ISE 7.1i reference design for Virtex-II PRO FF672 kit (Avnet)

Hi..
I am trying to implement the Rocket I/O interface on the Xilinx
Virtex-II Pro FF672 kit from Avnet. The reference design is EDK based
and uses the powerPC. I would like to know the procedure for
implementing Rocket I/O on this board using the logic fabric ( I
presume that the power PC just slows down everything and moreover the
logic fabric would be better suited for my  application). I am using
the Fibre channel for connection. Aurora is not an option here due to
limited licenses.
So one option I am currently exploring is the Architecture wizard which
gives me a HDL interface for the Rocket I/O. But I am not sure about
exactly defining the .ucf file for the different pins. If anybody has a
pointer to this problem or some sort of info on the pinouts/ucf file,
please pass it on.
Thanks in advance,
Vivek

Vivek Menon wrote:
> Hi..
> I am trying to implement the Rocket I/O interface on the Xilinx
> Virtex-II Pro FF672 kit from Avnet. The reference design is EDK based
> and uses the powerPC. I would like to know the procedure for
> implementing Rocket I/O on this board using the logic fabric ( I
> presume that the power PC just slows down everything and moreover the
> logic fabric would be better suited for my  application).

I find that using the PowerPC allows a very convenient method of running 
interactive tests via a serial link. It certainly is not necessary for 
using the RocketIO.

> I am using
> the Fibre channel for connection. Aurora is not an option here due to
> limited licenses.

The Aurora core is free, and the license has very little in the way of 
restrictions. It is also very easy to use, and should in my opinion be 
your first choice for a plain data interface.

It would probably help to understand how you wish to use the interface. 
Are you actually attempting to implement the Fibre channel protocol, or 
do you mean that you are using fiber optic cables.

> So one option I am currently exploring is the Architecture wizard which
> gives me a HDL interface for the Rocket I/O. But I am not sure about
> exactly defining the .ucf file for the different pins. If anybody has a
> pointer to this problem or some sort of info on the pinouts/ucf file,
> please pass it on.

You need to read the "RocketIO Transceiver User Guide". That is all 
covered. Also, the Avnet board reference design comes with a UCF file 
with the correct pinouts.

Hi Duane,
1. The reference design is power PC based and includes the BERT test. I
do not want to use that. So I thought of using the Rocket I/O
implementation on the logic fabric. Also I am using the fibre optic
cable. What specs to use for that?
2. The ucf file that comes with the Avnet board is for the EDK project.
I am confused about converting it for ISE project.

At the same time, thank you for letting me know that the Aurora core is
free of charge. Let me download it and look into it.
Thanks,
Vivek


Duane Clark wrote:
> Vivek Menon wrote:
> > Hi..
> > I am trying to implement the Rocket I/O interface on the Xilinx
> > Virtex-II Pro FF672 kit from Avnet. The reference design is EDK based
> > and uses the powerPC. I would like to know the procedure for
> > implementing Rocket I/O on this board using the logic fabric ( I
> > presume that the power PC just slows down everything and moreover the
> > logic fabric would be better suited for my  application).
>
> I find that using the PowerPC allows a very convenient method of running
> interactive tests via a serial link. It certainly is not necessary for
> using the RocketIO.
>
> > I am using
> > the Fibre channel for connection. Aurora is not an option here due to
> > limited licenses.
>
> The Aurora core is free, and the license has very little in the way of
> restrictions. It is also very easy to use, and should in my opinion be
> your first choice for a plain data interface.
>
> It would probably help to understand how you wish to use the interface.
> Are you actually attempting to implement the Fibre channel protocol, or
> do you mean that you are using fiber optic cables.
>
> > So one option I am currently exploring is the Architecture wizard which
> > gives me a HDL interface for the Rocket I/O. But I am not sure about
> > exactly defining the .ucf file for the different pins. If anybody has a
> > pointer to this problem or some sort of info on the pinouts/ucf file,
> > please pass it on.
>
> You need to read the "RocketIO Transceiver User Guide". That is all
> covered. Also, the Avnet board reference design comes with a UCF file
> with the correct pinouts.

Vivek Menon wrote:
> Hi Duane,
> 1. The reference design is power PC based and includes the BERT test. I
> do not want to use that. So I thought of using the Rocket I/O
> implementation on the logic fabric. Also I am using the fibre optic
> cable. What specs to use for that?

