Re: [Discuss-gnuradio] Doubt about FPGA code and firmware

[Eduardo Lloret Fuentes]

Hello,

@Nick Foster
> If your FPGA design doesn't include a Microblaze processor to do
>
>
>
> something useful with the firmware image, you won't need to load the
> firmware.

My FPGA design doesn't include a Microblaze processor so I also think that I don't need it. My doubt comes from the boot sequence that I read in the USRP2GenFAQ section: http://gnuradio.org/redmine/wiki/gnuradio/USRP2GenFAQ#How-does-the-USRP2-boot-How-is-the-FPGA-firmware-loaded 


If I don't have a processor, the second step is not necessary but I don't know if the first (loading of FPGA design) is accomplished properly. What do you think?

@Gabriel Morel
> Will you start from a new project or just modify 
> the old one.  I try to compile the raw ethernet version but I have many 
> problem.  Give some news of your works plz.

I started completely from a new project but If I try to modify the old one I will tell you my results.

@Matthias Wilhelm
> if you plan to use any part of the USRP2's hardware (daughterboard, ADC,
>  UART, ethernet, ...) and don't want to implement all the steps required
>  to configure and use them properly, I would suggest to integrate your 
> code parallel to the vanilla system (the UHD one!), it is far more work 
> to get it running otherwise. The firmware does a lot of stuff. If you 
> don't plan to use the hardware why not use a Spartan evaluation kit 
> instead, they have nicer I/O capabilities for experimenting and testing?

I plan to use the BasicRX, BasicTX, LFTX and LFRX daughterboards just as a simple input/output to the FPGA. Besides I need the ADC and DAC but I thought they don't need the processor. A lot of thanks for your advice. When you say to integrate the code to the vanilla system, do you mean add my verilog code to their project? 

I also think it would be better to use a Spartan evaluation kit to do this but the use of the USRP2 board is part of my thesis requirements.

Thanks you so much to all of you for your help.

Greetings.

Eduardo.