Hi all,
I am designing an Arduino Due work-alike and think I will be using a Coolrunner or two. I know I can use Bus Blaster et al to program the CPLD and may do that but I have in mind something in a box that works directly with ISE and don't want to spend a fortune on the official Xilinx stuff.
So I found two on eBay, I can't post links yet but if you have the time they are items #200539866123 and #261139207674
Does anyone have experience with these or similar 3rd-party programmers? Do they even work?
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Rob
The only experience I have is with building a Xilinx Paralle Cable II (http://http://blog.hendriklipka.de/archives/2012/03/xilinx_parallel_cable.html) (aka DLC5). It needs a parallel port, but otherwise works like a charm, and is supported by the Xilinx tool chain.
So if you have a parallel port available, and don't want to spend money, build one.
Parallel port...parallel port...hang on I'll have to look that up :)
I haven't seen a parallel port in probably 15 years. I actually couldn't believe that companies the size of Xilinx and Altera (and Atmel for that matter) still have devices that use parallel and RS-232 ports.
I did see those and various DIY schematics but no good to me I'm afraid. I don't mind spending a few $, those two I mentioned are ~$40-50 which is OK.
How many posts before I can include a URL to eBay?
works like a charm, and is supported by the Xilinx tool chain.
Can you get USB->parallel adapters? I'll have a look around.
Thanks for responding.
______
Rob
You should be now able to add link and attachements.
USB to Parallel prolly wont work as most programs will use the port in a nonstandard way or are timing sensitve
[quote author="graynomad"]Parallel port...parallel port...hang on I'll have to look that up :)[/quote]
I took care with my computers to get one of these - parallel port interfaces are much simpler to build at home... This provides a less expensive start into new areas (e.g. I used a parallel port PIC programmer until recently, before building a PicKit2 to use USB)
[quote author="graynomad"]I haven't seen a parallel port in probably 15 years. I actually couldn't believe that companies the size of Xilinx and Altera (and Atmel for that matter) still have devices that use parallel and RS-232 ports.
[/quote]
Actually the Xilinx parallel cables are out of business for several years now, it's just that the software still supports them. (The Xilinx USB platform cable has been introduced in 2004 I think).
[quote author="graynomad"]I did see those and various DIY schematics but no good to me I'm afraid. I don't mind spending a few $, those two I mentioned are ~$40-50 which is OK.
[/quote]
In that case, just get one of these adapters. I don't think you will run into much problems - they should work ootb with the Xilinx software.
[quote author="graynomad"]How many posts before I can include a URL to eBay?
[/quote]
I think its a 24 hour period (see http://http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/PhpBB3_MOD:_phpBB_spam_hammer).
[quote author="graynomad"]
works like a charm, and is supported by the Xilinx tool chain.
Can you get USB->parallel adapters? I'll have a look around.
[/quote]
You can get them, but they won't work with such programming adapters. Driver for the latter access (usually) the ports directly, to get maximum speed, which doesn't work that well with an USB adapter.
In that case, just get one of these adapters. I don't think you will run into much problems - they should work ootb with the Xilinx software.
Yes I think I will, at that price I suppose it's not a great risk.
FWIW I can post the links now
http://http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/200539866123?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D200539866123%26_rdc%3D1
http://http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/261139207674?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D261139207674%26_rdc%3D1
They look OK and an enclosure in important I think, it's too easy to short things out with a bare board.
I must say I'm looking forward to doing some PLDs again, I did some in the late 80s but things have changed a lot since then.
______
Rob