FPGA replacement and subsequent steps

[Rajesh Nambiar]

Hi,
I have a Hermes lite 2 build 9, which I have been using for the last 2 years.
A desire to connect a RM Italy 150W RF amplifier turned out to a fatal mistake with the Idle mode LED turning On and Link speed LED blinking.
 Not sure how this happened but may be due to RFI or EXTTR not being isolated properly.
The rig was no longer detectable on Thetis.
The ethernet MagJack -CN3 LEDs never lit up. (The network cable was tested, and it works fine)
While checking the voltages on the 1.2V, 2.5V and 3.3V power rails, they all seem to be fine.
Using a multimeter on continuity mode gives
1.2V rail -10 ohms (Beeps) (Expectation >500 ohms)
2.5V rail -10 ohms (Beeps) (Expectation >500 ohms)
3.3 V rail -526 ohms
My understanding is that there was a Half short somewhere in 2.5 V and 1.2V rails
U17 was also getting hot
Later I isolated FB 28 and FB 30 and found that U17 was no longer heating up>
A short on the Veth- 2.5V power rail was causing the Half Short.
The MLCC capacitors on the 2.5 and 1.2 V rails seemed to be fine when tested through Voltage injection. None were heating up.
On further diagnosis I found that the following pins of the FPGA were showing a Half short of 10 ohms:
Pin 40 and 47 (Veth) - 10 ohms
The 1.2V - VCCD_PL and VCCINT pins - 10 ohms
The FPGA was also getting heated up
To conclude, I guess the FPGA might need to be replaced.

I would like to know if replacing the FPGA would require gateware updation as outlined in  Updating Gateware · softerhardware/Hermes-Lite2 Wiki

73 
Raj
AK4EC / VU3VOC

[Clifford Heath]

> To conclude, I guess the FPGA might need to be replaced.
> I would like to know if replacing the FPGA would require gateware updation as outlined in Updating Gateware · softerhardware/Hermes-Lite2 Wiki

Updating using Ethernet only works if you have a functional FPGA with
gateway already installed. You will need to use one of the other
methods. FWIW, I found a very cheap "USB Blaster" which did not work.
You need to get one with an FT245&CPLD with level shifter (one in my
first URL worked) not the cheapest one like what you see in my second
URL:

Ok: <https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005393006556.html>
Not ok: <https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007815283453.html>

The bad one uses a cheap Chinese MCU and does not meet the required
timing to function correctly.

Clifford Heath.

[Rajesh Nambiar]

Thanks Clifford
Been searching for a suitable .jic file.
Didnt find it at the gateware- Github page
Can anyone please provide a link? 
73

Raj

[Heiko Amft]

I'm using the USB Blaster II from WAVESHARE, it works. Not testet with the HL2, but with other projects using the Cyclone IV.

Currently I'm using Quartus and it's Programmer in version 21.1.1 and the driver for the USB Blaster provided by the Programmer tool.

73 Heiko, DL1BZ