FPGA Development Board Wish List

Mike Harrison wrote:
> On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 01:05:16 +0200, Sylvain Munaut <com.246tNt@tnt> wrote:
> 
> 
>>Mike Harrison wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Footprint for a Panel Link LVDS transmitter to drive TFT LCD panels. 
>>>These are available cheaply  surplus, and great fun to play with, but the easy-to-drive
>>>ttl-interface ones are much harder  to find than the now near-universal LVDS panels.
>>>(Data rate is probably too high to drive the LVDS directly from the FPGA)
>>
>>I'm not so sure it's too high. At least for medium sized panels.
>>Even if it's too high for "direct" implementation of the serializer,
>>I think I saw an application note at Xilinx where they used the DDR
>>registers in the IOB so that the internal serializer logic only runned
>>at half the serial clock speed.
>>
>>I wish I had some hw to test that ;)
>>
> 
> 
> ..but for a dev/prototyping system, the interfaces need to be not unduly hard to use.
> From a starting point of never having done anything on an FPGA, and never having written a line of
> VHDL, I got a TTL-input TFT panel displaying stuff in a day. I doubt I could have got an LVDS
> interface going anything like that quickly!
> 
>  A Panel link chip means you just need to provide a clock at a sensible rate (40-70MHz), 3 sync
> signals and parallel RGB data. It's also much more portable than doing low-level fiddling with IOBs.
> 
> It also means you don't need to have a scope that can see the LVDS high-frequency signals as you can
> talk to the panel link chip as if it was a ttl-style panel.
>
Sure, for a dev board that might not be the easiest way, but if you're
trying to do something compact, that may save some board estate. Plus
it's not _that_ harder if in the board package comes the serializer VHDL
code. Then as input you have the exact same input as your ttl panel and
as output, the iobs ;). The disavantage is that one of your bank has to
be 2.5V. and you only use a few signal from that bank.



	Sylvain

For analog video input ADV7402A  is the best choice with it's RGB
digital output ports..

John,
   I had a look at the Broaddown2 module, and one item I couldn't see was 
a user Flash device - although the platform flash can be used for user 
data it's sometimes convenient to have a physically seperate flash, and 
these days you can get some large storage, physically tiny SPI devices.

Also as an asside, I was interested to see your note on the US & UK export 
regulations - can you expand any details on that? Top Secret pinout on the 
edge connectors :-) or regulations on the FPGA?

Regards,
	Chris

John Adair (removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk) wrote:
: Representing a manufacturer of development boards I am going offer you all 
: the chance to have your say on what is goes into our new product 
: Raggedstone1 and it's supporting modules.

: What I can tell is that the board is very cheap and takes what we think are 
: some of the best attributes of the our existing Broaddown2 and MINI-CAN 
: products. Like them it is also a Spartan-3 board (why another! - well you 
: just have to wait and see when we start revealing features in about 4 weeks 
: time). We have also included ideas based on existing customer feedback on 
: the Broaddown2 and MINI-CAN products.

: We are now in the last week of layout and have found some small areas of 
: board space that we might stick something on. So do your worst and suggest 
: (politely please) what we might give you in features. Even if your idea is 
: too big, or expensive, for Raggedstone1 itself then it may make our add-on 
: module list or even the next higher end Broaddown3/4 product launches.

: John Adair
: Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development 
: Board.
: http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
:  

Well you might be pleasantly surprised by the new board.

EAR, to use the acronym, affects some leading edge-ish semiconductors if you 
onward ship the devices or products made from them. Items that can be "dual 
use" especially can be affected, "Dual Use" refers to an item finding its 
way into military kit when it's origional function was purely commercial. It 
is conceivable that FPGA development boards could be used for something 
outside their intended use because they are user programmable. More of a 
problem that say a PCI card with a fixed function.

The US also have embargoed countries that technically can't be shipped to.

Failure to observe these regulations can bring fines and I believe 
imprisonment. Someone from the US may say that my understanding is incorrect 
and I don't claim to be any expert in these matters.

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development 
Board.
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk


