-
ignations, and all other words and logos that are identified as trademarks and/or service marks are, unless noted otherwise, the trademarks and
service marks of Altera Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective holders. Al-
tera products are protected under numerous U.S. and foreign patents and pending applications, maskwork rights, and copyrights. Altera warrants
performance of its semiconductor products to current specifications in accordance with Altera's standard warranty, but reserves the right to make
changes to any products and services at any time without notice. Altera assumes no responsibility or liability arising out of the ap-
plication or use of any information, product, or service described herein except as expressly agreed to in writing by Altera
Corporation. Altera customers are advised to obtain the latest version of device specifications before relying on any published in-
formation and before placing orders for products or services.

UG-DSP011205-1.0
ii Development Kit Version 1.0.0 Altera Corporation
DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User GuidePreliminary May 2005
 Contents

About This User Guide

Revision History ........................................................................................................................................ v
How to Contact Altera .............................................................................................................................. v
Typographic Conventions ...................................................................................................................... vi

Chapter 1. About This Kit

Release Information ............................................................................................................................... 1–1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1–1
Kit Contents ............................................................................................................................................ 1–1

Chapter 2. Getting Started

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2–1
Before You Begin Using the Kit ........................................................................................................... 2–1
DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Contents ................................................................... 2–1
Inspecting the Board ........................................................................................................................ 2–2
Software Requirements ................................................................................................................... 2–2
Installing the Software .......................................................................................................................... 2–3
Installing the Quartus II Software .................................................................................................. 2–3
Installing the MegaCore Functions ................................................................................................ 2–3
Installing The MathWorks MATLAB/Simulink CD-ROM ........................................................ 2–4
Installing DSP Builder ..................................................................................................................... 2–4
Installing the Nios II Embedded Processor .................................................................................. 2–4
Installing the Reference Designs & Lab ........................................................................................ 2–5
Setting up Licensing .............................................................................................................................. 2–6
Licensing the Quartus II Software & DSP Builder ...................................................................... 2–6
Licensing DSP Builder ..................................................................................................................... 2–7
Licensing the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition ................................................................ 2–7
Licensing MATLAB ......................................................................................................................... 2–7
Connecting the Cables to the Board & PC ......................................................................................... 2–8
Connecting the USB-Blaster Download Cable ............................................................................. 2–8
Connecting the SLP-50 Anti-Aliasing Filter ................................................................................. 2–9
Connecting the SMA Cable ........................................................................................................... 2–10
Connecting the Power Supply Cable ........................................................................................... 2–11
Applying Power to the Board ....................................................................................................... 2–11
Using the Reference Designs & Lab .................................................................................................. 2–12
Setting Unused Pins in the Reference and User Designs (Optional) ...................................... 2–12
Understanding SAFE Mode & USER Mode ............................................................................... 2–14
Testing the Board Using the Factory Design ................................................................................... 2–15
Understanding the Reference Design .......................................................................................... 2–15
Configuring the Board ................................................................................................................... 2–17

Altera Corporation iii

May 2005
Contents

iv Development Kit Version 1.0.0 Altera Corporation

DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
 About This User Guide

Revision History The following table displays the revision history for the chapters in this
user guide.

Chapter Date Version Changes Made

All May 2005 1.0.0 First publication

f For late-breaking information not available in this user guide, see the
README file on the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition version 1.0.0
CD-ROM.

How to Contact For technical support or other information about Altera products, go to
the Altera world-wide Web site at www.altera.com. You can also contact
Altera Altera through your local sales representative or any of the following
sources.

Information Type USA and Canada All Other Locations

Technical support www.altera.com/mysupport/ www.altera.com/mysupport/
800-800-EPLD (3753) +1 408-544-8767
7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (GMT -8:00)
Pacific Time
Product literature www.altera.com www.altera.com
Altera literature services literature@altera.com literature@altera.com
Non-technical customer 800-767-3753 + 1 408-544-7000
service 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (GMT -8:00)
Pacific Time
FTP site ftp.altera.com ftp.altera.com

Altera Corporation Development Kit Version 1.0.0 v

May 2005
Typographic Conventions

Typographic This document uses the typographic conventions shown below.

