FPGA with PCIE and some DSP - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: thewyliestcoyote
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 03:11:19 am
content: Hello all,I am considering starting a new project using a FGPA. It is going to PCIE and needs to be in a small form factor. Additionally some DSP and lower price are always pluses. The basic idea is the FPGA sitting between a small SBC with mini-PCIE and a ADC.Does any one have any recommendations?Thanks,Wylie

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 08:46:54 am
content: Do you mean you wish to build a PCB yourself and are looking for chip recommendations? Or do you want something off the shelf? Or something off the shelf that you can build some custom circuitory on?For something completely off the shelf, look at the dev boards for Xilinx, Altera,...For something you can build on: had some very good experiences withMesa Electronics.

author: thewyliestcoyote
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 11:55:04 am
content: It is more in the camp chip recommendations, however there is the reality of having to get started developing the HDL a off the shelf board using the chip in question is a place.Its funny that you mention MESA cards, I have 2 of them, but they are in use in a CNC conversion that I did.

author: Scrts
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 12:17:59 pm
content: I've had good experience with Altera, however some other people will tell you that they were happy with Xilinx. The question shows that you haven't done any FPGA work before? Otherwise, you'd probably have your taste already defined. On top of that, PCIe isn't very easy to implement.

author: John_ITIC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 08:54:14 pm
content: Altera Cyclone IV GX. Supports x4 PCIe 1.1 (2,5 Gbps) and has DSP blocks. Cheap.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 08:59:37 pm
content: I'd look for some kind of reference design/dev. board + PCIe core to jumpstart such a design. IMHO the thing to focus on is how expensive the PCIe core is and whether it is actually a mature piece of versatile IP or just a quick demo. This will take careful reading and examining code.

author: thewyliestcoyote
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 20, 2016, 10:36:22 pm
content: QuoteI have done some, no PCIe stuff yet. At this point I have found not much a good reason to pick one tool set over the other. That said one can count the total number of FPGA projects that I have done that where not for a class on one hand.QuoteThanks, I will take a look at it, but I have to say the $1300 dev board scares me. The is like 4 years pay for a graduate studentQuoteI could not agree more.

author: John_ITIC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2016, 05:14:40 am
content: This one is $395:https://www.altera.com/products/boards_and_kits/dev-kits/altera/kit-cyclone-iv-starter.html

author: Scrts
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 21, 2016, 01:09:41 pm
content: Quote from: John_ITIC on June 21, 2016, 05:14:40 amNo GPIO to hook up something?

author: hamster_nz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2016, 12:16:13 am
content: Lattice ECP5 Versa Development Kit - US$199http://www.latticesemi.com/en/Products/DevelopmentBoardsAndKits/ECP5VersaDevelopmentKit.aspxIt looks to be an LFE5UM5G-45 part, with 72 DSP blocksComes with 1 year license for the tools.I've never used Lattice tools, but it seems to tick all the boxes at a low cost. Features:- Half-length PCI Express form-factor : Allows demonstration of PCI Express x1 interconnection- Electrical testing of one full-duplex SERDES channel via SMA connections- USB-B connection for UART and device programming- Two RJ45 interfaces to 10/100/1000 Ethernet to RGMII- On-board Boot Flash : 128M Serial SPI Flash- DDR3-1866 memory components (64Mb/x16)Mike

author: thewyliestcoyote
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2016, 11:52:53 pm
content: No GPIO is a deal killer for a development board for this project. I am connecting the FGPA to some ADC's and DAC's so GPIOs are a must.Thanks Mike for the recommendation. I am most most defiantly considering that board and device.