CS8900 Interface to NIOS II

[Altera_Forum]

Hi, 

 I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of a description, hopefully including a circuit, specifying how the CS8900 should be connected to a Nios II.   I searched the Altera website for "CS8900" but could not find anything that could assist me. Similar for google : 'CS8900 AND "NIOS II"'  In SOPC Builder, right clicking on an instantiated CS8900 has two links, one to "Nios Ethernet Development Kit User Guide" the other to "Plus Ethernet Library", neither of which answer my question.  I've researched the various options for connecting an Ethernet device, and conclude that the CS8900 is right for my constraints. (As compared with a synthisized MAC and external PHY, or the LAN91C111)  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Paul.

[Altera_Forum]

I currently have NIOS1 designs using the CS8900 but it appears that NIOS2 does not like it very much. For some reason it cannot access the interface correctly.  

 I also don't think there is HAL support for the CS8900.    Will post info once I get mine going   VictorS

[Altera_Forum]

you need modify class.ptf and driver of cs8900 for NiosII

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by ruox@Oct 31 2005, 09:09 PM you need modify class.ptf and driver of cs8900 for niosii <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=10712)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---     I have edited the class.ptf edgewise and otherwise but cannot get good comms.Maybe it is a speed problem? I have tested it down to GERMS level. Can&#39;t get data in or out. I know it should work. Will probably have to rewrite everything from scratch.  You see this is the problem I have with Altera. The CS8900 is a slow device, i.e. legacy, i.e. no or faultly support.  What Altera needs to keep in mind is that, apart from all the 1000s of kits sold that never ends up in commercial products, there are people like me that has quite a few of the designs out there. I still have APEX 20k100 designs running with NIOS 1 ver 3. Don&#39;t seem to have support for that chip anymore in NIOS2. Can&#39;t just go to 7 sites and rip out and replace boards. So I have to keep my old dev tools alive to support it.   Which brings me to the next question. When is Altera going to discontinue support on the Cyclone I chips? That will really screw me. The one reason why I &#39;like&#39; NIOS is that I can continually improve my clients systems without doing anything to the hardware (i.e soldering).   Having to rewrite ptf files, lib files GERMS monitors etc. is wasting my time.   VictorS

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by victors@Nov 1 2005, 01:37 AM [which brings me to the next question. when is altera going to discontinue support on the cyclone i chips?  --- Quote End ---    Not for a while, probably. They&#39;re still supporting the old FLEX parts in their dev tools. The only old parts I don&#39;t see support for are the 20-year-old parts that they left behind when they transitioned from MAX-PLUS II to Quartus.  So is there some reason you have to move to Nios II? Did Nios I break itself?

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by victors@Oct 31 2005, 10:08 AM i currently have nios1 designs using the cs8900 but it appears that nios2 does not like it very much.  for some reason it cannot access the interface correctly.   i also don&#39;t think there is hal support for the cs8900. <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=10697)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---    I think I was a little careless in my question, I should have been a little more specific :  My final aim is to run uclinux, which I note has a driver included for the CS8900.  Therefore, if I connect a CS8900 to a Cyclone implementing a Nios II, on which I run uclinux, will it not be able to use the CS8900 without modification?  Paul.

[Altera_Forum]

I&#39;m pretty sure that uCLinux doesn&#39;t care about or use Altera&#39;s HAL. It has its own drivers. Altera&#39;s HAL tries to simulate a filesystem, which is redundant in uCLinux, where you have a real filesystem (not to mention an entirely different driver model). 

 That said, when you say uCLinux has a driver for the CS8900, do you mean that there is support for the CS8900 under the Nios II/Avalon Bus architecture? I mention this because there are lots of drivers for the PC architecture that aren&#39;t compatible with the Avalon bus architecture. The easy way to find out is to configure a Linux kernel and see if there&#39;s an option for the CS8900.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  originally posted by mike desimone@Nov 2 2005, 04:52 PM i&#39;m pretty sure that uclinux doesn&#39;t care about or use altera&#39;s hal.  it has its own drivers.  altera&#39;s hal tries to simulate a filesystem, which is redundant in uclinux, where you have a real filesystem (not to mention an entirely different driver model).  that said, when you say uclinux has a driver for the cs8900, do you mean that there is support for the cs8900 under the nios ii/avalon bus architecture?  i mention this because there are lots of drivers for the pc architecture that aren&#39;t compatible with the avalon bus architecture.  the easy way to find out is to configure a linux kernel and see if there&#39;s an option for the cs8900. <div align='right'><{post_snapback}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=10748)  --- quote end ---    --- Quote End ---   This is exactly the information I was after, thank you!  Yes, there is specifically an option for CS8900 when configuring a uclinux kernel. There are a number of options, including some of the IP Mac&#39;s and some more established devices, I think I recall the RTL8019 as well.  Thanks again!  Paul.