"c d saunter" <christopher.saunter@durham.ac.uk> wrote in message 
news:dehvgq$p56$1@heffalump.dur.ac.uk...
> John,
>   I had a look at the Broaddown2 module, and one item I couldn't see was
> a user Flash device - although the platform flash can be used for user
> data it's sometimes convenient to have a physically seperate flash, and
> these days you can get some large storage, physically tiny SPI devices.
>
> Also as an asside, I was interested to see your note on the US & UK export
> regulations - can you expand any details on that? Top Secret pinout on the
> edge connectors :-) or regulations on the FPGA?
>
> Regards,
> Chris
>
> John Adair (removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk) wrote:
> : Representing a manufacturer of development boards I am going offer you 
> all
> : the chance to have your say on what is goes into our new product
> : Raggedstone1 and it's supporting modules.
>
> : What I can tell is that the board is very cheap and takes what we think 
> are
> : some of the best attributes of the our existing Broaddown2 and MINI-CAN
> : products. Like them it is also a Spartan-3 board (why another! - well 
> you
> : just have to wait and see when we start revealing features in about 4 
> weeks
> : time). We have also included ideas based on existing customer feedback 
> on
> : the Broaddown2 and MINI-CAN products.
>
> : We are now in the last week of layout and have found some small areas of
> : board space that we might stick something on. So do your worst and 
> suggest
> : (politely please) what we might give you in features. Even if your idea 
> is
> : too big, or expensive, for Raggedstone1 itself then it may make our 
> add-on
> : module list or even the next higher end Broaddown3/4 product launches.
>
> : John Adair
> : Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
> : Board.
> : http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
> :
>
> 

How about a Marvell 4 port Ethernet switch (linkstreet) so that you can
build a real internet host... they aren't that expensive and can be an
option if your desperate.
http://www.marvell.com/products/switching/linkstreet/index.jsp

It is strictly an MII interface so it can be treated as a PHY except it can
receive TX_CLK and RX_CLK which makes it nice for an FPGA.
I know this as I am just starting to connect one to a S31000.
Simon


"John Adair" <removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk> wrote in
message news:1124900629.17438.0@ersa.uk.clara.net...
> Well you might be pleasantly surprised by the new board.
>
> EAR, to use the acronym, affects some leading edge-ish semiconductors if
you
> onward ship the devices or products made from them. Items that can be
"dual
> use" especially can be affected, "Dual Use" refers to an item finding its
> way into military kit when it's origional function was purely commercial.
It
> is conceivable that FPGA development boards could be used for something
> outside their intended use because they are user programmable. More of a
> problem that say a PCI card with a fixed function.
>
> The US also have embargoed countries that technically can't be shipped to.
>
> Failure to observe these regulations can bring fines and I believe
> imprisonment. Someone from the US may say that my understanding is
incorrect
> and I don't claim to be any expert in these matters.
>
> John Adair
> Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
> Board.
> http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
>
>
> "c d saunter" <christopher.saunter@durham.ac.uk> wrote in message
> news:dehvgq$p56$1@heffalump.dur.ac.uk...
> > John,
> >   I had a look at the Broaddown2 module, and one item I couldn't see was
> > a user Flash device - although the platform flash can be used for user
> > data it's sometimes convenient to have a physically seperate flash, and
> > these days you can get some large storage, physically tiny SPI devices.
> >
> > Also as an asside, I was interested to see your note on the US & UK
export
> > regulations - can you expand any details on that? Top Secret pinout on
the
> > edge connectors :-) or regulations on the FPGA?
> >
> > Regards,
> > Chris
> >
> > John Adair (removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk) wrote:
> > : Representing a manufacturer of development boards I am going offer you
> > all
> > : the chance to have your say on what is goes into our new product
> > : Raggedstone1 and it's supporting modules.
> >
> > : What I can tell is that the board is very cheap and takes what we
think
> > are
> > : some of the best attributes of the our existing Broaddown2 and
MINI-CAN
> > : products. Like them it is also a Spartan-3 board (why another! - well
> > you
> > : just have to wait and see when we start revealing features in about 4
> > weeks
> > : time). We have also included ideas based on existing customer feedback
> > on
> > : the Broaddown2 and MINI-CAN products.
> >
> > : We are now in the last week of layout and have found some small areas
of
> > : board space that we might stick something on. So do your worst and
> > suggest
> > : (politely please) what we might give you in features. Even if your
idea
> > is
> > : too big, or expensive, for Raggedstone1 itself then it may make our
> > add-on
> > : module list or even the next higher end Broaddown3/4 product launches.
> >
> > : John Adair
> > : Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3
Development
> > : Board.
> > : http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
> > :
> >
> >
>
>

We will have a look at this as a module. We already have and ethernet module 
planned so maybe a multichannel might be better.

