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Re-configurable PMC FPGA I/O modules now available with a choice of front or rear I/O connection.  Acromag’s PMC-DX series of customizable FPGA I/O modules now includes models with a rear connection field I/O interface. To provide more convenient I/O access, the modules can be ordered with a front panel SCSI-2 connector or a J4 connector enabling a cable-free link to the host PMC carrier or CPU board. All models feature a Xilinx® Virtex-II® FPGA with either 500K or 2M system gates. Several I/O configurations are available to process TTL, differential RS422, or LVDS digital I/O signals. Module prices start at $1400 with extended temperature models (–40 to 85°C operation) available for an additional $200. These affordable FPGA I/O modules bring the ability to configure custom I/O boards using application-specific instruction sets within the reach of more system developers. The PMC-DX modules feature a fast PCI interface with 32-bit 66MHz bus mastering and support dual DMA channel data transfer to the CPU. With up to 1Mb of on-chip memory and 9Mb of on-board SRAM, Acromag’s modules give users the flexibility to embed their code into the FPGA or to modify signal processing operations on the fly by loading new code into flash memory as requirements change. Numerous features and plentiful I/O capacity offer powerful signal processing capabilities. Both the PMC-DX500 and DX2000 models can be ordered with either 64 bi-directional TTL I/O lines, 32 RS422 differential I/O lines, a combination of 16 TTL and 24 RS422 lines, or 32 LVDS I/O lines. On the higher performance DX2000 models, the FPGA provides 56 18 x 18 embedded multipliers or 0.5 Tera MACs. DX2000’s also have 12 digital clock managers. Two memory sources provide data buffers both inside and outside the FPGA. Engineers can access up to 1MB of configurable block RAM within the FPGA for high-speed data transfers. Additional memory storage is available on a 256K x 36-bit SRAM device. A PLX® PCI9056 device handles all aspects of system connectivity with a high-performance interface to the PCI bus. An Engineering Design Kit provides basic information required to develop a custom program for the Xilinx FPGA. Utilities help users load VHDL into the FPGA, and to establish DMA transfers between the FPGA and the CPU. It is recommended that users be familiar with Xilinx development tools. Acromag’s Engineering Design Kit includes a compiled FPGA file and example VHDL code provided as selectable blocks with examples for the local bus interface, read/writes, and change-of-state interrupts to the PCI bus. Although there is no limit to the capabilities of Acromag’s FPGA I/O boards, several applications are ideal. Common uses include protocol conversion, hardware simulation, and in-circuit diagnostics. The FPGA can generate recipe-based responses to input stimulus or function as a high-speed communication processor. Embedded multipliers make fast work of computation-intensive algorithms for signal preprocessing without involving the CPU or an external DSP board. And with extensive logic resources, the FPGA is excellent for waveform generation, pulse measurement, or custom serial interfaces. To simplify integration of the boards with Windows® applications, Acromag developed an ActiveX® (OLE) controls software package that functions as drivers for compatibility with Microsoft® Visual C++™, and Visual Basic. ActiveX can also link I/O signals to HMI devices to display and record data. For connectivity with real time application programs, Acromag offers C libraries for VxWorks®, QNX®, and other operating systems. The libraries provide generic routines (source code included) to handle reads, writes, interrupts, and other functions. Demonstration programs enable the developer to quickly exercise the I/O modules before attaching the routines to the application program. This diagnostic tool can save hours of troubleshooting and debugging. Free Linux example programs are also available. Acromag has been developing and manufacturing measurement and control products for more than 45 years. They are an international corporation with a world headquarters near Detroit, Michigan and a global network of sales representatives and distributors. Acromag offers a complete line of embedded I/O products including bus boards, mezzanine modules, wiring accessories, and software. Industries served include military, aerospace, manufacturing, transportation, utilities, and scientific research laboratories. For more information about Acromag products, call Inside Sales or Marketing Communications at (248) 624-1541, (800) 881-0268, FAX (248) 624-9234, or write Acromag, Inc. at; P.O. Box 437, Wixom, MI 48393-7037 USA. ### January 13, 2005 Contact: Editorial - Robert Greenfield, Marketing Communications Manager All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
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