Parallel JTAG cable on a USB-only W2K laptop?

[CF]

Parallel JTAG cable on a USB-only W2K laptop?

I am wondering if anyone has been able to successfully use a Xilinx parallel
JTAG cable/adapter with the ISE 5.2i iMPACT software to program EEPROMS (or
even a successful boundary scan to see the JTAG chain) with a laptop that
only has USB ports.

I purchased an ECP mode bi-directional USB to Parallel IEEE 1284 converter
cable to accomplish this on my Toshiba 5105 Satellite laptop, that only has
3 USB ports, no printer ports. iMPACT will not recognize the converter as a
printer port. These cables don't install as LPT's and don't have, as far as
I can tell, an IO hardware address.

As I am a student and I can't justify buying a $495 MultiLINX USB-it would
be cheaper for me to build another computer that has an LPT port, or get
some other type of converter device, I guess.

The problem on the Windows 2000 side is that it doesn't add an LPT port with
this plug and play USB port converter device. It installs itself as a USB
Printing Support, Driver 1999 by Microsoft (not an LPT).

My local Xilinx distributor has given me the following advice which doesn't
sound good for me since I have no LPT type hardware IO registers located at
the address he suggests, or anywhere else (go to my computer, manage,
computer management, system information, hardware resources, I/O).

From my rep:
/*
The workaround is to force the base address in iMPACT, rather than allowing
the software to query the BIOS. To force the base address, the following
environment variable should be set:

set XIL_IMPACT_ENV_LPT_BASE_ADDRESS=xxx

Typically 'xyz' will by '378' as that is the standard base address for the
parallel port (LPT1) on Windows PCs. The Windows Device Manager should be
used to confirm the base address assigned to LPT1. For information on
accessing and using Device Manager see the Windows Help menu on your PC.
*/

Again, I don't have any LPT type device located at any address I can find to
put in the 'xyz 'above. I don't think I should put in the address of the
Intel 82801CA/CAM USB Host Controller into the LPT_BASE above?

I have looked at support.microsoft.com and didn't find out how to accomplish
this either.

Any experiences appreciated.

 

[Antti Lukats]

"CF" <carl@notsoform.com> wrote in message news:<oMuab.1897$YO5.1362646@news3.news.adelphia.net>...

Parallel JTAG cable on a USB-only W2K laptop?

you are right about eveything. sorry for you.
iMpact uses kernel mode driver to talk to parallel port so even
if you install kernel mode driver to emulate LPT at real io address
this would not be recognized by iMpact, as it also uses kernel
access and bypasses io virtualization.

what you can do:

1) there is a japanese project (visual studio project) for downloading
xilinx FPGAs using FT232 or FT245 chips, basically you just connect
FGPA to FT232 (1:1 pin map) and use the supplied downloader to download
bitstreams.

2) you take free sources of Alter JAM player, and change the port
access to work with the IO as described above [1]. then you have
JAM player that works with USB JTAG cable.

unfortunatly the JAM files produced by iMpact do have sometimes
trouble with unpatched JAM player, but this can eventually be
solved.

http://www.hdl.co.jp/ndoc/D2XX/BitBangMode.html

above link has the info about using FT232BM/245BM
I was going to offer you a free usb module but it has FT232AM
on it and cat be used. sorry.

optionally, if you need low low cost there is a free design
http://www.cesko.host.sk/IgorPlugUSB/IgorPlug-USB%20(AVR)_eng.htm

the above can be built from components of total cost aroung 5 USD
and it works, could also be used for downloader (but would be
REAL REAL SLOW!!)

antti

 

[CF]

Thank you for confirming my suspicion that I cannot accomplish this task
with a USB adapter.
I have ordered a Quatech SPP-100 PCMCIA to Parallel adapter.
I believe it will install as an LPT device properly and do the job.
Thank you again.
Carl

 

[Simon Peacock]

I have a feeling you might be pushing it .. but I'd like to hear the
outcome.. The parallel port is treated as a bit bashed I/O port by the
downloader's where as the USB to parallel port is a printer port.. or an EPP
port..