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development 
Board.
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk

"Simon Peacock" <simon$actrix.co.nz> wrote in message 
news:430d9100@news2.actrix.gen.nz...
> How about a Marvell 4 port Ethernet switch (linkstreet) so that you can
> build a real internet host... they aren't that expensive and can be an
> option if your desperate.
> http://www.marvell.com/products/switching/linkstreet/index.jsp
>
> It is strictly an MII interface so it can be treated as a PHY except it 
> can
> receive TX_CLK and RX_CLK which makes it nice for an FPGA.
> I know this as I am just starting to connect one to a S31000.
> Simon
>
>
> "John Adair" <removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk> wrote 
> in
> message news:1124900629.17438.0@ersa.uk.clara.net...
>> Well you might be pleasantly surprised by the new board.
>>
>> EAR, to use the acronym, affects some leading edge-ish semiconductors if
> you
>> onward ship the devices or products made from them. Items that can be
> "dual
>> use" especially can be affected, "Dual Use" refers to an item finding its
>> way into military kit when it's origional function was purely commercial.
> It
>> is conceivable that FPGA development boards could be used for something
>> outside their intended use because they are user programmable. More of a
>> problem that say a PCI card with a fixed function.
>>
>> The US also have embargoed countries that technically can't be shipped 
>> to.
>>
>> Failure to observe these regulations can bring fines and I believe
>> imprisonment. Someone from the US may say that my understanding is
> incorrect
>> and I don't claim to be any expert in these matters.
>>
>> John Adair
>> Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
>> Board.
>> http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
>>
>>
>> "c d saunter" <christopher.saunter@durham.ac.uk> wrote in message
>> news:dehvgq$p56$1@heffalump.dur.ac.uk...
>> > John,
>> >   I had a look at the Broaddown2 module, and one item I couldn't see 
>> > was
>> > a user Flash device - although the platform flash can be used for user
>> > data it's sometimes convenient to have a physically seperate flash, and
>> > these days you can get some large storage, physically tiny SPI devices.
>> >
>> > Also as an asside, I was interested to see your note on the US & UK
> export
>> > regulations - can you expand any details on that? Top Secret pinout on
> the
>> > edge connectors :-) or regulations on the FPGA?
>> >
>> > Regards,
>> > Chris
>> >
>> > John Adair (removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk) wrote:
>> > : Representing a manufacturer of development boards I am going offer 
>> > you
>> > all
>> > : the chance to have your say on what is goes into our new product
>> > : Raggedstone1 and it's supporting modules.
>> >
>> > : What I can tell is that the board is very cheap and takes what we
> think
>> > are
>> > : some of the best attributes of the our existing Broaddown2 and
> MINI-CAN
>> > : products. Like them it is also a Spartan-3 board (why another! - well
>> > you
>> > : just have to wait and see when we start revealing features in about 4
>> > weeks
>> > : time). We have also included ideas based on existing customer 
>> > feedback
>> > on
>> > : the Broaddown2 and MINI-CAN products.
>> >
>> > : We are now in the last week of layout and have found some small areas
> of
>> > : board space that we might stick something on. So do your worst and
>> > suggest
>> > : (politely please) what we might give you in features. Even if your
> idea
>> > is
>> > : too big, or expensive, for Raggedstone1 itself then it may make our
>> > add-on
>> > : module list or even the next higher end Broaddown3/4 product 
>> > launches.
>> >
>> > : John Adair
>> > : Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3
> Development
>> > : Board.
>> > : http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
>> > :
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
> 

yusufilker@gmail.com wrote:
> For analog video input ADV7402A  is the best choice with it's RGB
> digital output ports..
> 

If this board has either an ADV7400 or an ADV7402 on it, as well as a 
large S3, it has my name on it. I pity the poor fools who try to buy one 
first [grin].

Simon

It's a good module but their data is under NDA .. silly but I guess its a
competitive market.

We use the 7 port device with 4 built in PHY's (going to a quad RJ45 with
built in XFMR's) and one Ethernet connected to a PPC and one to the FPGA.
With QOS, VLAN and bridging you get a lot of features for little cost.  The
reversed PHY connections also make it better for an FPGA as the FPGA
generates the rxc and txc clocks, but as its a switch, with buffering, the
clocks don't need to vary as a normal PHY will do.

I should have a working prototype MAC running in next week but its a very
specific one for my company allowing full speed 100 MBS full duplex ... I
convinced my Boss to get a Memic S31500 demo board with a broadcom PHY... no
where near as good or easy to use as the Marvell and they put the chip under
the LCD so you can't even look at the pins...  but beggars can't be
choosers.

