Have you been searching for low-cost humidity and temperature sensors? Great timing! Here, we will discuss the DHT11 and DHT22. These are the two well-known humidity and temperature modules for Raspberry Pi and Arduino.

Though DHT11 and DHT22 are slower compared to some temperature sensors, both boast of benefits that include great long-term stability and low consumption of power. In addition, you can get relatively high accuracy in measurement at an affordable rate.

Both DHT sensors are great for any home project such as weather stations, inspection and testing of equipment, garden or farm monitoring systems, environmental control systems, and more.

DHT sensors are composed of two major parts. These include a thermistor having a basic chip and a humidity sensor. Both are responsible for converting from analog to digital.

What is DHT11?

DHT11 can be referred to as a basic, low-cost humidity and temperature sensor. It has the capability to detect relative humidity and temperature. The relative humidity here refers to the quantity of air’s water vapor compared to the water vapor’s saturation point in air.

Furthermore, DHT11 is widely regarded as the humidity and temperature module for Raspberry Pi and Arduino. Therefore, due to its many benefits, hardware enthusiasts favor the DHT11. Also the DHT11 humidity temperature sensor also works with respect to the new DHT11 module.

 Features

• Consumes low power and has a great long-term stability
• You can obtain a relatively high accuracy in measurements at a low and affordable cost
• Range of humidity falls between 5 – 95% RH, and having a ±5%. Also, the range of temperature falls within -20 – 60℃ and having a ±2%.

Comparing the old and new DHT11, we can see some differences. The old DHT11 is called ADSONG, while the new is ASAIR.

• The old DHT11 has a resistive sensor, while the new DHT11 has a capacitive sensor
• Old DHT11 has a humidity range falling between 20 and 95%, while the new DHT11 has a humidity range that falls between 5 and 95%
• The old DHT11 has a temperature range falling between 0 and 50℃, while the new DHT11 has a temperature range that falls between 20 and 60℃.
• The old DHT11 has a temperature resolution of 1℃, while the new DHT11 has a temperature resolution of 0.1℃.

From this comparison, you can clearly see that the new DHT11 has a wider range for both humidity and temperature. Furthermore, its temperature resolution is also lower.

What is DHT22?

DHT22 is also referred to as RHT03 or AM2302. The DHT22 features a temperature sensor with high precision, as well as a humidity sensor. It makes use of a digital module acquisition technology, as well as humidity and temperature sensing technology. This is just to ensure that it is highly reliable and has great long-term stability.

Furthermore, DHT22 features a sensing element, as well as a measuring element of temperature of high precision, which is connected to an 8-bit microcontroller of high performance. Therefore, it has great quality benefits, very quick response, high-cost performance, and high anti-interference ability.

Features of the DHT22

• Its size is ultra small
• Power consumption is extremely low, coupled with a distance of signal transmission of over 20 meters. Therefore, it can withstand applications that are most demanding.
• Range of the humidity sensor falls between 0 – 99.9% RH, and has an accuracy of ±2%. Also, the range of temperature falls within -40 – 80℃ and has an accuracy of ±0.5℃.

Note that the sensor module can be sold individually. Also, connection with 3 leads is easy. If you wish to connect the sensor using a longer wire, all you need to do is include a pull-up resistor.

What are the Differences: DHT11 vs DHT22

Temperature range: With respect to the temperature range, for DHT11, it falls within -20 – 60℃, while for DHT22, it falls within -40 – 80℃.

Temperature accuracy: DHT11 has a temperature accuracy of ±2%, while that of DHT22 is ±0.5℃

Humidity Range: the humidity range for DHT11 falls between 5 – 95% RH, while that of DHT22 falls within 0 – 100%RH.

Humidity Accuracy: DHT11 has a humidity accuracy of ±5%, in contrast to DHT22, which is ±2%.

Cost: The cost of DHT11 is $5.90 compared to that of DHT22, which is $9.90.

In conclusion, in all aspects, the DHT22 beats the DHT11. This includes humidity accuracy, humidity range temperature accuracy, and temperature range. DHT22 has just one downside, which is its higher price compared to that of DHT11. However, this is necessary, since you have to pay more to get the better deal.

Therefore, if you are searching for a sensor having a wider accuracy and range, then you should choose the DHT22. However, if you decide to choose the DHT11, no problem; it will also work well for your different projects.

Generally, both DHT sensors are regarded as slow and basic humidity and temperature sensors, which are great for hobbyists and beginners seeking to do some data logging. Both utilize one digital pin and function very slowly. You cannot query both sensors more than once for each second.

How do DHT11 and DHT22 sensors Interface and Work with Arduino?

Before we go into details on how DHT11 and DHT22 sensors interface and work with Arduino, let’s first consider how the two sensors work.

Working Principle of the DHT11 and DHT22

Here, we will be considering how the DHT11 and DHT22 sensors work. They are made up of a thermistor or temperature sensor, a component for humidity sensing, and an integrated circuit on the sensor’s back side.

For the measurement of humidity both sensors make use of a sensing component having two electrodes with a substrate for holding moisture between them. As changes in humidity happen, the substrate’s conductivity changes, or changes happen in the resistance found in between the electrodes. The IC measures and processes the resistance change. By doing so, it prepares it for reading by the microcontroller.

Measuring the temperature, on the other hand, both sensors utilize a thermistor or a NTC temperature sensor. A thermistor can b e referred to as a resistor that changes the resistance value with temperature change. The manufacturing of these sensors came to be by sintering semi-conductive materials like polymers and ceramics, so as to offer larger resistance changes with just little temperature changes.

NTC refers to the “Negative Temperature Coefficient.” This means that there is a decrease in resistance with every temperature increase.

Circuit Schematics

Sensors DHT11 and DHT22 feature four pins – data pin, VCC, an unconnected pin, and GND, with all four having no usage. There’s a need for a pull up resistor from 5-10 ohms to ensure the data line is kept high to ensure that there is a communication between the Arduino board and the sensor. Some of these sensor’s versions feature breakout boards having an in-built pull-up resistor having only 3 pins.

Both sensors feature their personal single wire protocol. These are used in data transfer. This protocol also requires accurate timing. Also, you will find the diagrams required for getting this data from both sensors on their datasheets. However, there’s no need to be concerned about the timing diagrams. This is because the DHT library will be useful here as it handles everything.

Pinout of the DHT11 and the DHT22

It is fairly easy to connect both sensors – DHT11 and DHT22. As mentioned earlier, they feature four pins.

VCC pin: This pin provides the sensor’s power. Although the voltage supply falls between 3.3V – 5.5V, it is recommended to work with the 5V supply.

As regards the power supply of 5V, the sensor can be kept for about 20 meters. In contrast, for the supply voltage of 3V, the length of the cable cannot be more than a meter. If this happens, the line voltage will drop, thereby causing measurement errors.

Data Pin: The data pin is the medium through which the microcontroller and the sensor communicates

NC: This means not connected

GND: This pin has to be connected to Arduino’s ground.

Connecting the DHT11 and DHT22 to the Arduino UNO

By now, you should have a good understanding of the way DHT sensors function. Now, we can start connecting it to the Arduino.

Fortunately, it is not important to connect both sensors – DHT11 and DHT22 – to Arduino. Their pitch pins of 0.1 inches are fairly long; therefore plugging them into breadboards will come in. Using the 5V, power up the sensor and then connect them ground to ground. Lastly, connect the digital pin #2 to the data pin.

Also, you need to place a resistor (pull-up) of 10KΩ between the data line and the VCC to ensure it is kept HIGH. This makes proper communication between the MCU and the sensor. However, if you possess the sensor’s breakout board, then there’s no need to include an external pull-up. Also, it features a pull-up in-built resistor.

After achieving this, you can now go ahead with uploading some code and get it to work.

Printing of Values on the Serial Monitor

Both sensors, DHT11 and DHT22 feature their personal single wire protocol, which are utilized for data transfer. There’s a need for precise timing for this protocol. Fortunately, you don’t have to be bothered about this. This is because everything will be taken care of by the DHT library.

First download the library here, and then install it. To do the installation, open your Arduino IDE – Sketch – Include Library – Add .ZIP Library, then lastly, select the file that you have just downloaded. However, if you need more information on how to install the library, you can use this tutorial.

After installing the library, copy the sketch into your Arduino IDE. This test sketch helps in printing the values of the relative humidity and temperature on your serial monitor. Let’s explain this sketch in detail.

After uploading the sketch, you will see a window that reveals the output delivered by Arduino.

Explanation of the Code

The sketch begins by the inclusion of the DHT library. Then, we have to define the pin number of the Arduino to which the data pin of our sensor is connected; we then use it in creating a DHT object. By doing so, we will be able to access any special function that relates to the library. This is shown below:

• #include <dht.h>
• #define dataPin 8 // Defines pin number to which the sensor is connected
• dht DHT; // Creats a DHT object

For the ‘setup’ function, there’s a need to initiate serial communication, because this serial monitor will be useful in printing the results. This is shown below:

• void setup() {
•      Serial.begin(9600);

For the ‘loop’, we will be utilizing the function read22(). This reads the DHT22 data. It takes the data pin number of the sensor as one parameter. You can make use of the read11() function if you’re tinkering using DHT11. This can be achieved by uncommenting the second line like this:

• //Uncomment whatever type you’re using!
• int readData = DHT.read22(dataPin); // DHT22/AM2302
• //int readData = DHT.read11(dataPin); // DHT11

As soon as you have the values for the temperature and humidity calculated, you can easily access them this way:

• float t = DHT.temperature; // Gets the values of the temperature
• float h = DHT.humidity; // Gets the values of the humidity

Now, the DHT object returns the value of the temperature in degrees Celsius. You can convert it to degrees Fahrenheit using this:

• //print the temperature in Fahrenheit
• Serial.print((t * 9.0) / 5.0 + 32.0);

Conclusion

Concerning precision, that of DHT11 is lesser than that of DHT22. It functions in a much smaller range of humidity and temperature. Asides from this, it is a bit slower, price point is lower, and its form factor is smaller too. If you desire some accuracy for your project, and you are okay with its higher price, then you should choose the DHT22. However, if this is not the case the DHT11 works fine. You can decide to work with any of the two.

Introduction

The Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA family was unveiled in 2006, providing new levels of capability through 65nm process technology along with novel architectural enhancements. Virtex-5 cemented Xilinx’s technology leadership for years following its introduction.

Virtex-5 implemented numerous innovative features including embedded processors, high-speed serial I/O, advanced clocking and power management techniques. These came together to enable a giant leap in bandwidth, efficiency and ease-of-use compared to prior Virtex generations.

This article will dive into the key innovations of Virtex-5 to understand what made it a milestone in FPGA history and a popular choice for high-performance applications. Comparison to predecessor and successor families is also provided for context.

Virtex-5 FPGA Family Overview

The Virtex-5 family consists of seven platforms tailored to different application needs:

• LXT – High performance logic
• SXT – Signal processing
• TXT – High IO bandwidth
• FXT – Low power
• HXT – Automotive
• QXT – Military qualified
• CXT – Commercial space ready

With up to 8 billion transistors and gate counts up to 2 million, Virtex-5 was the most capable FPGA when introduced.

Some of the common features across Virtex-5 platforms include:

• 65nm process technology
• Embedded PowerPC processors
• High speed serial transceivers up to 11.2Gbps
• Advanced clock management techniques
• Enhanced DSP48E slices
• Multi-gigabit memory bandwidth

Let’s look at some of the major innovations driving Virtex-5’s leadership performance.

65nm Process Technology

The Virtex-5 family leveraged a high-performance triple-oxide 65nm manufacturing process with nine layers of copper interconnects. This enabled much higher logic density, performance and lower power consumption compared to previous 90nm nodes.

Some of the benefits of 65nm technology include:

• 2X logic capacity over preceding Virtex-4 generation
• Faster transistors enabling 30% higher speed or 25% lower power
• 1.2V core voltage resulting in significant power savings
• Tighter design rules producing smaller die sizes

The 65nm node gave Xilinx a multi-year competitive advantage in achievable FPGA gate density. Smaller feature sizes also facilitated including abundant hard IP blocks.

Embedded Processors

A major innovation in Virtex-5 was the introduction of PowerPC 440 embedded cores directly within the FPGA fabric. Key features:

• Up to 8 processor cores per device
• PowerPC architecture with high performance 32-bit RISC execution
• Floating point unit integrated in each core
• 32KB L1 caches for instructions and data
• Hardware debug capability

Embedding PowerPC 440 cores eliminated the need for external processors in many applications. This simplified system development by enabling single-chip solutions encompassing both hardware and software programmability.

High Speed Serial Transceivers

To keep pace with rapidly evolving serial interconnect standards, Virtex-5 incorporated up to 1,040 high speed serial transceivers supporting data rates up to 11.2Gbps.

Key enhancements included:

• Multi-rate capability from 155Mbps to 11.2Gbps
• Sophisticated equalization techniques like CTLE and DFE
• Low power modes for 10G operation under 5W per channel
• Support for 10G Ethernet, Fibre Channel, RapidIO and Interlaken

High speed serial connectivity enabled designers to harness the bandwidth needed for high throughput applications.

Advanced Clock Management

Efficient clocking schemes are critical for large FPGAs like Virtex-5. Key clocking capabilities include:

• Digital clock managers (DCMs) – flexible frequency synthesis, deskew and jitter filtering
• Mixed-mode clock managers (MMCM) – high-performance PLL-based clocking with low jitter
• 16 low-skew global clock networks – distribute clocks across large device
• Zero-delay buffers – clean clock signals throughout FPGA
• Per-pin programmable clocking – customize each IO pin’s clocking

Robust clock management was critical to utilize Virtex-5’s high logic capacity for complex synchronous systems.

Enhanced DSP48E Slices

To accelerate digital signal processing tasks, Virtex-5 upgraded the DSP slice architecture. DSP48E enhancements included:

• 25 x 18 bit multipliers
• 48-bit adder/accumulator/register units
• Cascading for wide precision math
• Pipelining and overflow handling
• Bitwise logical capabilities

DSP48E slices provided both high performance and flexibility for math-intensive algorithms mapped into the FPGA fabric.

Multi-Gigabit External Memory Bandwidth

Large on-chip memories through block RAMs were augmented by multi-gigabit external memory interfaces.

Key features included:

• DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 memory controllers
• Up to 4 memory interfaces with sustained bandwidth over 20 Gbps
• Multi-port modes supporting concurrent access
• Error detection and correction logic
• Interfaces optimized for low latency

Abundant external memory bandwidth enabled building high performance memory subsystems inside Virtex-5 FPGAs.

Power Management and Savings

To optimize energy efficiency, Virtex-5 incorporated both architectural and process enhancements for lower power. These encompassed:

• Triple-oxide leakage reduction in 65nm process
• FPGA-wide power gating for inactive block shutdown
• Clock gating and disabling for unused logic
• Hibernation mode for extreme low static power
• Multi-threshold voltage selection for performance tradeoffs
• Advanced simulation for power analysis and optimization

Lower power expanded Virtex-5’s applicability in thermally and energy constrained application spaces.

Design Flow and IP Support

To assist designers in harnessing Virtex-5’s rich capabilities, Xilinx offered extensive design tools and IP support:

• ISE Design Suite – RTL synthesis through device programming
• EDK – Embedded software development
• System Generator – DSP design entry and simulation
• Platform Studio – SOC design creation
• AccelDSP – DSP algorithm synthesis
• Core Generator – parametrizable IP modules
• Reference designs – optimized example implementations

This comprehensive toolchain enabled designers to fully tap into Virtex-5 performance and functionality.

Conclusion on Virtex-5 Innovations

Through its 65nm manufacturing, abundant hard IP blocks, high speed IOs and advanced power management, Virtex-5 represented the state-of-the-art in FPGA technology for its time. It extended Xilinx’s market dominance in high-end FPGAs through a combination of architectural enhancements layered atop leading-edge process technology.

Virtex-5 vs. Virtex-4 Comparison

To appreciate the generational advancements Virtex-5 delivered, it is instructive to compare against the previous generation Virtex-4 family.

We can see Virtex-5 demonstrated advances across all resource types while incorporating fully embedded processors. This combination cemented Virtex-5’s standing as the premium high-capability FPGA at the 65nm node.

