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Everything ARM and LPC
By fzfq3m
#153890
hapy new year everyone :mrgreen:
I'm about to buy my first jtag debugger for a hobby project that I have in mind, this peoject needs an MCU with integrated HS USB module so, since microchip doesn't have any MCU with such peripheral, then I need an ARM Cortex M3 or M4 based MCU.
So far I narrowed my selection to the following:
- TinCanTools Flyswatter 2 (v3 in development?)
- Olimex ARM-USB-OCD
- Dangerous Prototypes Bus Blaster v2 (v3 and v4 are in early stage of develpment?)

I know they all are based on the FT2232H and are supported by OpenOCD... But I just can't decide wich one to buy?
The Flyswatter is pretty similar to the ARM-USB-OCD and seens like a good buy, but then the buw blaster offers an funtion thqt allows it to emulate others debuggers by just uploading a firmware...

What would you guys recommend?
By stevech
#153923
probably too expensive, but segger.com/jlink.html and their newer, lower cost JTAGs are the most popular in professional circles; maybe a used on on eBay.

The latest microprocessors have on-chip JTAG-like capabilities - so all that is needed is USB.
By fzfq3m
#153959
stevech wrote:probably too expensive, but segger.com/jlink.html and their newer, lower cost JTAGs are the most popular in professional circles; maybe a used on on eBay.

The latest microprocessors have on-chip JTAG-like capabilities - so all that is needed is USB.
Thanks for answering...
I prefer to buy a new one instead of a used one (I'm outside USA)
Indeed the debugger is expensive, $250 is outside my budget... but I managed to find a distributor http://microcontrollershop.com/product_ ... ts_id=3647 that offers an Educational/Non-Comercial version for $60, although probably they only sell it to USA citizens but I will try to contact them.

Regards

Update: Found another one on Amazon.. is this a chinese copy or what? http://www.amazon.com/Sunwin-simulator- ... ords=jlink
User avatar
By ntfreak
#153974
A lot depends on what targets you plan to use.

Also as you plan on using OpenOCD then i would not recommend jlink, firstly while it does work it is a closed protocol and so does not work aswell as other adapters.
Perhaps a good starting point with little cost is to get one of the new low cost boards, such as STM32F4DISCOVERY or Stellaris Launchpad ?
These have built in debug adapters that can be used with other targets, once you have put grown the dev board.

Cheers
Spen
By fzfq3m
#153983
ntfreak wrote:A lot depends on what targets you plan to use.

Also as you plan on using OpenOCD then i would not recommend jlink, firstly while it does work it is a closed protocol and so does not work aswell as other adapters.
Perhaps a good starting point with little cost is to get one of the new low cost boards, such as STM32F4DISCOVERY or Stellaris Launchpad ?
These have built in debug adapters that can be used with other targets, once you have put grown the dev board.

Cheers
Spen
Thanks dude... that STM32F4DISCOVERY seens to be a gift considering that the hole board cost just $16 and have an integrated debugger. Now, please correct me if I'm wrong but, the integrated ST-Link/v2 of the board is limited to single wire debugging (SWD) only, or it can handle normal jtag as well?
regards
User avatar
By ntfreak
#153991
Think the onboard stlink is limited to SWD, however you can buy a standalone stlink that supports JTAG and SWD.

Remember though that the stlink is really designed for stm8/stm32, but will work with most other vendors cortex targets.

Some people also reprogram the stlink with other firmware, such as versaloon or black magic probe.

If you want an adapter that supports every target that OpenOCD does then at present you may be better going down the ftdi based route.

Spen
By fzfq3m
#154002
ntfreak wrote: If you want an adapter that supports every target that OpenOCD does then at present you may be better going down the ftdi based route.
Spen
First let me thank you again for your suggestion about the STM32F4DISCOVERY, I had a thoroughly look at the specs an from I can tell the processor that comes with the board have the peripherals that are need to satisfy my projects requirements: HS USB with OTG, 2 x CAN Bus Controllers :clap: I was planning to use an LPC4357 but you just saved me from buying a $124 LPC4357-DB1 demo board... (although I might buy it in the near future just to explore the asymmetrical dual-core capabilities of the LPC4300 Family)

BTW I just ordered the following:
- STM32F4DISCOVERY
- Olimex ARM-USB-OCD-H
- Olimex ARM-JTAG-SWD
- Olimex ARM-JTAG-20-10

I still some bucks (around $60) is there another tool that worth buying (for an ARM newbie)?
Regards
By motopic
#154025
ntfreak wrote:Remember though that the discovery board may need connectors etc adding to support all the interfaces - this is why the actual board is low cost.
So you will have to design or buy adapter boards, eg.
http://www.armkits.com/product/DM-STF4BB.asp

Cheers
Spen
Also read the license carefully. No commercial usage. Its not an arduino that you can just drop in something to sell.
By fzfq3m
#154052
motopic wrote: Also read the license carefully. No commercial usage. Its not an arduino that you can just drop in something to sell.
I'm planning to use the board for development/testing of the initial hardware/firmware prototype for my project, so no commercial usage is planned... eventually I will need to design/produce my own pcb but since my design skills aren't up for the task I have no plans for releasing my project as open hardware/open source :roll:

Thanks and kind regards
By fzfq3m
#155187
My STM32F4DISCOVERY arrived today.
I was reading the board's reference manual (DM00037955) and I just noticed that the board does not have an HS USB 2.0 PHY... My fault for not reading carefully the reference manual.

so... if I want to create a HS USb device I will need another dev board (with integrated HS USB pHY), use an external HS USB PHY and interface it with the stm32f4 discovery through ULPI,.. or roll my own board.

AFAIK the ULPI is just a pararllel interface but I'm unable to find any tutorial or library for using such interface with a microcontroller.... so any advice will be appreciated
Regards
By fzfq3m
#155217
I will anwser myself... according to this datasheet the NXP LPC1822 (and some other of the LPC1800 family) have integrated HS USB 2.0 PHY.

Arrow-Diolan sells three demoboards: LPC1850-DB1, LPC4357-DB1 and LPC4357-DB for about $100 each... that's out of my budget. I'm thinking to design a small demoboard with just minimum components needed to run the LPC1822 (crystal, vreg, usb conector, etc)