[Fpga-synth] Got my Avnet Xilinx/Cypress board

[Eric Brombaugh]

FedEx just dropped it off. Nice little package - includes
  * Xilinx board with lots of goodies (parts on both sides of board!)
  * Cypress USB programming adapter ($20 if purchased from Digi-Key)
  * 2 USB cables
  * Xilinx ISE10.1 disk
  * flyers, pink foam, bubble pack, etc.

No specific information about the hardware is included, so it looks like 
you'll want to grab all of that from Avnet's site here:

http://tinyurl.com/6xauq8

It's got a whole bunch of connectors on it:

J1 - 4x1-pin 0.1" header with I2C labels
J2 - 5x1-pin 0.1" keyed connector unlabeled - looks like Cypress ISP
J3 - Power
J4 - 20x2-pin 0.1" header with +5, +3.3, 3xGND and 35 FPGA I/Os
J5 - 7x2-pin 2mm header unlabeled - looks like Xilinx JTAG
J6, J7 - 6x1 0.1" sockets - looks like Digilent std I/O
J8 - 6x1-pin 0.1" header with SPI labels.

Powered up the board and it flashed lights at me. When plugged into USB 
it shows up as a USB CDC class (serial/modem adapter). Hooking up to it 
with a terminal application (like Hyperterm) gives you a cryptic prompt, 
but typing 'help' gives a list of commands:

~~~~

*******************************************************************
*                    _____                                        *
*                   /     \                                       *
*                  /____   \____                                  *
*                 / \===\   \==/                                  *
*                /___\===\___\/  AVNET                            *
*                     \======/   ENGINEERING                      *
*                      \====/    SERVICES                         *
*                                                                 *
*******************************************************************
*              Spartan 3A Eval Demo V1.0 5/2008                   *
*******************************************************************
* Current Device Status:                                          *
*                                                                 *
*   EF1:  DEACTIVATED                                             *
*   EF2:  DEACTIVATED                                             *
*   EF3:  DEACTIVATED                                             *
*   EF4:  Connected To FPGA System Reset                          *
*   TMP:   30.1250 C                                              *
*   U22:  S29GL032N DETECTED                                      *
*******************************************************************
Type <help> for command options.

ADS> help

Menu:
b                       Display Banner
blink_off               Turn the blinking LED pattern off
blink_on                Turn the blinking LED pattern on
blink_rate <rate>       Set the blinking LED pattern rate (Default: 50000)
button_off              Turn the button state change detection off
button_on               Turn the button state change detection on
cls                     Clear Screen
dump  <start> <end>     Dump mem region
fill  <start> <end>     Fill mem region with 1's
flash_test              Test the Spansion S29GL parallel flash
help                    View this help menu
mwr   <addr> <data>     Write Dword to mem location
mrd   <addr>            Read one Dword from mem location
temp_off                Turn continuous temperature readings off
temp_on                 Turn continuous temperature readings on

ADS>
~~~~

That's all I've done with it for now. Looks like fun. Definitely worth $50.

Eric