Silicon Explorer Software Version 5.1 Service Pack A Release Notes
(Oct 27, 2006)
This release of Silicon Explorer software offers additional features
and performance enhancements for users of Silicon Explorer II and older
Silicon Explorer I debug hardware.
Silicon Explorer II, is an easy to use integrated verification and logic
analysis tool for the PC, accesses the probe circuitry. Silicon Explorer
II allows designers to complete the design verification process at their
desks.
- Windows 2000 with SP1 or SP2
- Windows XP
- Pentium 133 or higher (Pentium 200 or higher recommended) processor
- 16 MB of available memory for use
- 50 MB of available hard disk space
- VGA or higher-resolution video adapter (SVGA 256-color and 800x600
or higher resolution recommended)
- For Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems, you must have administration
rights to the local workstation for installation purposes.
- Support for all Antifuse Families
- Support for Axcelerator devices
Silicon Explorer software now allows the user to probe two AX devices
in JTAG chain.
Note: This chaining enhancement only supports two AX devices
and does not provide support for RTAX-S devices.
How to use this new feature:
- The file "ax_chain.ini" (under Silicon Explorer v5.1 SPA\scripts\actel\seii
directory) must be modified to specify which device in the chain to
probe. Note, device 1 is defined as the device closest to TDO and device
2 is the device closest to TDI.
- Set PREIR, PREDR, POSTIR, and POSTDR values, in the "ax_chain.ini" file
mentioned in step 1 above, before launching the Silicon Explorer software
To probe device 1, set the values as the following:
PREIR: 0
PREDR: 0
POSTIR: 5
POSTDR: 1
To probe device 2, set the values as the following:
PREIR: 5
PREDR: 1
POSTIR: 0
POSTDR: 0
To probe a single device, set the values as the following:
PREIR: 0
PREDR: 0
POSTIR: 0
POSTDR: 0
- Signals in Axcelerator devices can only be probed for speeds of 28
MHz or less.
- SARno21399: Synchronous capture does not work for
Silicon Explorer II, only Silicon Explorer I.
- SARno31675: FPGA Checksum Read back: When reading
the checksum of a FPGA with Silicon Explorer, the Explorer window may
go into a 'confused' state where the "Acquire / Auto Run" button
and the "Stop" button randomly toggle.
Workaround: When the software is in this 'confused'
state, click on the "Acquire" button then the "Stop" button.
This releases the software from the 'confused' state.
