BlackIce Mx & IceCore initial feedback

Folknology 2019-07-03 14:06:50 UTC #1

Ok now that these are out in the wild I expect there to be feedback, improvements and or issues, feel free to ask quuestions or post comments about BlackIce Mx/IceCore in this thread.

There is the start of an IceCore wiki to get things documented and a place to start checking, expect this to expand over the next few days/months..

Important Repos

You will be able to find all of the source files, examples and wikis, along with images etc..

IceCore Repo
BlackIce Mx Repo
BlackEdge Connectivity Repo

Issue filing

If it isn't just a query or question and you think it may be a bug or feature request then feel free to file an issue on the relevant repo:

IceCore Issues - For all hardware/firmware core module issues including related toolchain for IceCore
BlackIce Mx Issues - Hardware issues with BlackIce Mx carrier, MixMods or Rpi header

electrified 2019-07-03 15:44:30 UTC #2

Got my board today. Thanks!

1) Is the source for the firmware available?
2) If powering the IceCore from a carrier, presumably it's just 5v that needs to be provided?
3) Do you have any example code that makes use of the HDMI output?

Cheers,
Ed

Folknology 2019-07-03 15:56:19 UTC #3

Hi Ed

I just added the raw source firmware, its rather basic right now and will be tailored to my system (paths etc..) you will need to hack it a little until I get things in order. Cd into the iceboot dir and issue Make (After adjusting paths for Toochain in local Makefile)

Yes but keep it below 5v5

That's to follow...

lawrie 2019-07-03 20:34:12 UTC #4

The pcf file - https://github.com/folknology/IceCore/blob/master/Examples/blackice-mx.pcf - has clk defined twice, once as pin 60 and once as pin 129. The latter amongst the SDRAM pins on line 123.

Folknology 2019-07-03 21:26:05 UTC #5

Fixed, renamed the SDRAM clk (129) to rclk to prevent name conflict

lawrie 2019-07-04 10:10:25 UTC #6

Can you explain more about how the USB pins work.

There are two USB connectors and in the schematic the pins are marked PDP and PDM, and ODP, ODM and OID.

Which is which, i.e which one is the one that is connected to the USB nearer the edge of the board and appears as /dev/ttyACM0?

Only one has the OTG ID pin connected. Where does that OID pin go to - I couldn't spot it in the schematic.

Is the intention that Icecore drives the the second USB connector and then drives the TX and RX pins that are connected to FPGA and to Pmod connectors on the carrier board?

Am I correct that icecore is not currently connecting the second USB connector to TX and RX, but you plan to add that soon?

In the meantime can I use an external USB serial devices connected to pmod pins? Which pmod pins are TX and RX?

Folknology 2019-07-04 10:29:16 UTC #7

The USB connector nearest the corner is the PRG (Programming connector) Using PDP, PDM this appears as /dev/ttyACM0 with the current myStorm firmware used to program the Ice40.

This pin isn't used It is currently unsupported in the OTG mode with the STM32 HAL so I did not connect it.

Yes the default firmware will make this secon port a USB/Serail port (CDC class) with TX and RX pins connected to the Ice40, I intend working on this next week. Also this port can be anything the user wants if they add their own driver to the firmware using the ST Hal libraries etc..

You could use the Tx/Rx pins on the RPi header (these are the ones connected between Ice40 and STM32, you might need to temporarily disable the STM32 Uart for this by commenting out line 153 of iceboot.c) or you could use any free Ice40 MixMod digital pins

lawrie 2019-07-04 15:08:05 UTC #8

I am trying to compile iceboot and I get:

../Inc/main.h:51:10: fatal error: stm32f7xx_hal.h: No such file or directory

It looks like you haven't included the Drivers directory in the repository. It was in the Blackice II version.

electrified 2019-07-04 15:23:29 UTC #9

I got the same but assumed it was because I hadn't got the toolchain installed properly or paths set up. Started installing STM32Cube and associated stuff but then ran out of time.

lawrie 2019-07-04 15:57:19 UTC #10

I added the Drivers to my clone and it compiles for me now - https://github.com/lawrie/IceCore/tree/master/firmware

Folknology 2019-07-04 16:10:36 UTC #11

Sorry folks, just added those to the repo my bad..

lawrie 2019-07-04 16:23:27 UTC #12

They are not there yet.

lawrie 2019-07-04 16:35:37 UTC #13

How do you upload iceboot.raw? Do you use JTAG?

Folknology 2019-07-04 16:36:55 UTC #14

Sorry missed an up stream merge should be good now

Folknology 2019-07-04 16:38:26 UTC #15

Updating IceCore Firmware

lawrie 2019-07-04 16:50:03 UTC #16

Thanks - I had not noticed the Wiki at all, and yes the Drivers are there now.

I would like a discussion on what iceboot should do Should I start a new thread on that?

Folknology 2019-07-04 16:58:02 UTC #17

Yup go ahead create a new thread, lets discuss

lawrie 2019-07-05 11:16:19 UTC #18

I am getting strange effects from the buttons on the Blackice Mx.

I wrote a program to determine the Pmod numbering as the values in blackice-mx.pcf did not seem right to me.

I am using the button debouncer from the fpga4fun site, which I have used before and runs fine on the Blackice II and other boards

The intention of the verilog is that when I press button 1, the pmod counter counts up and sets just one pmod pin. I can then attach leds to them and see which pin corresponds to which number.

I have an optional second button to count down.

I am using the red and yellow leds to record the state of buttons 1 and two. Which means they should light up in sync with the blue and green leds.

What I see is that:

Putting a double Led Pmod in the Pmod 3/4 position causes the led blue and green leds to come on half bright, and the red led to come on, indicating that button1 is being pressed.
Pressing either button records a button 1 press
A slight tap, not enough to turn the blue of green led on causes a button press.
Tapping the HDMI connector causes a button press

Here is my verilog program with button 2 currently commented out to simplify things:

github.com

lawrie/blackicemx_examples/blob/master/findpins/chip.v#

module chip (
    input  clk,
    output reg [47:0] PMOD,
    input button1,
    input button2,
    output red_led,
    output yellow_led
  );

assign red_led = !button1State;
assign yellow_led = !button2State;

reg [5:0] currentBit = 0;
reg button1Pressed, button2Pressed;
reg button1State, button2State = 0;

PushButton_Debouncer debouncer1 (
  .clk(clk),
  .PB(button1),
  .PB_down(button1Pressed),

This file has been truncated. show original

This is the pcf file

Here is the Pmod inserted causing the red, green and blue leds to come on.

Folknology 2019-07-05 11:29:30 UTC #19

Signals L0 and L1 go to : S2, S1 & Blue,Green Leds they also go through the BlackEdge connector and map onto P49,P48 on MX3 not sure what you mean about PMOD3/4 position. Does you pmod use pull ups or pull downs on the leds, the IceCore uses active low leds (pulldown) if you mix pull ups and downs it would do strange things? Maybe don't try to use led PMODs on those same lines as possible overloading and making things difficult for your self

Folknology 2019-07-05 11:33:04 UTC #20

That's weird not sure what that means, can you remove the pmod from the equation to simplify for now?