Help me test if my Basys 3 is working or not
So I had bought this Basys 3 board when I was in college around 2016-17 for lab assignments and haven't used since. Just learned that it's still in high demand and gotten much more expensive so I want to sell it to some student but I want to make sure it is working properly.
I've watched an introduction video about Basys 3 on Youtube. When they hooked it up to the computer the 7-segment display kept displaying numbers and they could turn the leds on and off with the switches on the bottom.
Mine doesn't do that. I can see that it's getting power but I couldn't get neither the leds nor the 7-segment display show any sign of life. I guess I might have left a program on it (not sure how this works it's been years) so I'm looking for a way to somehow clear/reset it.
I'll try watching a video about a simple project for Basys 3 and see for myself if it is working or not but I want to ask if there's a simpler way to find out that doesn't require me install Vivado.
Posted Feb 15, 2022, 6:58 PM UTC
boards are often shipped with a demo design burnt into flash. This is likely what is changing those 7 segment displays in the video. If yours isn't doing this, there are three options:
I'd bet one of the first two is the case. Start by finding the docs for this board and see what it says about configuring from flash. Make sure the switches / jumpers are correct in their factory default settings, which should be stated in the docs.
If that doesn't work, then your best option is to find the demos for your board, and either build the demo yourself / used a pre-built one (better) and program it into flash using vivado (I don't know how to do this, I only work with Intel fpgas). This may be a fair bit of work, but most of that will be getting the right tools installed and figuring out how to use them, it should be easy enough to do after that.
The other option is to do your own tests, but testing everything will be hard work, so you have to figure out where you'll draw the line. Detecting the board via JTAG? configuring a simple image? Testing all LEDs / switches / connectors / components / ...?
This is good advice, particularly about the jumper. The JP1 jumper at the top edge of the board, on the right side above the Xilinx logo, labeld "MODE", should have the blue cap thing over the top two pins (the top position, "QSPI" in the legend below the jumper). If you have to move it, move it, then press the "PROG" pushbutton right next to it.
OP, if that doesn't work, and you feel comfortable installing openFPGALoader (https://github.com/trabucayre/openFPGALoader), I can send you the GPIO demo bitstream to put on your board (to avoid the need for installing Vivado).
Thank you and u/captain_wiggles_. Moving that blue thing worked but I think the E part on the 7-segment display is not getting any power. So 6 shows up like 5 and 8 shows up like 9. So I guess I can't fix it myself because I don't have the necessary tools. I'll see if I can find someone willing to buy it as is. Thank you again.
It's like that on all 4 of the digits?
If I were you, I'd keep it and use it, until you find other stuff not working. The 7-segment display is a pretty minor feature (most boards don't have any built in), unless that is the specific feature you were interested in using.
Yes it's like that on all of them.
I won't use it myself but I'm planning on selling it. That's why I want to make sure it's working properly. But I'll ask whoever is buying to thoroughly test it just in case.