Conventions

Visual Cue Meaning

Bold Type with Command names, dialog box titles, checkbox options, and dialog box options are shown
Initial Capital in bold, initial capital letters.
Letters Example: Save As dialog box.
bold type External timing parameters, directory names, project names, disk drive names,
filenames, filename extensions, and software utility names are shown in bold type.
Examples: fMAX, \qdesigns directory, d: drive, chiptrip.gdf file.
Italic Type with Initial Document titles are shown in italic type with initial capital letters.
Capital Letters Example: AN75: High-Speed Board Design.
Italic type Internal timing parameters and variables are shown in italic type.
Examples: tPIA, n + 1.
Variable names are enclosed in angle brackets (< >) and shown in italic type.
Example: <file name>, <project name>.pof file.
Initial Capital Letters Keyboard keys and menu names are shown with initial capital letters.
Examples: Delete key, the Options menu.
“Subheading Title” References to sections within a document and titles of on-line help topics are shown in
quotation marks.
Example: “Typographic Conventions.”
Courier type Signal and port names are shown in lowercase Courier type.
Examples: data1, tdi, input.
Active-low signals are denoted by suffix n, for example, resetn.
Anything that must be typed exactly as it appears is shown in Courier type (for example:
c:\qdesigns\tutorial\chiptrip.gdf.
Also, sections of an actual file, such as a Report File, references to parts of files (for
example, the AHDL keyword SUBDESIGN), as well as logic function names (for example,
TRI) are shown in Courier.
1., 2., 3., and Numbered steps are used in a list of items when the sequence of the items is important,
a., b., c., and so on such as the steps listed in a procedure.
■ ● • Bullets are used in a list of items when the sequence of the items is not important.
v The checkmark indicates a procedure that consists of one step only.
1 The hand points to information that requires special attention.
The caution indicates required information that needs special consideration and
c understanding and should be read prior to starting or continuing with the procedure or
process.
The warning indicates information that should be read prior to starting or continuing the
w
procedure or processes.
r The angled arrow indicates you should press the Enter key.
f The feet direct you to more information on a particular topic.

2–vi Development Kit Version 1.0.0 Altera Corporation

DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
About This User Guide

Altera Corporation Development Kit Version 1.0.0 2–vii

May 2005 DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide
Typographic Conventions

2–viii Development Kit Version 1.0.0 Altera Corporation

DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
 Chapter 1. About This Kit

Release Table 1–1 provides information about this release of the DSP Development
Kit, Cyclone II Edition.
Information
Table 1–1. DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Release Information

Item Description
Version 1.0.0
Release Date May 2005
Ordering Code DSP-DEVKIT-2C35

Introduction The DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition provides everything you need
to develop complete system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions.
This document describes how to install the software provided with the
kit, how to connect the Cyclone™ II EP2C35 DSP development board to
your PC, and how to test the board.

Kit Contents The DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition includes:

■ Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board—a prototyping platform

that allows you to develop high-performance digital signal
processing (DSP) designs. Key features of the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP
development board include a EP2C35 FPGA, high-speed analog-to-
digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) converters, and
connectors for the Spectrum Digital DSP Starter Kit (DSK) for the
TMS320C6416, Revision E.

f For detailed information about the components and interfaces included

on the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board, and about their
locations on the board, refer to the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP Development
Board Reference Manual.

■ DSP Builder Version 5.0.0 CD-ROM— DSP system design in Altera®

devices requires both high-level algorithms and hardware
description language (HDL) development tools. Altera’s DSP
Builder is a system-level DSP design tool that provides an interface
between the MathWorks MATLAB/Simulink software and the
Altera Quartus II software. DSP Builder integrates these tools by
®

combining the algorithm development, simulation, and verification

Altera Corporation Development Kit Version 1.0.0 1–1

May 2005 Preliminary
Kit Contents

capabilities of the MATLAB/Simulink system-level design tools

with Altera’s HDL synthesis, simulation, and place-and-route tools.
DSP Builder shortens DSP design cycles by helping you create the
hardware realization of a DSP design in an algorithm-friendly
development environment, allowing system, algorithm, and
hardware designers to share a common development platform.

f For more information about DSP Builder, refer to the DSP Builder User
Guide.

■ Quartus II Software Development Kit Edition (DKE) version 5.0

CD-ROM—The Quartus II software provides a comprehensive
environment for SOPC design. The Quartus II software integrates
into nearly any design environment, with interfaces to
industry-standard EDA tools.

