Altium Hardware FAQs - NanoBoards

Use the following links to browse through the frequently asked questions relevant to development with one of Altium's NanoBoards.

Can I use the daughter boards I have for my NanoBoard-NB1 with the Desktop NanoBoard NB2DSK01?

All of the daughter boards available from Altium can be readily used with either the NB2DSK01 or the NB1.

Bear in mind however, that with no HDR_L connector, 2-connector daughter boards can only address one of the three peripheral boards on the NB2DSK01 – more precisely, the peripheral board attached to the motherboard's 'PERIPHERAL BOARD C' connector. Also, 2-connector daughter boards do not possess a 1-Wire memory device and so will not be detected when using the auto-configuration feature.

Where can I see what version of firmware is installed?

The version of firmware currently loaded into the Configuration PROM can be identified in two places. Firstly, underneath the icon for the NanoBoard in the NanoBoard chain of the Devices view (View » Devices View). Secondly, from the TFT LCD panel on the NB2DSK01 motherboard itself.

How do I update the firmware on my Desktop NanoBoard?

The Desktop NanoBoard is shipped with the firmware already pre-installed, but future revisions can be installed at any time using a dedicated 'SYSTEM JTAG' port on the NB2DSK01 motherboard. This port provides Altium Designer with Hard JTAG access only to the NanoTalk Controller and the associated configuration PROM. All other resources are invisible to the software. The configuration PROM can then be reprogrammed with the new firmware. This process is described in detail in Updating the Firmware on the Desktop NanoBoard NB2DSK01.

How can I reset the GUI options on my Desktop NanoBoard to their default settings?

Settings modified through the GUI can be reset to their default values in one of two ways:

• Press and hold generic user switches SW1, SW3 and SW5 (located below the TFT LCD panel) and keep the Home button (designated SW9 and located to the top-right of the panel) pressed for more than 5 seconds.

• Press and hold generic user switches SW1, SW3 and SW5 and cycle the NB2DSK01's power.

In both cases, ensure that you keep the three generic user switches pressed until the reset screen appears. Otherwise, you will simply be performing a reset of the NanoTalk Controller. The reset screen will prompt for confirmation to proceed with the reset. Press generic user switch SW4 to load the defaults (Yes) or SW2 to decline (No) and keep your current settings.

How do I pass control of the Desktop NanoBoard's TFT LCD panel between the FPGA design and the NanoBoard's firmware?

To pass ownership of the panel back to the firmware running on the NanoTalk Controller, you simply need to press the NB2DSK01's 'Home' button (designated SW9 and located to the top-right of the panel).

To give control of the panel back to the daughter board FPGA again, simply touch the icon on the Home screen of the GUI. Whatever was displayed on the panel prior to handing control to the firmware will reappear on the panel.

Why does an EXAMPLE file on my SD card not appear listed on the Examples screen of the Desktop NanoBoard's GUI?

Before the list of examples is populated, a check is made between the required hardware system configuration (specifically the daughter board and peripheral board(s) defined in each EXAMPLE file) and the actual hardware system configuration (daughter board and peripheral board(s) detected using the 1-Wire ID devices resident on each board). If a design example cannot run on the current hardware system, it will not appear in the list. For more information, see Downloading Example Designs Stored on an SD Card.

On which power lines is current monitoring available on the Desktop NanoBoard?

On the NB2DSK01 motherboard, current monitoring is in place for each of the following power lines:

• 1.2V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V lines routed to the 'PERIPHERAL BOARD A' connector

• 1.2V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V lines routed to the 'PERIPHERAL BOARD B' connector

• 1.2V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V and 5V lines routed to the 'PERIPHERAL BOARD C' connector

• 3.3V and 5V lines routed to the corresponding connectors for the daughter board

• 3.3V or 5V line selected for use with 'User Header A' connector

• 3.3V or 5V line selected for use with 'User Header B' connector.

A total of 19 monitored power lines.

How do I access the power monitoring functionality of the Desktop NanoBoard?

'Command Central' for power monitoring can be found on the instrument panel for the NanoBoard. Simply double-click on the icon for the NB2DSK01 in the Devices view (View » Devices Views) to access the Instrument Rack – NanoBoard Controllers panel.

Power monitoring is an integral part of the Desktop NanoBoard's instrument panel.

The controls are located in the bottom-right region of the panel, labeled 'POWER MONITOR'. Use the Polling LED to essentially turn power monitoring ON or OFF with respect to the panel.

With polling enabled, the window to the right presents the total power usage across all 19 monitored power rails on the NB2DSK01, as well as its temperature (in Degrees Celsius). For each satellite board (daughter board and peripheral boards) currently plugged into the NB2DSK01 motherboard (and presented in the 'PLUGINS' region of the panel), the total power usage across all monitored power rails (routed to the corresponding docking connector) is shown.

Click the Show Panel button to access to the Power Monitor panel – giving a more detailed view of the power monitoring landscape. To obtain a graphical display of power monitoring information, simply click on the Start Graphing button.

For more information, see Power Monitoring on the Desktop NanoBoard NB2DSK01.

How is ownership of the SPI Bus on the Desktop NanoBoard determined, if multiple masters request use of the bus at the same time?

If multiple requests for the bus are present, the following order of ownership hierarchy is adhered to:

• Altium Designer – highest priority

• Daughter Board

• Firmware (TSK3000A)