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Connect hardware

This guide shows how to physically connect debuggers and serial cables to Analog Devices development boards. Find your board below for specific connection instructions.

Before you start

Install the appropriate drivers for your debug probe:

Board examples

Select your board below for specific connection instructions:

MAX32690 (MAX32690EVKIT)

Debug connection:

  • Connect to J3 (10-pin SWD header)
  • Debugger options:
    • Segger J-Link with 10-pin SWD ribbon cable
    • MAX32625PICO debugger with 10-pin SWD ribbon cable

UART connection:

  • Connect USB cable to CN2 (USB mini connector)
  • Provides serial console output and profiling data

Setup:

The numbered labels in the diagram below correspond to the physical connections on the board (steps 1-3). Complete all connections before powering on.

  1. Connect external debugger to J3 (SWD header) using a 10-pin ribbon cable
  2. Connect USB-A to Mini-USB cable to CN2 (UART)
  3. Connect debugger to your computer using USB and flip the power switch on the board to ON (board is powered through the CN2 USB connection)
  4. Identify the serial port (see Identify your serial port)

MAX32690 connection diagram

MAX78002 (MAX78002EVKIT)

Dual-core board

The MAX78002 has two processor cores: Arm Cortex-M4 and RISC-V. If you're debugging or developing for both cores, connect both debuggers. If you're only using one core, you only need to connect the debugger for that core.

Debug connections:

  • JH8 (SWD header): Arm Cortex-M4 core
    • Use MAX32625PICO debugger or Segger J-Link
    • 10-pin SWD ribbon cable
  • JH5 (RV JTAG header): RISC-V core
    • Use Olimex ARM-USB-OCD-H adapter with ARM-JTAG-20-10 converter
    • Pre-configured for RISC-V debugging
    • Only needed if debugging or profiling on the RISC-V core

UART connection:

  • Connect USB cable to CN2 (USB connector)
  • Captures serial output from both cores

Power:

  • Connect 5V power supply to J1 (power input connector)
  • External 5V power required - board is not USB-powered

Setup:

The numbered labels in the diagram below correspond to the physical connections on the board (steps 1-4). Complete all connections before powering on.

  1. Connect 5V power supply cable to J1
  2. Connect USB cable to CN2 (UART)
  3. Connect Arm debugger (MAX32625PICO or J-Link) to JH8 (SWD header)
  4. For dual-core debugging: Additionally connect RISC-V debugger (Olimex ARM-USB-OCD-H) to JH5 (RV JTAG)
  5. Connect debugger(s) to your computer using USB
  6. Turn on the 5V power supply and flip the power switch on the board to ON
  7. Identify the serial port (see Identify your serial port)

MAX78002 connection setup

MAX32657 (MAX32657EVKIT)

Debug connection:

  • On-board J-Link debugger via USB-C connection to J1 (default)
  • External debugger options:
    • Segger J-Link with 10-pin SWD ribbon cable
    • MAX32625PICO debugger with 10-pin SWD ribbon cable

UART connection:

  • Connect USB-C cable to J1 (USB-C connector)
  • Provides serial console output, profiling data, and board power

Setup:

  1. Connect USB-C cable to J1 and your computer
  2. Identify the serial port (see Identify your serial port)

MAX32657 connection diagram

Advanced: External debugger

For advanced debugging scenarios, you can connect an external J-Link to J3 (10-pin SWD header). If you experience conflicts with multiple debuggers, you can disable the on-board J-Link by removing the shunt on JP6. For details, see Troubleshooting.

SHARC-FX (ADSP-SC835W with ICE Debugger)

Windows only

SHARC-FX debugging is supported only on Windows. See Debug a SHARC-FX application for complete requirements.

ICE emulator connection:

  • Required: ICE-1000, ICE-1500, or ICE-2000 emulator
  • Connect ICE emulator to P6 (JTAG header) using the ICE ribbon cable
  • Connect ICE emulator to computer using USB

Power and data connection:

  • Connect USB-C cable to P1 (power and data)
  • Provides board power and communication with the host computer

Setup:

The numbered labels in the diagram below correspond to the physical connections (steps 1-3).

  1. Connect USB-C cable to P1 (power and data)
  2. Connect ICE emulator to computer using USB
  3. Connect ICE ribbon cable to P6 (JTAG header on board)

SHARC-FX connection diagram

Note

SHARC-FX debugging requires additional configuration including ICE model selection and toolchain setup. For complete instructions, see Debug a SHARC-FX application.

Identify your serial port

After connecting the UART cable, identify which serial port your board is using:

Windows: Open Device Manager → Ports (COM & LPT) → note the COM port (e.g., COM3). Alternatively, run mode in Command Prompt or PowerShell to list available serial devices (note that it may not list all devices).

macOS: Run ls /dev/tty.* in Terminal → look for /dev/tty.usbserial-* or /dev/tty.usbmodem*

Linux: Run ls /dev/ttyUSB* /dev/ttyACM* in terminal → look for /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyACM0

Tip

Unsure which port? Disconnect the UART cable, note which ports disappear, then reconnect.

Troubleshooting

Issue: Multiple serial ports appear and I'm unsure which to use

  • Disconnect the UART cable, note which ports disappear, then reconnect
  • Check board documentation for UART port COM number assignment
  • Try each port - the correct one will show application output when your program runs

Issue: Debug probe not recognized by my computer

  • Verify debug probe drivers are installed correctly
  • Connect the debug probe directly to a USB port on your computer — USB hubs and docking stations can prevent the probe from being recognized
  • Try a different USB cable or USB port on your computer
  • Check that the debug probe has power (look for LED indicators)
  • For J-Link, ensure you're using an official Segger probe or compatible clone

Issue: Can't see serial port in Device Manager / /dev/tty.*

  • Verify the USB cable is connected to the UART port, not just the power port
  • Some USB cables are power-only and don't carry data - try a different cable
  • Check that board is powered on
  • On Linux, ensure you have permissions to access serial ports (add user to dialout group)
  • Driver may be needed for USB-to-UART chip on your board (check board documentation)

Issue: Board appears to be stuck or not responding

  • Try power cycling the board (disconnect power/USB, wait 5 seconds, reconnect)
  • Some boards have a reset button - try pressing it
  • Check that you're using the correct power supply voltage (5V vs 3.3V)
  • Verify no short circuits or loose connections

Next steps

With your hardware connected, you can proceed with: