[SOLVED] SPARTAN 3A Starter Kit connection to laptop

[technochrat]

Hello all,

I have a Spartan 3A starter board.

I would like to know which one of the below 2 ethods will be a better way to interface it to my laptop (No RS-232) fro debugging.

1.Use an RS-232 to to USB covertor and connect to laptop.
I hope that the convertor will have a Virtual com port driver and so I can use Hyperterminal.

2.User an UART to USB PMOD from digilent on the 6-pin expansion connector with hyperterminal and VCP drivers.

Any help is appreciated.

Cheers

 

[mrflibble]

1.Use an RS-232 to to USB covertor and connect to laptop.
I hope that the convertor will have a Virtual com port driver and so I can use Hyperterminal.

That is generally easier and cheaper. So if that constitutes "bettter" for you go with that. Those USB/RS232 converters will show as a virtual comm port as you say, so yes could use hyperterminal for that.

 

[joelby]

The only thing to be wary of is that a true RS232 interface could present voltages of up to ±25 V. If you connect this directly to an FPGA input pin, you will destroy it.

Either find a USB-UART converter with 2.5/3.3 V logic levels (I would confirm the voltages with an oscilloscope if I wasn't sure), or use the Digilent PMod if you want to play it safe.

 

[technochrat]

The only thing to be wary of is that a true RS232 interface could present voltages of up to ±25 V. If you connect this directly to an FPGA input pin, you will destroy it.

There is already a UART to RS-232 level covertor on the Spartan board,so its already taken care of.

---------- Post added at 10:33 ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 ----------

@mrfibbleThank you,I took your word for it..and have working debug interface.!!!!

 

[joelby]

Yep.. if you've got one built in.. that's the one to use

 

[mrflibble]

@mrfibble Thank you,I took your word for it..and have working debug interface.!!!!

Glad you got it working.