Questions about ST-Link versions

[SRogers]

I have, or will shortly have, three different ST-Link v2 devices. The first one us built into my Neuclo-64 for the STM32F103RB Nucleo-64 board. I know I can use the ST-Link from the Nucleo-64 board on other ST32 devices by separating it from the rest of the board and repositioning some jumpers. However, I didn't fancy separating that ST-Link from its board because, once separated, there are porcupine connectors top and bottom and no case, so not very ergonomic.

I purchased a genuine ST-Link/V2 branded from ST, the one with the stylized white plastic case. But this one only has a 4-pin and a 20-pin connector (and the 4-pin connector will not match the blue pill.)

Since I plan to work with the blue pill generic ST32 boards, I ordered a couple of the cheapie ST-Link devices with some blue pills. But this device also has an odd connector for connecting to a ST board with 4 pins.

Are all these devices identical with respect to their function and operation for debugging?

Does anyone make pre-made commercial connectors for proper fitting of these debuggers to blue pill (or any other ST32 board)? I could make them myself from dupont wires, but I'd always be wondering and worrying about plugging them in incorrectly by accident.

[Uwe Bonnes]

Debugger and target debug connector are a world of their one. Standards are so good that everybody uses his own standard.

With the four pin cable you show on the picture at top, you can go a long way. E.g. connect the top four pins of the 6 pin connector (with the jumpr removed) to the four pin connector of another nucleo or discovery board. That way with a nucleo you can debug other boards without breaking away the debugger.

Or you look at the pinout of the debug connector of Stlink clone or the genuine Stlink and connect those again to the four pin connector of a foreign Nucle/Disco/...

The four pin connection (VCC/GND/SWD/SWCLK) is the minimum, on sone situations you also need Reset and SWO is fine for tracing.

[Tesla DeLorean]

>>Are all these devices identical with respect to their function and operation for debugging?

Reasonably similar.

The boot-leg device is using a cheap 5x2 header connector, probably don't follow the MikroE "standard", they had an adapter and 10-pin ribbon cable with IDC connectors. The boot-leg is likely an ST-LINK/V2 variant. ie smaller F103, no VCP, no MSC

The Nucleo has the ST-LINK/V2-1 variant, supporting the mbed MSC, and also a UART/VCP

The 20-pin ARM JTAG connector is a standard. They have a newer higher density 10-pin SWD standard.

ST made up their own, and they also have a variant of the ARM 10-pin, which expands to 14-pin, with a pair of additional pins added at both ends to provide for a UART/VCP

[S.Ma]

If it's "production like" you may even use the TAG Connect cable and connector: On the target board only PCB space is required, no connector cost. Cost is in the custom cable. You can see such footprint on some discovery.

For debug, you will need SWDIO, SWCLK, GND, MCUVCC as baseline, SWO and RESET as optional (needed if your code implement low power clock stop modes in the MCU)

[Tesla DeLorean]

>>"production like"

ROFL w/Blue Pills, bootleg JTAG, and random hackery..

Could buy a gross of Blue Pills for the cost of a TAG Connect.

In production would probably put pads on the backside, and use a bed-of-nails or pogo-pins.

Top side generally just use the standard 10-pin ARM SWD

For the McLaren of Dupont Pins, I'd recommend Schmartboard Jumper Wires, you can build things even the CEO and sales team can touch-n-feel, and still get back a working prototype / proof-of-concept..

https://schmartboard.com/jumper-wires/