[U-Boot] u-boot-socfpga repository

[Dinh Nguyen]

On 09/12/2014 04:05 PM, David Hawkins wrote:
> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm going to jump in here with an end-user's perspective,
> along with an offer of assistance/contribution.
> 
> I'm interested in using Altera's SOCs in my designs.
> Altera guys - if you look over on the Altera Forum,
> you will see that I am very active over there
> (basically answering everyone's FPGA questions).

Awesome...thank you for your support!

> 
> Up until now I have avoided any SoC development kits as
> I considered the software support to not have matured
> enough. I consider "mature" code to be code that I can
> checkout from mainline, where mainline is U-Boot via the
> Denx repos, and Linux via the Kernel repos.

For Linux, we have done a better job than u-boot. You should
be able to have most of what you need from kernel.org for the
Altera Devkits and Terasic SocKit board. The most important
piece maybe the FPGA manager, otherwise the SOCFPGA platform
is just any other A9 board.

The FPGA manager is in-flight:

https://lkml.org/lkml/2014/8/1/517

For U-boot, the upstreaming process has been slow. I admit it, but
it is very high on our to-do list.

> 
> Freescale has done this forever, and I hold their
> processors and code in high regard.
> 

I used to work at Freescale's doing the i.MX parts. I hope
these were the processors you had in the mind?

> Texas Instruments has recently realized that this
> is the way to go, and have invested significantly
> in this area - as demonstrated by Tom Rini.
> TI have dedicated a page to mainlining:
> 
> http://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/tools-software/mainlinelinux.page
> 
> TI have similarly gained my respect.
> 
> The fact that discussion is now occurring for Altera's
> SoCs indicates to me that a certain level of maturity has
> been reached and that it is now time for me to consider
> using these devices.
> 
> I'd like to help, and I'm sure Ira Snyder will help too
> (most likely more so than me). I would like to obtain
> some SoC development kits so as to help with the SoC
> "experience" for end-users.
> 
> To aid in this development, I'd like some recommendations
> on what hardware to buy. I've included the list below
> the body of this email (to save cluttering the flow of
> this discussion). Its possible for me to obtain one or more
> of these boards.
> 
> Which ones are supported in mainline U-Boot and Linux?
> What will it take to make it easier for the end-user
> like myself?

Echoing earlier...There is good Linux support for the Altera
Cyclone5 and Arria5 devkit and Terasic SoCkit from kernel.org.

> 
> I would like to be able to buy something like the Critical
> Link or Denx modules and simply plug them into my custom
> hardware, configure the FPGA fabric with whatever custom
> "magic" I need, have Ira develop a custom drive to that
> "magic" and just have things *WORK*. As an end-user,
> I don't want to have to pull a dozen patches off the
> mailing list to get a working system.
> 
> Altera's success in the SoC market depends on "getting
> it right" with respect to integration with the open-source
> community. That integration involves playing by the established
> set of rules. Wolfgang and his (creation and) support of U-Boot
> is of immeasurable value to the open-source community.
> 
> Altera developers, please follow Wolfgang's advice.

Wolfgang's advice is valuable and noted. However, it is in Altera's
best interest that we have 1 central gathering point for all our
opensource software support.

I maintain a linux-next git repo at rocketboards for patches that have
been properly reviewed, and acked-by that are destined for kernel.org.
The logic should follow that I(Altera) would do the same for u-boot
patches at rocketboards that are destined for mainline u-boot at denx.

Thanks,
Dinh

> 
> Cheers,
> Dave Hawkins,
> California Institute of Technology.
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 1. Cyclone V SoC Development Kit
> 
>    http://www.altera.com/products/devkits/altera/kit-cyclone-v-soc.html
> 
>    This is the main kit that most people are probably
>    developing with. At $1,795 its pretty expensive,
>    but I could request a couple of kits from the
>    Altera University Program.
> 
> 2. Arria V SoC kit
> 
>    http://www.altera.com/products/devkits/altera/kit-arria-v-soc.html
> 
>    At $3,495 this is also very expensive.
>    This board still ships with ES (Engineering Sample), so I
>    would not buy this yet.
> 
> 3. Terasic/Arrow SOCKit
> 
> 
> http://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&No=816
> 
>    At $299 this is pretty reasonable.
> 
> 4. SOC System-on-Modules
> 
> 
> http://www.altera.com/devices/processor/soc-fpga/cyclone-v-soc/module/system-module.html
> 
> 
>    eg, Critical Link MitySOM
> 
>    http://www.criticallink.com/product/mitysom-5csx/
> 
> 
> http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Critical-Link/5CSX-H6-42A-RC/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvtrnhC60i%252bOnQkBUtKjKom2RbBJy3SVoI%3d
> 
> 
>    Each module is about $600 at Mouser.
> 
> 5. Denx MCV board
> 
>    http://www.denx-cs.de/?q=MCV
> 
>    These modules look reasonably priced.
> 
> The CriticalLink and Denx modules look suitable for my intended
> application, i.e., as the controller for a much larger FPGA board.
> 
> Wolfgang - feel free to advise me to use the Denx modules, and
> I'll take a more critical look at the data sheets to check
> they have the features I want to use.
> 
> 
> 
>