Virtex-5 vs. Virtex-6 Comparison

Virtex-6 was the successor to Virtex-5, migrating to a 40nm manufacturing process with architectural enhancements.

Some key differences between Virtex-5 and Virtex-6 include:

Virtex-5

• 65nm process
• PowerPC 440 cores
• Up to 1,040 high speed transceivers
• DSP48E slices
• Higher cost per gate

Virtex-6

• 40nm process enabling 2X capacity
• Enhancements like integrated PCIe blocks
• Low power 40Gbps transceivers
• Advanced DSP48E1 slices
• Lower cost per gate

While Virtex-6 pushed FPGA technology further, Virtex-5 continued to maintain its place in applications not requiring maximum capacity or bandwidth but needing significant DSP resources. The two families nicely coexisted throughout their lifespans.

Virtex-5 FPGA Applications

Thanks to its high performance fabric, abundant DSP slices and hard IP for functions like processing and high speed IO, Virtex-5 excelled in diverse applications including:

• Wireless base stations
• High definition video processing
• Medical and scientific computing
• Test and measurement
• Image processing
• Radar and sonar
• High energy physics
• Military and aerospace
• Broadcast infrastructure
• Cryptography and network security

For compute and data-intensive applications, Virtex-5 offered unmatched capability compared to alternatives like ASICs or ASSPs which lacked hardware programmability.

Virtex-5 sales eventually topped $5 billion as Xilinx dominated the high-end FPGA space throughout its successful multi-year lifespan.

Virtex-5 FPGA FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Virtex-5 FPGA family:

Q: What was the largest Virtex-5 FPGA device available?

A: The XC5VSX240T containing over 2 million logic cells was the highest capacity Virtex-5 FPGA.

Q: Did all Virtex-5 FPGAs include embedded PowerPC cores?

A: No, the lower cost LX sub-family did not incorporate PowerPC cores. All other Virtex-5 families had embedded processors.

Q: How much on-chip block RAM did Virtex-5 FPGAs provide?

A: Virtex-5 had between 4.5Mb and 51Mb of block RAM depending on device size, among the highest in any FPGA at the time.

Q: What was the typical core voltage for Virtex-5 operation?

A: Virtex-5 operated at 1.0 – 1.2V core voltage enabling significant power savings versus predecessor 90nm FPGAs.

Q: Which manufacturing process came after 65nm used for Virtex-5?

A: Virtex-6 transitioned to a 40nm process followed by 28nm for Virtex-7 achieving even higher density and performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Virtex-5 FPGA family represented a major milestone for programmable logic capability and efficiency. Its 65nm manufacturing, hard IP integration and high speed serial I/O enabled Xilinx to cement its leadership through a combination of cutting-edge process technology and architectural enhancements.

Virtex-5 provided a 2X generational jump versus Virtex-4 across all resource types while incorporating novel elements like embedded PowerPC processors. This combination of advances resulted in Virtex-5’s broad adoption across applications needing high density, bandwidth and DSP performance.

Xilinx’s technical leadership and execution with Virtex-5 maintained its dominance in high-end FPGAs for years and further propelled the company’s rapid growth in the 2000’s. The innovations in Virtex-5 illustrate how Xilinx consistently pushed programmable logic boundaries with each successive product generation.

Working with electronics is not very different from any other job. You have the tasks you must do, a mixture of other tasks that the company gives you. Sometimes, while performing these tasks, you might get stuck and need to figure out how to solve a problem. That is where troubleshooting comes in handy for engineers or electronics experts. However, if the task itself is not complicated enough for your expertise level, there are still ways of solving it without getting too involved in code design or creating sketches.

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Boards come in handy for engineers, especially those on a tight budget. These boards are essential for FPGA prototyping. You can check out the program’s performance on software before we put it into actual hardware. It also allows you to do more with your single-board FPGA and other useful features for your work.

For example, engineers can use these boards to do lighting simulations on their designs. They can also create test benches to help them monitor how their hardware behaves when running special algorithms or 3D models at different clock frequencies. These boards are not limited to these applications; however, it allows for much more. It will just depend on what you choose to use it for in your career. Since the boards are open-source, engineers can experiment with whatever they want. This is because they have access to the full documentation to help them out along the way.

Building your design is at least close to what actual engineers do when working for a company or developing their own company’s products. Sure, real engineers have much bigger budgets and better tools than you might have in your school lab. Working with leading manufacturers such as RayMing PCB and Assembly will give you the best product.

What is a Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Board?

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Boards are the most power-efficient boards when it comes to FPGAs. They are also one of the easiest boards to use when doing work in school. Thanks to the full documentation on how they work. This is part of what makes them so popular among electronic engineers in school or working on their skills. 

The boards come with 128 megabytes of DDR memory and include USB ports. It provides you with debugging capability and easy connectivity to your computer. It comes with a MicroBlaze processor, an advanced processor that you can use for your hardware. The board also has support for Micrium’s uC/OS-II real-time operating system (RTOS). This allows for easier communication between complex hardware needed for the task you are trying to complete.

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Board BittWare Kintex 7 Development Board includes almost everything you need to get started on your path of learning about electronic devices. This board has two versions: the “FireStorm” version and the other being just a regular version. Both versions have features that can be useful in your projects.

Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Board features

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Board is a single board solution for FPGA prototyping that offers the following features.

Software

The software included with this board comes with several tools that you can use to create projects, monitor designs, run simulations, and troubleshoot hardware. It also consists of an IDE, which is a program to build your hardware programs. The software works on Windows 7 or other operating systems that have support for USB drives.

Microblaze FPGA enabled

The MicroBlaze processor is one of the most popular Lattice-enabled processors usually found in Xilinx FPGA prototyping boards. This PPLN chip can run your program while it does so efficiently. Such is good for both you and the board’s power consumption. It has built-in features that are present in older chips but are not present in newer generations.

Clocking

This is a design that you can use to figure out how your hardware functions. Thus, it is essential to ensure that the clock frequency of the chips you use on your design is correct. Xilinx has included more than enough tools for making sure that the clock speed for this board is accurate. It has a Fixed Oscillator with PLL, which helps increase or lower the frequency on the fly. Xilinix also features an on-Chip clock frequency divider. It allows you to adjust the speed of your program for any reason that you might need. The Jitter attenuated clock includes a programmable Jitter buffer. We can use the buffer to filter out any jitters or glitches that may happen on your hardware.

Clock Generation and characterization

The board has a USB DMA, which can transfer data at a much faster rate than normal. It also features an external clock source. This allows you to change the clock speed of your design on the fly. Such is useful when you are testing or debugging your hardware. It also features a Hardware Clock Generator chip. It allows you to start with your designs and not worry about new chips and learn how they work right away.

Expansion Connectors

This board has 16 lanes connected to the “Kintex-7” FPGA that we include in the board. It also has six breakout sockets that you can use for connecting external components to your design. They label each socket with a number. It allows you to connect wires and other components easily while ensuring that they will not get in your way when it comes time to experiment with your design. Ethernet

The board has a 10/100 Ethernet port that can connect to a local network. This allows for easy connectivity with other devices that you need to test or debug. It also has an onboard USB switch, which allows you to use more than one USB port with your design. The board comes with support for JTAG, which enables you to upload your hardware using an oscilloscope or debugger program of choice. This helps with debugging your designs and allows for faster prototyping of new ideas.

USB Configuration

The board has several USB ports that allow for easier connectivity and debugging of your project. It also has a USB-to-UART serial converter that allows you to use the board’s hardware to prototype or develop other ideas. This can be useful when you want to modify an existing design for other uses. For instance, connecting it to a computer and programming, it is using a PIC microcontroller. This board also has two JTAG headers that can interact with other hardware connected to the board. This is useful when you want to interact with other devices or devices, not on the board. This header has four different signals. They are perfect for connecting external devices needing extra connectivity or debugging capabilities.

Communication & Networking

The Xilinx Kintex-7 board has a Raspberry Pi-enabled PIC32MX622 processor that can handle up to 2 MB of memory and has a USB port that allows for easy connectivity to other devices over USB. It has an onboard micro-SD card slot used to store files and data that you want to save as part of your design. There is also a serial port available for connecting time-sensitive devices such as the USB serial converter.

The board comes with several GPIO pins that we can use as inputs or outputs or programmed as general-purpose I/O pins. We can use these pins for connecting external components to your design, such as LEDs or switches. This board comes with an Ethernet port perfect for connectivity between other devices on a local network. It also has a video output port to connect the board to an external display such as a VGA monitor.

Control & I/O

The Xilinx Kintex-7 board comes with two different types of expansion slots. The C6 and MIO connectors can connect compatible boards to your design using bridges or other devices to share information between the two boards. It also has 6 USB ports that can connect other FPGA designs to your board, making it easier to debug or test them on the same hardware. The MicroSD slot allows for easy data transfer between computers. It enables you to store information without worrying about losing it while you work on other things.

Memory

The Xilinx Kintex-7 board has 2 MB of on-chip memory that we can use to store any data you want to save. While it may not be enough for some applications, it is more than enough for prototyping and testing designs to see how they work. The board also features a USB switch. It allows you to use multiple devices without having to worry about losing valuable connections.

Display

The Xilinx Kintex-7 board has an HDMI port that we can use to connect to an external display. This is useful when you want to configure your hardware or does any debugging that requires a display.

The video output port is useful for connecting the hardware on the board to a monitor or TV. This allows you to upload your hardware onto the board and test it without buying a separate device for displaying your project. It also comes with a micro-SD card slot, making it easy to transfer files from one computer to another. The board also allows you a way of storing information without having to worry about running out of space or losing it while you work with other things.

Power

This board comes with a power supply that can power any hardware that you connect to it. This can be useful when you want to make sure that your project is safe or when you want to make sure that the design works correctly. The board also comes with an onboard regulator. It can help prevent damage due to differences between your board’s input voltage and the voltage required.

Security & Encryption

The Xilinx Kintex-7 board is incompatible with encryption or security protocols, making it less useful for secure applications. This may be useful in some situations, but this limitation may not be ideal for most applications.

Advantages of the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Boards

Introduction

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards help prototype new ideas or implement older ones. We use them to create prototypes of ideas that you may have or to accelerate designs that you already have. Unlike most other FPGA boards, these boards use a Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA that can operate at speeds up to 400 MHz. This makes them more complex work than their competitors. It makes them more versatile for designing with different processes and algorithms.

Cost-effective

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards are much less expensive than the Kintex-7 Development Kits. They cost less to make, which means that they are much cheaper when they are complete. This makes them more affordable for many different applications or situations. It makes them more popular for people who would like to get started using FPGAs without spending too much money.

These boards are generally essential for prototyping new ideas. It means that you will likely get your money back if you do not use your design after creating it. This makes it a reasonable investment, as you will have a product that you can sell or use later if you want to.

Versatile

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards are versatile in what they can do compared to other boards. Since they run different processes instead of digital ones, they are more versatile when used with other components or protocols. Since there are so many kinds of applications that they can use, the users of these boards can use them in most situations without worrying about finding another application for them later in life.

Saving time

We can use the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards to save time in several different situations. Since they can run digital processes and other algorithms in parallel, they can do more work in less time than other boards. Since their processors are much faster than most other boards, they can handle more tasks during any period they spend running. This allows them to spend less time working on the design and more time on the actual procedure, making it easier for many different applications.

Optimized for quickly prototyping high-performance serial transceiver applications using Kintex-7 FPGAs

We use the Kintex-7 FPGA boards mainly to prototype high-performance serial transceiver applications. This means that we can use these boards for many different uses, but they are the most popular for this application. The reason for this is that there are very few boards like these on the market today. It makes them much more versatile if you need a board capable of doing a lot of work. If you need a board with a lot of memory or logic, this may not be the best option for you. If you only need a small amount of memory and have very little to no design capabilities. It may be the best choice for you as it will allow your design to run faster and save you time in the long run.

Advanced memory interface

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards have a memory interface to install more memory than might be commonly installed. This means that they can store more information in different parts of their system. It makes it possible for you to have stored data or files from another project stored on your board so that you can use the two together later. You can connect the memory interface to the Zynq-7020 MicroController present in these boards. It makes it easier for all your information to be easy to access and easier for the two systems to communicate with each other.

Modular Xilinx MicroBlaze softcore

The Xilinx MicroBlaze processor is a modular component of the board, which means that we can replace it with another processor that a different company makes. This means that you will not be stuck with the MicroBlaze processor if you would instead use a completely different one. Since you can change most of the components on this board, it is easier for you to do most things with your board instead of only using one specific component or type of component.

Ultra-low power consumption

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards can consume less power than most other boards on the market today. This is because they can transition between different power-saving modes that allow them to be more energy-efficient. Since they use less energy, we can use them in different situations without worrying about running out of energy. This also increases their versatility as you will not have to worry about keeping your board running if you cannot have it always plugged into a wall socket. The Xilinx PicoBlaze processors used in these boards are also much slower than other processors. It also means that your board will be able to run for a longer period without having to worry about it running out of energy.

Reduced size

These boards can run many different processes and algorithms, which means that the total system size will be smaller than otherwise. This will allow you to put them into a tighter space or use them in different situations that would otherwise require more space or resources. This makes it easier for you to get many different uses out of your board without having to use up too much space on your design table or another working area.

Limitations of the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Boards

Since these boards are perfect for serial transceiver applications, we cannot use them in other situations unless you are willing to change or redesign them. This means that if you need a board with a lot of memory and logic, this may not be the best choice for you. If you only need a small amount of memory and have very little to no design capabilities, this may be the best choice for you as it will allow your design to run faster and save you time in the long run. These boards also only contain one MicroBlaze softcore processor, which means that you will only be able to use one simultaneously instead of having multiple ones running at once.

Another limitation is the fact that we cannot use the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards in every situation. This means that if you need a board that can do more than just running serial transceivers, this may not be the best choice for you. If you only need a board for serial transceiver applications, these boards can do all of them in very little time, saving you energy and time in the long run. Since these boards are suitable for serial transceivers, they contain only one MicroBlaze processor instead of multiple ones, making them harder to use in other situations.

We can use the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards in many different electronics applications but cannot do everything other boards on the market. They can run all of the software required for serial transceiver-based designs but will need to rework them or change to run any other program. Since these boards contain only one MicroBlaze processor, we cannot use them in any project that requires multiple processors working at once.

Application of the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA Boards

Since the Kintex-7 FPGA boards can perform many more functions than other boards, they can quickly get the answers they need, allowing them to function more efficiently. These boards are also one of the most efficient FPGA platforms on the market today, meaning that you will often use all these characteristics when using them.

1. Serial transceivers

Since these boards only work with serial transceiver applications, this means that you will be able to use them in a wide range of situations that would otherwise not be possible. They contain everything needed to run a serial transceiver-based circuit, meaning that we can use them in a wide range of applications without worrying about how they will work. This also allows all the information from these systems to flow from one place to another faster since the boards are less limited than other boards.

2. High-performance computing

These boards can perform fast calculations in applications that require this. They can perform these high-end functions. Such boards will not need to take up much space on your design table. Since they do not contain much logic, this will also allow them to work in smaller spaces. These boards will be ideal for engineers who need to use smaller designs or projectors, computers, or other systems with limited memory.

3. Embedded systems

We can also use the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards in embedded systems since they can run all the software required for these designs without having any complications. This allows the engineers who use them to only focus on their main tasks instead of worrying about other aspects of their project like debugging or getting an error on their board. These boards are also easy to use and start with, which will make these designs easier for you to start. It will also make your projects run faster and more efficiently since all the variables in the system are working.

4. Wireless communication systems

These boards contain a wide range of features helpful for serial transceiver applications. Thus, we can use them in many wireless communication applications without any problems. Since these boards work with such systems, they are compatible with many wireless systems. We can use them in many situations.

5. Medical electronics applications

We can use these boards in medical electronics applications because they can perform many different functions at once. They can run serial transceiver-based circuits. Therefore, we can use them in a wide range of medical systems without having any problems. These boards can also store large amounts of information in very little space. Such a feature allows them to run much faster than other boards on the market today.

