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title	Firmware/bitstream tools comparison chart

Tool

FPGA
Configuration
capable?

Generation 2 Firmware
Upgrade capable?⁽¹⁾

Generation 3 Firmware
Upgrade capable?⁽²⁾

It works without
Reference
Firmware?

Firmware
Recovery
capable?⁽³⁾

Remarks

direct or indirect
in system programming

.mcs file
(both Xilinx Flash and
third-party SPI Flash
can be used)

A Windows OS
and a Linux OS
version of this
tool exists.

DEWESoft
Firmware
Upgrade Tool

old .fwu (and .bin) file

old .fwu (and .bin) file

Obsolete,
not recommended.

Only Windows OS
(32 bit only)
version of this
tool exists.

Open_FUT
for generation 2

FPGA
Configuration

.bit, .mcs file
( Xilinx Flash only) or
old .fwu (and .bin) file

.iic file and
old .fwu (and .bin) file

Python 2.7
interpreter
required.

Only Windows OS
(32 bit only) version
of this tool exists.

Open_FUT
for generation 3

⁽⁵⁾

FPGA
Configuration

.bit or a .mcs file
( Xilinx Flash only) or
old .fwu (and .bin) file

⁽⁵⁾

Firmware
Update

.iic file and
old .fwu (and .bin) file

Python 2.7
interpreter
required.

Only Windows OS
version of this
tool exists.

CyConsole
= Cypress
USB Console

Firmware
Update

.iic file

.iic file

Less easy than
CyControl.

Only Windows OS
version of this
tool exists.

CyControl
= Cypress
USB Control Center

Firmware
Update

.iic file

.iic file

Microsoft .NET
Framework
Version ≥ 2.0
required.

Only Windows OS
version of this
tool exists.

OpenFutNet:
it is possible
to run 3 different procedures

FPGA
Configuration⁽⁶⁾

.bit or .mcs file
(both Xilinx Flash and
third-party SPI Flash
can be used)

the

Recovery
Boot ⁽⁷⁾
should be
used
instead

Firmware
Update⁽⁶⁾

.iic file

for
Recovery
Boot ⁽⁷⁾

for
Firmware
Update⁽⁶⁾

for
FPGA
Config ⁽⁴⁾

Recovery
Boot ⁽⁷⁾

.iic file

Microsoft .NET
Framework
Version≥ 4.0.30319
required.

Recommended tool.

Only Windows OS
version of this
tool exists.

FPGA Configuration

.bin only

.bin, but
a .iic should
also work

.bin, but
a .iic should
also work

use fx2loader
(see also here)
instead for an
implicit two step
recovery boot

libusb library
(C API)
should be used

Only Linux OS
version of this
tool exists.

fx2loader (see also here)

use instead
implicit

but it could
be a two step
procedurerecovery boot

use instead
implicit two step
recovery boot

but it could
be a two step
procedure

⁽⁸⁾

implicit two stepmodified
recovery bootboot

a wrapped
libusb library
(C API)
should be used

A Windows OS
and a Linux OS
version of this
tool exists.

fxload ( see also here)

use instead
implicit two step
recovery boot

use instead
implicit two step
recovery boot

⁽⁹⁾

implicit two step
recovery boot

libusb library
(C API)
should be used

Only Linux OS
version of this
tool exists.

⁽¹⁾ Generation 2 Firmware Upgrade: it requires DEWESoft device driver (VID/PID:0x0547/0x1002) and DEWESoft API.

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⁽⁸⁾ To write a new firmware in FX2 microcontroller's RAM, fx2loader does not require a reference firmware but, to write a new firmware in FX2 microcontroller's EEPROM a firmware supporting EEPROM writing should already run in FX2 microcontroller's RAM.

⁽⁹⁾ To write a new firmware in FX2 microcontroller's RAM, fxload does not require a reference firmware but, to write a new firmware in FX2 microcontroller's EEPROM a firmware supporting EEPROM writing should already run in FX2 microcontroller's RAM (Vend_Ax.hex is normally used).

Is Reference Firmware required?

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