Development kit and protocol pack for PCI Express enable users to design with confidence across a broad range of markets in communications, networking, video broadcast, storage and computing
SAN JOSE, Calif., March 19, 2007 – Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX), the world’s leading supplier of programmable solutions, today announced the availability of the Virtex™-5 FPGA Development Kit for PCI Express®. The development kit is based on the Virtex™-5 family of FPGAs, the industry’s first 65nm FPGA to be listed on the PCI SIG® integrators list. The complete solution includes a development kit and protocol pack files that accelerate time-to-market for designers developing 1-8 lane PCIe® applications in communications and networking, video and broadcast, storage and computing, industrial as well as aerospace/defense markets. Designers now have access to everything needed to evaluate and confidently design with the Xilinx end-point block for PCI Express.
Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs, with built-in endpoint blocks for PCI Express and low power 3.2Gbps RocketIO GTP transceivers, provide a fully integrated solution that has passed the PCI-SIG® Compliance Workshop “plugfest” for v1.1. With thousands of Virtex-5 devices shipped since May 2006, the development kit serves to further expand customer adoption of 65nm FPGAs.
“Xilinx has taken ease-of-use to the next level by offering PCI Express development kits with all of the necessary design components such as interoperability-tested add-in card, design resources, and drivers without sacrificing the FPGA flexibility and programmability,” said Steve Berry, principal analyst, Electronic Trends Publishing, a leading market research firm. “Such shrink-wrapped system solutions give a head-start to designers not familiar with FPGAs and/or PCI Express helping Xilinx expand its market share.”
Development Kit with Out-of-the-Box Guarantee
With this Development Kit, Xilinx kicked off an initiative that allows engineers to quickly get a PCI Express design up and running right out-of-the-box within an hour. Each development kit includes all components needed to complete a Virtex-5 FPGA based PCI Express design:
- 8-lane PCI Express add-in card (ML555)
- Virtex-5, XC5VLX50T-1FF1136 FPGA with built-in block for PCI Express endpoint & 3.2 Gbps RocketIO GTP transceivers
- Intellectual property (IP) cores to develop 1-8-lane PCIe endpoint+PHY in the FPGA
- Reference Designs and Software
- Windows driver toolkit from Jungo Ltd.
- Windows-based GUI
- Platform USB FPGA download cable
- Resource CD
- Quickstart guide in English, Japanese, Korean and traditional & simplified Chinese
- Technical documentation
The kit is supported by the Virtex-5 protocol pack for PCI Express and includes protocol-specific physical layer characterization report, IP cores, interoperability data, and technical documentation.
Market | Application | Design Engineer Benefit |
Wired Networking, Telecom & Wireless | Control Plane, Fabric Interface, Traffic Management | Low-latency 8-lane PCI Express solution; Designed for backplane applications |
Servers & Storage | Graphics, Servers, Accelerators | Low power PCI Express+GTPs for power sensitive Data center applications |
Test & Measurement | Logic Analyzers, Protocol Analyzers, Oscilloscopes | Flexible and lane scalable solutions for high-speed data transfer |
Industrial, Scientific & Medical | Industrial Automation, Medical Imaging, Video surveillance, Wafer Inspection | Flexible and scalable solutions that also support PCI Express cable applications |
Audio, Video & Broadcast | Video Processing Card | Integrated hard endpoint block for PCI Express enables FPGA usage for DSP intensive applications |
Consumer | Docking Station, Workstation, Gaming, Unattached storage | Cost effective and out-of-the box solution for Intel/Freescale processor based design |
Aerospace & Defense | Guidance systems, Control Systems, Simulators | Low power ensures operation for the most demanding environments |
“As the adoption of serial connectivity continues to rapidly expand, our Virtex-5 LXT and SXT devices with built-in serial transceivers and PCI Express blocks are being deployed in an increasing number of existing and new applications,” said Per Holmberg, marketing director of the Programmable Digital Systems group at Xilinx. “Our complete PCIe solution and development kit will enable thousands of designers to adopt PCI Express by reducing design risk and lowering total system design cost through fast and reliable design closure.”
About Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs
Built on the industry’s most advanced 65nm triple-oxide technology, breakthrough new ExpressFabric™ technology, and proven ASMBL™ architecture, the Virtex-5 family represents the fifth generation in the award-winning Virtex series of FPGAs. The Virtex-5 FPGA family offers an optimized balance of high-performance, low-power and capabilities on four platforms: LX for high-performance logic, LXT for high-performance logic with low-power serial connectivity, SXT for high-performance DSP and memory-intensive applications with low-power serial connectivity, and FXT for embedded processing with highest speed serial connectivity. Xilinx has been delivering the benefits of 65nm Virtex-5 FPGAs since May 2006, and is now shipping 12 devices across three of the four platforms (LX, LXT, and SXT) and may be purchased online or through Xilinx distributors. Xilinx also provides ISE v9.1i design tools, protocol packs, development boards and kits that enable customers to start designing and prototyping in Virtex-5 FPGAs today. For more information visit http://www.xilinx.com/virtex5.
Pricing and Availability
Xilinx Virtex-5 LXT FPGA Development kit for PCI Express is available for immediate order http://www.xilinx.com/v5pciekit at a price of US$2,200.
About Xilinx
Xilinx is the worldwide leader in complete programmable logic solutions. For more information, visit www.xilinx.com.