Connect Tech Inc. | FreeForm/Express S6 - PCIe Spartan-6 FMC Carrier | User Manual
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Introduction Connect Tech’s FreeForm/Express S6 is a reconfigurable computing platform that is based on the
Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA; featuring integrated PCI Express® blocks, advanced memory support,
and 3.125 Gbps low-power transceivers. The FreeForm/Express S6 includes an industry-standard
FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC) connector, which provides a flexible I/O interface for future
scaling and customization. The PCIe bus bandwidth ensures high speed communication between
the host system and the application’s interfaces.
A wide range of available FMC modules adds interfaces such as ADC and digital video, which
makes the FreeForm/Express S6 a highly versatile platform for system development. It is ideally
suited for applications requiring both prototyping and field deployment including real-time data
acquisition, high performance video processing, and software defined radio. The
FreeForm/Express S6 is optimized for embedded processor designs, supporting development with
Xilinx’s MicroBlaze.
Features
Spartan-6 LX45T FPGA
PCIe x1 form factor
128MB DDR3 Memory
Low Pin Count FMC connector
o 36 LVDS pairs
o 1 Rocket I/O channel
o I2C interface
2x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports
1x RS-232 port
4 MB Flash for FPGA configuration
2 MB Flash for embedded code storage
200 MHz oscillator
JTAG debugging
Industrial temperature (-40 to 85C)
Lifetime warranty and free technical support.
What is an FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC)?
An FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC) is a standard created by VITA (VMEbus International Trade
Association). The FMC standard (VITA 57.1) defines a module size and connector interface with
generic reconfigurable I/O, making it perfect for FPGA daughter board applications. The standard
defines two pin-outs, low pin count (LPC) and high pin count (HPC); with each type using the
same connector form factor.
For more information visit http://www.vita.com/fmc.html.