Virtex-4 FX devices availablity issues

Hi,

has anyone ever seen a Virtex-4 FX-part with RocketIO-MGTs? Any FX
bigger than the FX12? And I'm talking about seeing it in real life,
holding it in your hand, putting it on your boards, not just seeing a
Xilinx-manufactured, unpowered eval-board at some trade fair...

Originally, we wanted to use a Virtex-4 FX20 in our latest design. Cool
new part for a cool new prototype, we thought... so we ordered some
engineering samples through our distributor (Insight Memec)... first
they said "No problem, you'll get them in June", so we put it into our
design... after all the schematics were done, and the layout halfway
through, it was "Sorry, you won't get the devices until late July",
which was of course too late, so we had to go back into the design,
change everything to Virtex2 Pro, and cancel the order on the Virtex-4
parts.

Now I wanted to use the FX20 for the next design... thinking "Hey, they
told us we would get it in July", so I put it in the schematics, and
ordered the FX20. So now the distributor says "No way, no parts
available, not even engineering samples, production doesn't even start
before October, don't even bother ordering." Now last I heard was that
*mass production* was supposed to start in October, but engineering
samples should be available long before that. Anyway, again I have to
re-do half of my schematic, again I have to waste a lot of time for
nothing, and again, I can't use a Virtex-4. Meaning that for us Virtex-4
is now dead for all designs and projects this year.

What's up with that? Is there some problem with the MGTs? I can't even
get a single development board with FX20 parts or bigger, they all have
unknown availability dates. FX12 is no problem, anything bigger I just
can't get my hands on.

Did they find some serious bug in the silicon and then decided to stop
production or something?

cu,
Sean

Sean,

http://www.xilinx.com/prs_rls/silicon_vir/0568fx60_spirent.htm

I apologize that the fx20 did not come out as the first part.

The fx60 did.  I would suggest in future that you work more closely with 
your FAE.  Perhaps even voluneer to be in the early adopter program if 
you want to be first.

It is often an issue to get the first of any specific part/package:  in 
this case, there was mask making issue that led to delays on two parts.

Just bad luck.

As it says in the press release, the worst case MGT stress pattern 
passed error free with no issues.  That was a first for Spirent:  they 
had never seen that happen ever before.  They actually gave the team a 
standing ovation.

In all my years as an engineer, I have never heard of passing a test 
getting applause from the customer....

Austin



Sean Durkin wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> has anyone ever seen a Virtex-4 FX-part with RocketIO-MGTs? Any FX
> bigger than the FX12? And I'm talking about seeing it in real life,
> holding it in your hand, putting it on your boards, not just seeing a
> Xilinx-manufactured, unpowered eval-board at some trade fair...
> 
> Originally, we wanted to use a Virtex-4 FX20 in our latest design. Cool
> new part for a cool new prototype, we thought... so we ordered some
> engineering samples through our distributor (Insight Memec)... first
> they said "No problem, you'll get them in June", so we put it into our
> design... after all the schematics were done, and the layout halfway
> through, it was "Sorry, you won't get the devices until late July",
> which was of course too late, so we had to go back into the design,
> change everything to Virtex2 Pro, and cancel the order on the Virtex-4
> parts.
> 
> Now I wanted to use the FX20 for the next design... thinking "Hey, they
> told us we would get it in July", so I put it in the schematics, and
> ordered the FX20. So now the distributor says "No way, no parts
> available, not even engineering samples, production doesn't even start
> before October, don't even bother ordering." Now last I heard was that
> *mass production* was supposed to start in October, but engineering
> samples should be available long before that. Anyway, again I have to
> re-do half of my schematic, again I have to waste a lot of time for
> nothing, and again, I can't use a Virtex-4. Meaning that for us Virtex-4
> is now dead for all designs and projects this year.
> 
> What's up with that? Is there some problem with the MGTs? I can't even
> get a single development board with FX20 parts or bigger, they all have
> unknown availability dates. FX12 is no problem, anything bigger I just
> can't get my hands on.
> 
> Did they find some serious bug in the silicon and then decided to stop
> production or something?
> 
> cu,
> Sean