How to make real time data transmission between PC and FPGA with JTAG?

[hemant2007]

As we know that microcontrollers like 8051 can be interfaced with PC and data exchanged between then can be seen on HYPERTERMINAL.
But i am using ACTEL PROASIC APA 300 series evaluation board ,with FLASHPRO LITE programmer connected to PARALLEL PORT .
so how can i make real time data transmission and reception between PC and FPGA.
can this is possible with JTAG.

plz give me DETAILED EXPLANATION.

 

[banjo]

JTAG ?????????

JTAG cannot be used. At least not easily. The purpose of JTAG is to provide a test interface for chips. Later it was expanded as a programming interface for both logic device like FPGAs and microcontrollers.

To send data from a FPGA to a PC, you need interface programmed into the FPGA. You can find cores for UARTs that will allow the FPGA to talk to Hyperterminal. Of course, these cores consume some of the available logic within the FPGA. If you have plenty of resources, then this is no big deal. If your FPGA is already full, then it is a real problem.

Another method is to pass data from the FPGA to a microcontroller and have the microcontroller provide the link to the PC. The FPGA to microcontroller link can be many different types, I2C, SPI, or a parallel interface. The choice depends again on available logic within the FPGA and available pins.