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DragonBDM

DragonBDM:  

A MC9S12DP256C based BDM for debugging the HCS12 family including the C32 family in BDM mode.  It also can be used for programming HCS12 internal flash memory.  It’s compact and ideal for field service technicians and engineers. If you are going to work with the HCS12 family for a long time, you need a BDM sooner or later. Either to debug your code or program the flash memory on your target board, the DragonBDM is a good choice for its affordability and high quality.

Features:

• Very low-cost and high quality BDM for all HC12/HCS12 family MCUs
• Small and compact design and its size is only 2.0" x 2.75" x 0.8"
• Re-tractable DB9 RS232 cable for connecting to a PC serial port
• Comes with D-bug12 V4.0.0b24 installed
• Debug target board with Motorola DBug12 command set
• Supports hardware and software breakpoints in target
• Works with any terminal emulation program, like AsmIDE and MiniIDE
• Up to 115.2K baud RS232 interface to PC
• Industry standard 6-pin ribbon cable compatible with all EVB boards
• Powered by target board via the 6-pin BDM cable
• Firmware updateable by the internal bootloader without another BDM
• Green LED power indicator

• Bi-color LED target transmission indicator, green for transmitting, red for receiving

• Works with Eric Engler’s AsmIDE / EmbeddedGNU.

How to use the DragonBDM?
 
Generally speaking, you should have worked with a HC12/HCS12 based board before buying a BDM.  So probably a terminal emulation program for the DragonBDM has been  already installed in your host PC. If you have not installed such a program, you can install the AsmIDE, EGNU or MiniIDE to use the DragonBDM  The steps to operate the DragonBDM are as follows:

1.      Invoke your terminal program

2.      Connect the 6-pin ribbon cable to the ‘BDM in’ header on your target board.  The target board can be any HC12/HCS12 board.  The pin 1 of the 6-pin ribbon cable is either in Brown or Gray color and it must be aligned to the pin 1 of the ‘BDM in’ header.  The target must be turned on and so it will provide a 5V DC voltage to the DragonBDM through the ribbon cable. 

3.      Connect the 4P4C plug of the re-tractable cord to the RJ11 jack on the DragonBDM and the 6P4C plug of the re-tractable cord to the DB9 adapter. 

4.      Plug the DB9 adapter to your PC com port

5.      Press the reset button on the DragonBDM, the bi-color LED should blink once in red color.  The DragonBDM hardware should function OK.  The PC screen should display the D-bug12 monitor sign-on message and the menu. 

The BDM is installed with the D-bug12 V4.00b24 and running in POD mode.  The D-Bug12 firmware acts as a master to access all target MCU resources on your target board, such as a C32 module, via the BDM port in a non-intrusive manner.  It will have all the features that a standard BDM has in debugging the target MCU.  Also, it gains all the features a programmer has for programming the flash memory of the MCU on the target board.

The master board communicates to a PC COM port while the target board does not need to be connected to a PC COM port.         

After booting up, you should see the following menu after reset:   

D-Bug12 4.0.0b26
Copyright 1996 - 2004 Motorola Semiconductor
For Commands type "Help"

Can't Communicate With Target CPU

1.) Set Target Speed (48000 KHz)
2.) Reset Target
3.) Reattempt Communication
4.) Erase & Unsecure
5.) Enter BDM debugger
?

You first must set the target speed with the choice 1).  After enter the first choice, you will be prompted to enter the target speed. It’s the crystal frequency on your target, not the bus speed that is boosted up by the on-chip PLL.  After a reset, before the PLL is enabled, the target MC9S12DP256 is running from the crystal frequency, not the PLL frequency.  The bus speed is one half of the crystal frequency by default. The PLL function must be initialized by your code for a higher bus speed.  For instance, your target is a DRAGONfly12 or a NanoCore12 C32 module, Enter 8000 for the 8MHz target crystal speed. After the correct speed is entered, the master will try to communicate with the target board. If it‘s not successful, enter choice 2) to reset the target board.

Can't Communicate With Target CPU

1.) Set Target Speed (48000 KHz)
2.) Reset Target
3.) Reattempt Communication
4.) Erase & Unsecure  
5.) Enter BDM debugger
? 1

Enter Target Crystal Frequency (kHz): 8000

Can't Communicate With Target CPU
1.) Set Target Speed (8000 KHz)
2.) Reset Target
3.) Reattempt Communication
4.) Erase & Unsecure  
5.) Enter BDM debugger
? 2

When the communication is established, you will see the following prompt:  
S>

You will notice that the debug prompt is “S>” in the POD mode, not just a “>” in the EVB mode. The S> tells that this is the POD mode and the MC9S12DP256 on target (slave board) is stopped. Sometimes the prompt could be a “R>” that means the target MCU is running.  If you see the “R>”, just type “reset” then <Enter> to reset the target and it will come back to the “S>” prompt.  

R>RESET <Enter>  
S>  

In order to program the flash memory, you have to erase it through the use of the FBULK command

S>FBULK <Enter>

S>  

When the prompt “S>” returns, the FBULK command has already erased all of the flash memory contents of the target MC9S12DP256 including the bootloader.  If it returns with a message “Flash or EEPROM Failed To Erase”  the MC9S12DP256 is defective.  

Now we are going to program your code into the flash memory of your target MC9S12 MCU.

At first, enter the “FLOAD” command, then select the download option on your terminal program Finally  select the file that you want it to be programmed into the flash memory on your target board.  You should see the following on the terminal window when programming completes (when the prompt “S>” appears):

S>FLOAD <Enter>  

*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*****************************************************************************  
*************************************************************

S>

How to update the firmware of the DragonBDM?:
The DragonBDM is pre-loaded with the bootloader and the D-bug12 monitor V4.0.0b24.  If  the D-Bug12 monitor ever needs to be updated, it can be done in the bootloader mode without another BDM.  Here is the procedure to update the D-bug12 monitor:

1.      Open the box by removing 2 screws on the bottom of  the box.

2.      Apply 5V DC to the 2 terminals labeled with VCC (+)  and GND (-).  You must be very careful and not to apply the power in a wrong polarity which will probably damage the board.

3.      Remove the jumper on J2 to change the POD mode to Bootloader mode.

4.     Press the reset button on the DragonBDM and the PC screen should show the bootloader menu.

5.      Follow the menu to erase the flash memory and program the new version of the D-bug12 into the flash memory.

6.      Re-install the jumper on J2 to change the Bootloader mode back to the POD mode

What Do I get for the price of $89.00 ( $99.00 for business and government ) ? 

For $89.00 you will get all 3 items ( DB9 adapter, re-tractable cable, BDM ) from the above picture and a CD with the getting started manual and other Motorola documentations that include the D-bug12 manual and bootloader manual.