6. Logic synthesis

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards are essential in various logic synthesis applications. They are compatible with a wide range of IP cores and can use them with many different configurations. Furthermore, they contain many kinds of processors and DSPs. They can handle any logic synthesis you want to run since they can contain multiple systems on the same board.

7. Signal processing and control systems

These boards can also perform many signals processing and control functions since we can optimize them for these applications. This will allow them to function in many different situations and can still be helpful in other applications. These boards are compatible with a wide range of different accessories. Therefore, it will allow for more flexibility in applications that simultaneously need to perform many functions.

8. Data acquisition systems

Since the Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards are perfect for signal processing and control systems, we can use them in a wide range of data acquisition systems since these systems can use them to perform dialysis or calibration processes. These boards will also allow designers to store large amounts of data on these devices without any problem. It means that more information will be available for designers to use. Since they will run everything on the board, we can use everything in another application without problems.

Conclusion

The Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA boards can perform many different functions, unlike other boards on the market today. Since they contain many different systems on one board, they will replace other components in your project without taking up much space. This will allow you to free up room for things that need more space. Since these boards are also available in small packages, you can use them in projects that would otherwise not be possible with specific hardware. These boards are also compatible with a wide range of accessories. It means you will get precisely what you need for any application without having to worry about compatibility issues.

Introduction

Xilinx Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+ are families of high-performance mid-range FPGAs featuring advanced 16nm and 20nm process nodes respectively. They provide an ideal balance of high logic capacity, ample IOs, and fast transceivers for applications ranging from wireless networking to data center acceleration.

The Kintex UltraScale family was the first 16nm FinFET node product from Xilinx. It enabled a big leap forward in capability, efficiency and bandwidth compared to the preceding 28nm PlanAhead/7-series FPGAs. The newer UltraScale+ family builds on this foundation using further optimized 20nm technology for an additional performance boost.

This article will provide an in-depth look at Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+ families, their unique features and target applications. Comparison with other Xilinx FPGA families is also provided to fully understand where Kintex FPGAs fit within the product portfolio.

Overview of Kintex UltraScale Architecture

The Kintex UltraScale architecture provides high density, high bandwidth and low power capability through four key elements:

• 16nm FinFET process technology
• UltraRAM memory blocks
• High speed transceivers
• Enhanced DSP slices

These combine together into a highly flexible FPGA fabric spanning multiple device sizes to meet diverse application needs.

16nm FinFET Process

The 16nm FinFET manufacturing process allows packing more logic into a smaller die area while operating at lower voltages than predecessor 28nm FPGAs. Benefits include:

• 2X logic density increase over 28nm
• 60% lower power consumption
• Performance gains up to 30%
• Ideal process for mid-range density needs

The Kintex UltraScale family was the first of multiple Xilinx 16nm families to hit the market starting in 2015.

UltraRAM Memory Blocks

To augment the traditional FPGA SRAM blocks, Kintex UltraScale introduced UltraRAM blocks that provide high density, low latency memories.

Key attributes of UltraRAM blocks are:

• Up to 72Mb capacity per block
• High bandwidth – operate at harvest clock speeds
• Single cycle access latency
• Low static power consumption

This combination makes UltraRAM ideal for replacing external memories and FIFOs in ASIC/SoC prototypes and accelerators requiring lots of on-chip memory.

High Speed Transceivers

For high throughput IO, Kintex UltraScale offers multi-gigabit transceivers supporting protocols like PCIe Gen3 x16 and 400G Ethernet.

Key transceiver characteristics are:

• 16.3 Gbps peak speed
• Support for chip-to-chip and chip-to-module applications
• Sophisticated equalization and pre-emphasis for transmission over FR4 and backplanes
• Low power – consume 20% less power than 28nm transceivers

The transceivers enable very dense and flexible IO connectivity in Kintex UltraScale FPGAs.

Enhanced DSP Slices

To accelerate DSP and math intensive algorithms, Kintex UltraScale incorporates enhanced DSP slices. Improvements include:

• 27×18 multipliers yielding over 500 GMACS (giga multiply-accumulate operations per second)
• Native support for floating point arithmetic formats
• Wide XOR functionality for enhanced bit manipulation capabilities

The updated DSP architecture in Kintex UltraScale allows much higher throughput for applications relying on math functions in the FPGA fabric.

Kintex UltraScale FPGA Family Overview

The Kintex UltraScale family spans multiple FPGA sizes containing different mixes of logic, IO and specialized blocks to target diverse applications.

Other family members with lower and higher gate counts, IOs and bandwidth are also available.

Key target applications for Kintex UltraScale FPGAs include:

• ASIC prototyping
• Advanced driver assistance and control systems
• High performance computing accelerators
• 400Gbps networking
• Software defined radio
• Medical imaging
• Satellite communications
• Test and measurement

Kintex UltraScale provided a major capability boost for mid-range Xilinx FPGA offerings which make them very popular across myriad applications.

Kintex UltraScale+ Enhancements

Building upon the successful Kintex UltraScale family, Xilinx later released Kintex UltraScale+ which pushes FPGA capability even further by leveraging a highly optimized 20nm manufacturing process.

The main improvements in Kintex UltraScale+ encompass:

• 10% increase in performance over 16nm
• 5-15% power reduction through multi-voltage power management
• Doubled UltraRAM density to 150Mb per block
• Cost-optimized versions with reduced transceivers
• Extended transceiver data rates up to 32.75Gbps PAM4

Let’s look at some of the key benefits in more detail:

10% Performance Gain

Through improvements in the FinFET technology leveraged for Kintex UltraScale+, maximum clock frequencies get a boost of up to 10%. This directly translates to higher throughput for datapaths in the FPGA fabric.

Multi-Voltage Power Management

Kintex UltraScale+ incorporates fine-grained power management where individual blocks can be operated at different voltage levels based on their performance needs. This optimization yields 5-15% power reduction compared to Kintex UltraScale. Lower power expands applicability for battery and thermally constrained designs.

UltraRAM Density

By utilizing a more compact 20nm process, UltraRAM block density doubles from 72Mb to 150Mb in Kintex UltraScale+ for a total capacity increase of 2X over the prior generation. Larger memory blocks allow more hardware data acceleration.

Cost-Optimized Versions

New cost-optimized Kintex UltraScale+ variants contain fewer transceivers for price-sensitive applications with lower serdes bandwidth needs. This expanded the addressable market while preserving the same FPGA fabric capabilities.

Faster Transceivers

The fastest UltraScale+ transceivers boost peak serial bandwidth to 32.75Gbps using PAM4 modulation. This facilitates deployment in leading edge 400GbE/800GbE networks, 32G FibreChannel/PCIe Gen5 applications.

Kintex UltraScale+ FPGA Family

Similar to Kintex UltraScale, the UltraScale+ family encompasses a range of devices from small to large logic capacities with varying IO and DSP/UltraRAM resources.

Cost-optimized versions have reduced transceiver counts while maintaining FPGA fabric capacity.

The combination of 20nm manufacturing, 2nd-gen architecture and power management techniques makes Kintex UltraScale+ the premier mid-range FPGA offering from Xilinx.

Comparisons With Other Xilinx FPGA Families

Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+ occupy the middle ground in Xilinx’s FPGA product portfolio. This section compares Kintex to the lower cost Artix family and higher end Virtex families.

Kintex vs. Artix

Artix FPGAs offer smaller, lower cost devices but have reduced capability compared to Kintex. Key differences include:

• Less logic, RAM and DSP resources
• Slower fabric performance
• Fewer high speed IOs and serdes
• Smaller maximum die sizes
• Lower power variants available

In general, Artix suits cost-sensitive, lower complexity applications which do not need maximum performance and bandwidth. Kintex provides much more headroom for logic capacity and speed but at a higher price point.

Kintex vs. Virtex

Virtex is Xilinx’s flagship FPGA family offering the highest performance and bandwidth. Contrasted with Kintex, Virtex provides:

• Up to 50-100% more logic capacity
• Larger and more numerous DSP, RAM and UltraRAM blocks
• Faster fabric performance
• More abundant and faster transceivers
• Advanced 3D-IC packaging and interposer options

Virtex families target very high complexity, high performance designs requiring maximum resources. Kintex offers a more cost-effective option for applications which may not need the full capabilities of Virtex devices.

The positioning of Kintex between the entry-level Artix and high-end Virtex families makes it applicable for a wide spectrum of mid-range applications that require balanced FPGA resources.

Conclusion

Xilinx Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+ FPGAs offer an ideal combination of performance, logic capacity, IO bandwidth and cost-effectiveness for mid-range applications. Their advanced 16nm and 20nm processes enable a giant leap in capability over previous generation 28nm devices.

Key takeaways include:

• 16nm and 20nm nodes provide more gates, bandwidth and efficiency
• UltraRAM blocks offer high density on-chip memory
• Fast 16-32Gbps transceivers support 100G+ applications
• Enhanced DSP slices accelerate math intensive functions
• Multiple device sizes to meet different application needs and complexity
• Ideal balance of resources between low-cost Artix and high-end Virtex families

Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+ have proven to be workhorses for FPGA designers across a wide variety of verticals and continue the long legacy of Kintex devices as Xilinx’s most popular mid-range family. Their technical innovations and breadth of applications demonstrate Xilinx’s leadership in the programmable logic market.

Xilinx Kintex UltraScale/UltraScale+ FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+ FPGA families:

Q: What is the main difference between Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+?

A: Kintex UltraScale+ uses a 20nm process for higher performance, density and efficiency versus the 16nm node in UltraScale.

Q: Does Kintex UltraScale+ replace or complement UltraScale?

A: Kintex UltraScale is still offered alongside UltraScale+ providing two generations of 16nm and 20nm options.

Q: Which Kintex UltraScale device has the most IO bandwidth?

A: The KU115 containing 112 GTH transceivers provides the highest IO capability with up to 3.2Tbps of bandwidth.

Q: What design tools are used for Kintex UltraScale/UltraScale+?

A: Xilinx’s Vivado Design Suite handles FPGA synthesis and implementation for Kintex UltraScale and UltraScale+ devices.

Q: Do all Kintex UltraScale+ families include cost-optimized variants?

A: Yes, cost-reduced versions with fewer transceivers are available in all Kintex UltraScale+ sub-families.

The international electronic manufacturing industry is an enormous industry worth over $200 billion. The industry has grown at a rate of 25% annually for the last decade and shows no signs of stopping. With such rapid growth in just a few years, it’s not hard to see how quickly the electronic manufacturing market evolves. It changes in response to innovations and technological advances in development. Such is especially true in the FPGA market.

Xilinx is one of the largest FPGA manufacturers in the world, with more than 400 employees worldwide. Xilinx has been an industry leader in FPGAs since their inception with their first FPGA, the XL-3. Since then, they have continued innovating and developing new technologies. They help companies design their next-generation products with high-speed processing power and low power consumption.

The last couple of years have seen Xilinx releasing new FPGA products and various new boards for different markets led by Chinese firm RayMing PCB and Assembly. These boards help improve the industry’s ability to operate efficiently and securely behind closed doors, leading to safer, faster, more reliable products. Being able to use these boards and the FPGA devices themselves will vastly increase the value of the product design. Unfortunately, most products still end up being custom-built because of product, process, or materials constraints.

Difference between Xilinx and Altera

Xilinx & Altera are both FPGA manufacturers, but they are very different in architecture, FPGA families, and, most importantly, price.

Xilinx (NASDAQ: XLNX) is an American publicly held semiconductor company founded in 1984. Altera (NASDAQ: ALTR) is an owned Denver-based manufacturer of programmable logic devices for FPGAs. Altera is the only semiconductor company to be part of the NASDAQ since its inception.

Xilinx has been manufacturing FPGAs for 25 years. Altera has been manufacturing programmable logic devices for 22 years.

Xilinx has been designing and selling FPGAs for 25 years. In those 25 years, they have become the focal point for high-performance FPGA products used in all major industry sectors. It includes communications, aerospace/defense, medical devices, industrial control systems, and many more.

Altera has been designing and selling programmable logic devices for 22 years. They have done so through their partnership with Intel, which they entered in 1991. The first FPGA product that Altera manufactured for Intel was the “IUS.” Likewise, Altera’s first programmable logic device was the EPM3000, which came out in 1994.

Xilinx manufactures programmable logic devices (FPGA). These devices consist of programming blocks that we can configure to different configurations using a computerized design tool. Once the design is ready, we can end it with a manufacturing process such as an automated router or panel fabrication. We can make FPGAs with regular size integrated circuits (IC) and regular electrical components. The advantage of using regular ICs and electrical components is that they can build large and complex designs.

Xilinx utilizes a network (known as the Zynq system) to make programming faster and easier.

What is Xilinx Spartan 3 FPGA?

The Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA is an integrated circuit that we can use for a variety of purposes. The Spartan-3 FPGA consists of an Accel-FPGA device. It contains programmable logic and embedded memory. The Virtex-E FPGA has hardwired logic cores and memory blocks. We bring these two devices together by a PLD (programmable logic device) controller unit.

Getting the most out of this powerful combination is possible by Xilinx with its new vision for embedded FPGAs. The main elements of the framework are:

Xilinx continues to expand its embedded FPGA portfolio with tools that allow software development in C/C++, including a free environment for development. The tools are available when used with Xilinx’s programmable logic development boards, called Embedded Development Boards.

The Spartan-3 FPGA hardware components

Accel-FPGA device

This device contains programmable specific logic, embedded memory, and an input/output port. So, the programmable-specific logic allows for the customization of the device we use in various applications. The embedded memory does not hold any information about its contents or location. Instead, we control the hardware attributes through commands sent to the device using the Accel-FPGA interface.

Xilinx Virtex-E FPGA

This device’s design is specifically for use with the Accel-FPGA. It contains hardwired logic, embedded memory blocks, and an input/output port. The logic implemented in the device provides maximum bandwidth and performance to external circuitry on the board. The hardwired logic on the Virtex-E FPGA limits flexibility of the board. However, it provides faster performance than that of programmable logic on the Accel-FPGA. We control some of the hardware attributes through programmable logic on the Accel-FPGA. Also, we control them through commands sent to the Virtex-E FPGA using the Virtex-E interface.

In addition to the above hardware components, we refer to the board design software for this board as Code Composer Studio. This software is a tool that allows a registered Xilinx developer to create FPGA designs and modify them through a graphical interface, much like that of a software development kit (SDK). The software also allows the user to build the design into a bit file and download it to the FPGA board. Code Composer Studio uses the ISE for programming and debugging purposes.

Xilinx also makes available a free development environment for this FPGA board. The software, which we call the Xilinx Device Development System, provides a C/C++ programming environment for writing FPGA designs. It also allows the user to compile the design into a bit file downloaded to the board. The XDS is available for download at Xilinx’s website.

The Spartan-3 FPGA Software components

Several software elements are essential for product designers who want to use this particular FPGA board. The software components are:
1. Xilinx Cell-based Platform Development Kit (CP2K). This software tool allows the user to create C/C++ programs compiled into bit files that we can then program into a Xilinx FPGA device.

2. Xilinx ISE (Integrated Software Environment). Code Composer Studio includes this software and allows users to control the hardware through a graphical interface. It also allows the user to develop software for use with this board.

3. XILINX Virtex-E Programmer – This software allows the user to compile C/C++ code into bit files transferred to the Virtex-E FPGA.

4. Xilinx ISE Programming Model (IPM). This software tool is essential in programming the Spartan-3 FPGA board through Code Composer Studio.

5. Xilinx Embedded Development Board Emulator. This software allows users to run their programs on the FPGA board using an integrated MIPS processor. Again, we do the bug fixes through an Eclipse-based C/C++ development environment.

In addition to the software components listed above, additional we use software tools for simulation purposes. These tools include:

6. ModelSim HDL Simulator – Mentor Graphics initially invented a simulation tool, but Xilinx acquired it in 2001. It performs detailed simulations of the design during its development and debugging.

7. VCS (Verification and Constraints Shaping) – This tool speeds up the constraints debugging process.

8. CLPR (Code-Level Place and Route). This tool performs full-chip routing after thoroughly testing and debugging the design. We may need to use it after making changes to the design due to testing and bug fixing errors.

Features of Spartan 3 family

The Spartan-3 family supports the following features:

1. I/O Capabilities

The Spartan-3 FPGA has an expansion port plugs in one or more boards to plug into the expansion bus. The board connected to the expansion bus can include a processor, memory, and other peripherals. Together, the FPGA and board connected to the expansion bus can create a sizeable embedded system.