Xilinx do a USB to FPGA downloader box for about US$500.. that would be my
best thought.. or there's a few USB - JTAG boxes that might also work.
Altera have a similar device similar price..

I have often thought an EZ-USB would make a great FPGA downloader and at the
same price as the parallel port downloader's.

Simon


"CF" <carl@notsoform.com> wrote in message
news:_e4bb.2249$YO5.1748748@news3.news.adelphia.net...

Thank you for confirming my suspicion that I cannot accomplish this task
with a USB adapter.
I have ordered a Quatech SPP-100 PCMCIA to Parallel adapter.
I believe it will install as an LPT device properly and do the job.
Thank you again.
Carl

 

[Peter Wallace]

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 23:19:37 -0700, Simon Peacock wrote:

I have a feeling you might be pushing it .. but I'd like to hear the
outcome.. The parallel port is treated as a bit bashed I/O port by the
downloader's where as the USB to parallel port is a printer port.. or an
EPP port..

Xilinx do a USB to FPGA downloader box for about US$500.. that would be
my best thought.. or there's a few USB - JTAG boxes that might also
work. Altera have a similar device similar price..

I have often thought an EZ-USB would make a great FPGA downloader and at
the same price as the parallel port downloader's.

Simon


"CF" <carl@notsoform.com> wrote in message
news:_e4bb.2249$YO5.1748748@news3.news.adelphia.net...
Thank you for confirming my suspicion that I cannot accomplish this
task with a USB adapter.
I have ordered a Quatech SPP-100 PCMCIA to Parallel adapter. I believe
it will install as an LPT device properly and do the job. Thank you
again.
Carl

A little early to announce but we have a simple USB/JTAG downloader. The
downloader uses the FTDI245B chip + a SpartanII Xc2S50 for the TAP
controller. The XC2S50 is first downloaded in bit-bang mode via the FTDI
chip and then acts as a smart TAP controller. This is an open project with
all design information (software, stiffware, schenmatics, gerbers) freely
available.

The downloader supports 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V JTAG I/O and programmable clock
rates up to 48 MHz. The programmer is USB powered (no adapter needed).
Connector pinout is 26 pin superst of EJTAG pinout.

The current software allows downloading Xilinx Bit files and SVF files
(Thanks Jim!) If you dont want to build it yourself, The programmer
hardware is available from my company for $99.00


Peter Wallace

 

[Simon Peacock]

Now this sounds like a plan.. I would be interested in more info.. as would
a few around here..

Simon

"Peter Wallace" <pcw@karpy.com> wrote in message
newsan.2003.09.21.22.57.55.531717.20522@karpy.com...

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 23:19:37 -0700, Simon Peacock wrote:

I have a feeling you might be pushing it .. but I'd like to hear the
outcome.. The parallel port is treated as a bit bashed I/O port by the
downloader's where as the USB to parallel port is a printer port.. or an
EPP port..

Xilinx do a USB to FPGA downloader box for about US$500.. that would be
my best thought.. or there's a few USB - JTAG boxes that might also
work. Altera have a similar device similar price..

I have often thought an EZ-USB would make a great FPGA downloader and at
the same price as the parallel port downloader's.

Simon


"CF" <carl@notsoform.com> wrote in message
news:_e4bb.2249$YO5.1748748@news3.news.adelphia.net...
Thank you for confirming my suspicion that I cannot accomplish this
task with a USB adapter.
I have ordered a Quatech SPP-100 PCMCIA to Parallel adapter. I believe
it will install as an LPT device properly and do the job. Thank you
again.
Carl



A little early to announce but we have a simple USB/JTAG downloader. The
downloader uses the FTDI245B chip + a SpartanII Xc2S50 for the TAP
controller. The XC2S50 is first downloaded in bit-bang mode via the FTDI
chip and then acts as a smart TAP controller. This is an open project with
all design information (software, stiffware, schenmatics, gerbers) freely
available.

