Spartan3 JTAG flash In System Programming over Ethernet

[Database Administrator]

I am interested in using the Xilinx 10/100 Ethernet solution supported
in their Spartan3 eveluation kit. I have a JTAG based flash PROM
XCF02S connected to the Spartan3. I would like to know best way to do
the In System Programming of this JTAG based PROM over the ethernet.
The Xilinx reference design for the 10/100 ethernet uses Microblaze.
We were thinking about putting down GPIO pins from the FPGA to the
JTAG based PROM so that it can be programmed over the Ethernet.

If there is already a ready made solution for this then that will help
us.

Thanks.

CP

[Database Administrator]

cpandya@yahoo.com writes:

> If there is already a ready made solution for this then that will help
> us.

I've made a programmer that works over ethernet. I've been modifying
it over the last few years to get the cost down. I will make it into a
product if there is a demand for such a programmer. I can program
fpga's (altera and xilinx), as well as spi devices, i2c, and microchip
microcontrollers. It can also program several flash devices attached
to other processors etc which have a jtag interface.

I use it under linux, and the benefit is that you don't need a driver
other than the network driver that is available with most (if not all)
operating systems.

Would there be any interest in such a programmer, or will most users
want to stick with the programmers provided by the vendors?


Petter

--
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
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[Database Administrator]

Petter Gustad wrote:
> cpandya@yahoo.com writes:
>
>> If there is already a ready made solution for this then that will help
>> us.
>
> I've made a programmer that works over ethernet. I've been modifying
> it over the last few years to get the cost down. I will make it into a
> product if there is a demand for such a programmer. I can program
> fpga's (altera and xilinx), as well as spi devices, i2c, and microchip
> microcontrollers. It can also program several flash devices attached
> to other processors etc which have a jtag interface.
>
> I use it under linux, and the benefit is that you don't need a driver
> other than the network driver that is available with most (if not all)
> operating systems.
>
> Would there be any interest in such a programmer, or will most users
> want to stick with the programmers provided by the vendors?
>
>
> Petter
>
Sorry, why do you need a programmer for this? Would it be possible to
first write the flash memory on the fpga to load a minimal network stack
that can interact with the jtag/ethernet interface, then directly
program the FPGA over a null ethernet cable?

Fei

linux (192.168.1.1) <--> fpga_ethernet (192.168.1.2) <--> fpga spi flash

[Database Administrator]

Petter Gustad wrote:

>cpandya@yahoo.com writes:
>
>> If there is already a ready made solution for this then that will help
>> us.
>
>I've made a programmer that works over ethernet. I've been modifying
>it over the last few years to get the cost down. I will make it into a
>product if there is a demand for such a programmer. I can program
>fpga's (altera and xilinx), as well as spi devices, i2c, and microchip
>microcontrollers. It can also program several flash devices attached
>to other processors etc which have a jtag interface.
>
>I use it under linux, and the benefit is that you don't need a driver
>other than the network driver that is available with most (if not all)
>operating systems.
>
>Would there be any interest in such a programmer, or will most users
>want to stick with the programmers provided by the vendors?

Something that would be really nice is a parallel port programmer.
With a huge twist... Years ago I've build an eprom emulator which
simply simulates a printer. Configuring it is a matter of printing
text commands. Downloading the hex file is simply a matter of printing
it. No device drivers whatsoever are required. It will work with USB
to parallel converters (including the crappy ones). There is full flow
control as well and it is bleeding fast. It amazes me no-one ever came
up with something like that.

--
Programmeren in Almere?
E-mail naar nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.)

[Database Administrator]

On Apr 7, 6:18 pm, n...@puntnl.niks (Nico Coesel) wrote:

> Something that would be really nice is a parallel port programmer.
> With a huge twist... Years ago I've build an eprom emulator which
> simply simulates a printer. Configuring it is a matter of printing
> text commands. Downloading the hex file is simply a matter of printing
> it. No device drivers whatsoever are required. It will work with USB
> to parallel converters (including the crappy ones). There is full flow
> control as well and it is bleeding fast. It amazes me no-one ever came
> up with something like that.

Shouldn't be too hard for passive serial / slave serial modes -
just a little logic on the LPT strobe and 1 data bit (using all bits
and
a shift register would be tempting, but then you'd need an appropriate
local clock, the speed of which may need to detect the strobe speed
somehow).

Where this breaks down is trying to do JTAG when you don't know the
commands - for example,
trying to run one of Altera's JAM files that's looking for a response
beyond just monitoring a status
bit infrequetly.

Also, in this day and age, simply dumping strobed bytes out the LPT is
going to require a driver.
And a USB to parallel converter is going to require a driver...
Figure that you may still need some
level translation, and something based on a cypress fx2 USB micro may
make more sense.

[gmpundlik]

Years ago I've build an eprom emulator which
simply simulates a printer. Configuring it is a matter of printing
text commands. Downloading the hex file is simply a matter of printing
it. No device drivers whatsoever are required. It will work with USB
to parallel converters (including the crappy ones). There is full flow
control as well and it is bleeding fast. It amazes me no-one ever came
up with something like that.

Funny! About 15 years ago I made exactly the same thing - an EPROM emulator using 6264 RAM, that could be written simply by

copy file.ext prn

or

type file.ext > prn

I used a program/use switch to switch between modes. And used a 28-pin cable with a specially made dual-row header that fit into the 28-pin EPROM socket on the board!

I did this because we had only UV-EPROMs, and did not have a proper eraser, so putting it in sunlight everytime for 15~20 minutes was not feasible, not to mention the work at nights. The project used a 8032 controller.

Never used it later anyway, simply switched to flash EEPROM based controllers like 89C51.

Just amused to remember that. And that its a small world, and no idea is original!

Girish