2. Logic Capabilities

The programmable logic of the FPGA contains resources such as memory blocks, DSP slices, and mega-flops. A mega-flop is a unit of logic that executes one million floating-point operations per second. We can use logic resources in FPGAs with multiple different combinations to fulfill different design needs.

3. Reduced pin count

We integrate the Spartan-3 family with many minimally-sized resources that reduce the pin counts on the design. For example, Xilinx has combined the DSP slices, memory blocks, resources for mega-flops with the programmable logic resources. The Spartan-3 family provides a 28 nm DSP block to implement highly efficient DSP algorithms.

4. Memory

The Spartan-3 family supports a RAM module that we can use to store a random access memory (RAM) block from Xilinx’s Offcore Memory Library. We place the RAM block between the processor and SRAM blocks of the computation region of the FPGA device. As a result, we configure the RAM block as a memory block that provides an additional storage area and additional random access memory to the components of the embedded system.

5. Low power consumption

The Spartan-3 family consumes less power than other FPGA families. For example, the device consumes less than 1 W of power when executing a 1 MHz operating point (BOD level). With heavy use, such as during simulation, the device still requires less than 0.5 W of power.

6. High Throughput and Large Capacity Memory Blocks

The Spartan-3 family supports a large RAM block that can store data, such as 1 GB of data, for storing large amounts of data during FPGA simulation. We can detach the RAM block from the main computation region to access and debug the memory block easily. We can configure the relative size of the RAM block using a configuration block at index 8 in the configuration file.

7. Optimized Logic Design

The logic of the Spartan-3 family has an optimization using Xilinx’s tools. This reduces the amount of logic needed to perform a specific task.

8. Fast Boot-Time

The Spartan-3 family has a fast boot time because it has an internal configuration memory loaded by the circuit board at the start-up. This speeds up the configurations process to allow users to start using their designs quickly.

9. Reduction of Existing Design Iterations

The Spartan-3 family can reduce existing design iterations due to design predictability. This happens because the device uses FPGA functionality rather than general-purpose logic elements. Reducing the number of iterations required to implement new designs reduces the time needed to re-design a design.

10. Support for a Variety of Applications

The Spartan-3 family supports various applications from low-frequency communication blocks. For instance, those used in modems to high-performance communication blocks in radios and communication equipment. In addition, the devices support low-frequency control functions. For example, those used in central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processing (DSP), high-frequency fixed-point DSPs, and floating-point DSPs.

Advantages of the Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA Boards

The following are some of the areas of application for the Spartan-3 FPGA boards:

1. Low cost

The Spartan-3 family is inexpensive because it uses standard FPGA resources to reduce costs. By incorporating the DSP slices, memory blocks, resources for mega-flops with the programmable logic resources, the Spartan-3 family provides a 28 nm DSP block to implement highly efficient DSP algorithms.

2. The design is highly predictable

The Spartan-3 family reduces the number of iterations required to re-design a design by having the FPGA functionality rather than general-purpose logic elements, such as gate arrays and flip-flops. This reduces the time needed for re-designing a design and allows designers to continue to use their existing designs.

3. Support for a variety of applications

The Spartan-3 family supports various applications. For example, low-frequency communication blocks used in modems to high-performance communication blocks in radios and communication equipment. In addition, the devices support low-frequency control functions. For example, those used in central processing units (CPUs), digital signal processing (DSP), high-frequency fixed-point DSPs, and floating-point DSPs.

4. The design is highly optimized

The logic design of the Spartan-3 family is highly optimized, and we can implement and test in a matter of minutes. This allows the Spartan-3 family to work as a quick “turnaround” for new designs or an efficient testbed for existing designs.

5. Simplicity of design

With the inclusion of memory interfaces and RAM blocks, the Spartan-3 family provides device-level device configuration flexibility to designers allowing them to save re-designs and reduce their timeframe to bring new designs to market.

6. The design is highly flexible

The Xilinx Foundation Packages on the Spartan-3 family are essential for various applications, such as communication and computing equipment. In addition, the Foundation Packages support a variety of protocols and provide a collection of building block components to simplify the implementation process for designers.

7. The devices are available in different package styles

There are a variety of package styles to support different types of customers or application requirements. These package styles include:

a) We can use the XC3S500E and XC3S1000E devices by designers who require a low-cost device with low power requirements.

b) The XC3S1500E and the XC3S2000E devices incorporate 1 MB of onboard memory. Therefore, we can use them for applications, such as communication equipment.

8. We can program the in different styles

This allows the designers to select the style that best suits their needs. These programming styles include:

a) The Classic Programmer is available for programmers who want to program the device using the classic EDA flow.

b) The Black Box Programmer is available for programmers who use an engineering tool with an integrated design environment (IDE). We can use this integrated design environment (IDE) for program development.

9. The devices have onboard memory

The devices have onboard memory to allow users faster design development. The onboard memory allows designers to use standard development tools for device configuration and verification, such as the Xilinx ISE tools. The XC3S1500E and XC3S2000E devices also include 1 MB of onboard memory, storing data used during the simulation process.

10. The devices provide the ability to reconfigure dynamically

The devices provide the ability to reconfigure during design development dynamically. This allows designers to create new algorithms and algorithms as they implement new designs.

11. The devices support a wide range of standards

This includes standards such as:

a) IEEE Standard 1149.1, which provides for interfacing with microprocessors and microcontrollers;

b) IEEE Standard 1149.4, which provides for interfacing with memory devices;

c) IEEE Standard 754, which provides for the representation of floating-point numbers; and

d) IEEE Standard 1532, which provides a platform for testing programmable logic devices.

Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA Boards limitations

1. Xilinx Foundation Packages are missing

The Xilinx Foundation Packages are not part of the Spartan-3 family. Unfortunately, this means that designers will have to purchase or use an existing Foundation Package.

2. The devices are not pinned compatible with the previous generation

Although the devices are pin-compatible, they represent a significant change in functionality and performance compared to previous devices. Because of this, the Xilinx Foundation Packages developed in the prior generation devices will not work on the Spartan-3 family.

3. The devices have a limited number of user I/Os

These devices have a limited number of user I/Os because of the resources optimization for DSP and Mega-flops. This means that designers will have to use the resources carefully and develop a logical design that uses these resources effectively.

4. We can only use the devices with the Xilinx ISE tools

The Spartan-3 family of devices can only work with the Xilinx ISE tools. These tools allow designers to program and configure the device using an integrated development environment (IDE).

Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA Boards Applications

1. Communication equipment

The devices provide one of the smallest fully configurable, configurable logic solutions for communication equipment. This typically includes high-speed data processing, low-power processing, and memory interface applications.

2. Fixed function digital signal processor (DSP)

The devices allow designers to implement custom algorithms for performing DSP processing. This can include systems management, equalization, signal processing, voice/data compression/decompression, DLL programming, and digital filters.

3. High-end application processing

The devices allow designers to implement custom algorithms for performing high-end application processing. This can include high-speed digital signal processing, advanced high-speed data acquisition, and advanced high-speed data acquisition systems.

4. Designs with onboard memory

The devices allow designers to create designs that use memory efficiently and cost-effectively. This includes designs requiring embedded systems and designs requiring low-power production processes.

5. Designers of programmable logic devices

The devices allow designers to use the Spartan-3 family as a development platform for creating new or next-generation tools like FPGA configuration and simulation. We can do this using the Xilinx free WebPACK Design Suite, an ISE tool available online at www.xilinx.com.

6. Designers of timesharing systems

The devices allow designers to create designs that use memory efficiently and cost-effectively. This includes design environments that include a processor, DSP, or any other type of core that we can configure for different tasks.

7. Designs that use the Xilinx library for analog signal processing

The devices allow designers to create more efficient designs using the Xilinx library for analog signal processing packages. This can make serial communications more efficient by enabling higher-speed sampling rates.

8. Designers of industrial control equipment

The devices allow designers to create designs that use memory efficiently and cost-effectively. This includes designs that require industrial control equipment that interfaces with the low-voltage power supplies used in industrial environments.

9. Designs that use the Xilinx RAMLink architecture

The devices allow designers to create designs with simpler access to memory I/O resources because of the onboard memory. We can do this by eliminating complex memory I/O network design and replacing it with SIMMs or latches.

Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA Boards

Common specifications include:

• Made In Japan
• RoHS compliance
• Tested all I/O
• Compact size 2.087″ x 2.126″ (53 x 54 mm)
• High-quality four-layer PCB. (Immersion gold)
• 3.3 V single power supply operation with onboard 1.2 V/2.5 V regulators
• JTAG buffer for stable download or debug
• JTAG port (7 pin Header)
• Power-on Reset IC
• Two Status LEDs (Power, Done)
• One User Push-Button Switch or One User LED (Selectable)
• Three User LEDs.
• 48 MHz Oscillator (50 ppm) or External
• 56 I/O PAD 100 mil (2.54 mm) grid
• Configuration Device Platform Flash

[XCM-001] Xilinx Spartan-3 PQG208 FPGA board :XC3S400-4PQG208C

XC3S400: 4 DCMs, 16 Multipliers, 288 K Total Block RAM Bits, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 141 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 56 K Maximum Distributed RAM Bits, 8,064 Logic Cells, and 400 K System Gates

Xilinx Spartan-3 VQG100 FPGA board :XC3S200-4VQG100C

XC3S200: 4 DCMs, 12 Multipliers, 216 K Total Block RAM Bits, 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 63 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 30 K Maximum Distributed RAM Bits, 4,320 Logic Cells, and 200 K System Gates

Conclusion

The growing popularity of FPGA devices, such as the Xilinx Spartan-3 family of devices, is due to their ability for a wide range of design applications. The devices provide the ability of designers to use a variety of design methodologies. They include advanced digital signal processing using Classic Programmer, embedded systems using the Black Box Programmer, and development platforms for new or next-generation FPGA design tools.

Have you ever heard of the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board before?

The Xilinx Artix-7 is a highly flexible and powerful development board. It can develop, prototype, and validate algorithms for use in embedded FPGAs. This is perfect for software-defined radio (SDR) applications. It can operate at much higher frequencies than other boards. This board is the result of the collaboration between Xilinx and Andy Tudhope, a LambdaTera engineer.

For those who like to get technical about things, this board takes advantage of the Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA ICs. It can perform digital signal processing operations at frequencies between 100MHz and 3GHz.

Description

The board helps develop, prototyping, and validate algorithms for use in FPGAs. It can function with maximum frequencies of up to 3GHz, which allows it to operate at much higher frequencies than other boards. This board results from the collaboration between Xilinx and Andy Tudhope, a LambdaTera designer. They focus on highly successful designs. For instance, the Opteron-based server boards and highly successful embedded development platforms as Development Board 2 (DB2) and Development Board 3 (DB3). It enables designers such as RayMing PCB and Assembly to use advanced data structures to develop efficient electronics.

Similarities

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board uses a low-cost design that includes a Gigabit Ethernet interface and dual USB 2.0 ports for fast communication. It also has a range of USB-compatible FPGA features. For instance, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and digital-to-analog converters (DACs).

The board makes use of the 32MB SDRAM memory that is useful in holding FPGA bitstreams.

This board has three buttons that we can use to flash firmware or reset the system and LEDs to provide feedback on all aspects of its operation.

The board also provides a USB serial port for debugging and diagnostic operations.

This board uses an external power supply to ensure that the board always has power during development. It has a host interface to accommodate the latest JTAG debuggers.

The board has two 16-bit digital-to-analog converters (DACs). They can simulate the behavior of analog devices like microphones and speakers (also known as DACs). We can connect them into an FPGA’s input/output blocks. It helps to simulate the behavior of real-world devices like microphones and loudspeakers (also known as DACs).

Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board features

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board has a set of features that is sure to excite and interest beginners and professionals alike.

Here are some of its key features:

1. Programmable System Integration

Programmable System Integration is a process used to integrate a digital microcontroller with an FPGA. This board provides a platform for beginners and professionals alike to learn about the integration process and how it works. The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with a comprehensive feature set tailored to support the integration process.

2. Development Platform

The development platform created by the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for learning purposes. At the same time, it is flexible and powerful enough to work in actual production processes. The development board contains an onboard Gigabit Ethernet interface and dual USB 2.0 ports for fast communication. Thus, offering a range of features that we can repurpose for use in different applications. The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with a set of features that we can use to develop and evaluate arbitrary algorithms for embedded systems.

3. SDR Technology

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board uses this technology to facilitate signal processing operations. FPGA device used in this board supports frequencies between 100MHz and 3GHz. They operate at much higher frequencies than other boards. This technology can carry out digital signal processing (DSP) operations. It makes it ideal for software-defined radio (SDR) applications. This board is compatible with the Zynq-7000 family of programmable systems. It makes it ideal for use with high-performance embedded processing platforms. For instance, the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC Development Kit (DEVKIT).

4. Online Resources

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is compatible with many online resources designed for beginners and professionals alike. It also comes with an online resource center that provides helpful tips and guidelines for different applications. Users of this board can also contact the customer support team for help.

5. Onboard Flash Memory

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board features 32MB of SDRAM memory. We can use it to hold the bitstreams programmed into the FPGA device of the development board.

We can use the SDRAM memory to store FPGA bitstreams that we can transfer to and from the FPGA device.

6. Onboard Resources

It features several onboard resources that support embedded system designers and engineers. It comes with a USB serial port for debugging diagnostic operations and LEDs. They provide feedback on all aspects of its operation. It also includes three buttons that we can use to flash firmware or reset the development board, along with a 4-digit 7-segment display.

7. Secure Development Framework

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with a Secure Development Framework (SD Framework). It reduces the amount of time spent on debugging because it provides an easy-to-use graphical user interface for debugging operations. This also contains an online help resource to access information about the board’s features and functions easily.

8. Lithium-Ion Batteries

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board has a set of Lithium-Ion batteries for power distribution. Lithium-Ion battery used in this board can hold a charge for six months to one year. It allows it to provide enough power for most applications during development and prototyping phases.

9. Onboard Debugging and Testing

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with an onboard debug module that can communicate with the FPGA device used in the board. This board features a host interface that allows it to accommodate the latest JTAG debuggers.

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board also supports a range of physical interfaces, including USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet for programming and communication operations, as well as microSD and SATA interfaces.

Advantages of using the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board

There are many advantages of using the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board, including the following:

1. Flexible Design

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is flexible enough for different application reprogramming. It comes with a comprehensive set of features that we can use to develop systems or embedded solutions. This flexibility allows designers to develop an application for their specific needs. The device also features different I/O options. It gives users more freedom to determine how they can connect it–whether via USB, Ethernet, or wireless connections.

2. System Integration

This board can facilitate system integration through its use of programmable devices and I/O options. We can use it to develop and prototype embedded systems. It allows users to gain hands-on experience in integration and development. This feature makes it ideal for use in educational institutions. It allows students and teachers alike to explore the area of system integration.

3. Multiple Power Sources

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with a set of Lithium-Ion batteries. It allows users to connect it to different power sources such as solar panels or wall sockets. Users can also use the batteries alone instead of connecting the board to a power source.

4. Upgradable Design

We can repurpose the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board for different applications. It helps facilitate easy configuration and fast operation. Users can reprogram the FPGA device and its onboard resources to fit different needs and requirements.

5. Integrated Development

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is compatible with several development systems. For instance, the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC system and the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC Development Kit (DEVKIT). These two boards support various applications. It makes it ideal for users and developers to develop and test embedded systems.

6. Online Support

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with an online customer support team. They provide free technical support for users encountering problems while using the board. Users can also access the online library featured in the resource center of the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board. It helps them with any difficulties or problems they may be experiencing.

7. Preloaded Resources

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with a preloaded design that we can use after purchasing it. So, users can start prototyping and testing their ideas without having to configure or develop a customized design from scratch.

8. Compatible with the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC

This board is compatible with the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC system. It makes it ideal for educational institutions to facilitate the development and testing of embedded systems. The board also supports a wide range of other devices, making it a good choice for various settings.

9. Innovative Design

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board features an innovative design. It allows users to develop embedded systems that adapt to changes and shifts in their environments. The flexible design allows for reprogramming it without affecting its performance or functionality.

