Pico Debug

Pico Debug Hardware

The pico_debug project provides a PCB which can host a Pico, plus another to act as a debugger. The circuit follows the Raspberry Pi suggestion. The PCB provides these features:

• Pico to use as a development target (can be Pico 1 or Pico 2)
• The Hello_button circuit
• Pico to use as a debugger (The Pico 1 is most straightforward)
• Reset buttons for each Pico
• A header to connect the debug pico to a debugger, should that be necessary.

By developing for the pico via a debugger, you can gain a more convenient UART connection for debug trace, as it does not renegotiate with the host whenever it resets. You can also flash the Pico without using the host filesystem. The debugger also provides the conventional breakpoint, stepping etc functions.

• Build Notes
• Usage Notes
• Circuit Diagram PDF
• KiCad Project, including gerbers generated for manufacturing in the manufacture sub directory.

If you want to manufacture your own, I ordered PCBs from PCBWay, and aside from selecting HASL Lead Free, used defaults for all other items.

Raspberry Pi Original Circuit

debug-pico implements the circuit 'Debug with a second Pico or Pico 2' from the 'Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Pico-series' data sheet. In the revision I consulted (24), this is A2, figure 9, pages 16-22. This includes notes on how to use the debug probe firmware from a host PC.