1

I have a arm cortex m based micro controller. I need to update firmware in it. I was suggested to buy a segger j link base(which is a bit costly) to upgrade firmware.

I read a bit about segger j link base and learnt that it's purpose is for run time debugging, energy monitoring etc.

Is it the only way to flash firmware in arm based soc's?

husgor
  • 51
  • 5
  • If you have an STM part you can use the ST-Link. – Fiddling Bits Jan 13 '20 at 19:36
  • 1
    No, the board is mgm210p based , this is the link – husgor Jan 13 '20 at 19:40
  • 1
    https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/data-sheets/mgm210p-datasheet.pdf – husgor Jan 13 '20 at 19:40
  • I use a SiLabs part. Their development main board (PC4001) has a j-link on it that you can use to flash their parts. – Fiddling Bits Jan 13 '20 at 19:43
  • so, would you say is there no other way? other than using j-link. this board doesn't have a j-link module, but only the pins that are required to connect – husgor Jan 13 '20 at 19:46
  • thanks for your time – husgor Jan 13 '20 at 19:46
  • no, you can use a uart solution, you can get j-link clones for less than $10, some have a dfu bootloader option in the mcu, what board do you have that doesnt have some form of solution? there are many boards that only have headers, but some boards like the nucleo boards or mbed or launchpad boards and others have what you need built in you just need software on the development end and a usb cable. – old_timer Jan 13 '20 at 22:36
  • 1
    an ft232h breakout board from adafruit will do either uart or swd (jtag) just fine with cortex-ms and a dumb terminal or openocd. the st-link dongles are or were more expensive than some nucleo boards with a debug end (The small nucleos no, but the ones with a debugger end, the larger ones, can be used to program cortex-m mcus not just st parts but other brands, as can the debug end of an msp432 launchpad, and so on) – old_timer Jan 13 '20 at 22:39
  • 1
    step one is to find the specific part at the mcu vendors website. get the datasheet and reference manual, users manual whatever term they use, and perhaps there are application notes as well (note that sometimes those take you down an invalid tangent). the datasheet/databook for that specific part will include the in circuit programming options, then you focus on one or more of those and examine the board schematic and connectors/headers. then you can focus on what if anything you need to hook up to that board where you likely have many/countless choices. – old_timer Jan 13 '20 at 22:41
  • 2
    The docs also mention [Debugging and programming interfaces for custom designs](https://www.silabs.com/documents/public/application-notes/an958-mcu-stk-wstk-guide.pdf) which covers some of the pinouts and connectors used. – Chris Jan 27 '20 at 15:48

0 Answers0