How to program a spartan-3

[jaypt@hotmail.com]

After I place/route the design and generate the *.bit file
how can I download the *.bit file into Spartan-3. Which program
should I use. I just bought the Spartan-3 starter kit from Xilinx
and there is no instruction on how to bring the bitstream from
my PC into the development board. What cable should I use to
connect the PC to the development board. Is there any Web which
explains in details about this process. The documentation which
comes with the kit does not explain how to do this.

Thanks,

Jay

 

[pablo aimar]

Hi Jay,
1) along with the kit you will receive a JTAG Cable (I received)
which connects to the jtag connector (J7) and your pc parallel
port. After hooking it up you can program by using impact.
2) In order to program the fpga use - your_project.bit file
for programming the xilinx flash(XF02..) use your_project.mcs.

programming procedure :
a) power up the board and connect the programming cable between J7
(be
careful with the polarity .. connect such that the names match on
the cable and the connector match).
b) now open impact software and right click and select Initialize
chain(3rd item).
c) the software will detect two devices (spartan - 1st from left and
the second is xcf02);
d) if you want to program the fpga then when spartan is highlighted
select
your_project.bit and after assigning the file right click on the
fpga and
selset program.
e) if you want program the xilinx flash then select your_project.mcs
and program
f) this is quite rough description, just play around with board and
you can figure it out!

any problems let me know.

regards
rao


jaypt@hotmail.com (jaypt@hotmail.com) wrote in message news:<bf356a7d.0407222053.72d527d4@posting.google.com>...

After I place/route the design and generate the *.bit file
how can I download the *.bit file into Spartan-3. Which program
should I use. I just bought the Spartan-3 starter kit from Xilinx
and there is no instruction on how to bring the bitstream from
my PC into the development board. What cable should I use to
connect the PC to the development board. Is there any Web which
explains in details about this process. The documentation which
comes with the kit does not explain how to do this.

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Rich Webb]

On 23 Jul 2004 10:15:08 -0700, raonpc@gmail.com (pablo aimar) wrote:

Hi Jay,
1) along with the kit you will receive a JTAG Cable (I received)
which connects to the jtag connector (J7) and your pc parallel
port. After hooking it up you can program by using impact.
2) In order to program the fpga use - your_project.bit file
for programming the xilinx flash(XF02..) use your_project.mcs.

programming procedure :
[snip...snip...]

Thanks for the post, rao. I'm not the OP but I've used enough
development boards to know that what seems simple once you've
done it is often not at all obvious on the first time through.
It's looking like a rainy weekend here and I was planning to
give that board a little workout, myself (should be fun).

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA

 

[atts]

Hi Jay,

I was looking to purchase the Spartan-3 dev-board. I
understand it comes with modelsim, is modelsim registered
as a "time limited" product or "code size" ?

thanks
atts

jaypt@hotmail.com wrote:

After I place/route the design and generate the *.bit file
how can I download the *.bit file into Spartan-3. Which program
should I use. I just bought the Spartan-3 starter kit from Xilinx
and there is no instruction on how to bring the bitstream from
my PC into the development board. What cable should I use to
connect the PC to the development board. Is there any Web which
explains in details about this process. The documentation which
comes with the kit does not explain how to do this.

Thanks,

Jay