■ MegaCore® IP Library version 5.0 CD-ROM—This CD-ROM contains

Altera intellectual property (IP) MegaCore functions, including DSP
MegaCore functions. You can evaluate the MegaCore functions using
the OpenCore® Plus feature, which allows you to:

● Simulate the behavior of a MegaCore function within your

system
● Verify the functionality of your design, as well as quickly and
easily evaluate its size and speed
● Generate time-limited device programming files for designs that
include MegaCore functions
● Configure a device and verify your design in hardware

You may only need to purchase a license for a MegaCore function

when you are completely satisfied with its functionality and
performance, and want to take your design to production.

1 The OpenCore Plus hardware evaluation feature is an

evaluation tool for prototyping only. You must purchase a
license to use an Altera IP function in production designs.

For details on licensing the OpenCore Plus hardware evaluation

feature, refer to the application note, AN 320: OpenCore Plus
Evaluation of Megafunctions.

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DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
About This Kit

■ Nios® II Embedded Processor Evaluation Edition version 5.0 CD-ROM—

This CD-ROM contains the following:

● The Nios II CPU Component & Peripherals for SOPC Builder—The

CPU component provides three processor IP variations for the
SOPC Builder hardware component library.
● Nios II IDE—An integrated platform for embedded software
development including multiple run configurations and project
management.

■ The MathWorks MATLAB and Simulink CD-ROM Release 14 with

Service Pack 2 (R14SP2)—This CD-ROM contains 3rd party tools that
are used in conjunction with DSP Builder as part of Altera's DSP
development flow.

● MATLAB is a high-level technical computing language

environment for algorithm development, data visualization,
data analysis, and numerical computation.

● Simulink provides an interactive graphical environment and a

customizable set of block libraries that let you accurately design,
simulate, implement, and test signal processing systems.

■ DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition version 1.0.0 CD-ROM—This

CD-ROM includes several reference designs and one lab to help you
get started building applications and the contains the following
documentation:

● Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board schematic

● Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP Development Board Reference Manual
● This document (DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting
Started User Guide)
● AN375: Cyclone II FFT Co-Processor Reference Design
● AN377: Edge Detection Using SOPC Builder & DSP Builder Tool
Flow
● AN383: Cyclone II DDR2 SDRAM Demonstration
● AN376: Cyclone II Filtering Lab
● Nios II example designs

For more information about the reference designs and the lab, refer
to “Using the Reference Designs & Lab” on page 2–13.

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Kit Contents

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DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
 Chapter 2. Getting Started

Introduction This chapter covers the following topics:

■ “Before You Begin Using the Kit”

■ “Installing the Software” on page 2–3
■ “Setting up Licensing” on page 2–7
■ “Connecting the Cables to the Board & PC” on page 2–9
■ “Using the Reference Designs & Lab” on page 2–13
■ “Setting Unused Pins in the Reference and User Designs” on
page 2–13
■ “Testing the Board Using the Factory Design” on page 2–16

Before You Before using the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition or installing
software, check the kit contents and inspect the Cyclone™ II EP2C35 DSP
Begin Using the development board to verify that you received all items. If any items are
Kit missing, contact Altera before you proceed.

DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Contents

The DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition contains the following items:

■ Cyclone® II EP2C35 DSP development board with an EP2C35 device

■ DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition version 1.0.0 CD-ROM
■ DSP Builder version 5.0.0 CD-ROM
■ The MathWorks MATLAB and Simulink CD-ROM Release 14 with
Service Pack 2 (R14SP2), which includes:
● MATLAB version 7.0.4
● Simulink version 6.2
■ Quartus® II Software Development Kit Edition (DKE) version 5.0
CD-ROM
■ Nios® II Embedded Processor Evaluation Edition version 5.0
CD-ROM
■ MegaCore® IP Library version 5.0 CD-ROM
■ SLP-50 anti-aliasing filter from Mini-Circuits
■ SMA cable
■ USB-Blaster™ download cable
■ USB cable
■ Power supply and adapters for North America/Japan, Europe, and
the United Kingdom
■ Quartus II Design Software Installation & Licensing for PCs manual

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Before You Begin Using the Kit

Inspecting the Board

Place the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board on an anti-static
surface and inspect it to ensure that it has not been damaged during
shipment. Verify that all components are on the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP
development board and appear intact.

1 The Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board can be

damaged without proper anti-static handling.

f For information on the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board

components and their locations, refer to the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP
Development Board Reference Manual, available on the DSP Development
Kit, Cyclone II Edition version 1.0.0 CD-ROM.

