This document is a quick start guide for the TWR-MPC8309 PowerQUICC processor, which introduces the features and characteristics of the processor, including industrial connectivity and protocol offload engine.
The TWR-MPC8309 is a PowerQUICC processor module that provides industrial connectivity and a protocol off‑load engine. It can be used as a stand‑alone single‑board computer, an elevator‑connected system‑on‑module, or as part of Freescale’s modular Tower System for rapid prototyping.
The guide walks you through connecting a display, power source, USB and Ethernet cables, configuring the virtual COM port, and accessing the boot and diagnostic menus. It also describes the built‑in demo that runs on power‑up and how to modify it, as well as switch settings for UART, USB, RS485 and JTAG interfaces.
| Processor | PowerQUICC |
|---|---|
| USB2 High‑Speed port | Available |
| USB2 Full‑Speed port | Console and power |
| Ethernet ports | Dual 10/100 Ethernet |
| RS485 ports | Dual RS485 with loopback cable |
| JTAG/COP header | Debug interface |
| Boot source | On‑board NOR flash (default) |
| Serial console settings | 115200 bps, 8N1, no flow control |
Connect the USB2 Full‑Speed port to the host using the supplied USB cable, then install the TWR‑MPC8309 VirtualCOM driver and configure the terminal at 115200 bps, 8N1, no parity, no flow control.
While the board is booting, hold any key on the host computer; the boot configuration menu appears in the console, allowing you to select different boot sources and options.
Use the included RS485 loopback cable, aligning pin 1 (marked with an arrow) on the cable connector to pin 1 on each RS485 header.