Xcell Journal

The Authoritative Journal for Programmable Logic Users
Issue 59: Virtex-5 Special Edition

Publisher's Letter

• Letter from the Publisher
  Welcome to this special edition of Xcell Journal, featuring a broad array of articles on Xilinx® Virtex™-5 FPGAs.

Viewpoints

• Introducing the Virtex-5 FPGA Family
  The first 65-nm advanced FPGAs raise the bar in performance, power efficiency, capacity, and value.
• Serial Everywhere – The Triple-Play Challenge
  Xilinx is helping to empower the next innovation in the triple-play race.
• Virtex-5 Serial Connectivity Solutions
  Enabling unconstrained product development for the triple-play market.
• FPGAs for Serial Interconnections
  Research by Electronic Trend Publications points to a key role for FPGAs in serial interconnections.

Performance

• Achieve Higher Performance with Virtex-5 FPGAs
  New architectural elements can help you attain higher system-level performance.
• HDL Coding and Design Practices for Improving Virtex-5 Utilization, Performance, and Power
  These tips and techniques can lead to better Virtex-5 designs.
• Getting the Best Results from Virtex-5 FPGAs
  Synplicity applies new algorithms and heuristics for optimal Virtex-5 support.
• Maximizing Design Performance for Virtex-5 FPGAs
  ISE software gives you the tools to achieve the timing goals of a Virtex-5 design.
• Clock Management in Virtex-5 Devices
  Virtex-5 FPGAs give designers fresh choices.
• Measurement Cores Shorten Virtex-5 Development
  The increase in Virtex-5 performance and flexibility translates into more capable measurement cores to debug complex designs.

Power

• Reduce Power with Virtex-5 FPGAs
  The world’s first 65-nm FPGAs offer the lowest power without compromising performance.
• Applying Compact Thermal Models
  Xilinx gives you one more tool in the FPGA thermal management toolbox.

Serial Connectivity

• A Multi-Gigabit Transceiver for the Masses
  The Virtex-5 GTP transceiver brings versatility, ease of use, power efficiency, and cost-effectiveness to high-volume mainstream applications.
• Introducing the Virtex-5 PCI Express Endpoint Block
  With PCI Express quickly becoming the standard high-bandwidth interconnect, the Virtex-5 LXT PCIe Endpoint block enables a configurable single-chip solution.
• PCI Express Markets, Trends, and Applications
  The Virtex-5 LXT device’s built-in PCI Express solution enables significant power and area savings.
• Designing with Virtex-5 Embedded Tri-Mode Ethernet MACs
  You can implement flexible Ethernet systems using the Virtex-5 10/100/1000 Ethernet MAC.
• Asynchronous Sample-Rate Conversion Between AES Audio Streams
  Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs provide the perfect platform for implementing AES digital audio sample-rate conversion.
• Implementing Integrated Video Connectivity Solutions with Virtex-5 LXT Devices
  Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs provide the perfect platform for integrating broadcast video solutions inside a single chip.
• Enhancing System Management and Diagnostics with the Virtex-5 System Monitor
  You can use the Virtex-5 System Monitor to greatly increase environmental monitoring coverage of your FPGA design.
• Real-Time Debugging for Virtex-5 FPGAs
  Version 8.2 of the ChipScope Pro Analyzer delivers verification performance for Xilinx FPGAs.

Memory Interfaces

• Memories are Made of This
  Virtex-5 FPGAs offer a wider range of memories and memory interfaces.
• Meeting Memory Interface Design Challenges with Virtex-5 FPGAs
  Virtex-5 devices support the latest generation of high-speed memory interfaces.
• Implementing Memory Controllers Using the Memory Interface Generator Tool
  The Memory Interface Generator tool simplifies designing memory controllers for Xilinx FPGAs.
• Micron Memory Interface
  RLDRAM offers a complete low-latency memory interface for networking and communication solutions.
• Designing Virtex-5 DDR2 Memory Interfaces for Signal Integrity
  Follow these guidelines to make your next Virtex-5 DDR2 design experience a success.
• Reliably Boost Memory Throughput with PLL-Based QDR iiSRAM
  NEC Electronics’ QDR II SRAM with PLL simplifies high-performance Virtex-5 memory interfaces by improving the data valid window.
• Samsung QDR II SRAM
  The Samsung QDR II SRAM is a good fit for Virtex-5 devices.

Source-Synchronous Interfaces

• Improve System Reliability with SPI-4.2 LogiCORE Solutions and Virtex-5 FPGAs
  Virtex-5 devices provide an ideal platform for source-synchronous designs like the widely adopted SPI-4.2 interface.

Vertical Market Solutions

• Using Virtex-5 FPGAs in COTS Board-Level Products
  Optimize your COTS designs with the many improvements in the Virtex-5 family.
• Tackling Serial Backplane Interface Design Challenges
  The Virtex-5 LXT FPGA enables robust, high-performance, and high-integration serial backplane interface solutions.
• Enabling Multi-Port 1Gbps and 10 Gbps TCP/iSCSI Protocol Offload Solutions
  The Virtex-5 LXT platform enables low-footprint, system-level, multi-port 1Gbps and 10 Gbps TOE solutions.
• Implementing Encryption Algorithms with the Virtex-5 LXT Platform
  The Virtex-5 LXT platform makes encryption product development easy.

General Interest

• Virtex-5 Configuration Options Offer Designers a Choice
  Xilinx provides a host of flexible choices in configuration memory to help you make the best decision for your design.
• Introducing Virtex-5 EasyPath FPGAs
  The world’s first 65-nm FPGA cost-reduction solution.

Product Reference

• Connectivity Solutions
  Realize the full potential of the solutions in our silicon with Xilinx application notes.
• Intellectual Property Offerings
  Subtitle
• Virtex-5 Boards and Kits
  Jumpstart your Virtex-5 designs with these development platforms and tool kits.