Workshop Documentation

Welcome to the VSDSquadron Mini RISC-V Development Board workshop documentation! This comprehensive guide contains all the essential information you need for setup and development. The VSDSquadron Mini is an innovative RISC-V development board designed for education and development, featuring the CH32V003F4U6 chip with a 32-bit RISC-V core based on the RV32EC instruction set. This documentation will walk you through the process of setting up your workshop, understanding the technical specifications, and getting started with development.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Features
• Technical Specifications
• Getting Started
  • Prerequisites
  • Installation Guide
• Board Setup
• Programming Guide
• Support

Overview

The VSDSquadron Mini is an innovative RISC-V development board designed for education and development. It features the CH32V003F4U6 chip with a 32-bit RISC-V core based on the RV32EC instruction set.

Features

• CH32V003F4U6 with 32-bit RISC-V core (RV32EC)
• 24MHz system main frequency
• 2KB SRAM
• 16KB CodeFlash
• 1920B Bootloader
• Multiple communication interfaces (USART, I2C, SPI)

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Specification
Form Factor	50.00 x 28.00 mm
I/O Voltage	3.3V
Input Voltage	5V (USB)
Operating Temperature	20-35°C

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• VSCode
• 100GB free space
• USB Type-C cable
• Windows/Ubuntu OS

Installation Guide

1. Download and install VSCode
2. Install required extensions
3. Set up development environment
4. Configure board drivers

Board Setup

1. Connect USB Type-C cable
2. Install necessary drivers
3. Verify board connection
4. Configure development environment

Programming Guide

1. Basic programming workflow
2. Code examples
3. Debugging instructions
4. Common programming patterns

Support

For technical support and questions:

• Visit our Documentation Wiki
• Join our Community Chat
• Report issues on GitHub

Introduction

This repository provides comprehensive documentation for the VSDSquadron Mini RISC-V Development Board workshop.

Documentation

Setup Guide

• Comprehensive guide for laboratory setup
• File: StepsToSetupLabs.pdf
• Size: 754.6 KB
• Purpose: Provides detailed instructions for setting up workshop laboratories

Technical Details

• Detailed technical specifications
• File: datasheet.pdf
• Size: 15.9 MB
• Purpose: Contains technical specifications and reference materials

Usage Instructions

1. Start with StepsToSetupLabs.pdf for initial setup instructions
2. Refer to datasheet.pdf for technical specifications and details

Important Information

• Ensure to follow the setup steps in the correct order
• Keep these documents for future reference
• Both PDFs contain crucial information for workshop operation

VSDSquadron Board

VSDSquadron Mini: Your Gateway to RISC-V Development

Quick Start Guide

Prerequisites

• VSCode
• 100GB free space
• USB Type-C cable
• Windows/Ubuntu OS

Board Connection

Connect USB Type-C as shown

Features Overview

• CH32V003F4U6 with 32-bit RISC-V core (RV32EC)
• 24MHz system main frequency
• 2KB SRAM
• 16KB CodeFlash
• 1920B Bootloader

Technical Specs

Board Specifications

Parameter	Specification
Form Factor	50.00 x 28.00 mm
I/O Voltage	3.3V
Input Voltage	5V (USB)
Operating Temperature	20-35°C

GPIO Configuration

• 15 I/O ports in 3 groups
• USART (PD6-RX, PD5-TX)
• I2C (PC1-SDA, PC2-SCL)
• SPI (PC5-SCK, PC1-NSS, PC6-MOSI, PC7-MISO)

Development Setup

For detailed setup instructions, please refer to our setup guide.

🎯 Overview

VSDSquadron Mini Block Diagram

The VSDSquadron Mini is an innovative RISC-V development board designed for education and development. It features the CH32V003F4U6 chip with a 32-bit RISC-V core based on the RV32EC instruction set.

Key Highlights

• 🎯 Perfect for RISC-V learning and development
• 💡 Built-in programmer - no external hardware needed
• 🔌 USB Type-C connectivity
• ⚡ 24MHz system frequency
• 💾 16KB Flash + 2KB SRAM

⚡ Features

Core Components

• Processor: CH32V003F4U6 with 32-bit RISC-V core (RV32EC)
• Clock: 24MHz system main frequency
• Memory:
  • 2KB SRAM
  • 16KB CodeFlash
  • 1920B Bootloader

Connectivity

• GPIO: 15 I/O ports in 3 groups
• Communication Interfaces:
  • USART (PD6-RX, PD5-TX)
  • I2C (PC1-SDA, PC2-SCL)
  • SPI (PC5-SCK, PC1-NSS, PC6-MOSI, PC7-MISO)

🔧 Technical Specifications

Board Specifications

Parameter	Specification
Form Factor	50.00 x 28.00 mm
I/O Voltage	3.3V
Input Voltage	5V (USB)
Current per I/O Pin	8mA (Source/Sink)
Operating Temperature	20-35°C (68-95°F)
Maximum Component Height	Top: 8mm, Bottom: 1mm

Detailed Pin Configurations

GPIO Assignments

Interface	Pin Configuration
SPI	PC5(SCK), PC1(NSS), PC6(MOSI), PC7(MISO)
I2C	PC1(SDA), PC2(SCL)
USART	PD6(RX), PD5(TX)

ADC Specifications

• Resolution: 10-bit
• Input channels: PD0-PD7, PA1, PA2, PC4
• Conversion time: Based on APB2 clock
• Reference voltage: 3.3V

Interrupt Configuration

• 8 external interrupt edge detectors
• Mappable to any of 18 external I/O ports
• Configurable trigger edges (rising/falling)