10. Education-Friendly

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is education-friendly. Because we can use it in classrooms and educational settings to help students realize the power of system integration. It allows students to explore and learn about various applications. It includes design, embedded systems, and digital signal processing.

11. Cost-effective

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board has a reasonable price tag that makes it a good buy for business and educational institutions. This makes it affordable for users from both home and school. Because it saves them from paying for separate training or setup costs once they have purchased the device.

Limitations of the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with several limitations, including the following:

1. Independent Programming Support

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board offers its users many advantages and advantages in terms of performance and functionality. Still, the device does not support third-party development tools and software packages. While this is not a problem for software developers, it does mean that design engineers cannot accelerate the process of system integration or application development by using third-party tools and software. The device also does not have any debugging option; users will have to use their JTAG port to debug applications.

2. Slow Programming Time

Another disadvantage of using the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is that the device takes a long time to program. So, users will need to spend more time developing programs for their embedded systems. This makes it impossible for users to develop embedded systems with customized configurations or applications.

3. Not Suitable for High-Performance Applications

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is unsuitable for high-performance applications. This is because it is suitable for simple and basic system integration projects. However, the device does not support complex or powerful features like wireless connectivity or memory expansion.

4. Limited Resources

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board comes with limited resources. It does not come with any memory expansion options to allow users to expand the memory in their embedded systems. This device also does not support CPU-intensive applications. It is because it can only support basic processing.

5. Limit in Number of Devices that we can use

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board can support up to 12 devices in the same system. It makes it suitable for small or home settings for basic digital signal processing or single sensor systems. However, this may not be sufficient for users to develop large or complex applications. Especially ones that require more onboard computing resources.

6. Limited Coverage Area on the Device

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board has a smaller coverage area than other FPGA boards. It means that it can only support small projects with limited hardware requirements. While the device is ideal for small projects, it does not provide enough computing power to meet complex applications requiring more than 12 devices to function properly.

7. Limited Memory

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board only comes with a maximum of 1GB of programmable memory. This means that users will have to spend most of their time developing applications for their projects.

8. Not Compatible with Xilinx EDKs

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is not compatible with the Xilinx EDK software development kits. It makes it difficult for users to use third-party tools and resources to accelerate the process of system integration or application development without paying for separate training or setups.

Applications of the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for use in a variety of settings, including the following:

1. Educational Institutions

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for educational institutions. This is because it has a wide range of applications that can help students realize the power of system integration by exploring or learning about various applications. These include digital signal processing, single sensor systems, and design. The device can also function as an extension of an existing computer lab. It can help enhance students’ understanding of integrating hardware and software devices.

2. Home Users

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for home users because it is a base for SBCs and PC applications. The device also comes with a small form factor. It makes it ideal for users who want to create or develop Heathkit-like projects. It is also ideal for hobbyists who want to build off-the-shelf systems that function like the one they have used in the past.

3. Industrial and Manufacturing Applications

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board can support industrial and manufacturing applications. This is because it can provide cost-effective solutions. It allows users to increase the efficiency of digital signal processing applications. We can use the device in applications requiring low latency, such as robotics and automation.

4. Medical Application

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for use in medical applications because it offers a wide range of features that can be useful in designing cost-effective solutions for various medical devices. These include digital signal processing, single sensor systems, and design. The device can also function as an extension of an existing computer lab, which can help enhance users’ understanding of integrating hardware and software devices.

5. Robotics and Automation Applications

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for robotics and automation applications because it is a base for SBCs and PC applications. It also comes with a small form factor, making it ideal for users who want to create or develop Heathkit-like projects or hobbyists who want to build off-the-shelf systems that function like the one they have used in the past.

6. Home Theater Applications

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for use in home theater applications. It also comes with a small form factor, making it ideal for users who want to create or develop Heathkit-like projects or hobbyists who want to build off-the-shelf systems that function like the one they have used in the past.

7. Enterprise and Government Applications

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for enterprise and government applications because it is a base for SBCs and PC applications. It also comes with a small form factor, making it ideal for users who want to create or develop Heathkit-like projects or hobbyists who want to build off-the-shelf systems that function like the one they have used in the past.

Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board examples

Common specifications for these boards include

• Made In Japan
• RoHS compliance
• User LED x2
• Tested all I/O
• Credit-Card-Size 3.386″x 2.126″ (86 x 54 mm)
• High-quality ten-layer PCB. (Immersion gold)
• Status LED x2 (Power, Done)
• User Switch x2 (Push x1, DIP x1bit)
• Power-on Reset IC for FPGA configuration
• Onboard clocks – 200 MHz (LVDS)
  • 50 MHz (LVTTL)
• Power: 3.3 V single supply – Sequenced power supplies (Power on)
  • 1.0 V/1.2 V/1.5 V/1.8 V/2.5 V onboard regulators
• JTAG port (7 pin socket)
• Configuration Device: MT25QL128ABA1ESE-0SIT (Micron, 128 Mbit)
• DDR3 SDRAM: MT41K64M16 (Micron, 1 Gbit)
• RocketIO Tx/Rx 2ch
• Separated Vcco input for each connector – IOD: External input from CND Connector
  • IOC: External input from CNC Connector
  • IOB: External input from CNB Connector
  • IOA: Fixed to 3.3V input from CNA Connector
• User I/O: 296 (HIROSE connectors, 80 pin x2, 100 pin x2) – IOD (CND Connector): 84
  • IOC (CNC Connector): 84
  • IOB (CNB Connector): 64
  • IOA (CNA Connector): 64

[XCM-211] Xilinx Artix-7 FFG1156 FPGA board

• XC7A200T–1FFG1156C: 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 500 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 10 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 740 DSP Slices, 13,140 Maximum Block RAM (kb), 2,888 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 33,650 Slices, and 215,360 Logic Cells

[EDX-302] Xilinx Artix-7 USB-FPGA board

• XC7A100T-1FTG256C: 4,860 Total Block RAM (kb), 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 170 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 1,188 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 101,440 Logic Cells, and 15,850 Slices
• XC7A50T-1FTG256C: 2,700 Total Block RAM (kb), 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 170 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 600 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 52,160 Logic Cells, and 8,150 Slices
• XC7A75T-1FTG256C: 3,780 Total Block RAM (kb), 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 170 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 892 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 75,520 Logic Cells, and 11,800 Slices
• XC7A35T-1FTG256C: 1,800 Total Block RAM (kb), 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 170 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 400 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 33,280 Logic Cells, and 5,200 Slices
• XC7A15T-1FTG256C: 900 Total Block RAM (kb), 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 170 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 200 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 16,640 Logic Cells, and 2,600 Slices

[XCM-307] Xilinx Artix-7 FTG256 FPGA board

• XC7A100T-1FTG256C: 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 170 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 6 CMT (MMCMx1+PLLx1), 240 DSP Slice, 4,860 Maximum Block RAM (kb), 1,188 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 101,440 Logic Cells, and 15,850 Slices
• XC7A35T-1FTG256C: 56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 170 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 5 CMT (MMCMx1+PLLx1), 90 DSP Slice, 1,800 Maximum Block RAM (kb), 400 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 33,280 Logic Cells, and 5,200 Slices

[XCM-208] Xilinx Artix-7 FBG676 FPGA board

• XC7A200T-1FBG676C: 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 400 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 10 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 740 DSP Slices, 13,140 Maximum Block RAM (kb), 2,888 Maximum Distributed RAM (kb), 33,650 Slices, and 215,360 Logic Cells

[XCM-114] Xilinx Artix-7 F484 FPGA board

• XC7A200T-1FGG484C: 10 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 740 DSP Slices, 2 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 13,140 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 2,888 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 215,360 Logic Cells, and 33,650 Slices
• XC7A100T-1FBG484C: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 240 DSP Slices, 2 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 4,860 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 1,188 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 101,440 Logic Cells, and 15,850 Slices
• XC7A75T-1FBG484C: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 180 DSP Slices, 2 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 3,780 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 892 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 75,520 Logic Cells, and 11,800 Slices
• XC7A50T-1FBG484C: 5 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 120 DSP Slices, 2 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2,700 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 600 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 52,160 Logic Cells, and 8,150 Slices
• XC7A35T-1FBG484C: 5 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 90 DSP Slices, 2 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 1,800 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 400 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 33,280 Logic Cells, and 5,200 Slices

[XCM-023] Xilinx Artix-7 F484 FPGA board

• XC7A200T: 10 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 740 DSP Slices, 4 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 13,140 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 2,888 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 215,360 Logic Cells, and 33,650 Slices
• XC7A100T: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 240 DSP Slices, 4 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 4,860 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 1,188 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 101,440 Logic Cells, and 15,850 Slices
• XC7A75T: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 180 DSP Slices, 4 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 3,780 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 892 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 75,520 Logic Cells, and 11,800 Slices
• XC7A50T: 5 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 120 DSP Slices, 4 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2,700 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 600 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 52,160 Logic Cells, and 8,150 Slices
• XC7A35T: 5 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 90 DSP Slices, 4 GTP Channel (Board), 4 GTP Channel (Device), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 1,800 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 400 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 33,280 Logic Cells, and 5,200 Slices

[XCM-023W] Xilinx Artix-7 F484 FPGA board

• XC7A200T: 10 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 740 DSP Slices, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 13,140 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 2,888 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 215,360 Logic Cells, and 33,650 Slices
• XC7A100T: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 240 DSP Slices, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 4,860 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 1,188 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 101,440 Logic Cells, and 15,850 Slices
• XC7A75T: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 180 DSP Slices, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 3,780 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 892 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 75,520 Logic Cells, and 11,800 Slices
• XC7A50T: 5 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 120 DSP Slices, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2,700 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 600 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 52,160 Logic Cells, and 8,150 Slices
• XC7A35T: 5 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 90 DSP Slices, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 1,800 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 400 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 33,280 Logic Cells, and 5,200 Slices

[XCM-023Z] Xilinx Artix-7 F484 FPGA board

• XC7A200T: 10 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 13,140 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 2,888 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 215,360 Logic Cells, and 33,650 Slices
• XC7A100T: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 285 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 4,860 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 1,188 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 101,440 Logic Cells, and 15,850 Slices
• XC7A75T: 6 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 3,780 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 892 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 75,520 Logic Cells, and 11,800 Slices
• XC7A50T: 5 CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2,700 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 600 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 52,160 Logic Cells, and 8,150 Slices
• XC7A35T: 5CMT (MMCM x1 + PLL x1), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 250 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 1,800 Maximum Block RAM (Kbits), 400 Maximum Distributed RAM (Kbits), 33,280 Logic Cells, and 5,200 Slices

Conclusion

The Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA board is ideal for use in different application scenarios suited to the device’s functionality. However, this does not mean users will be able to use it for all situations. Users must stay informed about the capabilities of the device to ensure they do not exceed the 1,000 Mbit/s bandwidth limit, which will leave them with fewer options for expanding their computing resources.

Mice are pretty small. Whenever they bite on anything, they leave some tiny marks behind as evidence. On your printed circuit board, you may find some “mouse bites”. Now, don’t get scared. These mouse bites don’t indicate rodent infestation.

Rather, these tiny holes assist in breaking out a circuit board from the manufacturing panel. Now, the locations of these holes are precise and dimensioned. Of course, they are similar to those nibbling you may find left behind by a mouse.

So, there’s no need to get your traps and cheese ready because our topic linking “mouse bites” to printed circuit boards has nothing to do with real mice. Rather, we will focus on mouse bites PCB and its dimensions to ensure you comprehend the manufacturing or circuit boards better.

What are Mouse Bites in PCBs?

 Mouse bites in printed circuit boards are sections of the manufacturing panel that helps in assembling and fabricating circuit boards. Some individuals utilize the “mouse bite” term to describe and explain the over-etching of copper. However, what we mean here is different.

PCB manufacturers lay out circuit boards in a panel making use of CAM – Computer Aided Manufacturing systems. This panel ensures that the assembler and fabricator is given additional board material for any handling during all processes involved in manufacturing, which is very critical for the smaller boards.

Normally, panels have a uniform size, and you can lay out multiple instances of your printed circuit board design within the panel’s outline. The panel will not just make board manufacturing easier. It also allows the processing or multiple boards in panels for a similar cost as one board.

Once the fabrication, as well as assembly processes of these circuit boards, has been completed, then you must separate them from their panels. The process of separating them is known as depanelization. You can achieve the depanelization process either by breaking out the boards along the “V-grooves” or pre-scored lines, or cut them out.

The boards you have to break out have to be routed already around its outlines. This will help in bringing a separation between them and the panel, which are held by just small material tabs. The removal of the “breakout tabs” takes place, thereby making the board free from the manufacturing panel.

These tabs also feature small holes, which ensure the easy breaking of the PCB, and reduce the stress of the boards. With each of the tabs broken along the holes’ lines, the material remaining will have the appearance of a “mouse bite” until you have smoothed it out.

Mouse Bite PCB: Locations, Dimensions and Sizes

The holes utilized for breakout tabs may vary. However, majority of manufacturers utilize five holes in breakout tabs having these dimensions.

The hole size is usually 0.5 mm or 0.020 inch in diameter. Concerning the spacing, they are 0.76 mm or 0.030 inches apart.

The spacings and sizes of the mouse bite PCB holes appear random. This reduces the cleanup needed after the breaking out of the board from the panel. Though, it takes less effort for a smaller hole to smoothen out, it will also need more holes to be drilled and leave out much bulk material.

However, if there are too big holes, the board will end up having mouse bites that are larger and will need smoothening out. The hole placement within this breakout tab is important as well. The goal here is drilling them nearer to the PCB edge. This helps in reducing the tab material leftover that needs to be removed.

Constraints to consider during placement of breakaway Tab PCBs

There are some constraints to consider while performing the breakout tabs’ placement around the outline of the board.

• Don’t make use of many tabs in order to save wear, effort, and time on its router bits.
• Have enough tabs that can support the PCB board fully in its panel throughout the operations of PCB assembly.
• Tabs having a minimum clearance of 0.125 inches should be located to the closest components.
• Don’t place the tabs close to circuitry or sensitive components areas. This could cause the board to experience more breakout stresses.

At times, stress damages coming to the circuitry or components due to the tabs breaking may not be seen till later. It may also cause intermittent issues that won’t be debugged easily. This is why the location of breakout tabs, a distance away from any sensitive area, is very important to the circuit board’s success.

Also, if you don’t use enough tabs, and you don’t place them strategically to support your board during the manufacturing process, your board may end up flexing too much. This will prevent a reliable assembly. Now, this is the point where the experience and knowledge of your PCB manufacturer comes in.

What is V Groove PCB?

The V groove PCB results after the splitting of circuit boards. This requires the cutting of the circuit board, and leaving a little material to help hold these boards. The final stages involved in the production is profiling the v groove pcb and cutting them from the manufacturing panel. This is either done by routing or v-cut scoring. There are some rules to adhere to when manufacturing V Groove PCB.

Rules When Manufacturing V Groove PCB

• Ensure that the board’s spacing is 0mm
• The spacing found between the outline and V-scoring line stays at 0.35mm
• The line for V-scoring has to be straight. Also, it must be a horizontal and vertical line.
• The minimum size of the v groove PCB should be 75 x 75 mm, while the maximum size of the v groove PCB should be 450 x 1245 mm.

Breakaway Tab PCB: Panelization Methods

There are multiple methods for Panelization of breakaway tab pcbs. Each of these comes with their own benefits and drawbacks. The board’s design present on the panel, as well as the panel, usually plays a big role in whatever method of Panelization will suit the application best. Let’s consider these factors.

Components: The importance of the component utilized on the board is just the same as its placement. Connectors and components that are sensitive may play a huge role in the most effective Panelization and breakout method.

Design: The board’s design plays the most significant role when determining the best method for Panelization. The clearance amount between the board’s edge and the components may make some of the methods less appropriate compared to the others.

Materials: Materials utilized in mouse bites PCB may end up limiting the Panelization method type that is best. This is because some of the materials can splinter easily during the breakaway process. Another factor is the thickness of the board. Particularly, all thin boards have a higher chance of breaking while assembly is on. Thick boards on the other hand, may give more problems during this breaking out as well.

