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Propeller 1-2-3 FPGA Board (#60054) available to Forum Members $375 - Page 3 — Parallax Forums

Propeller 1-2-3 FPGA Board (#60054) available to Forum Members $375

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  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,386
    edited 2015-07-21 17:46
    I agree with jac_goudsmit and I am happy to update the first post of this thread with the relevant content, even if it's just a link and not an attachment. Just send me an e-mail of what/where and I'll edit the post. 
    Ken Gracey
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,620
    edited 2015-07-22 05:53
    Jac I hear what you're saying, so started a new thread re using the Digilent pmod modules.   
    However as the following relates to "getting up and running" I'm going to post this here:- 
    Couple of suitable power supply candidates, for those in the USA http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_2218151_-1

    langId=-1&storeId=10001&productId=1952370&catalogId=10001&CID=MERCH
    edit: note one of the above has a 2.5 and other 2.1mm hole.  I need to confirm whats correct, exactly.  Both might work but at 5A current it probably starts to matter
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-07-25 00:37
    I found a power supply that appears to work - 7.5v 1.4a - it's under spec but when I plug it in and turn the board on, I do get all the lights blinking as it runs the preloaded FPGA code. Yay!

    I thought I'd try loading my cleanly compiled demo verilog program and much to my surprise (I guess, not really), I find that the loader program is a Windows .exe file!!

    So for now, since I'm a non-Windows user, I have a $375 FPGA board I can't really do anything with unless the custom loader program work running under Wine on a Linux system.

    Thanks, guys!!!! It's good to be an early adopter - NOT!

    **** BEWARE, if you are considering one of these boards and ARE NOT a Windows user, wait until we find out if px.exe works as a loader under Wine.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2015-07-24 21:41
    Tricky. What is a "thread".
    Perhaps it's an announcement. Job done.
    Perhaps its a technical question, an answer is given, a better answer is given, the problem is solved, job done.
    Perhaps it's a project in progress and it goes on  for weeks or months or years. Taking many diversions along the way. Job never done. Particularly any software production that people find useful is never finished as feature requests come and problems are resolved over time. 
    We see this all over many forums.
    At the end of the day, unless seriously managed for it's intended purpose, like stackexchange, a forum is just a conversation going on that has meaning to the participants at the time but might be hopelessly chaotic to visitors.
    Luckily a google site search can often pinpoint the the bits your are interested in. 
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,620
    edited 2015-07-24 22:12
    since "getting up and running" could involve a heap of posts, beyond the scope of the availability announcement, lets do that on a new thread
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2015-07-26 20:05
    Couple of suitable power supply candidates, for those in the USA http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10001_10001_2218151_-1

    langId=-1&storeId=10001&productId=1952370&catalogId=10001&CID=MERCH
    edit: note one of the above has a 2.5 and other 2.1mm hole.  I need to confirm whats correct, exactly.  Both might work but at 5A current it probably starts to matter

    I Grabbed both of these since I wasn't sure of the actual requirements and we hadn't heard anything back from Parallax.

    Both actually work in powering the board. In my opinion, the fit of the second one (item #1952370) seems a slight bit tighter. It is the one expecting the 2.1mm pin. I'll be using it going forward. This is my experience and observations only - your mileage may vary.

    The USPS Priority shipping from Jameco was really quick - ordered on 7/23, in my paws on 7/25 via domestic mail.
  • Would it be possible for Parallax to post an update as to how many of these boards remain available? I'm thinking of ordering one and I'd like to know how quick I have to make a decision.
  • Would it be possible for Parallax to post an update as to how many of these boards remain available? I'm thinking of ordering one and I'd like to know how quick I have to make a decision.

    David
    As of 3:35 EST there are 24 in stock.
    Jim
  • Would it be possible for Parallax to post an update as to how many of these boards remain available? I'm thinking of ordering one and I'd like to know how quick I have to make a decision.

    David
    As of 3:35 EST there are 24 in stock.
    Jim

    Thanks!
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    Would it be possible for Parallax to post an update as to how many of these boards remain available? I'm thinking of ordering one and I'd like to know how quick I have to make a decision.

    I'm surprised Parallax do not simply send you one ..  :)
  • Would it be possible for Parallax to post an update as to how many of these boards remain available? I'm thinking of ordering one and I'd like to know how quick I have to make a decision.

    I'm surprised Parallax do not simply send you one ..  :)

    I prefer to pay for the Parallax products that I use unless it is something I wouldn't ordinarily buy myself. This looks like a pretty cool board.
  • Rev A suggestion:

    Is there any way the traces and jumper block for programming selection can be reworked to allow the USB port to be used to program the virtual Propeller also? It felt a bit silly scavenging around to find a $20 Prop Plug to program the virtual Propeller on my near $500 FPGA board designed for Propeller development.
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    Rev A suggestion:

    Is there any way the traces and jumper block for programming selection can be reworked to allow the USB port to be used to program the virtual Propeller also? It felt a bit silly scavenging around to find a $20 Prop Plug to program the virtual Propeller on my near $500 FPGA board designed for Propeller development.

