We'll take a hardware tour, one element at a time, starting with the debugging and connection elements on the left.
1. 5.5mm x 2.1mm center positive barrel jack – This fits all of SparkFun's standard "wall wart" type power
supplies. While the regulators on the FreeSoC2 can handle input voltages up to 12V, it's best to keep the
input voltage as close to 5V as possible.
2. "Target" USB Port – Provides USB connectivity to the target processor (the CY8C5888). When uploading
code via the Arduino IDE, you'll connect to this port.
3. "Debugger" USB Port – Connects to the debugger IC. Connecting to this port also creates a USB serial port
that can be used to get and send data from and to a UART on the target processor.
4. 2.5mm JST PH series connector footprint – Our through hole 2-pin JST PH connector fits here, allowing you
to power the board with any of our standard lithium ion polymer batteries.
5. Debugger reset button – Resets the debugger. You will probably never need to use this.
6. Debugger user button – Can be used to provide input to the debugger IC; currently unused.
7. IO voltage selection switches – These switches allow you to select the voltage of the I/O signals, either 3.3V
or 5V, on the target processor. The PSoC5LP has four I/O voltage quadrants; the bottom switch allows you
to select the voltage of the quadrant providing the Arduino header signals, and the top switch controls all the
others.
8. Debugger IC JTAG/SWD header – This 2x5 0.050" pitch header can be used to program and debug the
debugger itself. It's intended to support a connection to the MiniProg3 programmer/debugger from Cypress.
You'll probably never need to use it.
9. Target IC JTAG/SWD header – Similar in nature to the header for the debugger; the signals on these pins
also come from the debugger IC.
10. Debugger IC – The debug IC is also a PSoC5LP- in this case, CY8C5868LTI-LP039. The firmware it comes
preloaded with (referred to as "KitProg") is freely available for download and modification; the part is
bootloadable to replace the firmware or update it as new firmware becomes available.
11. Debugger IC IO header – There are a number of signals available on this header; they are not used by
default but you may implement additional debugging features on the debugger IC that do use them.
12. Debugger IC user LED – Will be lit if the debugger can't detect a host, and will flash during data transfer
(i.e., programming or debugging).
2
13. I C isolation jumpers – These normally open solder jumpers allow you to connect the I C lines on the target
board with the debugger. Using Cypress's KitProg debugging software, you can snoop the I C data traffic
2
2
Need help?
Do you have a question about the FreeSoC2 and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers