ST-link: how does this work in the STM32VL board?

federicomanfrin · ‎2012-01-23

Posted on January 23, 2012 at 15:03

Hi everybody,

I'm starting with this STM32VL board, and I don't understand how the micro debugger works:

I think in this board there are 2 ARMs .. is it?

One is for st-link perform .. (I think it's the STM32F103C8T6), and the other one is the target device of the firmware, the STM32F100RBT6B, is this correct?

Is it possible to download the st-link micro firmware? Is it free of charge?

Looking at the schematics of the board, it seems not possible to setup a usb comunication between the ARM micro of the STM32VL board and the PC, because the usb connection is not a true usb, it's an st-link connection!

So, if I would like to try that board for a usb comunication between PC and micro, i think this is not the right way .. is it better to buy another discovery board?

Thanks a lot

#st-link-usb

Tesla DeLorean · ‎2012-01-23

Posted on January 23, 2012 at 18:42

The JTAG/SWD is implement the STM32F103, ST does not provide the firmware in a replaceable format. You could technically replace the firmware, but it's not that easy, and your access to the pins is more contained than the VL STM32F100 part that is on the board to evaluate.

I think the versaloon guys, bingo600 on the forum, modified the firmware on the VL's F103 part.

http://www.versaloon.com/

Consider getting an STM32F4 Discovery Board, which does support USB

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federicomanfrin · ‎2012-01-23

Posted on January 23, 2012 at 19:40

Ok, thank you for the advice!

I'll get the other evaluation board for USB tests.

I was wondering for the firmware of the st-link because maybe I'll need to setup something like a low-cost/low-pin board programmer, and I can see that one is using 3 pins only to comunicate to the MCU!

Tesla DeLorean · ‎2012-01-23

Posted on January 23, 2012 at 20:01

Don't know, I think you'd be better starting out with something less constraining.

A board like this runs about $15-$25 USD on eBay

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/513357358-Freeshipping-ARM-Cortex-M3-STM32F103VET6-MINI-STM32-development-board-wholesalers.html

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rmteo · ‎2012-01-23

Posted on January 23, 2012 at 21:21

You can get one of

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STM32F103RBT6-development-board-2-8-TFT-module-true-color-touch-screen-/330618886100?_trksid=p4m185&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC.NPJS%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUA%26otn%3D5%26pmod%3D280629429727%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5819595508711266923

for <$35 shipped complete with TFT LCD, touch screen, USB, USB-UART etc. Then use the ST-Link part of the VLDiscovery as a programmer/debugger. It needs only 2 pins (SWDIO, SWDIO plus PWR and GND).