New Features, Enhancements, and Device Support
New in this release of Quartus® II software is support for Altera’s new Arria® II GX FPGAs with cost-optimized, easy-to-use 3.75-Gbps transceivers. Version 9.0 also adds support for Altera’s new Stratix® IV GT FPGAs, the only FPGAs with integrated 11.3-Gbps transceivers. This version also extends Quartus II software’s productivity advantage with the new simultaneous switching noise (SSN) analyzer tool for faster board design and expanded multi-processor support for faster compiles times. Also in version 9.0, Altera introduces a new ModelSim® verification tool, the ModelSim-Altera® Starter Edition with 50 percent faster simulation—available to all Altera customers free of charge.
Now available Quartus II Software Version 9.0 Service Pack 2: Download Now
Arria II GX and Stratix IV GT FPGA Support
Quartus II software now supports Arria II GX FPGAs with cost-optimized, easy-to-use 3.75-Gbps transceivers and Stratix IV GT FPGAs, the only FPGAs with integrated 11.3-Gbps transceivers.
Quartus II software offers complete design flow support, including:
- TimeQuest timing analyzer—for easier timing closure
- Incremental compile—to finish your design faster
- PowerPlay power optimization—to minimize power consumption
- SOPC Builder and DSP Builder—for system-level design
SSN Analyzer Tool
With focus on improving productivity across the design cycle, Quartus II software version 9.0 introduces the SSN analyzer tool for faster board design and improved signal integrity. Seamlessly integrated with the Quartus II pin planner, the SSN analyzer provides feedback on potential SSN violations during pin assignments. By running SSN analysis, you can interactively manage pin assignments and reduce SSN violations, thereby allowing for faster board design and shorter system-level debug time. The SSN analyzer is currently available for the Stratix III FPGA family.
ModelSim Verification Tools
ModelSim-Altera Starter Edition
In conjunction with Quartus II software version 9.0, Altera unveiled the ModelSim-Altera Starter Edition. ModelSim-Altera Starter Edition replaces ModelSim-Altera Web Edition and provides significant enhancements, including:
- 50 percent faster simulation compared to the ModelSim-Altera Web Edition
- Expanded device support—all Altera devices are now supported
- Additional operating system support including Linux and Windows Vista
New ModelSim-Altera Starter Edition is available free of charge to all Altera customers.
ModelSim-Altera Edition
Altera now separately offers ModelSim-Altera Edition, which was previously available only through a full Quartus II software subscription. ModelSim-Altera Edition delivers 33 percent faster simulation speeds compared to ModelSim-Altera Starter Edition and there are no restrictions in design size. ModelSim-Altera Edition is $945 for a 1-year subscription and is available to customers using Quartus II Subscription Edition and Web Edition.
Additional Enhancements
- Expanded Multiprocessor Support—Altera further reduces compile times by additional parallelization of place and route and synthesis algorithms. Altera is the only FPGA vendor to offer multiprocessor support.
- Enhanced SOPC Builder—Quartus II software further extends productivity advantages with SOPC Builder’s data sheet generator for easier hand-off between hardware and software engineers. In addition, SOPC Builder’s new filtered view offers easier visualization of large systems.
- Pin Planner Enhancements—The clock network view, now available within the pin planner, allows you to better plan and manage the clock networks within the FPGA, improving productivity and maximizing performance.
- Metastability Analysis—Provides tools to auto-recognize potential metastability circuit issues and automate reporting of mean-time between failure (MTBF) values as an integrated part of the TimeQuest static timing analysis tool.
- New Altera Installer—Faster download and installation of Altera’s software and intellectual property (IP) is now available using the new Altera installer. The Altera installer provides more granular flexibility to download only what you need.
- Expanded Verification Support—Version 9.0 supports Aldec’s Riviera-Pro simulation tool, offering you the ultimate flexibility when choosing verification tools.
Device Support
- Arria II GX FPGAs—Adds advanced support, including compilation and pin-out support, for the Arria II GX FPGA family.
- Stratix IV GT FPGAs—Adds advanced support for the Stratix IV GT FPGA family.
- Stratix IV GX/E FPGAs—Adds programming support, including compilation, pin-out, and device programming (POF) support) for EP4SGX230 devices. Adds advanced support for EP4SGX180 and EP4SE230 devices.
- HardCopy® III and HardCopy IV GX/E ASICs—Adds companion support for the HardCopy IV GX ASIC family. Expands support for HardCopy IV E ASICS with the addition of HC4E3 and HC4E6 devices.
Free Online Training
- New free online training about what’s new in version 9.0
- Updated free online interactive tutorial to help you get started with Quartus II software
Pricing and Availability
Buy Quartus II Software, Get Nios® II Processor Free ($495 value)—Limited Time Offer
Purchase Quartus II Subscription Edition software today and get a full year license for the Nios II soft processor, the most widely used soft core processor. Learn more about this limited time offer.
Both the Subscription Edition and the free Web Edition of Quartus II software version 9.0 are now available for download. The Subscription Edition is also available in DVD format by request. Altera’s software subscription program simplifies obtaining Altera design software by consolidating software products and maintenance charges into one annual subscription payment. Subscribers receive Quartus II software, the ModelSim-Altera Starter Edition, and a full license to the IP Base Suite, which includes 11 of Altera’s most popular IP (DSP and memory) cores. The annual software subscription is $2,495 for a node-locked PC license and is available for purchase at Altera's eStore.
