Silicon Laboratories ToolStick Base Adapter User Manual

ToolStick Base Adapter

TOOLSTICK BASE ADAPTER USER’S GUIDE

1. Handling Recommendations

To enable development, the ToolStick Base Adapter and daughter cards are distributed without any protective
plastics. To prevent damage to the devices and/or the host PC, please take into consideration the following
recommendations when using the ToolStick:

 Never connect or disconnect a daughter card to or from the ToolStick Base Adapter while the Base Adapter is

connected to a PC.

 Always connect and disconnect the ToolStick Base Adapter from the PC by holding the large plastic connector.

Figure 1. Proper Method of Holding the ToolStick

 Avoid directly touching any of the other components.

Figure 2. Improper Method of Holding the ToolStick

 Manipulate mechanical devices on the daughter cards, such as potentiometers, with care to prevent the Base

Adapter or daughter card from accidentally dislodging from their sockets.

Rev. 0.1 9/06 Copyright © 2006 by Silicon Laboratories ToolStick Base Adapter

ToolStick Base Adapter

2. Contents

The ToolStick Base Adapter package includes the following items:

 ToolStick Base Adapter
 3-foot USB extension cable

The ToolStick Starter Kit package includes the following items:

 ToolStick Base Adapter
 ToolStick C8051F330 Daughter Card
 3-foot USB extension cable

A ToolStick Base Adapter is one component of the ToolStick development system and is not functional without a
ToolStick daughter card. If the Base Adapter was not purchased as part of a Starter Kit, daughter cards can be
purchased separately at www.silabs.com/toolstick.

3. ToolStick Overview

The purpose of the ToolStick is to provide a development and demonstration platform for Silicon Laboratories
microcontrollers and to demonstrate the Silicon Laboratories software tools, including the Silicon Laboratories
Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

The ToolStick development platform consists of two components: the ToolStick Base Adapter and a daughter card.
The ToolStick Base Adapter provides a USB debug interface and data communications path between a Windows
PC and a target microcontroller. The Base Adapter is powered from USB and also provides power to the daughter
cards.

The target microcontroller and application circuitry are located on the daughter card. Some daughter cards, such
as the C8051F330 daughter card, are used as general-purpose development platforms for the target
microcontrollers and some are used to demonstrate a specific feature or application.

Figure 3 shows the ToolStick Base Adapter and identifies the various components.

Power LED

Run/Stop LEDs

Silicon Laboratories

USB MCU

Figure 3. ToolStick Base Adapter

Socket

Connector

2 Rev. 0.1