Fibre Channel is a protocol, and a rather complicated one at that (and 
it does not necessarily require fiber optic cables). A fiber optic cable 
can use any protocol you want. Aurora defines it's own protocol, which 
is a very simple one suited for basic data transfer. It sounds like that 
is what you want to do.

> 2. The ucf file that comes with the Avnet board is for the EDK project.
> I am confused about converting it for ISE project.

The Avnet ucf file has the pinouts used on the board, and that is not 
dependent on whether it is an ISE or EDK project. You can copy those 
pinouts to your own project ucf file, changing the signal names to 
whatever you intend to use.

Hello Duane,
thanks for the reply. What I meant was that the constraints for clocks
can be used for the ISE file. However I get errors while trying to
define :

INST GT_FIBRE_CHAN_INST/mgt_io/mgt_io_1 AREA_GROUP="BERT_0_GRP";
AREA_GROUP "BERT_0_GRP" RANGE=SLICE_X0Y0:SLICE_X33Y59;
#----------------------------------------------------------------
# MGT Placement:
#----------------------------------------------------------------

#Top MGTs
INST GT_FIBRE_CHAN_INST    LOC = GT_X1Y1;  ## MGT6

Any information on this?
Thanks,
Vivek

Duane Clark wrote:
> Vivek Menon wrote:
> > Hi Duane,
> > 1. The reference design is power PC based and includes the BERT test. I
> > do not want to use that. So I thought of using the Rocket I/O
> > implementation on the logic fabric. Also I am using the fibre optic
> > cable. What specs to use for that?
>
> Fibre Channel is a protocol, and a rather complicated one at that (and
> it does not necessarily require fiber optic cables). A fiber optic cable
> can use any protocol you want. Aurora defines it's own protocol, which
> is a very simple one suited for basic data transfer. It sounds like that
> is what you want to do.
>
> > 2. The ucf file that comes with the Avnet board is for the EDK project.
> > I am confused about converting it for ISE project.
>
> The Avnet ucf file has the pinouts used on the board, and that is not
> dependent on whether it is an ISE or EDK project. You can copy those
> pinouts to your own project ucf file, changing the signal names to
> whatever you intend to use.

Vivek Menon wrote:
> Hello Duane,
> thanks for the reply. What I meant was that the constraints for clocks
> can be used for the ISE file. However I get errors while trying to
> define :
> 
> INST GT_FIBRE_CHAN_INST/mgt_io/mgt_io_1 AREA_GROUP="BERT_0_GRP";
> AREA_GROUP "BERT_0_GRP" RANGE=SLICE_X0Y0:SLICE_X33Y59;
> #----------------------------------------------------------------
> # MGT Placement:
> #----------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> #Top MGTs
> INST GT_FIBRE_CHAN_INST    LOC = GT_X1Y1;  ## MGT6
> 
> Any information on this?

When you sign up with Xilinx for the Aurora core, you will receive a 
license to use in Coregen to generate a core. When you generate the 
core, along with the design files, a constraints file will be generated 
that has all those constraints. You will copy those constraints into 
your ucf file. The core comes with docs explaining how to use it. I'll 
admit that the first time you use coregen to generate an Aurora core, it 
can be tricky trying to figure out what to enter, so you can ask here if 
you have questions about that part.

Hello,

Thank you Duane for the pointers. I did get the first design to work on
Aurora (eg. counter design). I am going to try sending the actual data.

However, I have some doubts again:
1. I need to send a data pattern at a very high rate. The Aurora links
transmit data at 3.125 GBits/sec ( multiplication of Bref_clk with a
factor of 20 inside the DCM).
I was wondering if I could access that clock and use it clock my data
generator module.
2. Moreover, has anyone accessed the data sent through the Aurora links
on a high speed oscilloscope. I am trying to send modulated GPS signals
and hence this query.
3. I have downloaded the Aurora module and I am using it to implement
the networking among a series of FPGAs. Is Aurora proprietary?? Can it
be used by the industry for implementation on their products??( I want
to know if it's restricted to academia use.)

