Get Started

Introduction

The QL-EOS-S3 board is a unique, low-cost microcontroller with a built-in FPGA.

What you need

Hardware:

QL-EOS-S3 breakout board
USB-C cable
3.3V FTDI cable (or other USB-serial converter)
(optional) Teensy 3.2, for restoring the SPI flash.
(optional) ARM SWD adapter, such as the Black magic probe

Software:

ARM GCC toolchain, to compile code for the Cortex M4 processor
Symbiflow toolchain, for generating FPGA bitstreams
The QORC Software Development Kit
Blinkinlabs example projects

Installation

Step 1: Install the toolchain

Follow the toolchain setup instructions

Step 2: Build an example project

Test a project that uses both the ARM and FPGA toolchains:

cd ~/ql-eos-s3/qorc-sdk/bl_apps/bl_helloworldhw/GCC_Project
make

Step 3: Connect to the board

Connect your board to your computer using a USB cable. Next, connect an FTDI cable:

FTDI connection

Open your favorite serial terminal, and connect to the FTDI serial port with 115200,8N1 setting. Press the reset button on the board (the one closest to the SPI flash chip). The device should send a prompt:

##########################
Blinkinlabs QL-EOS-S3 Breakout Bootloader
SW Version: qorc-sdk/qf-apps/qf_bootloader(v2) (GCC)
Nov 11 2020 00:29:45
##########################

As soon as you see the prompt, press and hold the user button (the one furthest from the SPI flash chip). The device will then go into bootloader mode, and send a prompt:

User button pressed: switch to download mode
FPGA Programmed
Presss Reset button after flashing ..

If instead you see a message 'User button not pressed: proceeding to load application', just press reset, and try again.

Step 4: Upload the example project

And try uploading it to the board:

python3 ~/ql-eos-s3/TinyFPGA-Programmer-Application/tinyfpga-programmer-gui.py --m4app output/bin/bl_helloworldhw.bin --reset
CLI mode
ports =  ['/dev/ttyACM0 (QuickFeather)'] 1
Using port  /dev/ttyACM0 (QuickFeather)
Programming m4 application with  bl_helloworldhw.bin
Erasing designated flash pages
Erase  64.0 KiB ( 0xd8 ) at  0x80000
Erase  32.0 KiB ( 0x52 ) at  0x90000
Erase  4.0 KiB ( 0x20 ) at  0x98000
Writing  binary
Write  102172  bytes
[XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX]
Verifying  binary
FastREAD 0x0B ( 102172 )
[XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX]
Success: read_back == data
Writing metadata
Erasing designated flash pages
Erase  4.0 KiB ( 0x20 ) at  0x13000
Writing  metadata
Write  8  bytes
[X]                                               ]
Verifying  metadata
FastREAD 0x0B ( 8 )
[X]                                               ]
Success: read_back == data
Reset the device
boot sent

On the serial terminal, the board should send progress updates:

Addr: 0x00080000
Erase 64 KBytes() .. done
Addr: 0x00090000
Erase 32 KBytes() .. done
Addr: 0x00098000
Erase 4 KBytes() .. done
Addr: 0x00013000
Erase 4 KBytes() .. done

And once it's finished, it will automatically restart:

##########################
Blinkinlabs QL-EOS-S3 Breakout Bootloader
SW Version: qorc-sdk/qf-apps/qf_bootloader(v2) (GCC)
Nov 11 2020 00:29:45
##########################

User button not pressed: proceeding to load application


##########################
Quicklogic QuickFeather Standalone FPGA
SW Version: qorc-sdk/qf_apps/qf_helloworldhw
Nov 18 2020 18:01:17
##########################