Xcell Journal

Solutions for a Programmable World
Issue 61: Inside Look: Connectivity Illuminated

Viewpoints

• Letter from the Publisher
  Forrest Couch: Can You Hear Me Now?
• Analyst's View
  Jag Bolaria, The Lindley Group: Selecting the Right Interconnect
• Xpectations
  Ivo Bolsens, Xilinx CTO: Developing Technical Leaders through Knowledge Communities

Feature Articles

Connectivity

• Scaling Chip-to-Chip Interconnect Made Simple
  Sarance’s high-performance Interlaken IP cores connect devices at up to 50 Gbps.
• PCI Express and FPGAs
  Why FPGAs are the best platform for building PCI Express endpoint devices.
• Virtex-5 FPGA Techniques for High-Performance Data Converters
  You can harness the DSP resources of Virtex-5 devices to interface to the analog world.
• Reducing CPU Load for Ethernet Applications
  A TOE makes 10 Gigabit Ethernet possible.
• Automated MGT Serial Link Tuning Ensures Design Margins
  You can now streamline the serial link tuning process using Agilent’s Serial Link Optimizer tool with Xilinx IBERT measurement cores.
• A High-Speed Serial Connectivity Solution with Aurora IP
  Aurora is a highly scalable protocol for applications requiring point-to-point connectivity.
• Xilinx FPGAs Adapt to Ever-Changing Broadcast Video Landscape
  New digital broadcast standards and applications are addressed by advanced silicon, software, and free reference designs available with Xilinx FPGAs.
• Serial RapidIO Connectivity Enhances DSP Co-Processing
  The Virtex-5 LXT FPGA-based SRIO IP solution significantly enhances connectivity by providing a true bi-directional data flow.
• The NXP/PLDA Programmable PCI Express Solution
  Based on the Spartan-3 FPGA, NXP and PLDA’s PHY/controller solution delivers affordability and ease of integration.

Memory Interface

• Create Memory Interface Designs Faster with Xilinx Solutions
  Xilinx simplifies memory interface design with hardware-verified reference designs, easy-to-use software tools, and complete development kits.

Intellectual Property

• Driving Home Multimedia
  Infotainment hits the road with affordable in-car networking.
• Making the Most of MOST Control Messaging
  This case study presents the design of Xilinx LogiCORE MOST NIC control message processing.
• Leveraging HyperTransport on Xilinx FPGAs
  An open-source HyperTransport IP core allows FPGAs to directly connect to AMD Opteron processors.

General Articles

• FPGA-Based Simulation for Rapid Prototyping
  You can run an HDL simulator along with an FPGA through USB using iNCITE.

Resources

• Featured Connectivity Application Notes
  Create a differentiated connectivity solution with product descriptions and associated design files.
• Connectivity Boards and Kits
  Xilinx and its partners offer a complete line of development and expansion boards.
• The Connectivity Curriculum Path
  Xilinx Education Services is ready to help you use PCI Express, Gigabit Ethernet, or Rapid IO protocols in your next design.