"HOW DO I PROGRAM DARNAW1" - Darnaw1 is programmed used a JTAG cable such as our PROG2 cable or Xilinx Parallel Cable IV or USB cables. Issue 1.1 has two 2x7 2mm headers for programming of the SPI Flash and direct JTAG of the FPGA. Issue 1.0 had two 6x1 2mm headers and a mechanical adaptor is available to allow use of Prog2 and the Xilinx cables. As Darnaw1 is essentially an OEM type product we do not automatically supply a cable with it. Our Prog2 cable can be bought for GBP£ 10 + VAT if you need a cable. Xilinx ISE software tool (Webpack versions available free from Xilinx website) will program and control SPI and JTAG interfaces.

"WHY ARE THERE 2 PROGRAMMING HEADERS" - The SPI Flash and JTAG are fundamentially different in operation and either a single header with switchover or twin headers are currently the only options. Having the twin headers allows JTAG tools like Chipscope (logic analyser) to be permanently connected whilst the SPI programming is independently done. Support for programming the SPI Flash via JTAG is believed to being made available in ISE release 10.1 - Q1 2008.

"I PROGRAMMED THE CONGURATION SPI FLASH MEMORY AND THE FPGA DOES NOT CONFIGURE" - Remove the programming cable. We have a feature built into the SPI Flash Programming Header that automatically pulls Prog_B low when a programming cable like Prog2 is plugged in. This is to avoid drive conflicts between the programming head and the FPGA.

If you wish to disable this feature and use only the 3 pin header on-board for Prog_B then appropriate wires in your programming cable can be cut to disable the feature. Contact support for more details if you wish to do this.

"I POWERED MY DARNAW1 BUT JTAG AND SPI DOES NOT APPEAR TO WORK" - Ensure that bank voltages are connected. Banks 0,1,2 require that your hosting board inputs the bank voltages at the required level for your design. 2.5V is available from the Darnaw1 itself for implementing 2.5V bank supply.  

"I POWERED MY DARNAW1 AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN EXCESSIVE CURRENT" - Ensure that bank voltages are connected. Also check that you have no shorts on the output power rails 1.2V and 2.5V and on on output signals. The Darnaw1 will normally take less than 150mA (3.3V) when un-programmed, un-configured, or with the shipping build (depends on I/O loading). This number may be higher if output power rails are used to power other circuits.

 "DO YOU HAVE A READY MADE HOST FOR DARNAW1"- We have a hosting board that we use for test but has limited use for customers. We are looking at manufacturing a host board that will be a host and possibly a breadboard for customer circuits. This likely to be available Q1/2 2008.