Generic JTAG cable for old Memec development board

Hi,

I have the older Memec dev board Spartan 3 ds-bd-3sxxxxmb-fg676 where xxxx is xc3s1500. It came with a parallel jtag cable. I need a usb version now. The search did not return many results. Do you think getting a generic usb jtag cable is an option or it is more specific to the devboard due to the usb controller?

My current programming cable is: Memec IJC-4

Thanks

jam jtag parallel port

Basically, most FPGA manufacturers have specific JTAG connector mapping and also incompatible signal usage with simple parallel port adapters. I know particularly Altera, Xilinx and Lattice, different each. However, some manufacturer tools have options to use a competitors JTAG adapter, if think this is the case with Lattice ispVM programming tool and also with Altera JAM player. I would expect the compatibility issues to continue with USB adapters. If I remember right, there have been efforts to achieve multi protocol capability with USB adapter projects in EDAboard.

cable jtag-usb digilent impact

Thanks. That's what I thought. Avnet acquired Memec in 2005 and now all my supporting documentation relates to a memec's website that does not exist. I'll keep looking.

Thanks

insight memec ijc-1

The price of usb cable from Avnet is $199:
**broken link removed**
while in 2004 I saw it for $70 from Memec.

Also, looking at this: **broken link removed**
the kit includes a usb cable. It is not the usb jtag, is it? Otherwise, buying a cable with a kit for $150 is cheaper than the cable itself

spartan 3 jtag cable

You might have good luck buying an inexpensive third-party USB-JTAG cable. However, such cables usually require their own special software, and probably won't work with whatever JTAG software you already have. That could be a disadvantage if your original software has unique features (such as ChipScope debugging) that aren't provided in the third-party software.

Here's an inexpensive JTAG-USB cable from Digilent. It requires their free "Adept" software. I have not tried this cable, but I've been happy with other Digilent products.
http://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?Prod=JTAG-USB

The new cable may have a different JTAG connector pinout than your FPGA board, so you may need to build yourself a small adapter.

jtag cable ijc-3

Thanks

I've looked on Digilent's kits pages and here is what it says for some of the dev boards: "JTAG programming via on-board USB port"
Does that by any mean mean the whole 6-pin jtag can be avoided and replaced with a simple usb cable? Or they actually mean it's a JTAG with a USB on the other end?

http://www.digilentinc.com/Products...ucts&Nav2=Programmable&Cat=Programmable Logic
for example look at Spartan-3e Starter Board

ds-bd-3s1500mb-fg676

Some Digilent/Xilinx FPGA development boards (including the Spartan-3E Starter Kit) provide both a USB programming port and a JTAG programming port. You can use either one. The USB port requires a simple USB-to-USB cable (included) and Xilinx's ISE iMPACT software (not Digilent's software). Or you can use the board's JTAG port if you already have some sort of JTAG cable and software.

When using the USB-to-USB cable method, the Xilinx iMPACT software basically puts JTAG commands/data into USB messages, sends them to the board, and then the board's USB controller extracts the JTAG commands/data and sends them to the FPGA. (If you are hoping to use the board's USB programming port for developing USB communication applications in your FPGA, sorry the USB programming port isn't set up for doing that.)

Xilinx sells a similar kit containing the same board and slightly different accessories:
**broken link removed**

Other FPGA kits from Xilinx (some of the boards are made by Digilent):
https://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/index.htm

digilent usb jtag cable pinout

Thanks for clarifying that some of the new boards come with a USB programming port. I cannot find a page for my board in particular (Memec Spartan 3 Dev Board ds-bd-3s1500mb-fg676), but physically it has a USB port in there and it came with a USB cable plus a parallel JTAG cable four years ago. The Spartan-3e DevBoard looks very similar to mine, but my has also a denser FPGA and two p160 expander slots for additional boards.

My new computer does not have a parallel port anymore. Let's hope that this USB port is actually for programming. What do you think?

Cheers

parallel jtag programming cable

The board's user manual should explain what the USB port can do. However, if you bought the board second-hand, then of course the previous owner lost all the manuals and disks.

If the USB port provides FPGA programming, then you may need Memec software to talk to it.

I think Avnet absorbed Memec, so try asking Avnet where to find old Memec product manuals
If that doesn't work, try Insight. I think Memec created Insight, and "Insight Memec" handled the FPGA board products. Maybe.

jtag connector avnet chipscope

why you use not a very old motherboard with a standard parallel port ?

6 * F