These factors explained above limit the available choices to any given application. Many companies handling the assembly may combine different methods on a specific project. This is to ensure the array’s structural integrity coupled with mitigating the issues encountered while the breakout was on.

PCB Breakaway: Panelization Techniques

For breakaway tab pcbs, there are three techniques for Panelization. However, most of the time, just two are practiced.

Tab Routing Panelization

Here, mouse bites pcbs are usually pre-cut from the arrays and then held properly on the board. Most times, about 3-5 holes are utilized in the perforation patterns. With this method, you are sure to get some benefits due to its design support ability. You can also break them with your hands rather than using tools.

V Groove Panelization 

This technique for Panelization is very common. This uses V-shaped grooves in separating individual printed circuit boards. About 33% of the thickness of the board is removed by these grooves from the bottom and top of the board using a blade.

Most times, a machine is used in finishing the PCB breakaway process. This it does considering that the third left of the bard in-between your grooves is strong and stress can be put on the mouse bites pcb as well as its surrounding components through hand-breaking.

Solid Tab Panelization

You can design arrays using solid tabs between the boards, thereby improving the strength overall. However, the method for depaneling this panel type needs either a laser-cutting machine, a depaneling router, or a blade tool (hook-shaped).

The laser-cutter is very expensive. Also, they usually don’t work on boards that are more than 1mm thick. The router can cause vibration and dust. The blade tool with a hook shape is a less expensive option. However, they usually experience blade rotation, and are inefficient. Compared to the first two methods, this method is less common.

For majority of applications, the preferred method of panelization is Tab Routing and V-Score. One good thing that a PCB designer must understand is which of both methods works best for the application. Now the next step is designing their array to ensure breakout success and maximal strength.

Many people prefer using the V-groove method due to its surface stress reduction and efficiency. This array’s depaneling machines are also cost-efficient and relatively inexpensive. Better still, they require less maintenance, and they are portable. Though this method usually results in board edges that are rougher, this concern is rare for applications utilizing V-groove panelization.

Tab Routing Vs V Groove PCB Panels

Making a choice if you should use tab routing or v groove methods in the panel largely depends on your PCB design. These are some factors to consider before you make a decision.

Edge components

It is possible that your breakaway tab PCB relies on components attached near an edge, it could be very appropriate using some tab routing variation, rather than v groove pcb panels. Just make sure that you don’t locate the tabs close to the edge components.

Board Shapes

Mouse bites PCB shapes that are added to any array usually play a significant role in panelization. For rectangular and square boards, v groove PCB panels work very fine. When dealing with unusual shapes, the better is tab routing.

Time Expense

Setting up tab routing takes more time. This is because the router requires much time. V groove, while under machines requires lesser time.

Edge Quality

The fact is, if the edge quality stands as a factor then tab routing may be more preferred to v grooving. Although, working with this process leaves back small rough laminate rubs, you can easily sand them off. Then the edges remaining are smooth. V grooving causes rough edges around. If you require smooth edges, this may need more sanding.

Waste

If you are concerned about material waste, then the best benefit will be provided by v grooving. Compared to tab routing, this method wastes less material. This means the overall cost for each board will be much lesser.

Mouse Bites PCB Manufacturer

When setting the manufacturing panel up for printed circuit boards, there are lots of variables to work with. This is why your mouse bites PCB manufacturer must have much experience in this.

Your manufacturer will tell if a breakout panel or V-groove will suit your design best based on the design criteria and the specific needs of the board. Also, they understand the needs of your business and also tailor the creation of the panel in line with your expected volumes of production, as well as the specific requirements of the board.

At RayMing PCB, we help in designing our client’s PCB panels. This is part of our usual manufacturing workflow. We have reliable manufacturing and engineering teams that have vast experience in working with several panel requirements. Choose us today and be sure of top quality creation of your application’s panels.

Conclusion

By now, you should have gained vast experience about mouse bites PCB, breakaway tab pcb, pcb breakaway, and v groove pcb. Remember that you should always work with top manufacturers to bet the best panels that also meet your requirements.

Thinking of getting an FPGA board from Altera? Here’s a list of some of the best FPGA boards available, with various features and purposes. Along with the description, this article includes specifications and ideas of how to get them easily.

Scientists, engineers, and hobbyists use FPGAs for a wide variety of projects. In addition, some people use FPGAs in their daily lives without realizing it. Examples include the following:

FPGAs are commonly useful in computer-related fields, including image processing, digital signal processing, video compression/decompression, computer vision, data compression/decompression, computer networks, and telecommunication devices developed by manufacturers like RayMing PCB and Assembly.

The Altera series FPGA boards are a multiuser, multi-threaded design suited for many markets such as enterprise automation, digital signal processing, and cyber security. These series include FPGA devices with a comprehensive range of I/O expansion for processor-intensive applications. They include:

Intel Stratix 10 FPGA board:

If you need a compact, powerful FPGA for various engineering applications in various industry sectors, this is your board. FPGA boards are helpful in many different applications, including embedded system design and video processing.

Intel Stratix Ge FPGA board:

This board is specifically designed for the aerospace industry, whereas the Stratix 10 FPGA board is a more general-purpose FPGA. The Ge FPGA board has a bit more computational performance and throughput than the Stratix 10 FPGA board. This board can handle a wide range of applications. The board is also suitable for professional design projects.

Stratix 10 GX FPGA board:

The Ge FPGA board is entirely compatible with the Stratix 10 FPGA board, with extra features and more powerful computing performance. These boards are essential in commercial design projects, especially those involving industrial design or consumer products.

Stratix V FPGA boards:

This is a range of FPGA boards based on the Stratix series. The board offers high-performance and advanced features, such as high-speed transceivers and increased connectivity options. It also has a lower power consumption than previous

FPGA boards that were available from Altera. This can be beneficial in specific applications, such as battery-powered devices. However, its design is also essential for industrial design and engineering applications.

Stratix 7 FPGA board:

This is the latest generation FPGA board based on the Stratix series. The Stratix 7 FPGA board is compatible with the previous models (6, 6 E, 6 GX) and has exclusive features. Like its predecessors, it offers high performance and fast computing capabilities. Like other Altera boards, it comes with excellent software support. As a result, we can use the board in both industrial and embedded design projects.

Arria 10 FPGA board:

If you are looking for a feature-packed high-performance FPGA board and don’t care about the price, this is the FPGA board to consider. So, it offers excellent features at a competitive price. The Arria 10 FPGA board is suitable for use in industrial and commercial design projects.

Cyclone III FPGA boards:

These boards primarily target customers who need a high-performance FPGA with fast clock speeds and many I/O pins. We can use the boards in both commercial and industrial design projects. The Cyclone III series design will help to meet the needs of experienced users.

Max V CPLD Boards:

Altera Max V series is a range of programmable logic devices used in various hardware solutions. They are generally used as embedded microcontrollers or for hardware acceleration. The Cyclone V series

FPGA boards also have a wide range of applications, especially in the industrial design and embedded systems sectors.

FPGA development boards:

These boards’ design helps to promote and support application development on FPGAs. They include the Cypress FX2 and Altera Quartus II software for Xilinx and Altera hardware. This lets you interact with the FPGA on your computer and design and build complex systems very quickly.

Stratix 10 SBC:

This is a powerful and compact single-board computer for FPGA design. We can use it as a convenient development platform for hardware debugging and prototyping. It also supports the Altera Quartus II software, which is highly useful for software development on FPGAs.

What is the difference between Xilinx or Altera?

The main difference is that the Xilinx series FPGA boards’ design is mainly for application development. Altera series FPGA boards are essential for industrial design and embedded applications. Because the Xilinx series is more popular, many great tools support Xilinx devices. However, there are differences between the two FPGA brands.

The traditional way of communicating the IP block between devices is Altera’s proprietary communication protocol known as protocol-level interconnect (PLI). Altera’s PLI offers a direct and efficient method of communicating between IP blocks. The Xilinx series FPGA boards use the IEEE 1394 interface, an open, industry-standard protocol supported by all FPGA devices.

Another essential difference is that the Xilinx series FPGA boards have a free software development kit (SDK). Also, it is programmable logic design tools such as Altium Designer and Quartus II. The Altera series FPGA boards do not come with these additional software programs.

Common features of Intel (Altera) series FPGA boards

A custom original design manufacturer (ODM), Intel Corporation, produces Intel’s FPGA boards. The Intel Corporation designs, manufacture, and sells computer hardware and software components.

1. Flip-Flops

They are small blocks of logic that we use to change the state of a signal. Flip-Flops are helpful in digital circuits to hold data bits. The flip-flop design is very common for FPGA boards. On every clock edge, the system copies the input value to the output value. We clock the input value into the flip-flop on the negative edge of the clock. There are two types of flip-flops, namely:

a. D Flip-Flop: The D Flip-Flop copies the data present on its D inputs to its Q outputs on every positive edge of the clock.

d = c

b. T Flip-flop: The T Flip-Flop copies the data present on the positive edges of the clock to its Q outputs. This means that the system only updates the output on every positive edge of the clock. As a result, T-type flip flops are slower than D-type flip flops.

c. B Flip-Flop: The B Flip-Flop copies the data present on its Q outputs to its D inputs on every negative edge of the clock.

d = c

2. Latency

The term latency refers to the time it takes with a signal to reach its final value. Latency reflects the speed of the FPGA board. If latency is too high, you will experience poor performance with your application. We determine the latency by the size of the FPGA block, the clock frequency of the FPGA, and how many Flip-Flops are helpful in each input or output signal. The system divides up the CLK input into several sub-clocks with different frequencies. One of the longest clock frequency dividers determines the latency. The fastest FPGA boards have higher latency. Latency is an essential parameter for an FPGA board to have a fast signal transmission speed.

The Altera series has many improvements over the Xilinx series. So, the Altera series is better than the Xilinx series for applications that need high performance and flexibility. Furthermore, the interface from one block to another is through its advanced proprietary protocols known as protocol-level interconnect (PLI).

3. Multipliers and DSP Slices

Multipliers and DSP slices come in the form of pre-programmed hardware blocks. We can perform the multi-1 operation on an input block. It performs a sequence of logical operations and then copies the result back to the output. As a result, it then clocks the output into an adjacent flip-flop. This results in a fixed delay between feeding the data into the block and when it clocks out. The delays between blocks cause latency in your application.

4. Memory

Memory comes in the form of flash, SRAM, and EEPROM. Flash memory is volatile memory. We can use it to save your configuration settings during an upload. SRAM is non-volatile memory. In SRAM, the data contents remain even when you remove the power from the FPGA board. EEPROM contains read-only memory that can store information in a non-volatile manner when powered up.

5. Clock

The Clock Signal Generator generates all the signals necessary to control the FPGA. An FPGA board has up to 72 clock signals. T=One can distribute these 72 clock signals around the board using 4-bit busing. Different FPGA boards have a different number of clock signals. The number of clock signals is directly proportional to the size of the FPGA block present on the board. This is because larger FPGA blocks need more computational power and thus use more clock signal channels.

6. ADC and DAC

An ADC (analog-to-digital converter) is a device that can convert voltage levels to digital data. A DAC (digital-to-analog converter) works in the opposite direction. So, it converts digital data into analog signals and performs a voltage conversion. For example, if an FPGA board uses an ADC, you could connect it to a pressure sensor and monitor it.

7. DMA

An FPGA board has an on-chip memory called DMA (direct memory access). The capability of this on-chip memory allows the board to transfer blocks of data directly between internal registers and some internal I/O pins. This is useful when you want to control the FPGA board by writing patterns of bytes into its on-chip memory instead of writing whole numbers of bits into its register.

8. Flash

FPGA boards contain flash memory. Flash memory is non-volatile, like EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory). However, the read-out process is faster than EEPROM. We use it to store the FPGA configuration file. This file contains all the information that the FPGA needs to execute your design. The number of SPI (serial peripheral interface) interfaces varies amongst different FPGA boards.

Designing FPGAs Into a System

1. Define the system’s requirements

The first step is to define the requirements of your application. You will need to list your application functions, the required capabilities from the FPGA board, and any constraints that you might have with storage or power availability. Write a list of functional blocks for each design requirement. But make sure that you include any additional requirements that might come up later in the design process.

2. System architecture

Design an architecture for your system based on the functional blocks listed in your application requirement document (ARD). Use hardware-description languages to create a block diagram. So, this block diagram is essentially the basis of all FPGA design work. Then, we will use it to program the FPGA board that you choose for your system.

3. Choose an FPGA platform

Once you have completed your block diagram, you will need to choose an FPGA board with the required number of inputs and outputs and support for the clock speeds necessary for your application’s design requirements.

4. Design block diagram

Once you have chosen an FPGA board, you will need to design the functional blocks of your design onto the new FPGA board. Functional blocks are the building blocks of your system. We use them together to complete applications that require complex functions that the individual chips alone do not support.

5. Program new FPGA

Once you have completed designing your new FPGA board, you are ready to program it into the system of your choice using a programming tool for programmers and readers. We use this tool to program FPGA boards for your system.

FPGA Design Tools

1. Traditional FPGA Design Tools:

These tools are useful for simple designs. For example, we use the Spartan-3E FPGA to create a 3D model of a car in a computer graphics package such as Maya or SketchUp. The FPGA chip provides the approximate color information in the software without using an intense GPU or CPU for this task. Modern FPGAs have more flexibility and can perform complex processing in real-time without using these models for programmable logic design.

2. Integrated Design Tools:

The integrated design tool contains the functions for programming the FPGA, placing multiple components into the design, and linking to external components. An example of an integrated design tool that works with Xilinx FPGAs is Vivado Design Suite.

3. Application-Specific Design Tools:

The application-specific design tool allows the user to code directly to the FPGA using a programming language such as C, C++, or Python. A popular integrated design tool explicitly used for FPGAs is Xilinx WebPACK which provides a graphical programming environment and efficient simulation based on open-source tools from the SPIRIT ISE suite.

4. Application-Specific Application-Specific Tools:

These tools create a specific application for a particular FPGA. In the past, People used application-specific tools in conjunction with an integrated design tool. Application-specific tools for FPGAs are becoming much less popular as integrated design tools have greatly improved. However, it is common to use one of these when creating a bitstream in C or C++ using a third-party compiler such as IGLOO2 from Synopsys’ Design Compiler Group.

5. High-Level Synthesis Design Tools:

The high-level design tool allows users to create a bitstream with a high-level language. An application-specific compiler can then compile this language into the corresponding bitstream with the appropriate FPGA or VHDL synthesis tool.

FPGA Applications

FPGA technology has shown great potential in engineering, robotics, search engines, complex data processing, analytics, and many other fields.

The FPGA technology is also used in Smart Grid applications to assist devices with smart sensing capabilities to service or protect the grid. These Grid-scale FPGAs have special features that help detect faults in the grid, which allows for early detection of failure before it becomes serious. In addition, some of these FPGAs contain software libraries and software-defined radio (SDR) modules to allow them to communicate with different types of sensors and hardware.

ERPs or Embedded Real-Time Programmable (ERPs) are small. They also are low-power, versatile microcontrollers designed for high-performance embedded applications. In addition, we can program ERPs in a high-level language such as C or C++, making them useful for many applications.

ERPs have a design that helps to meet the requirements of real-time embedded programming. They are considerably more complex than programmable logic devices. However, ERPs require fewer transistors to implement the same functionality. As a result, they are often useful for applications where timing sensitivity is critical. For instance, high-frequency signal processing, voice recognition/transcription, speech synthesis/recognition, data-acquisition systems, or clock synchronization.

Intel (Altera) series FPGA boards

The Intel (Altera) Cyclone II FPGA Boards

Intel Cyclone II FPGAs are 64-bit ARM CortexA5-based FPGA modules. As a result, they have low power consumption, high integration with the core of the SoC, and easy configuration by a system-on-chip (SOC) Design Tool. Furthermore, because Intel’s FPGAs use a very efficient Xilinx FPGA fabric, they deliver excellent performance. Additionally, they also deliver density with a very small chip area footprint. The Intel Cyclone II FPGAs are available in various package options. Moreover, they include low-cost fine-pitch BGA–168, fine pitch FBGA–324, and more rugged high-speed QFN packages.

