External Memory Interface Handbook Volume 2: Design Guidelines: For UniPHY-based Device Families

ID 683385
Date 3/06/2023
Public
Document Table of Contents

7.2.2.1. Specify Parameters for the Qsys Flow

To specify parameters for your IP core using the Qsys flow, follow these steps:
  1. In the Quartus Prime software, create a new Quartus Prime project using the New Project Wizard available from the File menu.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Qsys.
    Note: Qsys automatically sets device parameters based on your Quartus Prime project settings. To set device parameters manually, use the Device Family tab.
  3. In the IP Catalog, select the available external memory interface IP from the Memory Interfaces and Controllers folder in the Library list. (For Arria 10 EMIF for HPS, select the external memory interface IP from the Hard Processor Components folder.) The relevant parameter editor appears.
    Note: The availability of external memory interface IP depends on the device family your design is using. To use Arria 10 External Memory Interface for HPS IP, your design must target a device containing at least one HPS CPU core.
  4. From the Presets list, select the preset matching your design requirement, and click Apply.
    Tip: If none of the presets match your design requirements, you can apply the closest preset available and then change the inappropriate parameters manually. This method may be faster than entering all the parameters manually, and reduces the chance of having incorrect settings.
  5. Specify the parameters on all tabs.
    Note:
    • For detailed explanation of the parameters, refer to Parameterizing Memory Controllers with UniPHY IP and Parameterizing Memory Controllers with Arria 10 External Memory Interface IP.
    • Although you have applied presets, you may need to modify some of the preset parameters depending on the frequency of operation. A typical list of parameters which you might need to change includes the Memory CAS Latency setting, the Memory CAS Write Latency setting, and the tWTR, tFAW, tRRD, and tRTP settings.
    • For UniPHY-based IP, turn on Generate power-of-2 bus widths for Qsys or SOPC Builder on the Controller Settings tab.
    Tip:
    • As a good practice, review any warning messages displayed in the Messages Window and correct any errors before making further changes.
    • To simplify future work, you might want to store the current configuration by saving your own presets. To create, modify, or remove your own custom presets, click New, Update, or Delete at the bottom of the Presets list.
    • If you want to generate an example design for your current configuration, click Example Design at the top-right corner of the parameter editor, specify a path for the example design, and click Ok.
  6. Click Finish to complete the external memory interface IP instance and add it to the system.
    Note: The Finish button may be unavailable until you have corrected all parameterization errors listed in the Messages window.