Lpc2000

Hello all, this is my first post to the group.  I'm a firmware test engineer for one of the 
major hard drive vendors.  We use an ARM966E core in some of our drives.  I wish to move 
over to the firmware development group in about a year, and am presently taking an ARM 
course to get my feet wet with the instruction set.

Unfortunately, the class only uses a software emulator.  I want to get some real hardware 
to play with (a board with lots of interfaces and devices, plenty of memory to run an RTOS 
on, and a JTAG debugger).

I prefer to code using my Mac, and I have a keyspan USB->serial cable that I can use with 
my AVR STK500 MCU.  Hopefully I can use it (or buy something else) to program an ARM 
eval board from my iBook.

I've started collecting the GNUARM components, as I will need to use a free compiler/
debugger.

My goals are to master the ARM instruction sets (ARM/Thumb), get proficient at writing 
device drivers for the board's devices, and get experience writing code that runs on an 
RTOS.

It seems the LPC2000 series is widely supported by groups such as this on the net, so it's 
probably a good platform to start with.  The question is, what do you guys recommend as 
far as picking a specific board, JTAG debugger, and development tools?

Ideally, I'd like to keep total expenses under $500 for the board, JTAG debugger, and any 
software I might have to purchase.

Although I want to develop using my Mac, I do have a Win XP box in the closet as a back 
up.

Your suggestions and advice is much appreciated!

In summary, my requirements for the board:

- ARM7 is sufficient, I see no need to go ARM9 at this point
- Enough memory to run an RTOS, with a little left over for my programs
- A good selection of devices (LEDs, switches, LCD or VGA interface, USB, serial, Ethernet 
would be awesome)
- JTAG debugger recommendations
- Tool recommendations

Thanks!

-Jeff

w6ezy wrote:

>Hello all, this is my first post to the group.  I'm a firmware test engineer for one of the 
>major hard drive vendors.  We use an ARM966E core in some of our drives.  I wish to move 
>over to the firmware development group in about a year, and am presently taking an ARM 
>course to get my feet wet with the instruction set.
>
>Unfortunately, the class only uses a software emulator.  I want to get some real hardware 
>to play with (a board with lots of interfaces and devices, plenty of memory to run an RTOS 
>on, and a JTAG debugger).
>
>I prefer to code using my Mac, and I have a keyspan USB->serial cable that I can use with 
>my AVR STK500 MCU.  Hopefully I can use it (or buy something else) to program an ARM 
>eval board from my iBook.
>
>I've started collecting the GNUARM components, as I will need to use a free compiler/
>debugger.
>
>  
>
Someone took my scripts and built the GNU toolchain on an 0SX Apple:
http://www.openhardware.net/?title=ARM%20Thumb%20tools%20for%20LPC2000&dir=ArmTools&file=ThumbToolchain.html


>My goals are to master the ARM instruction sets (ARM/Thumb), get proficient at writing 
>device drivers for the board's devices, and get experience writing code that runs on an 
>RTOS.
>
>It seems the LPC2000 series is widely supported by groups such as this on the net, so it's 
>probably a good platform to start with.  The question is, what do you guys recommend as 
>far as picking a specific board, JTAG debugger, and development tools?
>
>Ideally, I'd like to keep total expenses under $500 for the board, JTAG debugger, and any 
>software I might have to purchase.
>
>  
>
Ow, well, I would suspect that you are going to be quite limited in your 
choices given your O/S preference.  For me, I'm a consultant, I put 
together the GNU toolchain + Insight debugger for the only cost of my 
time.  Where I spent my money was on a good JTAG debug unit: Abatron 
BDI2000.

This unit is an investment, I've done too much ARM code as a hobby 
without it and know how badly I needed it.   I paid USD$2700 for the 
thing and it has proven to be a very reliable and robust tool.

For the low-bucks entry level, you have Cygwin, Eclipse (IDE) and an 
Olimex Wiggler.  Wigglers are finicky things and can be a source of 
infinite frustration to get reliable operation out of them.  Try a debug 
session where you are wading through a lot of code / data only to have 
the wiggler decided to take a vacation for a few minutes.  :(

I would suggest that avoid a wiggler, save your money by building your 
own toolchain, then invest in a good ethernet based JTAG unit.  Stay 
away from USB JTAG, these things need special drivers and the 
manufacturers are convinced that Windows runs the world.

The reality is that if you want it cheap, it will have to run on Windows.