Simon



"John Adair" <removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk> wrote in
message news:1124976892.2298.0@spandrell.news.uk.clara.net...
> We will have a look at this as a module. We already have and ethernet
module
> planned so maybe a multichannel might be better.
>
> John Adair
> Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
> Board.
> http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
>
> "Simon Peacock" <simon$actrix.co.nz> wrote in message
> news:430d9100@news2.actrix.gen.nz...
> > How about a Marvell 4 port Ethernet switch (linkstreet) so that you can
> > build a real internet host... they aren't that expensive and can be an
> > option if your desperate.
> > http://www.marvell.com/products/switching/linkstreet/index.jsp
> >
> > It is strictly an MII interface so it can be treated as a PHY except it
> > can
> > receive TX_CLK and RX_CLK which makes it nice for an FPGA.
> > I know this as I am just starting to connect one to a S31000.
> > Simon
> >
> >
> > "John Adair" <removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk> wrote
> > in
> > message news:1124900629.17438.0@ersa.uk.clara.net...
> >> Well you might be pleasantly surprised by the new board.
> >>
> >> EAR, to use the acronym, affects some leading edge-ish semiconductors
if
> > you
> >> onward ship the devices or products made from them. Items that can be
> > "dual
> >> use" especially can be affected, "Dual Use" refers to an item finding
its
> >> way into military kit when it's origional function was purely
commercial.
> > It
> >> is conceivable that FPGA development boards could be used for something
> >> outside their intended use because they are user programmable. More of
a
> >> problem that say a PCI card with a fixed function.
> >>
> >> The US also have embargoed countries that technically can't be shipped
> >> to.
> >>
> >> Failure to observe these regulations can bring fines and I believe
> >> imprisonment. Someone from the US may say that my understanding is
> > incorrect
> >> and I don't claim to be any expert in these matters.
> >>
> >> John Adair
> >> Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development
> >> Board.
> >> http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
> >>
> >>
> >> "c d saunter" <christopher.saunter@durham.ac.uk> wrote in message
> >> news:dehvgq$p56$1@heffalump.dur.ac.uk...
> >> > John,
> >> >   I had a look at the Broaddown2 module, and one item I couldn't see
> >> > was
> >> > a user Flash device - although the platform flash can be used for
user
> >> > data it's sometimes convenient to have a physically seperate flash,
and
> >> > these days you can get some large storage, physically tiny SPI
devices.
> >> >
> >> > Also as an asside, I was interested to see your note on the US & UK
> > export
> >> > regulations - can you expand any details on that? Top Secret pinout
on
> > the
> >> > edge connectors :-) or regulations on the FPGA?
> >> >
> >> > Regards,
> >> > Chris
> >> >
> >> > John Adair (removethisthenleavejea@replacewithcompanyname.co.uk)
wrote:
> >> > : Representing a manufacturer of development boards I am going offer
> >> > you
> >> > all
> >> > : the chance to have your say on what is goes into our new product
> >> > : Raggedstone1 and it's supporting modules.
> >> >
> >> > : What I can tell is that the board is very cheap and takes what we
> > think
> >> > are
> >> > : some of the best attributes of the our existing Broaddown2 and
> > MINI-CAN
> >> > : products. Like them it is also a Spartan-3 board (why another! -
well
> >> > you
> >> > : just have to wait and see when we start revealing features in about
4
> >> > weeks
> >> > : time). We have also included ideas based on existing customer
> >> > feedback
> >> > on
> >> > : the Broaddown2 and MINI-CAN products.
> >> >
> >> > : We are now in the last week of layout and have found some small
areas
> > of
> >> > : board space that we might stick something on. So do your worst and
> >> > suggest
> >> > : (politely please) what we might give you in features. Even if your
> > idea
> >> > is
> >> > : too big, or expensive, for Raggedstone1 itself then it may make our
> >> > add-on
> >> > : module list or even the next higher end Broaddown3/4 product
> >> > launches.
> >> >
> >> > : John Adair
> >> > : Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3
> > Development
> >> > : Board.
> >> > : http://www.enterpoint.co.uk
> >> > :
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

I had a 2 min pass at the part and if I understood it correctly (I didn't 
find a datasheet I could access) we need about 40 I/O on the Spartan-3 side. 
It would good as a module if it where less than 38. Otherwise it does look a 
good chip for us to support or even the adv7403 that looks to be 
superceeding it.

John Adair
Enterpoint Ltd. - Home of Broaddown2. The Ultimate Spartan3 Development 
Board.
http://www.enterpoint.co.uk

"Simon" <news@gornall.net> wrote in message 
news:eoudnY3mo96rw5PeRVn-hA@comcast.com...
> yusufilker@gmail.com wrote:
>> For analog video input ADV7402A  is the best choice with it's RGB
>> digital output ports..
>>
>
> If this board has either an ADV7400 or an ADV7402 on it, as well as a 
> large S3, it has my name on it. I pity the poor fools who try to buy one 
> first [grin].
>
> Simon 

John_H wrote:
> I think it's the Texas Instruments TFP501 and TFP510 (Rx and Tx) that are
> popular TMDS choices.  These came up with similar parts using a keyword
> search on DVI on the TI website.

Would you happen to know where to find theses for experimenting ? I
don't have any particular project in mind I just want to hook up one of
theses to experiment with. But I don't see them at digikey/mouser/farnel ...

(And being outside US I can't have samples from TI directly)


	Sylvain