Software Requirements
You must install the following software before you begin developing
designs for the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition.

■ The Quartus II software version 5.0. Refer to “Installing the

Quartus II Software” on page 2–3.

f Your system must meet the Quartus II software minimum requirements.

Refer to the Quartus II System Requirements section in the Quartus II
Design Software Installation & Licensing for PCs manual, which is included
with the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition.

■ Internet Explorer (IE) starting with version 5.0 is required to use the
Quartus II online Help system.

■ Internet access for online registration of the Quartus II software and

request license files. If you do not have Internet access, contact your
local Altera representative.

■ The MegaCore® IP Library version 5.0 CD-ROM. Refer to “Installing

the MegaCore Functions” on page 2–3.

■ The software on the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition version

1.0.0 CD-ROM. Refer to “Installing the Reference Designs & Lab” on
page 2–5.

■ The MathWorks MATLAB version 7.0.4 and Simulink version 6.2

DSP system design and modeling tools provided on The MathWorks
MATLAB and Simulink Evaluation CD-ROM Release 14 with Service
Pack 2 (R14SP2). This software is required to create hardware

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DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
Getting Started

description language (HDL) designs that use blocks from DSP

Builder. Refer to “Installing The MathWorks MATLAB/Simulink
CD-ROM” on page 2–3.

Installing the The instructions in this section explain how to install the following
software:
Software
■ “Installing the Quartus II Software”
■ “Installing the MegaCore Functions”
■ “Installing The MathWorks MATLAB/Simulink CD-ROM”
■ “Installing DSP Builder”
■ “Installing the Nios II Embedded Processor”
■ “Installing the Reference Designs & Lab”

Installing the Quartus II Software

Software installation directions are provided in the Installing the
Quartus II Software section in the Quartus II Design Software Installation &
Licensing for PCs manual, which is included with the DSP Development Kit,
Cyclone II Edition. After installing the software, you must request and
install a license to enable it. Refer to “Setting up Licensing” on page 2–7
for more information.

Installing the MegaCore Functions

To install the MegaCore functions and reference design, insert the
MegaCore IP Library version 5.0 CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive. The
installation program automatically starts.

Installing The MathWorks MATLAB/Simulink CD-ROM

To install The MathWorks software, follow these steps:

1. If you have installed a previous version of the MATLAB/Simulink

software, and it is running, close the software before continuing to
the next step.

2. Insert The MathWorks MATLAB and Simulink CD-ROM Release 14

with Service Pack 2 (R14SP2). The MathWorks Installer
automatically starts, displaying the Welcome to The MathWorks
Installer dialog box. Choose Install and click Next.

3. Enter your name, company name, and PLP (see “Licensing

MATLAB” on page 2–9) in the License Information dialog box and
click Next.

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May 2005 DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started Guide
Installing the Software

4. Review the software licensing agreement. If you agree with the

terms, select the Yes check box and click Next.

5. Select Typical or Custom installation (for any user-specific

selections) and click Next.

6. Click Install.

7. Click Finish.

Installing DSP Builder

To install DSP Builder, refer to the DSP Builder User Guide for installation
instructions.

Installing the Nios II Embedded Processor

The Nios II CPU component and integrated development environment
(IDE) is installed from the CD-ROM included in the DSP Development Kit,
Cyclone II Edition.

1. Insert the Nios II Embedded Processor Evaluation Edition version

5.0 CD-ROM. If the install program does not automatically start,
browse to your CD-ROM drive and double-click on the program
launcher.exe.

2. Select which components to install. Altera recommends installing

the default options.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions to select the installation directory

and program group.

1 You can create, compile and generate time-limited Nios II

processor systems using the OpenCore Plus hardware
evaluation feature without obtaining a license file. You must
obtain a license for the Nios II processor core and the Quartus II
software to generate non-time-limited programming files and
flash programming files for new Nios II hardware systems. You
do not need a license if you will only develop software using the
Nios II integrated development environment (IDE). For
licensing information, look on the Altera web site at
www.altera.com.

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DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
Getting Started

Installing the Reference Designs & Lab

To install the reference designs and lab, follow these steps:

1. Insert the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition version 1.0.0

CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.

