Programming the LimeSDR Refresher

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my LimeSDR USB model SDRs and just wondering if there’s anything further that needs to be done to completely update the Lime using the LimeSuite programming tool. I did the ‘auto-magic’ programming and it says that I’m up to date (2.18 is the current release), but for some reason I think there’s FPGA programming that needs to be done too and just wondering what I’m missing and what tool I should use to completely update my Lime. Again, I used to be fluent with this but in my age bracket (59) things tend to seep out of my memory and I’ve lost the recipe to update my Lime. Any help here would be greatly appreciated - I’ve looked at the Wiki but I’m not sure if that’s been updated in awhile since there was supposed to be a lot of automation added to the existing programming tool in LimeSuite.

Lemme know - thanks es 73, de Marty, KN0CK

Hello @martywittrock
As far as I can remember the FPGA programming is done by LimeSuite GUI . Alternatively, there’s a command line tool that does the same operation.

I had to program the FPGA using a JTAG programmer only on my LimeMini, and only one time, just because it was a pre-production one. If you were already able to update the board using the GUI then I don’t think you need this.

Instructions start more or less from here if you actually need to do that: Problems with LimeSDR mini

mario

And Here are some extra instructions how to synthesize/compile for the mini. Build can be flashed with usb-blaster(jtag) and Limeutil(gui or cmd). For the Lime-USB version this would be different as far as i know.

Gents - Thanks for the info, that will help later on but I’m looking for the full programming instructions as it’s done today for the traditional LimeSDR (not the Mini). I’ve used the LimeSuite programming tool and it says that (I think) the gateware is programmed to the current version, but I wasn’t sure if the LineSuite tool automatically programmed the FPGA afterwards or not. The LimeSDR Wiki on this is pretty old, and I was aware that the programming tool was updated, but wasn’t sure if it programmed one function or two…Maybe Zack can answer on this…But let me know your thoughts, too.

73 de Marty, KN0CK

OK, I’m confused. I did the LimeUtil --update & still only get 2.17 and the new craze is 2.18… I just don’t get it. Litterally.
Is there a special way to make 2.18 the update?

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OK, forget it. Updated Pothos, then updated the lime to 2.18.
The documentation needs a full overhaul.

Ed

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@AA7QQ - Ed,

Yeah - I found that installing the latest Pothos build and then doing the update through the LimeSuite tool was ultimately the fastest way for me, too.

73 de Marty, KN0CK

I did the same with the LimeSuite tool. LimeSuite reads now gateway ver 2.21 on my LimeSDR USB.

Unfortunately I cannot open PothosGUI. I get the “Entry Point not Found” error message
IMG_2064
This is on WIN10-64b.

73,
Ted VE7VIB

@ve7vib - Ted,

Looks like a bad Pothos install - Try installing the latest version and then try launching again.

73 de Marty, KN0CK