Thanks,
Vivek

Duane Clark wrote:
> Vivek Menon wrote:
> > Hello Duane,
> > thanks for the reply. What I meant was that the constraints for clocks
> > can be used for the ISE file. However I get errors while trying to
> > define :
> >
> > INST GT_FIBRE_CHAN_INST/mgt_io/mgt_io_1 AREA_GROUP="BERT_0_GRP";
> > AREA_GROUP "BERT_0_GRP" RANGE=SLICE_X0Y0:SLICE_X33Y59;
> > #----------------------------------------------------------------
> > # MGT Placement:
> > #----------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > #Top MGTs
> > INST GT_FIBRE_CHAN_INST    LOC = GT_X1Y1;  ## MGT6
> >
> > Any information on this?
>
> When you sign up with Xilinx for the Aurora core, you will receive a
> license to use in Coregen to generate a core. When you generate the
> core, along with the design files, a constraints file will be generated
> that has all those constraints. You will copy those constraints into
> your ucf file. The core comes with docs explaining how to use it. I'll
> admit that the first time you use coregen to generate an Aurora core, it
> can be tricky trying to figure out what to enter, so you can ask here if
> you have questions about that part.

Vivek Menon wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Thank you Duane for the pointers. I did get the first design to work on
> Aurora (eg. counter design). I am going to try sending the actual data.
> 
> However, I have some doubts again:
> 1. I need to send a data pattern at a very high rate. The Aurora links
> transmit data at 3.125 GBits/sec ( multiplication of Bref_clk with a
> factor of 20 inside the DCM).
> I was wondering if I could access that clock and use it clock my data
> generator module.

In the Aurora core user guide, there is a chapter on "The Clock 
Interface and Clocking". Notice that there are clocks generated called 
USER_CLK*. You can use those clocks with any extra logic you want. At 
least in the user guide ug061.pdf, Figure 7-2 shows this connection.

> 2. Moreover, has anyone accessed the data sent through the Aurora links
> on a high speed oscilloscope. I am trying to send modulated GPS signals
> and hence this query.

If you have a scope capable of handling these signals, sure. People use 
eye diagrams on a scope to determine how much margin a link has. Also, 
it was my understanding that Xilinx used to have centers scattered 
around, at least in the US, where a company could bring in a board and 
check out RocketIO interfaces on their equipment. I assume they still 
provide that service, though I never used it myself.

For myself, I tested the links by generating a known pattern on one side 
of the link, and had hardware detect the pattern on the other side and 
count bit errors. You should have no bit errors on a good link. Test 
your detection code by including the ability to inject an occasional 
deliberate error.

> 3. I have downloaded the Aurora module and I am using it to implement
> the networking among a series of FPGAs. Is Aurora proprietary?? Can it
> be used by the industry for implementation on their products??( I want
> to know if it's restricted to academia use.)

It is not restricted to academia, but other than that I can't give legal 
advice ;) The core came with a license agreement, and despite the 
legalese, you should be able to figure out what is allowed.

>>In the Aurora core user guide, there is a chapter on "The Clock Interface and >>Clocking". Notice that there are clocks generated called USER_CLK*. You can use >>those clocks with any extra logic you want. At  least in the user guide ug061.pdf, >>Figure 7-2 shows this connection.

I did look at this figure but I guess I should have framed my question
differently. Is the user_clk multiplied by 20 inside the DCM present
inside the MGT. When I try to use a DCM to multiply it, the maximum I
can shoot for is to 250 MHz. So how can I use the user_clk as it is
still 156 MHz and are there any other ways to access the multiplied clk
signal??
ANy pointers??

Vivek

Vivek Menon wrote:
>>> In the Aurora core user guide, there is a chapter on "The Clock Interface and >>Clocking". Notice that there are clocks generated called USER_CLK*. You can use >>those clocks with any extra logic you want. At  least in the user guide ug061.pdf, >>Figure 7-2 shows this connection.
> 
> I did look at this figure but I guess I should have framed my question
> differently. Is the user_clk multiplied by 20 inside the DCM present
> inside the MGT. When I try to use a DCM to multiply it, the maximum I
> can shoot for is to 250 MHz. So how can I use the user_clk as it is
> still 156 MHz and are there any other ways to access the multiplied clk
> signal??

The x20 multiplier is indeed already inside the MGT, and is produced off 
the "dedicated" REFCLK/BREFCLK. That is why they are so picky about how 
you provide that clock. You don't need to provide x20 clock, and you 
don't have any access to it. It wouldn't do you any good; even Xilinx 
FPGAs won't run at 3.1GHz yet.