Basys-3 USB storage compatibility

[Jonathan.O]

Hi!

 

We are working with a Basys-3 FPGA and were wondering if it is possible to read large data files from a USB stick.

We are trying to let the Basys 3 produce music through a module, but the internal ROM/Flash storage of the Basys is too small for, for instance, .Wav files or .Wav converted to .coe files.

Is there a possibility to use the USB stick support for programming for this application or perhaps another method?

 

Thanks!

 

Kind regards,

 

Jonathan

[D@n]

@Jonathan.O,

Electrically possible?  Probably.

Practically possible?  It would be a long shot.

The Basys3 microcontroller that interacts with with the FPGA contains source coded that Digilent has not released.  To my knowledge, they have no plans to release this source code, so you might consider this an "unsupported feature".  Even if you could do it, Digilent isn't likely going to answer any questions on this method of doing business.  The road to doing this would involve using the JTAG port (again, not publicly described) to reprogram the device.  Doable?  Perhaps.  Easy?  Not at all.  (It'd be hard with the documentation you'd need, even harder without.)

My recommendation would be to use a PMod SD (SD-card adapter) instead.  That should be easier to integrate into what you want to do, while also accomplishing the same purpose.

Dan

[jpeyron]

Hi @Jonathan.O,

Here is the reference manual for the Basys 3. Under the section 6 USB HID Host it details that the  USB Host allows for configuring the Basys 3 on power up with a usb stick. After the Basys 3 has powered up the PIC24 on the USB Host emulates a PS2 mouse/keyboard connection. You would not be able to use a USB stick as a memory device. I would suggest using something like the Pmod SD here ,the Pmod MicroSD  here. or the Pmod SF2 here.

thank you,

Jon

 

 

[Jonathan.O]

Thank you D@n and jpeyron,

I was worried about this indeed! I will have a look at the pmod SD modules!

 

Thanks for the very quick assistance!

 

Kind regards,

 

Jonathan