TDA4VM: Does TDA4VM support Ethernet boot without phy?

Hi ZM,

Can you provide more details ?

1. Which SDK version they are trying ?

2. Are they able to get to U-boot prompt ? (When you say boot using ethernet, I am assuming booting Linux)

3. Can you describe the system ? Are two TDA4's connected MAC 2 MAC ? Which CPSW is used ?

Regards

Vineet

Hi Vineet,

1. They are using 7.1.

2. This Ethernet boot is to boot SBL(tiboot3.bin) from Ethernet. Not linux.

3. As described in my question, TDA4VM-1 CPSW9G -> TDA4VM-2 CPSW2G. MAC 2 MAC: Ethernet PHY is not used.

Thanks & Best Regards!

ZM

Hi ZM,

To boot the device, something has to bring-up the CPSW 2G interface. To give an example, in the Linux bootflow, U-boot does this.

Can you tell me if you are trying to load tiboot3.bin via Ethernet or trying to load the application once tiboot3.bin comes up ?

Moreover, I saw this follow up question

Are you able to proceed with the boot ?

Regards

Vineet

Vineet,

Repeat as I previous post: "This Ethernet boot is to boot SBL(tiboot3.bin) from Ethernet. Not linux."

Please do not mess up 2 questions. This thread is about how to use TDA4VM-1 to boot TDA4VM-2.

Thanks & Best Regards!

ZM

Hi ZM,

I just gave a Linux analogy as an example, not implying that you should use it.

Will check with team here.

Regards

Vineet

Hi ZM,

TDA4VM supports PHY less mode. You need to configure both Linux and RTOS drivers to PHY less mode.

Refer to below for relevant docs for configuring those -

1. Linux - Refer to answer of below e2e. Basically you have to set to link fixed link. 

https://e2e.ti.com/support/processors/f/791/p/884299/3290803#3290803 

2. RTOS - PHY less configuration – See section 12 under “Open Sequence”

Next, as per u-boot code fixed-link has to be added under mac node:

&mac {

     status = "okay";

     dual_emac;

     fixed-link {

           speed = <100>;

           full-duplex;

     };

and PHY properties removed.

Hi Prasad Jondhale,

Thank you for your replies. This is TI's customer who is querying the question to ZM. We would like to describe our usage scenarios more precisely, and hopefully you can give us some advice.

Currently our solution is shown as following figure. 

• our device has 2 TDA4 SOCs, each of which boots from separate eMMC respectively.
• TDA4_2's MCU_RGMII links to TDA4_1's CPSW_9G RGMII6 directly without PHY.

In this solution, we have already added the "fixed-link" in u-boot and linux DTS as you said, the network works well. 

Now we would like to cost down the solution by removing the eMMC2, as shown in following figure:

• TDA4_1 boots from the eMMC1;
• TDA4_1 setup the TFTP server in u-boot or Linux;
• TDA4_2 boots from the ethernet -- getting boot images from TDA4_1's tftp server.

We assure we have already configured the TDA4_2 ethernet BOOTMODE correctly by doing some other tests both in our board and TI EVM board.

However:

1. we cannot capture the TDA4_2's BOOTP packet;

2. we found the RXC of MCU_RGMII is 125M as expected, but the TXC of MCU_RGMII is 2.5M, TD/RD no signals.

3. by changing the below "Link stat", the TXC of MCU_RGMII becomes to 25M, TD/RD no signals. 

Do you think this cost-down solution can work as expected? In this phy less scenarios, how can we configure the TXC of MCU_RGMII to be 125M in BOOTROM, to make BOOTROM's network available?

Thanks for your support. Best Regards.

Raymond.

Hi Prasad Jondhale,

Thank you for your replies. This is TI's customer who is querying the question to ZM. We would like to describe our usage scenarios more precisely, and hopefully you can give us some advice.

Currently our solution is shown as following figure. 

• our device has 2 TDA4 SOCs, each of which boots from separate eMMC respectively.
• TDA4_2's MCU_RGMII links to TDA4_1's CPSW_9G RGMII6 directly without PHY.

In this solution, we have already added the "fixed-link" in u-boot and linux DTS as you said, the network works well. 

Now we would like to cost down the solution by removing the eMMC2, as shown in following figure:

• TDA4_1 boots from the eMMC1;
• TDA4_1 setup the TFTP server in u-boot or Linux;
• TDA4_2 boots from the ethernet -- getting boot images from TDA4_1's tftp server.

We assure we have already configured the TDA4_2 ethernet BOOTMODE correctly by doing some other tests both in our board and TI EVM board.

However:

1. we cannot capture the TDA4_2's BOOTP packet;

2. we found the RXC of MCU_RGMII is 125M as expected, but the TXC of MCU_RGMII is 2.5M, TD/RD no signals.

3. by changing the below "Link stat", the TXC of MCU_RGMII becomes to 25M, TD/RD no signals. 

Do you think this cost-down solution can work as expected? In this phy less scenarios, how can we configure the TXC of MCU_RGMII to be 125M in BOOTROM, to make BOOTROM's network available?

Thanks for your support. Best Regards.

Raymond.

Hi Raymond,

Sorry for the delay.

As it stands today, we do not support booting TDA4 over Ethernet. Yes, it's supported in ROM which is why the TRM documentation (you found) points to it but unfortunately SDK doesn't. You need eMMC or another boot media like OSPI to at least bring-up u-boot on TDA4_2 after which one can transfer the Linux image over TFTP.

Yes, PHY less connections are indeed supported.

The same was captured in this E2E :

If you are still able to proceed with this information we can take a look at your other questions regarding Rx/Tx signals.

Regards

Vineet