Xilinx is canceling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860. We are currently shipping a product that uses 13 of these chips on 4 different boards. Does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this? One possibility is to rev the boards to use the XCV1000E-FG900, making minimal changes to the boards around the fpga. Complete re-design of the boards for this old system is out of the question. Stockpiling a bunch of parts won't work because we don't know what future quantities will be and the parts are very expensive. Alan Nishioka alan@nishioka.com
Xilinx is cancelling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860
Started by ●April 22, 2008
Reply by ●April 22, 20082008-04-22
Reply by ●April 23, 20082008-04-23
Alan Nishioka wrote:> Xilinx is canceling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860. > > We are currently shipping a product that uses 13 of these chips on 4 > different boards. > > Does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this? > > One possibility is to rev the boards to use the XCV1000E-FG900, making > minimal changes to the boards around the fpga. > > Complete re-design of the boards for this old system is out of the > question. Stockpiling a bunch of parts won't work because we don't > know what future quantities will be and the parts are very expensive. > > Alan Nishioka > alan@nishioka.comHi Alan, Maybe an interposer would work? Mount the FG900 on that, mount the interposer on your board? Somethign like this... http://advanced.com/pdf/AIC_BGA_Interposer_DataSheet_revJun07.pdf HTH., Syms.
Reply by ●April 23, 20082008-04-23
austin wrote:> What is your present volume?It is only about 10 Xilinx parts per month. But the parts started out at $1000 each, so it adds up. Alan Nishioka
Reply by ●April 23, 20082008-04-23
Alan, I think the interposer suggestion is really the best one. With the small volume, re-design of the pcb is just not going to be worth the money spent (you will never recover it), where the interposer is a fixed cost, and a known set of issues, and although "clunky" does work... The reality is that Xilinx does everything it can to NOT obsolete anything that is making money (or even breaking even), but we do have to look at what is NOT selling, and make some hard decisions from time to time. I do apologize: there is no way I can tell you what will be a top seller, and what will not be a top seller (part, package, or otherwise)! I can say that I would always look carefully at the package/part/family roadmap, and choose a part that has both up, and down, resource/pins, in the chart. Now that all V5 family members have identical pinouts (can move from LX to LXT, to SXT, to FXT, in any package without relayout*), I think things should get easier (at least that is what our customers are telling us). Austin *If you plan for it. For example, if you go from LXT to FXT, you do need to change one supply for the gigabit transceivers from 1.2 to 1.0 volts, but the pins are still the same pins. Alan Nishioka wrote:> austin wrote: >> What is your present volume? > > It is only about 10 Xilinx parts per month. But the parts started out > at $1000 each, so it adds up. > > Alan Nishioka
Reply by ●April 23, 20082008-04-23
On Apr 22, 12:11=A0pm, Alan Nishioka <a...@nishioka.com> wrote:> Xilinx is canceling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860. > > We are currently shipping a product that uses 13 of these chips on 4 > different boards. > > Does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this? > > One possibility is to rev the boards to use the XCV1000E-FG900, making > minimal changes to the boards around the fpga. > > Complete re-design of the boards for this old system is out of the > question. =A0Stockpiling a bunch of parts won't work because we don't know=> what future quantities will be and the parts are very expensive. > > Alan Nishioka > a...@nishioka.comAlan, I checked a few options: It is the package that is is being obsoleted, so there is no pin-out compatible way out =2E Simplest solution: Use the "last-time buy" option, order before June 008 for delivery by June 2009, which might give you enough parts to see you through 2010 or even longer, your choice. More work, but much (much!) lower component price: Redesign for Spartan XC3S1500, or take the opportunity to combine into a few larger Spartan3 devices. Remember, the '1000E was introduced 8 years ago... Regards Peter Alfke, Xilinx
Reply by ●April 24, 20082008-04-24
