USB Interface to Virtex-4

Hello All,

I am looking for a time efficient means to add USB capability to a Virtex-4 
LX80.   After looking around it seems that there are several third party 
solutions that require minimal number of interface I/Os (a byte wide data 
interface and a three wire serial control interface).  However, I thought it 
would be a good idea to see if anyone with experience might suggest parts to 
avoid and parts that are recommended.  Ideally what I would like to find is 
a part that requires less than about 20 FPGA I/Os to interface to and 
provides example driver source implementing a transfer of a single block of 
continously addressed memory.

Thanks for any suggestions,
Brendan 

USB 2.0 at 480 Mbps?  12 Mb/s?
The PLX NetChip 2272 is an okay device for 480 Mbps though I dislike the 
asynchronous interface.  I don't know if they have driver source available. 
http://www.plxtech.com/products/NET2000/default.asp

I'd love to see a better option!

"Brendan Illingworth" <billingworth@furaxa.com> wrote in message 
news:6tSdnV0slP-AkLHZRVn-rA@comcast.com...
> Hello All,
>
> I am looking for a time efficient means to add USB capability to a 
> Virtex-4 LX80.   After looking around it seems that there are several 
> third party solutions that require minimal number of interface I/Os (a 
> byte wide data interface and a three wire serial control interface). 
> However, I thought it would be a good idea to see if anyone with 
> experience might suggest parts to avoid and parts that are recommended. 
> Ideally what I would like to find is a part that requires less than about 
> 20 FPGA I/Os to interface to and provides example driver source 
> implementing a transfer of a single block of continously addressed memory.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions,
> Brendan 

I'd like to support full USB 2.0 transfer speeds.  Example driver source 
would be critical in the intrest of saving time.


"John_H" <johnhandwork@mail.com> wrote in message 
news:k8UWf.4376$kg.544@news02.roc.ny...
> USB 2.0 at 480 Mbps?  12 Mb/s?
> The PLX NetChip 2272 is an okay device for 480 Mbps though I dislike the 
> asynchronous interface.  I don't know if they have driver source 
> available. http://www.plxtech.com/products/NET2000/default.asp
>
> I'd love to see a better option!
>
> "Brendan Illingworth" <billingworth@furaxa.com> wrote in message 
> news:6tSdnV0slP-AkLHZRVn-rA@comcast.com...
>> Hello All,
>>
>> I am looking for a time efficient means to add USB capability to a 
>> Virtex-4 LX80.   After looking around it seems that there are several 
>> third party solutions that require minimal number of interface I/Os (a 
>> byte wide data interface and a three wire serial control interface). 
>> However, I thought it would be a good idea to see if anyone with 
>> experience might suggest parts to avoid and parts that are recommended. 
>> Ideally what I would like to find is a part that requires less than about 
>> 20 FPGA I/Os to interface to and provides example driver source 
>> implementing a transfer of a single block of continously addressed 
>> memory.
>>
>> Thanks for any suggestions,
>> Brendan
>
> 

I've used the Cypress FX2 in the past.  It has a flexible
interface that can support byte or word interfaces.  They
used to have sample driver code, I believe they now supply
only a pre-built driver, you may want to check.

It's a very flexible part, but with the flexiblity comes the need
for additional design work.

You might look at ?QuickUSB? that has a canned design with
the FX2, but I'm sure if it can handle full data rates sustained.

John Providenza

Brendan Illingworth wrote:
> I'd like to support full USB 2.0 transfer speeds.  Example driver source
> would be critical in the intrest of saving time.

What driver you use depends on what USB Device Class you choose for
your device.

-a

I have used USB 1 devices from http://www.ftdichip.com/ in the past. In
terms of the FTDI PC driver the simplest route was to use their PC
driver that makes the USB port look like a COM/serial port. I.e your PC
application doesn't need to know anything about USB. At the USB device
end the FTDI chips can present a serial or parallel IO inteface that
you would attach to your FPGA. This is a very quick way to get USB into
your product, but you do take the unit cost hit of the FTDI USB chip.

I'm sure the latest FTDI devices are USB 2 compliant, but I don't know
if they support USB Hi-Speed(480Mbit/s) or just "USB Full Speed"
(approx 8mbit/s). A USB 2 device does not have to support HiSpeed.

"I'd like to support full USB 2.0 transfer speeds" - ummm do you want
to support USB 2 Full speed = 8mbit/s or do you want to support the max
USB 2 speed = Hi Speed = 480 mbit/s.

