RabbitCore RCM2300 Getting Started

2. Hardware Setup

This chapter describes the RCM2300 hardware in more detail, and explains how to set up and use the accompanying Prototyping Board.

NOTE	This chapter (and this manual) assume that you have the RabbitCore RCM2300 Development Kit. If you purchased an RCM2300 module by itself, you will have to adapt the information in this chapter and elsewhere to your test and development setup.

2.1 Development Kit Contents

The RCM2300 Development Kit contains the following items:

• RCM2300 module with 256K flash memory and 128K SRAM.

• RCM2200/RCM2300 Prototyping Board.

• Wall transformer power supply, 12 V DC, 500 mA. The power supply is included only with Development Kits sold for the North American market. Overseas users should use a locally available power supply capable of delivering 7.5 V to 25 V DC to the Prototyping Board.

• Programming cable with integrated level-matching circuitry.

• Dynamic C CD-ROM, with complete product documentation on CD.

• This Getting Started manual.

• Rabbit 2000 Processor Easy Reference poster.

• Registration card.

2.2 Prototyping Board

The Prototyping Board included in the Development Kit makes it easy to connect an RCM2300 to a power supply for development. It also provides some basic I/O peripherals (switches and LEDs), as well as a prototyping area for more advanced hardware development.

The Prototyping Board can be used without modification for the most basic level of evaluation and development.

As you progress to more sophisticated experimentation and hardware development, modifications and additions can be made to the board without modifying or damaging the RabbitCore module itself.

The Prototyping Board is shown in Figure 2, with its main features identified.

Figure 2. RCM2200/RCM2300 Prototyping Board

2.2.1 Prototyping Board Features

• Power Connection-A 3-pin header is provided at J5 for the power supply connection. Note that both outer pins are connected to ground and the center pin is connected to the raw V+ input. The cable from the wall transformer provided with the North American version of the Development Kit ends in a connector that may be connected in either orientation.

  Users providing their own power supply should ensure that it delivers 7.5-25 V DC at not less than 500 mA. The voltage regulator will get warm in use. (Lower supply voltages will reduce thermal dissipation from the device.)
  
  

• Regulated Power Supply-The raw DC voltage provided to the POWER header at J5 is routed to a 5 V linear voltage regulator, which provides stable power to the RCM2300 and the Prototyping Board. A Shottky diode protects the power supply against damage from reversed raw power connections.

• Power LED-The power LED lights whenever power is connected to the Prototyping Board.

• Reset Switch-A momentary-contact, normally open switch is connected directly to the master RCM2300's /RES pin. Pressing the switch forces a hardware reset of the system.

• I/O Switches and LEDs-Two momentary-contact, normally open switches are connected to the PB2 and PB3 pins of the master RCM2300, and may be read as inputs by sample applications.

  Two LEDs are connected to the PE1 and PE7 pins of the master RCM2300, and may be driven as output indicators by sample applications.
  
  

  The LEDs and switches are connected through JP1, which has traces shorting adjacent pads together. These traces may be cut to disconnect the LEDs, and an 8-pin header may then be soldered into JP1 to permit their selective reconnection with jumpers. See Figure 3 for details.
  
  

• Expansion Areas-The Prototyping Board is provided with several unpopulated areas for expansion of I/O and interfacing capabilities. See the next section for details.

• Prototyping Area-A generous prototyping area has been provided for the installation of through-hole components. Vcc (5 V DC) and Ground buses run around the edge of this area. An area for surface-mount devices is provided to the right of the through-hole area. Note that there are SMT device pads on both top and bottom of the Prototyping Board. Each SMT pad is connected to a hole designed to accept a 30 AWG solid wire, which must be soldered once it is in the hole.

• Slave Module Connectors-A second set of connectors is pre-wired to permit installation of a second, slave RCM2200 or RCM2300.

2.2.2 Prototyping Board Expansion

The Prototyping Board comes with several unpopulated areas, which may be filled with components to suit the user's development needs. After you have experimented with the sample programs in Section 3.5, you may wish to expand the Prototyping Board's capabilities for further experimentation and development. Refer to the Prototyping Board schematic (090-0122) for details as necessary.

• Module Extension Headers-The complete pin set of both the master and slave modules is duplicated at these two sets of headers. Developers can solder wires directly into the appropriate holes, or, for more flexible development, 0.1" pitch 26-pin header strips can be soldered into place. See Figure 1 for the header pinouts.

• RS-232-Two 2-wire or one 5-wire RS-232 serial port can be added to the Prototyping Board by installing an RS-232 driver IC and four capacitors. The Maxim MAX232CPE driver chip or a similar device is recommended for U2. Refer to the Prototyping Board schematic for additional details.

  A 10-pin 0.1-inch spacing header strip can be installed at J6 to permit connection of a ribbon cable leading to a standard DE-9 serial connector.
  
