ML605 Evaluation Kit and FPGA Mezzanine Connectors (FMC) ?
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From: LucienZ on 28 Oct 2009 11:27 Dear all, Has anyone ordered and used the ML605 Evaluation Kit? http://www.xilinx.com/products/devkits/EK-V6-ML605-G.htm I noticed some attractive features like DDR3, PCIe Gen 2 and quite high FPGA capacity (241,152 logic cells). Before my ordering I would like to hear some comments. Another feature of this board is the adoption of the FMC interfaces. This is a new face to me, but it looks quite promising. However I have a concern about it: if I just want to interface some simple IO devices (e.g. a LCD panel and some push buttons), does that mean I still have to do the PCB layout for them with a FMC connection (previously it could be solved just by some IO pin headers)? I also do not quite understand the pricing, I notice that the XC6VLX240T-1FFG1156CES chip itself costs about $2,100, but the fledged ML506 Kit only takes $1,995. Is this just a marketing scheme or there are some other reasons? Thanks very much for your time! Lucien
From: Ed McGettigan on 28 Oct 2009 21:05 On Oct 28, 8:27 am, LucienZ <lucien.zh...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Dear all, > > Has anyone ordered and used the ML605 Evaluation Kit?http://www.xilinx.com/products/devkits/EK-V6-ML605-G.htm > I noticed some attractive features like DDR3, PCIe Gen 2 and quite > high FPGA capacity (241,152 logic cells). Before my ordering I would > like to hear some comments. > > Another feature of this board is the adoption of the FMC interfaces. > This is a new face to me, but it looks quite promising. However I have > a concern about it: if I just want to interface some simple IO devices > (e.g. a LCD panel and some push buttons), does that mean I still have > to do the PCB layout for them with a FMC connection (previously it > could be solved just by some IO pin headers)? > > I also do not quite understand the pricing, I notice that the > XC6VLX240T-1FFG1156CES chip itself costs about $2,100, but the fledged > ML506 Kit only takes $1,995. Is this just a marketing scheme or there > are some other reasons? > > Thanks very much for your time! > Lucien Yes, the features do make it a pretty cool board. :-) The main board already has push buttons, LEDS and a LCD so you are covered there. If you do want add on additional peripherals then yes, you will need to design a board as it isn't practical to attach wires to the FMC connectors. Xilinx will/should be releasing a FMC that is primarily intending for simple debug and is comprised of a series of 100 mil headers that are connected to the FMC connector. This board could also be used for prototyping purposes. Ed McGettigan -- Xilinx Inc.
From: LucienZ on 28 Oct 2009 21:43 > Yes, the features do make it a pretty cool board. :-) > > The main board already has push buttons, LEDS and a LCD so you are > covered there. If you do want add on additional peripherals then yes, > you will need to design a board as it isn't practical to attach wires > to the FMC connectors. Thanks Ed! Maybe I would like to interface a color LCD and two CMOS image sensors, which are not very demanding for the IO performance. Without testing I do not want to make a custom PCB first... > Xilinx will/should be releasing a FMC that is primarily intending for > simple debug and is comprised of a series of 100 mil headers that are > connected to the FMC connector. This board could also be used for > prototyping purposes. This is what I would like to see for fast prototyping some simple IO devices :). Do you already have such a plan? And when could such a daughter board be available?
From: Ed McGettigan on 28 Oct 2009 23:56 On Oct 28, 6:43 pm, LucienZ <lucien.zh...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Yes, the features do make it a pretty cool board. :-) > > > The main board already has push buttons, LEDS and a LCD so you are > > covered there. If you do want add on additional peripherals then yes, > > you will need to design a board as it isn't practical to attach wires > > to the FMC connectors. > > Thanks Ed! > > Maybe I would like to interface a color LCD and two CMOS image > sensors, which are not very demanding for the IO performance. Without > testing I do not want to make a custom PCB first... > > > Xilinx will/should be releasing a FMC that is primarily intending for > > simple debug and is comprised of a series of 100 mil headers that are > > connected to the FMC connector. This board could also be used for > > prototyping purposes. > > This is what I would like to see for fast prototyping some simple IO > devices :). Do you already have such a plan? And when could such a > daughter board be available? Yes, we have this in the current plan and have the first article in house. It should be released by the end of the year, but it could slip into January. Pricing hasn't been set yet, but since it appears that we are subsidizing the ML605 we'll probably have to make it up on the modules. Sort of the razor and razor blades model. :-) I have been concerned about the hobbyist/academic/small-shop use of the FMC interface. I'm hoping that we can find the time to put together some basic LPC and HPC 6 layer PCB examples using the free tools from low cost, quick turn PCB fabricators like PCB123. These could then be used as the basis for a quick custom FMC board. Ed McGettigan -- Xilinx Inc.
From: Brian Drummond on 29 Oct 2009 08:49
On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:56:46 -0700 (PDT), Ed McGettigan <ed.mcgettigan(a)xilinx.com> wrote: >On Oct 28, 6:43�pm, LucienZ <lucien.zh...(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> > Yes, the features do make it a pretty cool board. :-) >> > Xilinx will/should be releasing a FMC that is primarily intending for >> > simple debug and is comprised of a series of 100 mil headers that are >> > connected to the FMC connector. �This board could also be used for >> > prototyping purposes. >> >> This is what I would like to see for fast prototyping some simple IO >> devices :). Do you already have such a plan? And when could such a >> daughter board be available? > >I have been concerned about the hobbyist/academic/small-shop use of >the FMC interface. I'm hoping that we can find the time to put >together some basic LPC and HPC 6 layer PCB examples using the free >tools from low cost, quick turn PCB fabricators like PCB123. These >could then be used as the basis for a quick custom FMC board. If you don't want to get involved with the fabrication etc, simply make the PCB123 design files available in the download section. One for a debug-type board (0.1" headers). Possibly one for an 0.1" stripboard with power planes and FMC connector. And DEFINITELY one for an empty FMC board with the correct outline and the connector placed, possibly also tracked out. I gave up on the PCB123 schematic editor long ago; it's easier to edit the netlist, so these board files should be accompanied by the netlist (and/or schematic if appropriate). - Brian |