2. To install the software, double-click on the file:

CycloneII_DSP_Kit-v1.0.0.exe

The software installs itself in the following default directory:

C:\altera\kits\CycloneII_DSP_Kit-v1.0.0

3. When the software installation is complete, remove the CD.

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May 2005 DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started Guide
Installing the Software

.Figure 2–1 shows the directory structure where the DSP Development Kit,
Cyclone II Edition is installed.

Figure 2–1. DSP Development Kit, Quartus II Directory Structure

<install-path> The default path is C:\altera\kits\

CycloneII_DSP_Kit-v1.0.0

Docs
Contains all DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition documentation, including the board
design files, the physical layout database, the manufacturing files, the reference manual,
and the user guide
Examples

HW

Demonstrations

DDR2
Contains the DDR2 demonstration design

FunctionalTests
Contains a board diagnostic program

FactoryDesign
Contains the sines Quartus II project used in this user guide

Lab

Filtering
Contains the Cyclone II filtering lab

NiosII
Contains Nios II example designs

ReferenceDesigns

emif_ref_design_FFT
Contains the Cyclone II FFT co-processor reference design

Tool_Flow
Contains the Cyclone II tool flow reference design

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DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
Getting Started

Setting up This section describes the software licensing procedures.

Licensing
Licensing the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition
Before using the Quartus II software, you must obtain a license file from
the Altera web site at www.altera.com and install the license file on your
PC.

1 The Quartus II DKE software license allows you to use the

product for 12 months. After 12 months, you must purchase a
Fixed PC or FloatNet subscription.

To obtain a license, follow these steps:

1 If you have a Fixed PC or FloatNet Quartus II subscription, you

can use that software instead of the Quartus II DKE software. If
you intend to use your existing licensed software, you can skip
the instructions below to obtain the license for the Quartus II
Software Development Kit Edition included in your
development kit.

1. Select the Licensing link at the top-right corner on the home page of
the Altera Web site at www.altera.com.

2. Click Cyclone II Development Kits.

3. Follow the instructions to request your license. Altera will e-mail

you a license file that enables the software. You need your network
identification card (NIC) ID and the kit serial number to license the
Quartus II software.

1 Your network interface card (NIC) ID is a 12-character

hexadecimal number that uniquely identifies your
computer. You can find the NIC ID for your card by typing
ipconfig /all at a command prompt. Your NIC ID is the
number on the physical address line.

The kit serial number is an 11-digit code of the form

2C35SPXXXXX where the X’s represent decimal numbers.
This serial number is located in three places: on the external
shipping box, internal box, and Quartus II CD- ROM jacket.
Refer to the serial number sticker in Figure 2–2.

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May 2005 DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started Guide
Setting up Licensing

Figure 2–2. Serial Number Example

The serial number is the bottom-most number, which is

2C35SPXXXXX in the above example.

4. After receiving your license that Altera e-mails you, close the
following software applications if they are open:

● Quartus II software
● MAX+PLUS II software
● LeonardoSpectrum synthesis tool
● Synplify synthesis software
● ModelSim simulator software
● Precision RTL synthesis software

5. To install your license, refer to Specifying the License File in the

Quartus II Design Software Installation & Licensing for PCs manual,
which is included in the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition.

Licensing MegaCore Functions

You only need to purchase a license for a MegaCore function when you
are completely satisfied with its functionality and performance, and want
to take your design to production.

1 The OpenCore Plus hardware evaluation feature is an

evaluation tool for prototyping only. You must purchase a
license to use an Altera IP function in production designs.

For details on licensing the OpenCore Plus hardware feature,

refer to the application note, AN 320: OpenCore Plus Evaluation
of Megafunctions.

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DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started User Guide May 2005
Getting Started

Licensing DSP Builder

The DSP Builder software license included with the DSP Development Kit,
Cyclone II Edition is a perpetual license with free software upgrades for
the first 12 months. After 12 months, you must purchase a renewal
subscription for access to future software upgrades. For more
information, see the Licensing link on the Altera Web site at
www.altera.com.

Licensing MATLAB
Before installing MATLAB, make sure that you have your Personal
License Password (PLP) available.

1 A 30-day evaluation license for MATLAB/Simulink is

included as part of the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II
Edition. To obtain the PLP and for more information, refer to
The MathWorks Web site at:

www.mathworks.com/products/connections/
trials/altera.shtml.