  

  All RS-232 port components mount to the top side of the Prototyping Board below and to the left of the MASTER module position.
  
  

NOTE	The RS-232 chip, capacitors and header strip are available from electronics distributors such as Digi-Key.

• Prototyping Board Component Header-Four I/O pins from the RCM2300 module are hard-wired to the Prototyping Board LEDs and switches through JP1 on the underside of the Prototyping Board.

  To disconnect these devices and permit the pins to be used for other purposes, cut the traces between the pin rows of JP1. Use a knife or similar tool to cut or break the traces crossing JP1 in the area between the silk-screened arrows, as indicated in Figure 3.
  
  

  

  Figure 3: Prototyping Board Header JP1
  (located on BOTTOM SIDE of board)

  Use jumpers across the positions on JP1 if you need to reconnect any of the devices later on.
  
  

2.3 Development Hardware Connections

There are three steps to connecting the Prototyping Board for use with Dynamic C and the sample programs:

1. Attach the RCM2300 to the Prototyping Board.

2. Connect the programming cable between the RCM2300 and the PC.

3. Connect the power supply to the Prototyping Board.

2.3.1 Attach RCM2300 to Prototyping Board

Turn the RCM2300 module so that the header pins and the mounting hole of the RCM2300 line up with the sockets and mounting hole on the Prototyping Board as shown in Figure 4. Align the module headers J4 and J5 into sockets J1 and J2 on the Prototyping Board.

Figure 4. Install the RCM2300 on the Prototyping Board

Although you can install a single module into either the MASTER or the SLAVE position on the Prototyping Board, all the Prototyping Board features (switches, LEDs, serial port drivers, etc.) are connected to the MASTER position. We recommend you install a single module in the MASTER position.

NOTE

It is important that you line up the pins on headers J4 and J5 of the RCM2300 exactly with the corresponding pins of headers J1 and J2 on the Prototyping Board. The header pins may become bent or damaged if the pin alignment is offset, and the module will not work. Permanent electrical damage to the module may also result if a misaligned module is powered up.

Press the module's pins firmly into the Prototyping Board headers.

2.3.2 Connect Programming Cable

The programming cable connects the RCM2300 module to the PC workstation running Dynamic C to permit download of programs and monitoring for debugging.

Connect the 10-pin connector of the programming cable labeled PROG to header J1 on the RabbitCore RCM2300 module as shown in Figure 5. Be sure to orient the marked (usually red) edge of the cable towards pin 1 of the connector. (Do not use the DIAG connector, which is used for a normal serial connection.)

Figure 5: Connect Programming Cable to RCM2300

Connect the other end of the programming cable to a COM port on your PC. Make a note of the port to which you connect the cable, as Dynamic C needs to have this parameter configured when it is installed.

NOTE	COM 1 is the default port used by Dynamic C.

2.3.3 Connect Power Supply

When the above connections have been made, you can connect power to the RabbitCore Prototyping Board.

Hook the connector from the wall transformer to header J5 on the Prototyping Board as shown in Figure 6. The connector may be attached either way as long as it is not offset to one side.

Figure 6. Power Supply Connections

Plug in the wall transformer. The power LED (DS1) on the Prototyping Board should light up. The RCM2300 and the Prototyping Board are now ready to be used.

NOTE	A RESET button is provided on the Prototyping Board to allow hardware reset without disconnecting power.

To power down the Prototyping Board, unplug the power connector from J5. You should disconnect power before making any circuit adjustments in the prototyping area, changing any connections to the board, or removing the RCM2300 from the board.

2.4 Where Do I Go From Here?

We recommend that you proceed to the next chapter and install Dynamic C (if you do not already have it installed), then run the first sample program to verify that the RCM2300 and the Prototyping Board are set up and functioning correctly.

If everything appears to be working, we recommend the following sequence of action:

1. Run all of the sample programs described in Section 3.5 to get a basic familiarity with Dynamic C and the RCM2300's capabilities.

2. For further development, refer to the RabbitCore RCM2300 User's Manual for details of the RCM2300's hardware and software components.

   A documentation icon should have been installed on your workstation's desktop; click on it to reach the documentation menu. You can create a new desktop icon that points to default.htm in the docs folder in the Dynamic C installation folder.
   
   

3. For advanced development topics, refer to the Dynamic C User's Manual, also in the online documentation set.

2.4.1 Technical Support

NOTE	If you purchased your RCM2300 through a distributor or through a Z-World or Rabbit Semiconductor partner, contact the distributor or Z-World partner first for technical support.

If there are any problems at this point:

• Check the Z-World/Rabbit Semiconductor Technical Bulletin Board at www.zworld.com/support/.

• Use the Technical Support e-mail form at www.zworld.com/support/.