🖥️ Development Environment Setup

VDI Setup Instructions

Visual Setup Guide

Step 1: Create New VM	Step 2: Configure Virtual Disk
Step 3: System Settings	Step 4: USB Configuration

Prerequisites

1. System Requirements

   • Minimum 100GB free space on C: or D: drive
   • CPU with virtualization support enabled in BIOS
   • Minimum 8GB RAM recommended
   • Operating System: Windows/Ubuntu

2. Required Software

   • Oracle VirtualBox (Download)
   • VDI file (Download)

Step-by-Step Installation

1. VirtualBox Installation

• Download and install VirtualBox
• Install VirtualBox Extension Pack for USB support
• Restart your system if prompted

2. Virtual Machine Creation

Create a new Virtual Machine with these settings

Configure VM:
- Name: VSDSquadron
- Type: Linux
- Version: Ubuntu 18.04
- Memory: 4096 MB (recommended)

3. Virtual Disk Setup

Select the downloaded VDI file

1. Choose "Use an existing virtual hard disk file"
2. Click the folder icon to browse
3. Select your downloaded VDI file
4. Click "Create"

4. VM Settings Configuration

Optimize your VM settings

System Settings:
- Enable EFI
- Enable PAE/NX
- Processor: 2 CPUs
- Enable VT-x/AMD-V

Display Settings:
- Video Memory: 128MB
- Enable 3D Acceleration
- Graphics Controller: VBoxSVGA

5. USB Configuration

Configure USB settings for device access

1. Enable USB Controller
2. Select USB 3.0 Controller
3. Add USB device filters if needed

6. Guest Additions Installation

Install Guest Additions for better performance

1. Start the VM
2. Click "Devices" → "Insert Guest Additions CD"
3. Follow installation prompts
4. Restart VM when complete

Troubleshooting VDI Setup

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Virtualization Errors

   • Error: VT-x/AMD-V hardware acceleration is not available

     Solution:
     1. Enter BIOS (usually F2 or Del during boot)
     2. Look for "Virtualization Technology" or "VT-x"
     3. Enable the setting
     4. Save and restart
     

   • Error: Hyper-V is interfering with VirtualBox

     # Run in PowerShell as Administrator
     bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

2. Performance Issues

   • Slow VM Performance

     Solutions:
     1. Increase RAM allocation
     2. Enable 3D acceleration
     3. Increase video memory to 128MB
     4. Disable unnecessary VM features
     

   • Laggy Interface

     Solutions:
     1. Install VirtualBox Guest Additions
     2. Enable hardware virtualization
     3. Reduce desktop effects in Ubuntu
     

3. Boot and Startup Issues

   • Black Screen on Boot

     Solutions:
     1. Enable EFI in VM settings
     2. Try different graphics controllers
     3. Start in safe graphics mode
     

   • VERR_VMX_MSR_LOCKED_OR_DISABLED Error

     Solutions:
     1. Disable Hyper-V
     2. Remove Hyper-V Windows feature
     3. Restart Windows
     

4. USB and Connectivity Issues

   • Device Not Recognized

     Solutions:
     1. Install VirtualBox Extension Pack
     2. Enable USB 3.0 controller
     3. Add user to vboxusers group (Linux)
     

   • Network Connection Failed

     Solutions:
     1. Check adapter settings
     2. Try different adapter types
     3. Reset network configuration
     

5. Storage and Space Issues

   • Insufficient Disk Space

     Solutions:
     1. Clean Windows temporary files
     2. Use disk cleanup tools
     3. Move VDI to drive with more space
     

   • VDI File Corruption

     Solutions:
     1. Verify VDI checksum
     2. Try VBoxManage repair
     3. Re-download VDI if necessary
     

Performance Optimization Tips

1. Virtual Machine Settings

   - Allocate at least 4GB RAM
   - Enable PAE/NX
   - Use VBoxSVGA graphics controller
   - Enable 3D acceleration
   

2. Host System Optimization

   - Close unnecessary applications
   - Disable background services
   - Update VirtualBox to latest version
   - Update host OS drivers
   

3. Guest OS Optimization

   - Install Guest Additions
   - Disable unnecessary services
   - Use lightweight desktop environment
   - Regular system cleanup
   

💻 Installation Guide

1. VSCode Setup

Step 1: Install PlatformIO Extension

2. PlatformIO Setup

Step 2: Open PlatformIO Home

3. Install CH32V Platform

Step 3: Advanced Installation

🚀 Programming Guide

Quick Start Code

// Blink Example
#include "ch32v00x.h"

int main(void) {
    // Initialize LED pin
    GPIO_InitTypeDef GPIO_InitStructure = {0};
    RCC_APB2PeriphClockCmd(RCC_APB2Periph_GPIOD, ENABLE);
    GPIO_InitStructure.GPIO_Pin = GPIO_Pin_6;
    GPIO_InitStructure.GPIO_Mode = GPIO_Mode_Out_PP;
    GPIO_InitStructure.GPIO_Speed = GPIO_Speed_50MHz;
    GPIO_Init(GPIOD, &GPIO_InitStructure);

    while(1) {
        GPIO_WriteBit(GPIOD, GPIO_Pin_6, Bit_SET);   // LED ON
        Delay_Ms(1000);
        GPIO_WriteBit(GPIOD, GPIO_Pin_6, Bit_RESET); // LED OFF
        Delay_Ms(1000);
    }
}

🤝 Support

Get Help

• 📧 Email: [email protected]
• 💬 Slack: https://vsdsquadron.slack.com/
• 📚 Documentation: CH32V003F4U6 Datasheet

📝 License

2024 VLSI System Design (VSD)