Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

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Silvester
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Silvester »

Peter wrote:Firstly, the license cost issue affects "ispLever Classic", not "ispLever", which I continue to use for free.
Secondly, neither "ispLever" nor "ispLever Classic" are needed or even used for the Qx0 PLDs.
I did start looking for pDS Starter but constantly got steered back to ispLEVER Classic for programming legacy devices, for which a license (no longer free) could be obtained. I'm not yet aware whether installing an older version requiring a license is still possible (if Lattice would issue signature).
Peter wrote:I developed the Qx0 logic with pDS Starter (nowadays requiring a VM or so for Windows 95).
That is what I eventually searched for, but never have yet found. But unsure how USB programmer (HW-USBN-2A ?) would be accessed under W95.
Peter wrote:Just programming the PLDs works with any Lattice programming software that is old enough, I use a version around 2010. Maybe a little newer also still works. Those were and are always free of charge.
Hopefully, but I'm unsure if a new installation of old software can get free license issued from Lattice. I will have another search, I have yet to find any suitable old versions <exhausted smiley>

Perhaps I have been misled by some posts (i.e. https://www.edaboard.com/threads/lattic ... re.120097/)

If someone has pointer to suitable older Lattice software I would appreciate it.


David
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi,

I use a HW-USBN-2A clone to programme the Q68, but there is a possibility of the ispLSI1016 being able to be used with the HW-USBN-2A, with the correct software.

I had ispLever v1.7 which is Licence free, downloaded many years are now corrupted, Lattice Support do not accept Help Requests on programming the ispLSI1016.

ispLever v2.01 is available, but requires an expensive licence.

But I have found, ispLever v1.8 on Archive.org:
https://archive.org/details/ispLEVER_Classic_Base_1_8

I installed ispLEVER v1.8 on a Wndows XP Virtual Machine in VirtualBox. The application installed OK, but reported that the 30 free Licence Period had expired. Apply to Lattice to have a Licence supplied.

Since Lattice do not support the ispLSI1016 or ispLEVER under version 2.01, I douibt they will give a Node Locked Licence for version 1.8. But I will see if they will look at this.

I could also use a HiLo Systems ALL03a with an adapter for the ispLSI1016, but the adapter seems to be unavailable, I will look into this.


Regards,

Derek
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Peter
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Peter »

Silvester wrote:ispLEVER Classic for programming legacy devices, for which a license (no longer free) could be obtained.
For what would you want the development tools? You just need an older version of the programming software which was and is free of charge.
For example this one, but you could also use the programmer included in ispLever or probably early Diamond versions.
https://www.latticesemi.com/view_docume ... nt_id=8129
Many older Lattice software pieces are here:
https://www.latticesemi.com/Support/SoftwareArchive (click on "Downloadable Software")


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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Peter »

Derek_Stewart wrote:But I have found, ispLever v1.8 on Archive.org:
https://archive.org/details/ispLEVER_Classic_Base_1_8
Wrong. I already tried to end this confusion, but here we go again: "ispLever Classic" is not "ispLever". The latter one still runs with free license. And both are not needed to program the Qx0 PLDs.

You just need an older programmer version, the files are openly available on the Lattice website. I just can not tell exactly when support for ispLSI chips ended, maybe even a newer version than the one I linked above still works.


Derek_Stewart
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Derek_Stewart »

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the clarification on the ispLEVER software.

I did not realise that Lattice kept all the older version of their applications software.

I have downloaded ispLEVER v5, v6 v7, v8 to see which will work, with the ispLSI1016.


Regards,

Derek
Silvester
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Silvester »

Derek_Stewart wrote:I use a HW-USBN-2A clone to programme the Q68, but there is a possibility of the ispLSI1016 being able to be used with the HW-USBN-2A, with the correct software.
Thanks, I had hoped it would work as they are readily/cheaply available. I have a PLCC44 breakout board to I can get at appropriate pins of the ispLSI1016.
Derek_Stewart wrote:But I have found, ispLever v1.8 on Archive.org:
https://archive.org/details/ispLEVER_Classic_Base_1_8

I installed ispLEVER v1.8 on a Wndows XP Virtual Machine in VirtualBox. The application installed OK, but reported that the 30 free Licence Period had expired. Apply to Lattice to have a Licence supplied.

Since Lattice do not support the ispLSI1016 or ispLEVER under version 2.01, I douibt they will give a Node Locked Licence for version 1.8. But I will see if they will look at this.
I also downloaded that but hadn't yet tried it - I suspected it would require licence from https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwa ... msg3780509
Last edited by Silvester on Sun May 08, 2022 6:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.


David
Silvester
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Silvester »

Peter wrote:
Silvester wrote:ispLEVER Classic for programming legacy devices, for which a license (no longer free) could be obtained.
For what would you want the development tools?
I didn't necessarily want the tools, just to be able to upload JEDEC programming to chips. At the time it seemed the only option that appeared available.
Peter wrote:You just need an older version of the programming software which was and is free of charge.
For example this one, but you could also use the programmer included in ispLever or probably early Diamond versions.
https://www.latticesemi.com/view_docume ... nt_id=8129
Have yet to register to gain access to link. But what does 'free of charge' mean? AFAIK once you have installed software and providing MAC address (tying it to platform), you then need to apply to Lattice for signature to enable licence - maybe I have this all wrong :? Somehow I doubt FOC just means 'install and use' ;)
Peter wrote:Many older Lattice software pieces are here:
https://www.latticesemi.com/Support/SoftwareArchive (click on "Downloadable Software")
Thanks, I hope I can find suitable software. A simple Linux utility would be the easiest. But from what I saw in a Hackaday blog, Lattice objected to any attempts to reverse engineer programming bitstreams to their devices.
Last edited by Silvester on Sun May 08, 2022 8:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.


David
Silvester
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Silvester »

Derek_Stewart wrote:I have downloaded ispLEVER v5, v6 v7, v8 to see which will work, with the ispLSI1016.
Be very interested to hear if you get one that works for you :)


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Peter
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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Peter »

Derek_Stewart wrote:I have downloaded ispLEVER v5, v6 v7, v8 to see which will work, with the ispLSI1016.
Why not just use the programmer I had linked above? You don't need ispLever (although the builtin programmer should also program the ispLSI chips).


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Re: Upgrading Q40 to 68060 CPU

Post by Peter »

Silvester wrote:
Peter wrote:You just need an older version of the programming software which was and is free of charge.
For example this one, but you could also use the programmer included in ispLever or probably early Diamond versions.
https://www.latticesemi.com/view_docume ... nt_id=8129
Have yet to register to gain access to link. But what does 'free of charge' mean? AFAIK once you have installed software and providing MAC address (tying it to platform), you then need to apply to Lattice for signature to enable licence - maybe I have this all wrong :? Somehow I doubt FOC just means 'install and use' ;)
For the programmer you need no license file.


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