Common specifications include:

• Made In Japan
• RoHS compliance
• Tested all I/O
• One User LED
• Credit-Card-Size 3.386″x 2.126″ (86 x 54 mm)
• High-quality four layers PCB. (Immersion gold)
• 3.3 V single power supply operation with on-board 1.2 V regulator
• AS mode port ( 10 pin socket) for ByteBlasterII or USB Blaster
• JTAG port (10 pin socket) for ByteBlaster [MV/II] or USB Blaster
• Power-on Reset IC
• Directly connected pin header interface for serial communication (TTL)
• SRAM (Cypress CY62256V)
• Two Status LED (Power, Done)
• One User Push-Button Switch
• 30 MHz Oscillator (50 ppm) or External
• Separable VCCIO
• 100 I/O PAD 100 mil (2.54 mm) grid
• SERIAL-FLASH-ROM (M25P40)
• Configuration Device (Altera EPCS4SI8N)

Examples:

Altera EP2C8Q208C8N (Cyclone II FPGA 8K LE)

165,888 RAM Bits, 36 M4K RAM blocks, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 138 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2 PLLs, and 8256 Logic Elements

2. [ACM-201] Altera Cyclone II F672 FPGA board

Altera EP2C35F672C8N

35 Multipliers, 483,840 RAM bits, 105 M4K RAM blocks, 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 475 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 4 PLLs, and 33216 Logic Elements

Intel (Altera) Cyclone FPGA Boards

The Cyclone FPGA family’s optimization is for high-performance applications that require complex logic functions. It consists of several different FPGA families with varying levels of integration, performance, and features.

Examples:

1. [ACM-004] Altera Cyclone T144 FPGA board

Altera EP1C6T144C8N (Cyclone FPGA 6K LE)

8 Global Clock Networks, 90 Block RAM Bits, 20 M4K RAM blocks, 92 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 98 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2 PLLs, and 5980 Logic Elements

2. [ACM-006] Altera Cyclone Q240 FPGA board

Altera EP1C12Q240C8N (Cyclone FPGA 12K LE)239,616 RAM Bits

52 M4K RAM blocks, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 173 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2 PLLs, and 12060 Logic Elements

Altera EP1C6Q240C8N (Cyclone FPGA 6K LE)

5980 Logic Elements, 2 PLLs, 185 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 20 M4K RAM blocks, and 92,160 RAM Bits

3. [ACM-012] Altera Cyclone Q240 FPGA board (5 V I/O)

EP1C12Q240C8N

239,616 Total RAM Bits, 52 M4K RAM blocks, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 173 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2 PLLs, and 12060 Logic Elements

EP1C6Q240C8N

92,160 Total RAM Bits, 20 M4K RAM blocks, 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 185 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), 2 PLLs, and 5980 Logic Elements

Intel (Altera) Max II CPLD Boards

The MAX 10 and MAX II families of CPLDs offer low power and high performance. The MAX II family’s optimization for applications requires implementing large amounts of logic in a small area.

Examples:

1. [AP68-01] Altera MAX II PLCC68 CPLD Module

EPM570F100C5N

50 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 160 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), and 570 Logic Elements

EPM240F100C5N

240 Logic Elements, 80 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), and 50 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)

2. [ACM-001] Altera MAXII T144 CPLD board

Altera EPM1270T144C5N (MAXII CPLD 1270 macro cel)

1270 Logic Elements, 116 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), and 100 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)

3. [ACM-005] Altera MAXII T100 CPLD board

Altera EPM240T100C5N (MAXII CPLD 240 macro cel)

80 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 80 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), and 240 Logic Elements

4. [ACM-302] Altera MAXII T144 CPLD board

Altera EPM1270T144C5N (MAXII CPLD 1270 macro cel)

56 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 116 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), and 1270 Logic Elements

Intel (Altera) Max V CPLD Boards

The MAX V family of CPLDs offers low power and high performance. These V series has an optimization for applications that require small modules with a more significant number of logic gates or higher density.

Examples:

1. [AP68-02] Altera MAX V PLCC68 CPLD Module

Altera 5M570ZF256C5N

50 Maximum user I/O pins (Board), 159 Maximum user I/O pins (Device), and 570 Logic Elements

Conclusion

The main purpose of an FPGA is to reduce time and money spent on hardware design and faster deployment of new technologies. FPGAs are useful in creating custom hardware solutions for system designers. We can use them as a building block for complex systems with many different applications.

FPGAs contain highly configurable logic blocks connected to perform complex functions. Therefore, one cannot build functions from simple chips alone or combinations of standard chips and microcontrollers (using an embedded controller).

Working with electronics, back in the day, was about being an engineer. A few years ago, this changed drastically when Arduino, Xilinx, and Altera started making cheap FPGA boards that are easy to use. Not only are these boards cheap, but they also work with the prototyping board called breadboard that is not expensive at all. FPGAs are great because you can do anything you want with them. What does this mean? If your code is fast enough, it means that you can match or exceed the performance of a CPU board. I have had the good fortune of reviewing many FPGA boards, and they are awesome. The two best are Intel’s Altera Cyclone IV and Xilinx‘s Virtex III-7, which we will be looking at in this article.

Cyclone IV FPGA Boards overview

The Cyclone IV FPGA are boards developed based on the Intel Cyclone IV family of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). They are all part of the Intel SoC Products Group. The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are available in six different models. We will discuss these models in more detail at the end of the article. The boards all have different features that better fit the needs of different users. Depending on the model, most board models have a large, 18 x 18 inch, double-sided, copper FPGA with 1.5 trillion to 4 trillion logic elements (LEs).

The rest of the models use smaller FPGAs. The models with the larger FPGA sizes target high-end users who need more gates and IO pins to complete their projects. However, the smaller the FPGA, the lower the cost of the board and development kit. You can purchase the Cyclone IV FPGA boards as development kits. The development kits include access to the Quartus II design software, VHDL files, and hardware files. They are necessary to create a Cyclone IV FPGA board design. This makes it quick and easy for users with little or no design experience to get started with their projects.

Specifications

The key features for the Cyclone IV FPGA boards are:

1. Power

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards have a power budget of 2.4W per FPGA logic block for the 256M logic configuration and 3.3W for the 512M configuration. These Cyclone IV I/O locations consume a power budget of 1.2W per I/O unit. But one can lower them to as little as about one-sixteenth of a watt using jumpers and decoupling capacitors on those locations.

2. I/O Locations

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards have 40 differential LVDS blocks that can handle 12 bits of data per channel, allowing 48 single-ended LVDS pairs. In addition, there is one differential USB-OTG serial transceiver with receiving and transmitting capability and two programmable peripheral interfaces (PPIs) that one can configure as four PCIe lanes or six SPI channels each.

3. Embedded multipliers

The Cyclone IV FPGAs have embedded multiply and divide units that can multiply and divide the register width up to four times. Thus, one can enable the full multiplier and divider capabilities through a multi-bit multiplier and divider. Additionally, you can enable two multipliers and two dividers. The embedded multiplier and divide capabilities are essential when designing with the smallest FPGAs (1.5T, 2T) in signal processing, audio processing, and mixed-signal designs.

4. Memory blocks

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards have multi-gigabit transceivers and programmable memory blocks. It creates a high-speed serial link between the FPGA and AMD Opteron, Intel Xeon, or Intel Core processors. The integrated memory blocks also allow for the creation of high-speed memory within the FPGA itself.

5. Clock networks and PLLs

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards have clock networks that one can configure as one to four-phase clocks. Users can also bypass the clock networks and use direct PLL outputs.

6. HPS (High-Performance Switch)

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards have a high-density switch fabric. It is capable of 140 Gbit/s throughputs per device and nearly 100,000 packets per second per device. HPS is very scalable and allows for easy switch fabrics with large capacities and low latency.

7. FPGA Architecture

Cyclone IV FPGA boards depend on the Intel ISSI ISE (Integrated Silicon Solution Initiative) technology. The ISSI ISE technology is a platform for trading off between flexibility, memory resources, and performance. This allows for the easy implementation of high-performance and high-flexibility designs.

8. Configuration and remote system upgrades

Users can configure the Cyclone IV FPGA boards remotely over a serial link. This means that minimal hardware can be helpful when configuring the board for the first time. There are also configuration files in Verilog and VHDL that are necessary when getting started with your project. The configuration files are available for many different chipsets. It allows users to get started easily without worrying about licensing costs or royalties when using others’ codes.

9. SEU mitigation

Cyclone IV FPGA boards have an SEU (Self-Evolving Units) mitigation feature. The feature attempts to differentiate between ports used for sending and receiving data. This feature will detect interrupt requests where the address fields are equal but the data fields are not equal. VHTEs will not match because these ports are essential for different sending and receiving data.

10. Transceivers

The Cyclone IV FPGAs have a very high-speed serial interface that can support 600-MHz data rates. We can use the programmable transceivers. It means different combinations of components to get higher performance. In addition, there are also 1.2-GHz transceivers that we can use for 10GBASE-T network connectivity. The Cyclone IV FPGAs also support eight PCIe lanes (two per FPGA) and two PCIe peripheral interfaces (PPI).

11. External memory interfaces

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards have four memory interfaces. They support DDR3 SDRAM, ECC-protected DDR3 SDRAM, LPDDR4 DRAM, and 16-/32-/64-bit memory configurations. These memory interfaces all use the same basic design over the entire 4×16 GB range.

How to get Intel (Altera) Cyclone IV FPGA Boards

There are three ways to get the Cyclone IV FPGA boards.

1. The first is to order them directly from Xilinx/Intel.

Intel provides kits that have all the components needed to build a complete FPGA board. The only parts not provided are capacitors for decoupling, resistors to create test points, and some specific low-power resistors. These are useful in identifying the location of all the other parts on your FPGA board.

2. You can also buy an assembled Cyclone IV FPGA board through Xilinx/Intel distributors.

These distributors will provide the required components. They can also include them in your purchased order or sell them separately. Additionally, they will provide thorough assembly instructions, test plans, schematics, board layout information, and software drivers for creating your FPGA board design.

3. The last option is to buy a bare Cyclone IV FPGA board and assemble it yourself.

The bare Cyclone IV FPGA boards contain only the logic and transceiver blocks required to start your initial designs. You can then add more optional components. Then create a complete test platform that covers all the features of the Cyclone IV FPGAs, such as PCIe connectivity, DDR3 memory, and so on.

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are essential for creating prototype boards that we use in conjunction with the Cyclone IV Ecosystem, a collection of Open Source IP (Intellectual Property) cores that run on the Cyclone IV FPGAs.

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are compatible with the following processor platforms:

We can design the Cyclone IV FPGA boards for applications that require high bandwidth and low latency. However, they are not appropriate for applications that require low-latency performance or throughput.

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are LGA package versions. They include Intel Core i5/Core i7 processors, Pentium G3258/G4400, desktop AMD Athlon II lineup, and Intel Pentium G4500.

The additional package options are the Mini-ITX package that supports the Intel Celeron processors. Also, the mobile Intel Atom C2750, Pentium N3700, and mobile Pentium N3160.

Intel has built many different FPGAs on top of the same basic architecture to create a wide range of products. This includes the Altera Cyclone IV FPGA family with high-bandwidth serial links over PCIe, DDR memory interfaces, and other features. The first generation of Cyclone IV FPGA boards had up to 16 GB of DDR3 memory on-chip, but the newer versions have up to 4 TB of DDR4 memory.

Advantages of Intel (Altera) Cyclone IV FPGA Boards

System Costs Optimization

The Cyclone IV FPGAs can optimize a system to use less power through configurable and intelligent power gating designs. However, the FPGA board still needs to use a lot of power and limit the number of other devices placed on the motherboard. Although, using the DDR4 memory interface will lower overall system costs. It is because fewer components must be present on the motherboard.

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards can save space on the motherboard, making it easier to reduce system costs based on size constraints. As a result, manufacturers design the FPGA board to be as small as possible and are smaller than most motherboards.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs provide industry-leading density and performance. It then supports higher throughputs, larger memory sizes, and improved power consumption over previous versions of the Cyclone II architecture.

Reduce Power Consumption

Cyclone IV FPGA boards can increase the performance of the system while lowering power consumption. FPGAs do not need to go through several steps to compile them or go through an entire boot cycle like other processors.

We also design the Cyclone IV FPGAs for higher clock frequencies than previous generations. It means they can get more work done in less time, which will lead to lower power consumption if run at the same frequency as previous generations.

Memory Interface

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards contain programmable memory-interface standards. Additionally, they support various industry standards to reduce the costs of designing a system. We can use the DDR3 memory interface for standalone applications or as a bridge to an FPGA with a Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+ interface. The DDR4 memory interface supports the next generation of DDR3 memory.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs are essential for smaller footprints to reduce system costs. As a result, the FPGA board may have fewer components than other motherboards that are bigger. Eventually, they reduce the overall system cost.

BIOS Requirements

These BIOS requirements are not as complex or complex as previous versions of the Cyclone II architecture. In addition, this generation does not need many unique I/O pins, thanks to multiple input/output options.

Silicon and Architectural Optimizations

These boards use silicon and architectural optimizations to improve system efficiency. This means that one will process the FPGA board differently than other processors. Thus, it helps to improve the system’s performance while lowering costs.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs run at higher clock frequencies than previous generations and take less power. These characteristics lead to lower system costs. Moreover, it is because we need fewer components and design time to create a complete system, which one can use at lower speeds without slowing down.

The cost of the Cyclone IV FPGA boards is more than previous generations. Still, overall system costs can go down by using fewer components or reducing the motherboard cost. It does not need to include as many components as other processors.

Accurate Power Estimation and Analysis

We use the Cyclone IV FPGA boards to measure the power required by the system and identify where wasted power is. This will help companies reduce power for their system to identify where we can save wasted power.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs are perfect for high-performance systems. Systems that need maximum to compute resource utilization. We often use them as a bridge between other high-end FPGAs or high-performance servers, or networking applications.

Intel Quartus Prime Power Optimization

The Intel Quartus Prime software for the Cyclone IV FPGA boards is essential in specifying power consumption limits. This can lead to more efficient designs that will consume less power than other processors.

Users should use the Intel Quartus Prime software because it helps to identify wastage of power to optimize it before using it in a system.

The Cyclone IV FPGA board is excellent for high-performance applications. Applications that consume more power than other processors. This needs a lot of consideration when measuring power consumption in a system.

Disadvantages of Intel (Altera) Cyclone IV FPGA Boards

1. Large Consumption of Resources

The FPGA boards consume more power than other processors. It is because they are essential in high-performance applications. This means that the FPGA board will have a larger impact on the system than other components.

The altera FPGA board also consumes more power than previous generations. It means that the total energy consumption will increase unless other components lower it.

2. Semiconductor Costs

The Cyclone IV FPGAs cost more than other processors, especially for large-scale deployments. It means that the total system cost will increase.

3. System Size and Complexity

The FPGA boards can cause a system to be larger than other processors. This is because they include more components and more space on the motherboard. It may reduce costs for some applications. However, it can increase costs for other applications where size and complexity are significant factors.

4. Space Requirements

The Cyclone IV FPGAs are small, but they will still take up more space on the motherboard than other processors. This may cause problems for applications where space is a significant factor.

5. High Use of Resources and Complexity of Use

We can use the Cyclone IV FPGA boards to solve complicated problems and save time and money compared to other processors. However, they also require a lot of resources and more than one person to work on them at a time.

6. Complex Knowledge of Design

The Cyclone IV FPGAs are perfect for very complex designs, which means that they are not easy to use compared to other processors.

7. Disadvantages in Accelerating Other Processors

We can use the Cyclone IV FPGA boards to speed up other processors, but they can also slow down some applications compared to other processors. Moreover, the Cyclone IV FPGAs do not always accelerate each application with the same results.

8. Unstable and Flawed

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards have been unstable and flawed because of long delays in FPGA board production and poor design. This has caused problems in the past.

9. No Support From Other Companies

Other companies do not support the Cyclone IV FPGA boards. It means less hardware information is available for them than for other processors.

10. Poor Performance of Commercial Applications

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are not suitable for commercial applications. It means that they will have a large impact on systems designed for commercial applications.

Is Intel (Altera) Cyclone IV FPGA Boards a good fit for my project?