The downloader supports 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V JTAG I/O and programmable clock
rates up to 48 MHz. The programmer is USB powered (no adapter needed).
Connector pinout is 26 pin superst of EJTAG pinout.

The current software allows downloading Xilinx Bit files and SVF files
(Thanks Jim!) If you dont want to build it yourself, The programmer
hardware is available from my company for $99.00


Peter Wallace

 

[John Williams]

CF wrote:

Thank you for confirming my suspicion that I cannot accomplish this task
with a USB adapter.
I have ordered a Quatech SPP-100 PCMCIA to Parallel adapter.
I believe it will install as an LPT device properly and do the job.

You made the right choice, I have one of these for my laptop and it
works perfectly. By all accounts UCB->parallel converters just won't
work with iMPACT.

Regards,

John

 

[Peter C. Wallace]

On Mon, 22 Sep 2003 00:12:54 -0700, Simon Peacock wrote:

Now this sounds like a plan.. I would be interested in more info.. as
would a few around here..

Simon

"Peter Wallace" <pcw@karpy.com> wrote in message
newsan.2003.09.21.22.57.55.531717.20522@karpy.com...
On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 23:19:37 -0700, Simon Peacock wrote:

I have a feeling you might be pushing it .. but I'd like to hear the
outcome.. The parallel port is treated as a bit bashed I/O port by
the downloader's where as the USB to parallel port is a printer
port.. or an EPP port..

Xilinx do a USB to FPGA downloader box for about US$500.. that would
be my best thought.. or there's a few USB - JTAG boxes that might
also work. Altera have a similar device similar price..

I have often thought an EZ-USB would make a great FPGA downloader and
at the same price as the parallel port downloader's.

Simon


"CF" <carl@notsoform.com> wrote in message
news:_e4bb.2249$YO5.1748748@news3.news.adelphia.net...
Thank you for confirming my suspicion that I cannot accomplish this
task with a USB adapter.
I have ordered a Quatech SPP-100 PCMCIA to Parallel adapter. I
believe it will install as an LPT device properly and do the job.
Thank you again.
Carl



A little early to announce but we have a simple USB/JTAG downloader.
The downloader uses the FTDI245B chip + a SpartanII Xc2S50 for the TAP
controller. The XC2S50 is first downloaded in bit-bang mode via the
FTDI chip and then acts as a smart TAP controller. This is an open
project with all design information (software, stiffware, schenmatics,
gerbers) freely available.

The downloader supports 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V JTAG I/O and programmable
clock rates up to 48 MHz. The programmer is USB powered (no adapter
needed). Connector pinout is 26 pin superst of EJTAG pinout.

The current software allows downloading Xilinx Bit files and SVF files
(Thanks Jim!) If you dont want to build it yourself, The programmer
hardware is available from my company for $99.00


Peter Wallace

Here is a link to the programmer

www.mesanet.com/parallelcardinfo.html

(at the bottom)

The support software link is to a zipped file of schematics and current
software/stiffware...


Peter Wallace

 

[Peter C. Wallace]

On Mon, 22 Sep 2003 12:54:14 -0700, emanuel stiebler wrote:

Peter Wallace wrote:
A little early to announce but we have a simple USB/JTAG downloader.
The downloader uses the FTDI245B chip + a SpartanII Xc2S50 for the TAP
controller. The XC2S50 is first downloaded in bit-bang mode via the
FTDI chip and then acts as a smart TAP controller. This is an open
project with all design information (software, stiffware, schenmatics,
gerbers) freely available.

You should have told us before ;-)
I'm sitting on a layout for something like this, but with the cypress
fx2 as USB2 chip ...

cheers

I looked at that chip for a newer design but it draws so much power that
it looks troublesome to stay under the 500 mA limit, at least for a simple
low cost card with linear regulators.

I've got a low cost USBScope (2 channels ~30 MHz (100 Ms/S)) design using the
FTDI245 and a XC2S100E as well, I would have liked to have used the Cypress
part there but there is no hope even with switching regulators of staying
below 500 mA with Cypress.

Peter Wallace