• State Resolved
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 28 subscribers
  • Views 356 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Support feedback
Options
Options
Related

This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

Controlling the Discovery 4100 from PC using ports other than USB?

Feng Zheng
Prodigy 185 points

We are seeking to control the Discovery 4100 directly from PC (or GPU in particular) using serial or parallel ports other than USB for some ultra-high-speed GPU-based rendering and projector-based display application. USB transmission is a great barrier preventing us from doing it.  Is there a way to bypass the USB connection, e.g. use other ports available on the board (GPIO connectors)?

Thanks,

- Feng

  • 0
    TI__Guru 54320 points

    Hello Feng,

    It is possible to use the EXP bus that is connected to the APPS_FPGA (User FPGA), however, you will have to write your own VHDL code and compile it to recieve and decode the data.  We do not have any example code that does this, but the physical wiring is there. 

    If you do not already have it, please request access to the DLP Extranet from the Design House that you purchased your kit from. 

    There you should be able to access the board schematic files and request DSN files to implement a VHDL design.

    Fizix

    Fizix

  • 0 in reply to Fizix
    Prodigy 185 points

    Hi Fizix,

    Thank you for the quick response. By EXP bus, are you referring to J16, J17 EXP Connectors on the board (mentioned in DLP® Discovery™ 4100 Starter Kit Technical Reference Manual)?

    And I have some other following questions, since I'm not familiar with FPGA programming.

    1. Will the USB port be needed for some tasks, e.g. establish the connection with PC? The USB port of our Discovery 4100 is broken, so we have to find a solution that doesn't involve using the USB port at all.

    2. Which ports of the PC can be connected to the EXP bus? Can DVI port work?

    3. What are DSN files?

    Looking forward to your reply! Thank you!

    - Feng

  • 0 in reply to Feng Zheng
    TI__Guru 54320 points

    Hello Feng,

    Yes,  I am refering the the EXP connectors on the board.

    1. Whether you use the USB or not will be completely up to how you implement the EXP interface.
    2. There is no defined interface to the EXP connectors.  You would have to create your own implementation and communication protocols.  You could check with Xilinx they may already have a DVI reciever block that could be connected over the EXP pins.
    3. DSN files are schematic design files that several programs can read, such as ORCAD.  You can import the net list and connections into a program to help with a design layout for a custom board.

    Fizix