On 23 Apr., 18:51, Peter Alfke <pe...@xilinx.com> wrote:> On Apr 22, 12:11 pm, Alan Nishioka <a...@nishioka.com> wrote: > > > Xilinx is canceling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860. > > > We are currently shipping a product that uses 13 of these chips on 4 > > different boards. > > > Does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this? > > > One possibility is to rev the boards to use the XCV1000E-FG900, making > > minimal changes to the boards around the fpga. > > > Complete re-design of the boards for this old system is out of the > > question. Stockpiling a bunch of parts won't work because we don't know > > what future quantities will be and the parts are very expensive. > > > Alan Nishioka > > a...@nishioka.com > > Alan, I checked a few options: > > It is the package that is is being obsoleted, so there is no pin-out > compatible way out > . > Simplest solution: Use the "last-time buy" option, order before June > 008 for delivery by June 2009, which might give you enough parts to > see you through 2010 or even longer, your choice. > > More work, but much (much!) lower component price: > Redesign for Spartan XC3S1500, or take the opportunity to combine into > a few larger Spartan3 devices. > > Remember, the '1000E was introduced 8 years ago... > Regards > Peter Alfke, XilinxHi Peter, I have another suggestion: why does Xilinx not offer "package" matching options for discontiued packages, sure only where possible and demand is? so it would be not Alan making FG900-FG860 bga adapter (with his 100KUSD+ yearly Xilinx buying for one project) but maybe also others who would benefit? just a suggestion. Antti
Reply by ●April 24, 20082008-04-24
Symon wrote:> Alan Nishioka wrote: >> Xilinx is canceling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860. > > Maybe an interposer would work? Mount the FG900 on that, mount the > interposer on your board? Something like this... > http://advanced.com/pdf/AIC_BGA_Interposer_DataSheet_revJun07.pdf > HTH., Syms.I fear that an interposer won't work at 75MHz. It was hard enough to get to work as it is. But it is worth some thought. I wonder how much it costs? Thank you everyone for your responses. I figured it was worth a shot if anyone had a radical idea. Alan Nishioka
Reply by ●April 24, 20082008-04-24
Alan Nishioka wrote:> Symon wrote: >> Alan Nishioka wrote: >>> Xilinx is canceling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860. >> >> Maybe an interposer would work? Mount the FG900 on that, mount the >> interposer on your board? Something like this... >> http://advanced.com/pdf/AIC_BGA_Interposer_DataSheet_revJun07.pdf >> HTH., Syms. > > I fear that an interposer won't work at 75MHz. It was hard enough to > get to work as it is. But it is worth some thought. I wonder how > much it costs? > > Thank you everyone for your responses. I figured it was worth a shot > if anyone had a radical idea. > > Alan NishiokaHi Alan, Surprisingly, it may be it works 'better' than the ordinary solution. This is because the interposer's power planes can be set up differently from the main PCB's power planes. Whereas the main PCB's power planes are probably a compromise for the whole circuit, the interposer's planes can be designed to be optimal for the FPGA. A more expensive stackup can be used as the interposers are small. Bypass caps can be mounted on the interposer. Here's a link which explains better than I can. http://www.samtec.com/sudden_service/current_literature/powerposer.asp Anyway, good luck with it all, I've been in similar situations myself, and the usual solution is a redesign. :-( Best, Syms.
Reply by ●April 24, 20082008-04-24
"Alan Nishioka" <alan@nishioka.com> wrote in message news:xQqPj.5333$iK6.4113@nlpi069.nbdc.sbc.com...> Xilinx is canceling the Virtex-E XCV1000E-FG860. > > We are currently shipping a product that uses 13 of these chips on 4 different boards. > > Does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this? > > One possibility is to rev the boards to use the XCV1000E-FG900, making minimal changes to the boards around the fpga. > > Complete re-design of the boards for this old system is out of the question. Stockpiling a bunch of parts won't work because > we don't know what future quantities will be and the parts are very expensive. > > Alan Nishioka > alan@nishioka.comHey Alan, I'll do a V5 replacement design if the price is right - although it's been a few years since I worked on that particular project.... Cheers Mike H (Didn't see you at NAB?)
