This note explains how to set up the Emcraft Systems STM32F4 System-On-Module (SOM) Starter Kit hardware.

As shipped by Emcraft, the kit includes the following hardware components:

1. STM32F429 System-On-Module (SOM);
2. SOM-BSB-EXT development baseboard;
3. Mini-USB cable UART/power interface.

The STM32F4 SOM Starter Kit provides the following components and interfaces:

The following jumpers must be configured on the SOM-BSB-EXT baseboard:

To power the kit up, simply connect it to a PC / notebook by plugging a mini-USB cable into the P1 mini-USB connector on the SOM-BSB-EXT baseboard. As soon as the connection to the PC has been made, the LED DS2 should lit up, indicating that the board is up and running.

On the PC side, the USB link provides a serial console device to the STM32F4 SOM. The software installed on the board is configured for a 115.2 K terminal. On the Linux host, the serial console is available using a /dev/ttyUSBn device.

To provide network connectivity to the kit, connect it into your LAN by plugging a standard Ethernet cable into the 10/100 Ethernet connector on the SOM-BSB-EXT baseboard.

Note: The kit does not include any JTAG tools or associated hardware items. The STM32F4 SOM comes preloaded with the U-Boot firmware. U-Boot supports loading Linux images from TFTP or Flash providing a sufficient development and deployment environment for the Linux OS. Should you require updating the U-Boot firmware itself, U-Boot supports a self-upgrade capability through loading an image from TFTP and installing it to the integrated Flash of the STM32F4. The implications of the above is that you do not really need JTAG tools unless you intend to use an RTOS other than Linux or have installed a faulty U-Boot image to the STM32F4. If you require JTAG tools, you will have to obtain any such equipement and associated software separately, directly from respective vendors.