Xcell Journal: The authoritative journal for programmable ... - Xilinx
Xcell Journal: The authoritative journal for programmable ... - Xilinx
Xcell Journal: The authoritative journal for programmable ... - Xilinx
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DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING<br />
<strong>The</strong> Nu Horizons/<strong>Xilinx</strong> VirtuaLab<br />
Architects and designers can reserve exclusive<br />
blocks of time by simply logging onto<br />
VirtuaLab.TechOnLine.com to register. You<br />
can select one of three types of interactive<br />
VirtuaLab experiences:<br />
1. New <strong>Xilinx</strong> user – Although technically<br />
astute, you have not been<br />
exposed to either the development<br />
tool flow or the <strong>Xilinx</strong> FPGA<br />
architecture.<br />
2. <strong>Xilinx</strong>-aware user – You have designed<br />
with previous <strong>Xilinx</strong> products but may<br />
not know about the latest solutions.<br />
3. Expert <strong>Xilinx</strong> user – You are proficient<br />
in both standard and advanced<br />
products architecture, and are licensed<br />
in most or all of the EDA design tools<br />
available <strong>for</strong> development.<br />
<strong>The</strong> opportunity to return and continue<br />
your studies or design work is always<br />
possible with VirtuaLabs’ LDAP environment,<br />
which provides secure storage; however,<br />
you can always transfer your files if<br />
you prefer.<br />
Once in the VirtuaLab environment,<br />
you can compile code, measure board per<strong>for</strong>mance,<br />
and set breakpoints – anything<br />
that you could do if the evaluation board<br />
was being controlled by your own PC.<br />
What Can I Evaluate?<br />
Working with <strong>Xilinx</strong>, the Nu Horizons<br />
engineering teams offer a full portfolio of<br />
educational aids, as well as direct access to<br />
<strong>Xilinx</strong> design flow tools and high-speed test<br />
equipment.<br />
Our first laboratory consists of the Nu<br />
Horizons Spartan-3-2000 evaluation<br />
plat<strong>for</strong>m (Figure 1), which is a very flexible<br />
testing plat<strong>for</strong>m that allows you to evaluate<br />
the <strong>Xilinx</strong> XC3S2000 FPGA and develop a<br />
multitude of applications. One of the Nu<br />
Horizons/<strong>Xilinx</strong> VirtuaLab applications is<br />
focused on high-per<strong>for</strong>mance FPGA DSP<br />
functionality.<br />
You can develop advanced algorithms<br />
and per<strong>for</strong>m complex measurements<br />
through a full complement of test equipment<br />
connected to the Spartan-3-2000<br />
environment. Both a signal/pattern genera-<br />
tor and high-speed oscilloscope are connected<br />
to high-speed analog-to-digital converter<br />
(ADC) and digital-to-analog<br />
converter (DAC) modules, and each piece<br />
of Agilent test equipment is placed in<br />
the host mode so you can remotely manage<br />
the equipment’s front panel controls. You<br />
can save settings and scripts easily within<br />
your I- or H-drive private folders to re-use<br />
<strong>for</strong> future sessions.<br />
Having real signal insertion and being<br />
able to measure real output means that you<br />
can validate your algorithms, trans<strong>for</strong>ms,<br />
and functions, and simultaneously have<br />
confidence that all results are both precise<br />
and authentic.<br />
Reference DSP designs are provided<br />
within the VirtuaLab. <strong>The</strong>se designs allow<br />
you to evaluate the Spartan-3-2000 FPGA<br />
in a pre-verified environment. Reference<br />
designs include:<br />
• Existing System Generator tutorial to<br />
introduce engineers to other features<br />
such as the ChipScope tool, HDL<br />
co-simulation, hardware co-simulation,<br />
and the PicoBlaze processor.<br />
• Simple FFT with a 256-tap FIR filter<br />
and interpolation by three. Ease of use<br />
and reasonably high per<strong>for</strong>mance allow<br />
you to evaluate the tool interface as well<br />
as the hardware. <strong>The</strong> filter design is provided<br />
using the FDA tool to generate<br />
the coefficients, allowing you to modify<br />
the coefficients and view the results.<br />
Simulation can be run in System<br />
Generator, as well as live in hardware.<br />
• Equalized 16-QAM demodulator,<br />
including the adaptive filter. <strong>The</strong><br />
receiver architecture provides subsystems<br />
that demonstrate adaptive channel<br />
equalization and carrier tracking on<br />
a random QAM data source.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Spartan-3-2000 plat<strong>for</strong>m delivers<br />
acquisition/conversion capability through<br />
two high-per<strong>for</strong>mance plug-in modules<br />
and two mid-range per<strong>for</strong>mance plat<strong>for</strong>m<br />
solutions.<br />
ADC Plat<strong>for</strong>m Solution<br />
<strong>The</strong> Nu Horizons Spartan-3-2000 evaluation<br />
plat<strong>for</strong>m includes a mid-range ADC<br />
Figure 1 – Nu Horizons Spartan-3-2000 evaluation plat<strong>for</strong>m<br />
82 <strong>Xcell</strong> <strong>Journal</strong> Winter 2004