Connecting the This section explains how to set up the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP
development board hardware, how to power up the board, and includes
Cables to the the following topics:
Board & PC ■ “Connecting the USB-Blaster Download Cable”
■ “Connecting the SLP-50 Anti-Aliasing Filter” on page 2–10
■ “Connecting the SMA Cable” on page 2–11
■ “Connecting the Power Supply Cable” on page 2–12
■ “Applying Power to the Board” on page 2–12

Connecting the USB-Blaster Download Cable

You must install the USB-Blaster download cable driver before you can
use the USB-Blaster download cable.

f For details on installing the USB-Blaster™ driver on your PC, refer to the
USB-Blaster Download Cable User Guide. The driver files are installed at
<quartus-install-dir>\drivers\usb-blaster.

Connect the USB-Blaster cable’s 10-pin female plug to the Cyclone II

JTAG connector (J9) on the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board
and connect the other end to the USB port on your PC. See Figure 2–3.
This allows you to directly configure the Cyclone II device using an

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May 2005 DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition Getting Started Guide
Connecting the Cables to the Board & PC

SRAM Object File (.sof). The reference designs and the lab provided with
the DSP Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition include SOFs for directly
configuring the Cyclone II device.

Figure 2–3. Connecting the USB-Blaster Download Cable to J9

USB-Blaster Cable

JTAG Connector (J9)

Connecting the SLP-50 Anti-Aliasing Filter

The SLP-50 anti-aliasing filter from Mini-Circuits provides a 55 MHz
cutoff frequency. To use the anti-aliasing filter, connect the filter to one
end of the SMA cable. You can perform an external loopback from the
output of the digital-to-analog (D/A) converter to the input of the
analog-to-digital (A/D) converter using the filter and cable assembly. If
the cutoff frequency must be lower than 55 MHz, other filters may be
used.

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Getting Started

Connecting the SMA Cable

After attaching the SLP-50 (or other) anti-aliasing filter to one end of the
the SMA cable, connect the SMA cable to the D/A and A/D connectors
on the Cyclone II development board:

■ The SMA D/A output converter DAC CHANNEL A (J31)

■ The SMA A/D input converter ADC CHANNEL A (J32)

Figure 2–4 shows the cable and the SLP-50 anti-aliasing filter installed as
required in “Performing the A/D and D/A Converter Performance Test”
on page 2–17.

Figure 2–4. SMA Cable & SLP-50 Filter Installed to Connect DAC CHANNEL A (J31) with ADC CHANNEL A
(J32)

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Connecting the Cables to the Board & PC

Connecting the Power Supply Cable

Connect the power cable to the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development
board as shown in Figure 2–5 and plug the transformer end into a power
outlet.

Figure 2–5. Connected Power Supply Cable

Power Cable
J1
Power Connector

Applying Power to the Board

To power-up the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board, place SW1
(POWER switch) in the ON position. When power is supplied to the
Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board, LED D1 turns on, indicating
the board has power.

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Using the Altera provides several reference designs and one lab with the DSP
Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition to help you get started building
Reference applications. The reference designs and the lab are described in the
Designs & Lab following documentation:

■ AN375: Cyclone II FFT Co-Processor Reference Design

■ AN377: Edge Detection Using SOPC Builder & DSP Builder Tool Flow
■ AN383: Cyclone II DDR2 SDRAM Demonstration
■ AN376: Cyclone II Filtering Lab

Setting Unused Pins in the Reference and User Designs

In the factory design and in the lab included with the DSP Development
Kit, Cyclone II Edition, all unused pins are set as tri-stated inputs and the
following procedure is not necessary. However, when compiling your
own designs, Altera recommends that you set all unused pins as tri-stated
inputs.

w The Quartus II software default settings configure unused pins

as outputs driving ground. The Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP
development board components may be damaged by having
GND signals driven onto pins that drive VCC. You must
complete the following procedure.

To set unused pins as tri-stated inputs, follow these steps:

1. Run the Quartus II software.

2. Choose Device (Assignments menu).

3. On the Device page of the Settings dialog box, click Device & Pin
Options, then click the Unused Pins tab.

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4. Under Reserve all unused pins, select As inputs, tri-stated

(Figure 2–6).

Figure 2–6. Device & Pin Options Dialog Box

5. Click OK to close the Device & Pin Options dialog box.

6. Click OK to close the Settings dialog box.

f For more information on configuring the EP2C35 FPGA, refer to the

Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP Development Board Reference Manual.