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are good for many applications. This is because they have high performance, scalability, and low power consumption.

Additionally, the Cyclone IV FPGA boards can sometimes cause a system larger than other processors, leading to problems when using the system. This is especially true if you use the system in an industrial application where space is essential.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs are usually designed for high-performance applications. It leads to a larger system size and less efficient design than other processors. This means that the system will consume more power and cost more than other systems.

How can I use my Cyclone IV FPGA boards?

Companies can use the Cyclone IV FPGAs as they would any other processor to improve the performance of their computers and gain from the advantages they offer. We can also use them when speed and efficiency are essential when solving complicated problems.

FPGAs are essential in supercomputing systems to solve complex problems faster than other processors.

Companies can use the Cyclone IV FPGAs to solve very complicated problems that general-purpose processors cannot solve. They can also use them in commercial applications that need high performance, scalability, and low power consumption.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs are also essential in designing specialized hardware solutions for specialized systems.

How hard is it to use the Intel (Altera) Cyclone IV FPGA Boards?

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are suitable for high-performance applications, making them very difficult to use. So, they require a lot of programming, time, and effort to use in the field. This means that companies need to assign a lot of resources when using them in their systems.

How can I optimize my Cyclone IV FPGA boards?

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards are essential for high-performance applications. So, they need optimization before using them in a system. This means that companies will need to use more resources than other processors if their systems have high performance.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs also consume more power than other processors, which means the total energy consumption will increase unless other components reduce it.

Intel (Altera) Cyclone IV FPGA Boards

Common specifications include:

• Made In Japan
• RoHS compliance
• Tested all I/O
• ESD & Surge protection element for USB I/F
• Compact size (53 x 54 mm)
• High quality six layers PCB (Immersion gold)
• 5.0 V single power supply operation
• JTAG buffer for stable download or debug
• JTAG Connector (10 pin socket) for download cable connection
• Power-on Reset
• Status LED (Power, Done)
• Seven segments LED module x1
• User LED x4
• User Switch (Push x1, DIP x1bit)
• 50MHz Oscillator (50 ppm) or External inputs
• USB control IC (FTDI, FT2232H) Free Original Configuration Tool ” BBC [EDA-301]”
• User communication I/F
• Configuration device access (Write/Reset/Erase)
• FPGA Configuration
• Power: 3.3 V single supply – 1.2 V/2.5 V on-board regulators

1. [ACM-023] Altera Cyclone IV E F484 FPGA board

EP4CE115F23C8N

• 100 Maximum operator/user I/O (Board)
• 528 Maximum operator/user I/O (Device)
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 4 PLLs
• 266 Embedded Multipliers
• 3,888 Embedded Memory (Kbits)
• 114,480 Logic Elements

EP4CE75F23C8N

• 100 Maximum consumer/user I/O (Board)
• 426 Maximum consumer/user I/O (Device)
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 4 PLLs
• 200 Embedded Multipliers
• 2,745 Embedded Memory (Kbits)
• 75,408 Logic Elements

EP4CE55F23C8N

• 100 Maximum operator/user I/O (Board)
• 374 Maximum operator/user I/O (Device)
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 4 PLLs
• 154 Embedded Multipliers
• 2,340 Embedded Memory (Kbits)
• 55,856 Logic Elements

2. [ACM-107] Altera Cyclone IV E F484 FPGA board

EP4CE115F23C8N

• 266 Embedded 18×18 Multipliers
• 3,888 Embedded Memory (kbits)
• 128 Maximum operator/user I/O pins (Board)
• 528 Maximum operator/user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 PLLs
• 114,480 Logic Elements

EP4CE75F23C8N

• 200 Embedded 18×18 Multipliers
• 2,745 Embedded Memory(kbits)
• 128 Maximum operator/user I/O pins (Board)
• 426 Maximum operator/user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 PLLs
• 75,408 Logic Elements

EP4CE55F23C8N

• 154 Embedded 18×18 Multipliers
• 2,340 Embedded Memory(kbits)
• 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 374 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 PLLs
• 55,856 Logic Elements

3. [ACM-108] Altera Cyclone IV GX F484 FPGA board

EP4CGX150

• 360 Embedded 18×18 Multipliers
• 6,480 Embedded Memory(kbits)
• 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 475 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 PLLs
• 149,760 Logic Elements

EP4CGX110

• 280 Embedded 18×18 Multipliers
• 5,490 Embedded Memory(kbits)
• 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 475 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 PLLs
• 109,424 Logic Elements

EP4CGX50

• 140 Embedded 18×18 Multipliers
• 2,502 Embedded Memory(kbits)
• 128 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 310 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 PLLs
• 49,888 Logic Elements

4. [EDA-301] Altera Cyclone IV USB-FPGA board

EP4CE15F17C8N

• 56 Maximum operator/user I/O pins (Board)
• 165 Maximum operator/user I/O pins (Device)
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 4 PLLs
• 56 Embedded 18 x 18 multipliers
• 504 Embedded memory (Kbits)
• 15,408 Logic Elements

5. [ACM-204] Altera Cyclone IV E F780 FPGA board

EP4CE115

• 266 Embedded 18 × 18 multipliers
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 3,888 Embedded memory (Kbits)
• 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 528 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 General-purpose PLLs
• 114,480 Logic Elements

EP4CE40

• 116 Embedded 18 × 18 multipliers
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 1,134 Embedded memory (Kbits)
• 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 532 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 General-purpose PLLs
• 39,600 Logic Elements

EP4CE30

• 66 Embedded 18 × 18 multipliers
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 594 Embedded memory (Kbits)
• 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 532 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 General-purpose PLLs
• 28,848 Logic Elements

6. [ACM-205] Altera Cyclone IV E F780 FPGA board

EP4CE115

• 266 Embedded 18 × 18 multipliers
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 3,888 Embedded memory (Kbits)
• 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 528 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 General-purpose PLLs
• 114,480 Logic Elements

EP4CE40

• 116 Embedded 18 × 18 multipliers
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 1,134 Embedded memory (Kbits)
• 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 532 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 General-purpose PLLs
• 39,600 Logic Elements

EP4CE30

• 66 Embedded 18 × 18 multipliers
• 20 Global Clock Networks
• 594 Embedded memory (Kbits)
• 296 Maximum user I/O pins (Board)
• 532 Maximum user I/O pins (Device)
• 4 General-purpose PLLs
• 28,848 Logic Elements

Conclusion

The Cyclone IV FPGA boards from Intel (Altera) are perfect for a wide range of applications with specific computational requirements. We can use them to increase performance, scalability, and efficiency, which is why more companies are using them over general-purpose processors.

Companies like RayMing PCB and Assembly that are familiar with FPGAs can also use the Cyclone IV FPGAs like any other processor when speed and efficiency are essential when solving complicated problems.

The Cyclone IV FPGAs are perfect for high-performance applications, so they may not perform as well as other processors in commercial applications. However, they can also give a system a more complex design, impacting its overall efficiency.

PCBs are usually made from fiberglass and some other composite material. Majority of the PCBs are only laminated once and are very simple. Depending on the purpose of the PCB, the creation is done with a different component. PCB is used mainly as the base in electronics. It can also be used as a surface support piece. PCBs are not only found in computers, but also in other electronics. They are found in industrial machines, medical devices, lightning, etc. The PCB is a small board. PCB allows for the signal to be accessible among two devices physically.

Stress is one of the usual causes of warpage PCB issues. Stress usually occurs during the PCB construction process. This is because, during its construction process, it goes through expansion and shrinking. The expansion and shrinking are what causes internal stress. When the internal stress is released it causes warpage PCB issues. Another cause of warpage PCB issue is the temperature during operation. During fabrication, the PCB passes through various heat treatments.

There are other various causes of warpage issues. It is possible for complications to arise. It can be the weight, the connections, and also the processing. But there are ways to prevent warpage issues and also how they can be treated. Analyzing PCB warpage has given rise to different reasons why it could happen. There are also different types of PCB. Some of the types are single-sided PCB, double-sided PCB, rigid PCB, flexible PCB, rigid-flex PCB etc. In addition, microprocessor PCB is used in all types of electronics.

Warpage PCB

PCB warpage issue is the alteration of PCB shape. It is a change in the PCB that was not planned for. When processing a warp PCB, the transition can occur as a part of the soldering pattern. When soldering is taking place, the shape of the PCB may not be the same as the initial shape.

To have proper placement of the SMT must be flat in shape. If the PCB has a warpage that means it is not flat, it makes it unable for the PCB to maintain a constant height. Warpage PCB has an impact that only people in the industry know about. PCB warpage has been a major concern a few years back. Due its thin board and thick content, PCB warpage is likely to cause construction issues.

The component may also fail if the issues are not attended to during construction. One challenge here is that placement of coppers is now less uniform. This causes PCB warpage in many ways. PCB warpage can lead to poor solder linking and even damage the component. Therefore, the need to address the problem at its early stage.

To avoid warpage in PCB the constructor should make sure the copper-clad balance on the PCB. Solder the construction from the inner part to the outer part to evade shrinking stress. There is no need to apply too much force during welding. Also try not to overheat, use more heat where needed and little heat on the thinner part.

Internal stress can also be reduced by air-cooling. The steel used in construction should be different as possible all through the construction. During molten zinc steel bath steel, leaving steel for too long should not happen. Ensure that you arrange a PCB flat after construction.

Bent PCB

There are two types of PCB, the flexible and rigid PCB. The construction of Flexible PCB is done with a component that makes it easy to reshape. In addition, the construction of Rigid PCB is done in a way that they cannot be shaped again after construction.

So many reasons can cause bent PCB issues. Stress is one of the common ones. When stress greater than the PCB is applied to it, it can cause bent PCB problems right away. High temperatures can soften PCB. During the SMT procedure, the use of high temperature is necessary. If the temperature gets to its highest value limit of the TG capacity, the PCB will bend.

When the temperature gets too high, it turns the substrate from glass to rubber. Most constructors don’t know about this and overheat it, which makes the PCB bend. Constructors that design PCB should consider the position of the copper on the PCB. Copper position on the PCB can also cause it to bend when placed at high temperatures.

In addition, if the PCB is big and the SMD is hefty in component, it can cause it to bend. There is a V-cut constructed for easily separating PCB. It can spoil the structure of the PCB. It can also cause bent PCB. Most types of PCB have a procedure for bending and flexing. But the mode of construction and component used will determine how flexible a PCB is.

PCB that is constructed with glass is not flexible, and cannot bend. You cannot use Flexible PCB in place of rigid PCB. Flattening the bowl mold of the PCB is another technique that can help maintain a flat shape of the PCB. I can also help in maintaining the color of the PCB.

Warpage in PCB

Warpage in PCB can be caused by various issues. Most times, these issues can be divided into mechanical and thermal stress. Warpage caused by thermal stress occurs when a pressing procedure is going on. But warpage caused by mechanical stress occurs during baking and handling of the plate. The depth of the V-cut will is also a cause of warpage in PCB.

The V-cut causes destruction to the PCB structure. This is because it furrows the initial large sheet. So, during this process warpage in PCB usually happens. Another element that causes warpage in PCB is thermal heat. The elastic and expansion properties change when the temperature gets to a certain point. This abnormal expansion can also cause warpage in PCB.

However, there are ways to detect warpage earlier. One of the ways is by using trace mapping technology, to predict warpage. This procedure is done by mapping the copper constituent. Observing this process makes it easier for the creator in arriving at the correct answer.

Placing CCL incorrectly can also cause warpage in PCB. If the PCB is not flat, it will make it inaccurate. An acute angle is also one of the warpage issues in PCB. It is caused by acid trapped in the PCB. The acid trapped in PCB can alter connection problems and make the board defective. It is caused by human mistakes and if not detected early can cause serious warpage issues later on.

In addition, flux remnants from cleaning after soldering can as well cause warpage in PCB. Faulty thermal can as well cause abnormal heat reflow in PCB. It can also make the construction process slow. Warpage PCB is noticed by a very experienced construction company. The thermals that are faulty should be replaced to avoid warpage in PCB.

PCB Warpage Issue

When producing PCBs, the usage of some unsuitable components can cause physical damages to the PCB. It can harm the PCB and cause electricity failure. PCB warpage can affect the construction of printed PCB. Warpage issue is a problem in PCB production that you cannot ignore. PCB warpage mostly occurs after repair and the element feet are hard to clean.

PCB warpage holds after the entire operation of the next process. Warpage issue is also likely to be caused by the substrate used in the process of making PCB. Also, when storing CCL the sucking up of moisture is likely to increase warpage issues.

Warpage in PCB is also measured by using a geometric-based diagram. This helps to generate the pattern distribution. The PCB warpage issue is also caused by swapping old components for new ones. Installation of the PCB in a machine or socket is very difficult when there is a warpage.

Recently PCB is either mounted or chipped into a machine. This is why warpage issue is one of the major concerns. The PCB construction company has to inspect warpage issue thoroughly. So when warpage is discovered on a plate it is selected and baked again. While baking this time, it is done under pressure and taken out of the oven using pressure relief.

However, after baking the PCB again and still doesn’t work, it should be disposed of. PCB warpage issue is a serious concern for manufacturers. It makes PCB production slow and late. There is an arc-shaped mold used for thermal leveling. This leveling process is easy and good. Using the level thermal machine, the PCB warpage can be solved. It also makes your construct finish earlier.

PCB Warping

PCB warping is caused by design and manufacturing issues. The PCB with obtuse and concealed holes needs multiple layering. Most constructors need to be aware of this issue to be able to know what to do and how to do it. This is also one of the common causes of PCB warping.

Sizes and shapes of the PCB can as well cause warping. Bigger and larger tabs on the panel structure can cause PCB warping. Also, if the plate you’ll be using isn’t smooth, it causes imperfect positioning. This can cause the construction plant to get stuck thereby causing PCB warping.

In addition, trying to make the PCB thicker than its normal weight can cause the PCB to warp. Sometimes the manufacturers don’t remember to de-stress after layering. This causes PCB to warp after manufacturing. In addition, using DFM check is a good technique used to detect possible PCB warping. When warping occurs in PCB it causes lots of damage that most times can’t be repaired.

Immediately warping is detected it should be addressed instantly. But if repair is not possible it can be discarded. Most times, when soldering, the solder machine may pick up solder and spread it all through the PCB. This can cause PCB warping. Another solution for avoiding PCB warping is by deducting the copper weight.

Also, when soldering and constructing, use the proper clamp-down technique to hold the PCB flat. When heating, make sure that the heat goes around at the same time and the same amount. One of the major issues of constructing when processing warped PCBs is that warping increases the heat and stress used when joining. One of the aims should be component balance. Once the component employed during construction is balanced, PCB warping can be avoided.

More on PCB Warpage

PCB does not perform equal functions in all electronic devices. Its performance is not universal. A lot of factors contribute to what causes PCB warpage issues. These factors are considered very serious, because it may lead to the total destruction of the PCB. However, there are different types of PCB and their functions differ from each other. Warpage in PCB is an unplanned malfunction of PCB.

Warpage most causes deformed PCB. If soldering is not carefully done, it may cause warping and damage to the PCB. Also, techniques for treating and avoiding PCB can be employed. There are also ways to calculate the PCB warpage. Trace mapping techniques can accurately predict the possible warpage in PCB. In addition, misalignment in machines used to construct is usually caused by bent PCB.

During construction, the PCB should be closely monitored. A lot of industrial sectors now have a high demand for PCB. PCB has lots of components, which are used in its production. During PCB production it is usually tested to confirm its authenticity before distribution. This is done to make sure the PCB is reliable and ready for use. Testing PCB is done early to make corrections before it becomes irreversible or causes warpage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I stop or prevent PCB warpage?

In order to prevent or stop PCB warpage, the copper pattern must be balanced by the designer on the board’s layer with the area of the circuit. In addition, the designer has to equalize the layout of the component, the distribution of the assembly, as well as its thermal distribution, in order to decrease the warpage.

What leads to PCB failure?

The major causes of PCB failure are environmental factors. These include exposure to moisture, dust, and heat, power surges/overloads, and accidental impact (falls and drops).

Conclusion

Having read through this article, you should understand what causes warpage PCB issues, bent pcb, pcb warping, and more. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.