PLEASE NOTE: This article is obsolete or related to a discontinued product.

The Debug Port Interface (DPI)

DPI is an USB-to-serial interface to link the Acme boards debug port to a PC USB host port and have access at the Linux system console using a terminal emulator program like minicom, putty, hyperterminal, etc.

This product is not yet available please use this instead of it:


DPI replaces the old FOXCONS interface and enable to access the board debug port using a simple USB port instead of an obsolete RS232 port not always available on the modern PC.

DPI is based on the popular FTDI FT232 chip. The relative driver is almost ever already installed on any PC either Window or Linux. If not get it from http://www.ftdichip.com.

Using the DPI in Linux

This article explains hot to use the DPI port on Linux Ubuntu PC

Read this article to know what is a DPI port

A simple terminal emulator available on Linux is minicom.

On Ubuntu distribution you can install it using Synaptic or apt-get install by typing:

~$ apt-get install minicom

After installation run it by typing:

~$ minicom

Type CTRL-A followed by O to show the configuration panel. Then select Serial port setup and access to the serial port configuration.

Se the port as shown below:

Welcome to minicom 2.4

OPTI+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Comp| A -    Serial Device      : /dev/ttyUSB0                              |
Port| B - Lockfile Location     : /var/lock                                 |
    | C -   Callin Program      :                                           |
Pres| D -  Callout Program      :                                           |
    | E -    Bps/Par/Bits       : 115200 8N1                                |
    | F - Hardware Flow Control : No                                        |
    | G - Software Flow Control : No                                        |
    |                                                                       |
    |    Change which setting?                                              |
    +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
            | Screen and keyboard      |                    
            | Save setup as dfl        |                    
            | Save setup as..          |                    
            | Exit                     |                    
            +--------------------------+

Type ESC the select Save setup as dfl. Then ESC again. Now pressing Enter you could have access to the board login.

Arietta G25:

  • Login: root
  • Password: acmesystems

Aria G25 or Terra board:

  • Login: root
  • Password: ariag25 or acmesystems

Acqua A5:

  • Login: root
  • Password: acqua or acmesystems

FOX Board G20 or Netus G20:

  • Login: root
  • Password: netusg20

FOX Board LX:

  • Login: root
  • Password: pass

Using the DPI in Windows

This article explains hot to use the DPI port on Windows PC

Read this article to know what is a DPI port

By default Windows provide an utility called HyperTerminal that is usable with DPI but we suggest to install a free utility called putty because it can works also as a SSH remote terminal useful to have access to the FOX command prompt via LAN (read this article).

It doesn't need to be installed, just download and run it.

At startup you have to specify:

  • Connection type: Serial
  • Serial line: COMx where x is the serial port allocated by the ftdi device driver
  • Speed: 115200

Save this configuration and press the Open button to continue.

You will receive a request of login end password. Use these credentials:

Arietta G25:

  • Login: root
  • Password: acmesystems

Aria G25 or Terra board:

  • Login: root
  • Password: ariag25 or acmesystems

Acqua A5:

  • Login: root
  • Password: acqua or acmesystems

FOX Board G20 or Netus G20:

  • Login: root
  • Password: netusg20

FOX Board LX:

  • Login: root
  • Password: pass

Schematic