Regards
Andrew


Andy Peters wrote:
> Brendan Illingworth wrote:
> > I'd like to support full USB 2.0 transfer speeds.  Example driver source
> > would be critical in the intrest of saving time.
>
> What driver you use depends on what USB Device Class you choose for
> your device.
> 
> -a

On 30 Mar 2006 09:56:49 -0800, "johnp" <johnp3+nospam@probo.com> wrote:

>I've used the Cypress FX2 in the past.  It has a flexible
>interface that can support byte or word interfaces.  They
>used to have sample driver code, I believe they now supply
>only a pre-built driver, you may want to check.
>
>It's a very flexible part, but with the flexiblity comes the need
>for additional design work.
>
>You might look at ?QuickUSB? that has a canned design with
>the FX2, but I'm sure if it can handle full data rates sustained.
>
>John Providenza

I used quickusb recently - removes the need to get involved in any of the low-level USB stuff at the
PC end, and supports various IO models - 8/16 bit, internal/external addressing, with various fifo
modes and UARTs plus a FPGA bitstream programming mode. Absolute minimum pin count would be 8 data +
2 control + clock, but you'd probably need at least one extra for framing/handshaking.
http://www.quickusb.com

A friend of mine looked into using the QuickUSB module for
a project, but had to reject it because it radiated noise at
too high a level for his application.  He was doing some analog
signal sampling/generation and the noise from the module
would have been a killer.

John Providenza

Dumb question: Since USB is just a two wire serial interface and all the USB
solutions I've seen are simple, though speedy, microcontrollers why can't
the USB be inside the fpga? Seems like you can instantiate a small micro
running at 50 mhz or so with code in a couple block rams to do what the fx2,
for example, does. Apparently, doesn't exist so there must be some reason?

-Clark

"Mike Harrison" <mike@whitewing.co.uk> wrote in message
news:37no22duhjkjtns5mh9kvock01039l4tum@4ax.com...
> On 30 Mar 2006 09:56:49 -0800, "johnp" <johnp3+nospam@probo.com> wrote:
>
> >I've used the Cypress FX2 in the past.  It has a flexible
> >interface that can support byte or word interfaces.  They
> >used to have sample driver code, I believe they now supply
> >only a pre-built driver, you may want to check.
> >
> >It's a very flexible part, but with the flexiblity comes the need
> >for additional design work.
> >
> >You might look at ?QuickUSB? that has a canned design with
> >the FX2, but I'm sure if it can handle full data rates sustained.
> >
> >John Providenza
>
> I used quickusb recently - removes the need to get involved in any of the
low-level USB stuff at the
> PC end, and supports various IO models - 8/16 bit, internal/external
addressing, with various fifo
> modes and UARTs plus a FPGA bitstream programming mode. Absolute minimum
pin count would be 8 data +
> 2 control + clock, but you'd probably need at least one extra for
framing/handshaking.
> http://www.quickusb.com

I agree with Clark, thats why the IP cores are for. The only matter is the 
physical connection cause the high frequencies of the wires you have to 
drive inside the fpga need to be shielded from noise.

chech existing phy inteegrated chips.

"Anonymous" <someone@microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:zraXf.56091$915.5917@southeast.rr.com...
> Dumb question: Since USB is just a two wire serial interface and all the 
> USB
> solutions I've seen are simple, though speedy, microcontrollers why can't
> the USB be inside the fpga? Seems like you can instantiate a small micro
> running at 50 mhz or so with code in a couple block rams to do what the 
> fx2,
> for example, does. Apparently, doesn't exist so there must be some reason?
>
> -Clark
>
> "Mike Harrison" <mike@whitewing.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:37no22duhjkjtns5mh9kvock01039l4tum@4ax.com...
>> On 30 Mar 2006 09:56:49 -0800, "johnp" <johnp3+nospam@probo.com> wrote:
>>
>> >I've used the Cypress FX2 in the past.  It has a flexible
>> >interface that can support byte or word interfaces.  They
>> >used to have sample driver code, I believe they now supply
>> >only a pre-built driver, you may want to check.
>> >
>> >It's a very flexible part, but with the flexiblity comes the need
>> >for additional design work.
>> >
>> >You might look at ?QuickUSB? that has a canned design with
>> >the FX2, but I'm sure if it can handle full data rates sustained.
>> >
>> >John Providenza
>>
>> I used quickusb recently - removes the need to get involved in any of the
> low-level USB stuff at the
>> PC end, and supports various IO models - 8/16 bit, internal/external
> addressing, with various fifo
>> modes and UARTs plus a FPGA bitstream programming mode. Absolute minimum
> pin count would be 8 data +
>> 2 control + clock, but you'd probably need at least one extra for
> framing/handshaking.
>> http://www.quickusb.com
>
>