For more information about configuring Cyclone II devices, refer to the

Configuring Cyclone II Devices chapter of the Cyclone II Device Handbook.

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Setting SAFE & USER Configuration Modes

Before starting board testing in “Testing the Board Using the Factory
Design”, you should have a brief understanding of the two configuration
modes of the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board.

The EP2C35 device on the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board

can be configured by using one of two EPCS64 devices. One EPCS64
device contains a factory configuration referred to as the “SAFE”
configuration, the other EPCS64 device referred to as “USER”
configuration is available to you to store your custom configuration.

f Information about SAFE and USER configuration modes is provided in

the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP Development Board Reference Manual.

■ J29 controls which EPCS64 device to configure.

● Jumper J29, pins 1 and 2 set SAFE EPCS configuration mode to

run the factory design.

● Jumper J29, pins 2 and 3 set USER EPCS configuration mode to

run a user design.

■ The factory design stored on U17 (SAFE EPCS) configures the device
each time the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board is powered
up in SAFE EPCS configuration mode.

You can also reconfigure the device with the factory design stored in
U17 (SAFE EPCS) by pressing SW7, which resets the hardware and
reconfigures the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board in SYS
RESET mode.

c If you overwrite the factory design stored on U17, refer to the

Restoring the Factory Design appendix in the Cyclone II EP2C35
DSP Development Board Reference Manual.

■ A user design stored on U36 (USER EPCS) configures the device each
time the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board is powered up
in USER EPCS configuration mode.

For more information on the factory design, and on SAFE and USER
configuration modes, refer to “Testing the Board Using the Factory
Design” on page 2–16.

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Testing the Put the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board in SAFE
configuration mode by putting a jumper on J29, pins 1 and 2. Then apply
Board Using the power and the Cyclone II device will be configured with the factory
Factory Design design stored in the EPCS64 flash memory, serial configuration device
(U17). When configuration is complete, LEDs D9 through D5
(USER_LED0 through USER_LED4, respectively), flash yellow,
functioning as a binary counter that counts down to zero. This indicates
that the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board is functional and the
EP2C35 device was successfully configured with the factory design.

If the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board does not start as

described above, follow these steps:

■ Turn off the power to the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development

board by placing SW1 (POWER switch) in the OFF position.

■ Place the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board in SAFE

configuration mode by placing a jumper on pins 1 and 2 on jumper
J29.

■ Power-up the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board by placing

SW1 (POWER switch) in the ON position.

c If you overwrite the factory design stored on U17, refer to the

Restoring the Factory Design appendix in the Cyclone II EP2C35
DSP Development Board Reference Manual.

Understanding the Factory Design

In the factory design, two sine waves are generated by two instances of
the Altera numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) MegaCore. One of
these oscillators is running at 10 times the frequency of the other, but both
of them have the same amplitude, covering 13 bits of dynamic range. The
two sine waves output from these blocks are added together and the
output is converted from a two’s complement representation into
unsigned integer format. This combined sine wave signal of 14-bits
dynamic range is sent to a 14-bit D/A converter. The analog output of a
D/A converter is connected, via the included SMA cable, with the analog
input of a 12-bit A/D converter. The A/D converter’s digital output is
looped back to the Cyclone II device. The design converts this loopback
input from two’s complement format to unsigned integer format. The
converted loopback data is captured by an instance of the SignalTap® II
logic analyzer in the design for display and analysis. Figure 2–7 shows a
high-level view of the factory design and how it interacts with the D/A
and A/D converters on the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board
in the following sections.

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Figure 2–7. Factory Design Functional Block Diagram

EP2C35 Device (U18)

DAC904E Device
NCO (U25)

100 MHz DAC CHANNEL A out (J31)

10 MHz comb[13..0] SMA Connector
Clock Signal
Sine Wave Source DAC A

comb[13..0]
NCO SignalTap II SMA Cable and
ADS5520 device SLP-50 Low-pass
1 MHz (U26) Filter
Sine Wave Source

a2db[11..0]
ADC A
ADC CHANNEL A in (J32)
SMA Connector

1 The design files for the factory design are installed from the DSP
Development Kit, Cyclone II Edition, Cyclone II Edition version
1.0.0 CD-ROM in the directory:

<install-path>\CycloneII_DSP_Kit-v1.0.0\Examples\HW\
FactoryDesign

Testing LEDs and Push-button Switches

In the factory design, switches SW2 through SW5 (USER_PB3 through
USER_PB0) are connected via inverters to LEDs D9 through D6
(USER_LED0 to USER_LED3, respectively). When a switch is pressed, the
corresponding LED turns off. You can test this functionality on the
Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board.