    On Lattice Eval boards, they solve this Loader and COM issue by using a FT2232H (Dual)

    The 1-2-3 uses a Prop as Serial-JTAG bridge, so there should be a lot of spare space in there to also offer a Serial-Serial bridge - and for good measure, I'd add in Serial-SPI bridge, so they can program a FLASH Boot loader, at highest speeds.
     
  • ozpropdevozpropdev Posts: 2,791
    edited 2015-07-30 05:22
    Doesn't SW5 (Device select MUX/DEMUX) select PropellerFPGA?
    I haven't fired up my board yet.
  • Ozpropdev, yes, if you jumper the pins, you can reprogram the onboard Propeller to reload Chip's loader for example. If you leave the jumper off, you reprogram the FPGA through the on-board Propeller.

    I'd like to see one more jumper setting so you could attach the FTDI I/O to whatever pins are normally the programming pins on the virtual propeller or else bring out RX/TX and ~RST to headers on the FPGA board for more flexibility.

    Maybe the feature is there and I just missed it.
  • Just fired up my A7 board.
    Comms working fine thru USB.
    Jumper JMP1 is only needed to re-program onboard propeller.




  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,140
    Just fired up my A7 board.
    Comms working fine thru USB.
    Jumper JMP1 is only needed to re-program onboard propeller.
    Which FTDI part does this use ?
    Do you mean Comms to a P2 image for loading, or Comms to program the FPGA ?

    Ideally, the prop1 needs to

    * Emulate a ByteBlaster link for FPGA downloads
      (Did I see earlier numbers where the P1 was faster than an Altera loader ? )
    * Provide a comms link from USB to P2 UART pins for comms-boot
    * Provide a comms link from USB to 'small'# SPI flash used to boot P2

    # Small means relative to FPGA image Flash, looks like ~4Mb 24b address is P2-sweet spot, under 25c in volumes.

  • Sorry, I should have been more specific.
    Device is FT231X according to schematic.
    Both for programming the FPGA and comms from a P1V image.
    SW5 RUN-PGM
    RUN connects FTDI device to on board Propeller.
    PGM connects FTDI device to FPGA.


  • These are the fpga pin assignments for P1V USB comms.
    set_location_assignment PIN_H6 -to inp_resn
    set_location_assignment PIN_F7 -to io[31]
    set_location_assignment PIN_E7 -to io[30]

  • Cool! Thanks for investigating!
  • I don't think it is my imagination but it appears that the latest set of forum fixes ate the 60054 zip file that was attached to the first post in this thread. This file contained the px.exe file, a test .rbf file and verilog source and the schematics.
  • I was able to click and download. WIN7 and Chrome.
  • Thanks Jim,

    I see what happened now. I didn't actually follow the links (because they weren't the file I was looking for)

    The file that the "Link to P1 Open Source Files" link points to now WAS a thread attachment of the 1-2-3 FPGA A7 resource .zip file.

    The link "Link to P1 Open Source Files" pointed to the P1V page -> https://www.parallax.com/microcontrollers/propeller-1-open-source <- this WAS where you could go and read about the P1V project and get files related to it. NOW, it gives you the resource file - it's just mislabeled now and a bit confusing.

    Things look different and I don't want the 1-2-3 FPGA file to get lost or become difficult for early adopters to find.

    *If this was changed as a part of the update, then there could be other threads out there with attachments and links that suffered the same fate.

  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2015-08-04 17:30
    OK Rick, It was a different post.
    (because they weren't the file I was looking for)

    or maybe the (An)droids? :)
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    Ken,

    I just ordered a second P123. I need it to do some debugging. If it gets delivered after August 12,
    I'm going to have to explain it to Libby. This process involves me using lots of technical sounding jargon
    until her eyes roll back in her head... which looks painful:)

    Thanks,

    Rich
  • I may have missed the answer to this question but is the source for px.exe available? Will it run on anything other than Windows?
  • David Betz wrote: »
    I may have missed the answer to this question but is the source for px.exe available? Will it run on anything other than Windows?
    Just Windows I believe.
    The .spin file source for the local propeller on the 123 board is available.
    Perhaps a little reverse engineering could give you the answers you seek. :)

  • ozpropdev wrote: »
    David Betz wrote: »
    I may have missed the answer to this question but is the source for px.exe available? Will it run on anything other than Windows?
    Just Windows I believe.
    The .spin file source for the local propeller on the 123 board is available.
    Perhaps a little reverse engineering could give you the answers you seek. :)
    So px.exe is closed source? That seems a bit inconsistent with Parallax's recent moves to open source everything including the P1 RTL. It would be nice to be able to port it to Linux and the Mac. I hope they plan to release the source eventually.

  • Px.exe does run under Wine on Linux.

    Chip develops with the tools he is comfortable with, I imagine. Hence pnut and px.exe under Windows. I ran pnut under wine also, last time around.
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    edited 2015-08-13 21:01
    Ken,

    Thanks... !!!

    It arrived just in the nick of time... to hide the evidence:)

    Rich
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