How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz? - How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Timing analyser reports CLKUSR at 125MHz but target system has 100MHz on this pin to accommodate AS in combination with transceiver calibration as per the manuals -- there doesn't seem to be any consequences as the project seems to run fine but is a bit unsettling
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi Aqid That was my hoped for situation and seems to be confirmed by seemingly normal operations on target -- my concern was 125MHz was required whereas target has 100MHz leading to possible marginal behaviour... Regards -- Steve
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi Steve, Based on the response that I provided, you need not worry about the constraint on the pin for XCVRs. As the Quartus is assuming a 125MHz frequency, it is basically constraining it to the maximum allowed frequency for the XCVR applications. If the timing analyzer reports that 125MHz is achieved, then 100MHz will definitely work. Regards, Aqid
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi Aqid Thanks -- all understood -- my purpose is to identify why timing analyser reports CLKUSR at 125MHz when our design requires 100MHz -- and if there is a method to indicate to Quartus/Platform-Designer what CLKUSR frequency actually is or failing that if the incorrect CLKUSR frequency reported is in fact unimportant and can be ignored (our project does seem to mostly run as expected but there are some quirks which could be related to transceiver operation) Regards, Steve
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi Steve, Please refer to the following explanation of the Warning that you see. https://microsites.altera.com/microsites/psg_microsites_migration/quartushelp/current/index.htm#msgs/msgs/wcio_design_pin_assigned_to_clkusr_location.htm Based on the explanation, we would infer that Quartus detected transceivers in your design. If transceivers are used in your design, then you need NOT do a pin assignment in the .qsf. However, it is must to provide a clock of 100-125 MHz at its input. No need to constraint it in the .sdc. If you are not using transceivers, not using HMC, and not using this pin as a user-supplied configuration clock, instead want to use it as a GPIO, then you need to assign the logic port to the device CLKUSR pin location and constraint the pin in .sdc. We hope this information helps. Regards, Aqid
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi Farabi Rather than experimenting with cludge fixes I am focussing on the Platform Designer automatic generated: (*altera_attribute = "-name SDC_STATEMENT \"if { [get_collection_size [get_pins -compatibility_mode -nowarn ~ALTERA_CLKUSR~~ibuf|o]] > 0 } { create_clock -name ~ALTERA_CLKUSR~ -period 8 [get_pins -compatibility_mode -nowarn ~ALTERA_CLKUSR~~ibuf|o] }\"" *) associated with the transceiver reset sequencer instance in the design -- doesn't seem to be an obvious IP parameter to tell the instance that CLKUSR is at 100MHz rather than 125MHz... Transceiver PHY Reset Controller (parameters) Regards, Steve
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi, Can you try this : remove the location assignment on it. Otherwise, to remove the critical warning use the QSF assignment 'set_global_assignment -name AUTO_RESERVE_CLKUSR_FOR_CALIBRATION OFF'. regards, Farabi
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Thanks Frank -- yes that is my understanding -- my concern is by explicitly assigning the CLKUSR pin does Quartus infer that the pin is now a GPIO pin thus excluding transceiver use -- doing a project build now so will hopefully have some Quartus reporting to discuss shortly. Regards Steve UPDATE: build complete with interesting critical warning: Critical Warning (18326): The design pin 'clkusr' has been assigned to CLKUSR pin location 'Y15'. Quartus Prime auto-reserves the CLKUSR pin for calibration of transceivers and certain IOs. If the pin 'clkusr' will not be assigned a 100-125MHz clock, you must remove the location assignment on it. Otherwise, to remove the critical warning use the QSF assignment 'set_global_assignment -name AUTO_RESERVE_CLKUSR_FOR_CALIBRATION OFF'. So optimistic interpretation of the above implies that so long as clkusr pin has valid clock signal then transceivers will still calibrate correctly even when the global assignment is applied to suppress the critical warning... Digging through the Platform Designer synthesis files I found: (*altera_attribute = "-name SDC_STATEMENT \"if { [get_collection_size [get_pins -compatibility_mode -nowarn ~ALTERA_CLKUSR~~ibuf|o]] > 0 } { create_clock -name ~ALTERA_CLKUSR~ -period 8 [get_pins -compatibility_mode -nowarn ~ALTERA_CLKUSR~~ibuf|o] }\"" *) in "altera_a10_xcvr_reset_sequencer_211\synth\alt_sld_fab_altera_a10_xcvr_reset_sequencer_211_33t7nri.v"
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi Steve, pin connection guidelines say about clkusr pin This pin can be used as a GPIO pin only if you are not using transceivers, not using HMC, and not using this pin as a user supplied configuration clock. Regards Frank
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Thanks Frank -- seems straightforward -- couple of questions before I fire up quartus -- is there any consequences for being explicit on this pin -- also any chance this clock is useable in the user logic as this would be useful "free" clock source?
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Re: How to tell Quartus my Arria10 target system CLKUSR frequency is 100MHz?
Hi Steve, I'm not quite sure where 125 MHz comes from may be it's a default. You can include CLKUSR as top level pin in your design and assign 100 MHz clock in .sdc. The specification should be used for all instances of automatic "~ALTERA_CLKUSR~" signal in your design. Regards Frank - 2026-05-09
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