Terasic USB Blaster III Manual
From Terasic Wiki
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#Under the '''Hardware Settings''' tab, uncheck '''Auto-adjust frequency at chain scanning''' to disable the feature. | #Under the '''Hardware Settings''' tab, uncheck '''Auto-adjust frequency at chain scanning''' to disable the feature. | ||
#Type in one of the recommended frequencies in the '''Hardware frequency''' field. | #Type in one of the recommended frequencies in the '''Hardware frequency''' field. | ||
| - | #Close the '''Hardware Setup''' dialog box to save the settings. | + | #Close the '''Hardware Setup''' dialog box to save the settings.[[File:Programmer TCK.png|500px]] |
| - | [[File:Programmer TCK.png| | + | |
=USB Blaster Self Test= | =USB Blaster Self Test= | ||
Revision as of 11:41, 28 August 2026
Introduction
The main function of the Terasic USB Blaster III Download Cable (UBT3) is to allow users to download configuration data to the system during prototype development, or to program data into the system during production. The UBT3 connects the Host and the FPGA on the user's board through the USB Port and 10-Pin cable. At the same time, it can support several target board voltage standards, allowing UBT3 to be widely used in various FPGA boards.
Supported Devices, Host System and Software
The Altera FPGA , Serial configuration device, host systems and Quartus Prime software that UBT3 supported are list in Table 1-1, Table 1-2, Table 1-3 and Table 1-4.
| FPGA Series | Deivce |
|---|---|
| Agilex Series | Agilex 3, Agilex 5, Agilex 7, Agilex 9 |
| Stratix Series | Stratix 10, Stratix V, Stratix IV, Stratix III |
| Arria Series | Arria 10, Arria V |
| Cyclone Series | Cyclone 10 GX, Cyclone 10 LP, Cyclone 10,Cyclone V, Cyclone IV, Cyclone III, Cyclone II |
| MAX series | MAX 10, MAX V, MAX II |
| Serial Flash Series |
|---|
| EPCQA devices |
| Micron MT25QL devices |
| Micron MT25QU devices |
| Macronix MX25L devices |
| Macronix MX25U devices |
| Macronix MX66U devices |
| Infineon S25FL devices |
| Host System |
|---|
| Window 10/11 (64-bit) |
| Linux |
| Quartus software |
|---|
| Quartus® Prime version 25.1.1 or later |
Operating Conditions
UBT3 supports several voltage standard of the target board. Table 1-5 shows the supported voltage. Users need to pay attention to whether the JTAG voltage standard of the target board is within the range of Table 1-5.
| Support Target board supply voltage |
|---|
| 1.2V |
| 1.5V |
| 1.8V |
| 2.5V |
| 3.3V |
Pin define
The following picture and Table 1-6 list the pins of the Terasic UBT3 Download Cable female plug and describes their functions in the JTAG and Active Serial modes.
| Pin Number | Pin Define | JTAG Mode Descriptions | AS Mode Descriptions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TCK | Clock signal | Clock signal |
| 2 | GND | Signal ground | Signal ground |
| 3 | TDO | Test data output | Configuration done |
| 4 | TRGVCC | Target power supply | Target power supply |
| 5 | TMS | Test mode select input | Configuration control |
| 6 | PROC_RST | Processor reset | Target chip enable |
| 7 | - | - | - |
| 8 | TRST | Test reset | Serial configuration device chip select |
| 9 | TDI | Test data input | Active serial data in |
| 10 | GND | Signal ground. | Signal ground |
LED Description
The LED on the Terasic USB Blaster III download cable indicates different conditions as listed in Table 1-7.
| LED Color | State | Description |
|---|---|---|
| None | Off | Not connected or is suspended |
| Blue | Solid | Connected, not in use |
| Green | Solid | JTAG port open, idle |
| Green | Blinking | JTAG port open, active |
| Purple | Blinking | Occurs when JTAG command Identify(1) is triggered |
(1) jtagconfig --setparam <cable number> Identify <1=on, 0=off>
Dimension of the Terasic USB Blaster III Download Cable
Using the Terasic USB Blaster III Download Cable
To start using the USB Blaster III Download Cable, user need to install the drivers on your system and set up the hardware in the Altera Quartus® Prime software.
To program or configure the device, connect the host system to the device board using the Terasic USB Blaster III Download Cable and initiate the programming or configuration using the Altera Quartus Prime Programmer. You can also use the cable with the Quartus Prime Signal Tap Logic Analyzer for logic analysis. It also can be used with JTAG and debug tools supported by the JTAG server such as System Console, Nios® V debugger.
- Install the Driver for windows
When installing Quartus Prime software,ensure the following options are selected:
- Install USB Blaster III driver
- Install USB Blaster III driver (Requires UART FTDI driver)
- Install JTAG server as a Windows service and run automatically when windows starts
- Install the driver for Linux
Altera_USB_Blaster_III_Driver_Installation_Instructions
Changing TCK Frequency of the Terasic USB Blaster III Download Cable
The Terasic USB Blaster III download able has a default TCK frequency of 15 MHz but can be run at 30 MHz if signal integrity and board timing requirements are met.
To change the TCK frequency of the Terasic USB Blaster III download cable, users can use Quartus Prime Programmer and Command Line.
- Changing TCK Frequency with Quartus Prime Programmer
- In Quartus Prime Programmer, click on Hardware Setup.
- Under the Hardware Settings tab, uncheck Auto-adjust frequency at chain scanning to disable the feature.
- Type in one of the recommended frequencies in the Hardware frequency field.
- Close the Hardware Setup dialog box to save the settings.
USB Blaster Self Test
This section describes users how to test whether the on-board USB blaster III or USB blaster III cable is properly installed and operated
- Power on the FPGA board and connect USB blaster III port or USB blaster III cable to PC.
Check if there is JTAG cables in the Windows Device Manager has an USB Blaster III.
If yes, users can use Quartus programmer and download FPGA code.
- If USB Blaster III isn’t showed, please check whether the Other devices has Unknown device.
If yes, please refer to the steps described in this link:Altera USB Blaster II Driver Installation Instructions to install the USB blaster III driver. The installation steps are generic, you just need to select the USB Blaster III driver located in the Quartus installation directory.
.
- If no Unknown device:
- i.Make sure the board power is on and the port on board which connected to PC is USB blaster III port.
- ii.If step i is OK:
- a.Test with another PC to see if the OS can detect unknown device.
- b.Test with another USB blaster III cable.
- c.If still with the same problem, please contact our technical support team via support@terasic.com and provide below information:
- PC OS version: Win10-32bit or Win11-64bit or Linux-64bit.
- Whether you tested follow the above processes.
- The Quartus version you installed: Quartus Prime 25.1 or others.
FAQ
1. Q: What is the TCK Clock Frequency for Terasic UBT3?
A: The Terasic UBT3 has a default TCK frequency of 15 MHz but can be run at 30 MHz if signal integrity and board timing requirements are met.
2. Q: What is the operating temperature specification of the UBT3?
A:The UBT3 is designed to operate in the industrial temperature range (-40°C to +85°C).