Performing the A/D and D/A Converter Performance Test

To test the A/D and D/A converter performance using the factory
design, follow these steps:

1. “Configuring the Board” on page 2–18

2. “Collecting Data Using the SignalTap II Logic Analyzer” on

page 2–20

3. “Analyzing the Data in the MATLAB Software” on page 2–21

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Configuring the Board

To configure the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board, follow
these steps:

1. Connect the SLP-50 filter (low pass filter) to one end of the SMA
cable.

2. Use the cable-filter assembly to connect DAC CHANNEL A (J31)

with ADC CHANNEL A (J32).

3. Add the correct jumpers for the clocks (see Figure 2–8 and
Figure 2–9).

a. For the DAC CHANNEL A Clock Select (J35), place a jumper

on pins 1 and 2.

b. For the ADC CHANNEL A Clock Select (J37), place a jumper

on pins 1 and 2.

4. For the ADC Output Data Format Select (J30) place a jumper on pins
5 and 6. This sets the data output format to two’s complement.

f For more information about the data output format from the ADC, refer
to the Analog-to-Digital Converter (U26) section in the Cyclone II EP2C35
DSP Development Board Reference Manual.

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Figure 2–8 shows the location of jumpers J30, J35 and J37 on the
Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board.

Figure 2–8. Locations of Jumpers J30, J35 & J37

J35 J37 J30

Figure 2–9 shows the jumper settings described in step 3 and step 4.

Figure 2–9. Jumper Connections for J35, J37 & J30

Pin 6
Pin 1 Pin 2 Pin 1 Pin 2

J35 J37 J30

OSC OSC Pin 1
PLL PLL
SMA SMA
Pin 5

5. Start the Quartus II software.

6. Choose Open Project (File menu). In the Open Project dialog box,
browse to the directory:

<install-path>\CycloneII_DSP_Kit-v.1.0.0\Examples\HW\
FactoryDesign

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7. Select sines.qpf, which contains project definitions for the edge

detection reference design, and click Open.

8. The Signal Tap II file (.stp) provided with the design, sines.stp,
automatically opens when you open the sines project. To bring it to
the front, choose sines.stp (Window menu). Figure 2–10 shows
sines.stp displayed in the SignalTap II logic analyzer.

Figure 2–10. Sines.stp Displayed in the SignalTap II Logic Analyzer

1 If you modify and recompile the design, specify your new

SOF and click Progam Device in the SignalTap II window
to configure the device with your SOF.

Collecting Data Using the SignalTap II Logic Analyzer

To collect data from the design for analysis, follow these steps.

1. In the Instance Manager section of the SignalTap II window, click

Run Analysis and observe the following:

a. Observe the D/A converter input on comb[13..0]. It shows a

combination of two sine waves.

b. Observe the A/D converter output on a2db[11..0]. It shows

an attenuated combination of two sine waves.

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1 The A/D converter output is attenuated because the bit

resolution is reduced from 14 bits to 12 bits. Analog
circuitry on the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP development board
also causes some additional attenuation.

2. Choose Create SignalTap II List File from Create / Update (File

Menu). The Quartus II software generates the file
sines_auto_signaltap_0.txt in the project directory.

Analyzing the Data in the MATLAB Software

To analyze the a2db data from sines_auto_signaltap_0.txt in MATLAB,
follow these steps:

1. Start the MATLAB software.

2. At the MATLAB Command Window, type the following command:

nstp_plot('sines_auto_signaltap_0.txt') r

The MATLAB software displays a normalized plot of the DAC

CHANNEL A input similar to Figure 2–11.

Figure 2–11. Normalized Spectral Plot of 14-Bit DAC Channel A Input Data

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The plotted graph of the peak spur level is below 60 db. A normalized
FFT plot of ADC CHANNEL A output is shown in Figure 2–12.

Figure 2–12. Normalized Spectral Plot of 12-bit ADC Channel A Output Data

Conclusion
This Getting Started User Guide walks you through the software
installation process, obtaining the license for the DSP Development Kit,
Cyclone II Edition, and other software, as well as board setup,
configuration, and testing of the Cyclone II EP2C35 DSP Development
board.

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