TomW


>Although I want to develop using my Mac, I do have a Win XP box in the closet as a back 
>up.
>
>Your suggestions and advice is much appreciated!
>
>In summary, my requirements for the board:
>
>- ARM7 is sufficient, I see no need to go ARM9 at this point
>- Enough memory to run an RTOS, with a little left over for my programs
>- A good selection of devices (LEDs, switches, LCD or VGA interface, USB, serial, Ethernet 
>would be awesome)
>- JTAG debugger recommendations
>- Tool recommendations
>
>Thanks!
>
>-Jeff 
>
>
>
>
>
> 
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
> 
>
>
>
>
>
>  
>


-- 
Tom Walsh - WN3L - Embedded Systems Consultant
http://openhardware.net, http://cyberiansoftware.com
"Windows? No thanks, I have work to do..."
----------------------------------------------------

> From: Tom Walsh <tom@...>

> I would suggest that avoid a wiggler, save your money by building your 
> own toolchain, then invest in a good ethernet based JTAG unit.  Stay 
> away from USB JTAG, these things need special drivers and the 
> manufacturers are convinced that Windows runs the world.

Not quite. Our JTAG widget
  http://www.mpeforth.com/jtagwidget.htm
is a USB device. All it requires is an FTDI virtual COM port 
driver. These drivers are freely available for a range of 
operating systems. Yes, Ethernet and TCP/IP would be nice.

Another point I would make is that what you need to use JTAG at 
hardware bring-up time is NOT the same as what you need for 
debugging your code.

Stephen
--
Stephen Pelc, stephen@...
MicroProcessor Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time
133 Hill Lane, Southampton SO15 5AF, England
tel: +44 (0)23 8063 1441, fax: +44 (0)23 8033 9691
web: http://www.mpeforth.com - free VFX Forth downloads

Stephen Pelc wrote:

>>From: Tom Walsh <tom@...>
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>I would suggest that avoid a wiggler, save your money by building your 
>>own toolchain, then invest in a good ethernet based JTAG unit.  Stay 
>>away from USB JTAG, these things need special drivers and the 
>>manufacturers are convinced that Windows runs the world.
>>    
>>
>
>Not quite. Our JTAG widget
>  http://www.mpeforth.com/jtagwidget.htm
>is a USB device. All it requires is an FTDI virtual COM port 
>driver. These drivers are freely available for a range of 
>operating systems. Yes, Ethernet and TCP/IP would be nice.
>
>  
>
Thank you for that url, I will keep that in mind the next time someone 
asks for a recommendation of a jtag unit.  At USD$404 it is fairly priced.

Regards,

TomW



-- 
Tom Walsh - WN3L - Embedded Systems Consultant
http://openhardware.net, http://cyberiansoftware.com
"Windows? No thanks, I have work to do..."
----------------------------------------------------

Stephen Pelc wrote:

>>From: Tom Walsh <tom@...>
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>I would suggest that avoid a wiggler, save your money by building your 
>>own toolchain, then invest in a good ethernet based JTAG unit.  Stay 
>>away from USB JTAG, these things need special drivers and the 
>>manufacturers are convinced that Windows runs the world.
>>    
>>
>
>Not quite. Our JTAG widget
>  http://www.mpeforth.com/jtagwidget.htm
>is a USB device. All it requires is an FTDI virtual COM port 
>driver. These drivers are freely available for a range of 
>operating systems. Yes, Ethernet and TCP/IP would be nice.
>
>  
>
I did notice that no mention of gdb is in your manual.  One shouldn't 
assume that Remote/TCP (or other) connection for gdb to use, is the GNU 
gdb supported (as Insight)?

TomW



-- 
Tom Walsh - WN3L - Embedded Systems Consultant
http://openhardware.net, http://cyberiansoftware.com
"Windows? No thanks, I have work to do..."
----------------------------------------------------

> Tom Walsh <tom@...>

> >Not quite. Our JTAG widget
> >  http://www.mpeforth.com/jtagwidget.htm
> >is a USB device. All it requires is an FTDI virtual COM port 
> >driver.

> I did notice that no mention of gdb is in your manual.  One shouldn't 
> assume that Remote/TCP (or other) connection for gdb to use, is the GNU 
> gdb supported (as Insight)?

Not yet, but it is on our to-do list.

When someone produces a C debugger that concentrates on bottom 
up testing rather than top-down testing ("crash and burn" in our 
terminology) we'll be *very* interested in supporting it.

We come from an application domain that includes bomb-disposal 
equipment and anaesthetic ventilators.

Stephen
--
Stephen Pelc, stephen@...
MicroProcessor Engineering Ltd - More Real, Less Time
133 Hill Lane, Southampton SO15 5AF, England
tel: +44 (0)23 8063 1441, fax: +44 (0)23 8033 9691
web: http://www.mpeforth.com - free VFX Forth downloads

--- In lpc2000@yahoogroups.com, "Stephen Pelc" <stephen@...> wrote:

> When someone produces a C debugger that concentrates on bottom 
> up testing rather than top-down testing ("crash and burn" in our 
> terminology) we'll be *very* interested in supporting it.

I do some work on debuggers in my spare time, but I don't understand 
what you mean here? Please elaborate, and give me an idea of what 
you'd like to see in a debugger, or how would you like to use a 
debugger that is different from "normal" breakpoints, single-stepping, 
etc?

Eric Engler