Xilinx launches base targeted design platform

By siliconindia   |   Friday, 26 June 2009, 20:58 IST   |    3 Comments
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Xilinx launches base targeted design platform
Bangalore: Xilinx, a supplier of programmable logic devices has launched the Xilinx Base Targeted Design Platform which will enhance the advancement of system-on-chip (SoC) solutions with Xilinx Virtex-6 and Spartan-6 field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). It will reduce the growth cycles and will enable focusing engineering resources on creating better product differentiation. The Virtex-6 FPGA and Spartan-6 FPGA Evaluation Kits will be available throughout the year. Reference designs on the platform will guide designers on best practices for integrating custom elements into the base design and implementing advanced features, such as DDR2 and DDR3 memory interfaces, high-speed serial I/O, and on-chip clocking resources. Board schematics and layout files further streamline the design process. "The Xilinx base platform is a complete FPGA development environment that reflects the way traditional hardware designers work. It gives them immediate access to the new Spartan-6 or Virtex-6 FPGA families, tools, IP, and development boards combined in a way that lets them work smarter," said Vin Ratford, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Business Development, Xilinx. The 11.2 version of the ISE Design Suite supports both Virtex-6 and Spartan-6 FPGA families and is designed to work with the latest software from Cadence Design Systems, Mentor Graphics and Synopsys. It enables logic, DSP, embedded hardware/software designers and system integrators to take advantage of the new features and capabilities of Virtex-6 and Spartan-6 FPGAs with optimized design environments aligned to the Xilinx Base Targeted Design Platform, as well as to future domain-specific platforms. The Virtex-6 is targeted at wired telecommunications, wireless infrastructure, broadcast and other high performance applications. The DVISpartan-6 FPGA SP601 Evaluation Kit is a low-cost, entry-level environment for developing consumer, infotainment, video and other cost and power-sensitive applications. Its system design capabilities include DDR2 memory control, flash, Ethernet, general purpose I/O and UART among others. "The Xilinx base platform, which includes silicon, tools, IP and boards, provides a complete platform for rapidly creating high-performance PCI Express applications.Northwest Logic is integrating its high-performance, easy-to-use PCI Express DMA Engine on to this platform," said Brian Daellenbach, President of Northwest Logic. The Spartan-6 FPGA SP601 Evaluation Kit is available through order entry from the Xilinx web site or distributors priced at $295 and Virtex-6 FPGA ML605 Evaluation Kit will be available by order entry at the end of July at $1995. While a fully featured edition of the ISE Design Suite 11 is available as part of the Virtex-6 FPGA kit with device support limited to the Vitex-6 LX240T-FF1156, the ISE Design Suite is available separately with full device support starting at $2,995 for the Logic Edition. Customers can download full-featured free 30-day evaluation versions of ISE Design Suite 11 from the Xilinx web site.