3.1 Connecting to UART Interfaces from Windows Hosts

To manage communication between the board and the host PC, you need FTDI and libusb drivers.

To download and install these drivers, follow these steps:
  1. Install Visual Studio Code.
  2. Download and install the MPLAB PIC64GX SDK Visual Studio Code extension:
    1. On the VS Code Marketplace page, click Install.
      Figure 3-1. Open VS Code Marketplace
    2. If a warning appears saying VS Code will launch, click Open.
      Figure 3-2. Allow VS Code to Launch
    3. In VS Code, click Install.
      Figure 3-3. Launch VS Code and Install the Extension
  3. Connect the USB-C cable to the USB-C port on the kit and a USB-C port on the host PC. The three power LEDs on the kit must illuminate.
    Note: If the three power LEDs fail to illuminate, then power the kit using an external power supply and the 5V barrel jack.
  4. To install the PIC64GX drivers follow these steps:
    1. To open the Windows Device Manager, right-click the Start button (press Windows key + X), and then click Device Manager.
    2. In the Device Manager window, click Other devices to expand the section.
      Figure 3-4. Other Devices
    3. Double-click one of the devices named, MCHP-Debug. The MCHP-Debug Properties page opens.
    4. Click Change settings.
      Note: You require administrator privileges.
      Figure 3-5. Change Settings
    5. On the Driver tab, click Update Driver. The Update Drivers - MCHP-Debug window opens.
      Figure 3-6. Update Driver
    6. Click Browse my computer for drivers.
      Figure 3-7. Browse for Driver
    7. Click Browse and use the file navigation window to select the driver folder. The driver is in the MPLAB PIC64GX SDK Extension.

      Example: C:/Users/<USER>/.vscode/exenstions/microchip.pic64gx-sdk-extension-<VERSION>/PIC64GX_drivers

      Note:
      1. <USER> must be replaced with your user name
      2. <VERSION> must be replaced with the version of the extension that was installed
      Figure 3-8. Select the Driver
    8. Click Next. You must be prompted with a message saying, “Windows has successfully updated your drivers”; you can close this window.
      Figure 3-9. Confirm the Driver Update
    9. Repeat steps 5c to 5h for each MCHP-Debug device in the Other devices section.
    10. The Other devices section must now contain three USB Serial Port devices. Repeat steps 5c to 5h for each USB Serial Port device.
      Figure 3-10. Verify the USB Serial Port Devices
  5. To verify that the drivers have been installed correctly, follow these steps:
    1. In the Device Manager, under the Microchip Tools section, double-click the MCHP-Debug, and then click the Driver tab.
      Figure 3-11. Open MCHP-Debug
    2. In the MCHP-Debug window, the Driver Provider must show libusb-win32.
      Figure 3-12. Confirm the Driver provider
    3. In the Device Manager, double-click Ports (COM & LPT) to expand it, and then double-click each of the MCHP-Debug Port devices.
      Figure 3-13. Open the MCHP-Debug Port Devices
    4. If one of the ports properties shows: Location: on USB MCHP-Debug Serial Converter D, and the step 5c was true, then it is verified that the drivers are installed.
      Figure 3-14. Verify the Driver
Additional step:
To identify the COM ports used for UART communication, perform the following steps:
  1. Open device manager (if not already open).
  2. Expand the Ports (COM & LPT) drop down.
  3. There must be three instances of MCHP-Debug Port (COMxx).
  4. xx represents the COM port number that can be used for each UART interface.
    Figure 3-15. Available COM Ports for UART Interface