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Parallax Cyclone V Development Board — Parallax Forums

Parallax Cyclone V Development Board

jac_goudsmitjac_goudsmit Posts: 418
edited 2014-10-22 07:33 in Propeller 1
I would say this is the biggest news of today, period.

In case you didn't notice, Parallax announced their own FPGA development board today, with an Altera Cyclone V A7 (5CEBA7F23C8N; 149K LE) and a Propeller 1 on it.

I'm a little disappointed that apparently there's no on-board RAM and they're aiming for a $500 price (I would have liked to see $200 or less) but this thing is meant to be the FPGA predecessor of the Propeller 2, and probably will be produced in low quantities, and the FPGA chip is almost $160 all by itself, so I understand.

Now to bring the news to my grandkids that there's not going to be a Christmas for them this year because Opa has to save up for his own present :-)

===Jac

Comments

  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2014-10-21 08:30
    jac_goudsmit wrote: »

    Now to bring the news to my grandkids that there's not going to be a Christmas for them this year because Opa has to save up for his own present :-)

    At some point, they need to learn that it is better to GIVE than receive!!! :lol:

    I just hope it doesn't invalidate my DE2 which was received 1 week before the P2-Hot was cancelled. (sorry to drag out my dead horse to beat)
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    edited 2014-10-21 12:06
    jac_goudsmit wrote: »
    In case you didn't notice, Parallax announced their own FPGA development board today, with an Altera Cyclone V A7 (5CEBA7F23C8N; 149K LE) and a Propeller 1 on it.

    I'm a little disappointed that apparently there's no on-board RAM and they're aiming for a $500 price

    Interesting.
    My Comments :
    * Some part numbers for the DACs and USB ( FS or HS ? ) would be useful.
    * Most big FPGA boards use High Speed USB, so hopefully Parallax have fast downloads here.
    * A HyperBUS footprint somewhere would be smart, as this is now defined as 24-BALL BGA 5X5 BALL ARRAY
    * Likewise for QuadSPI Flash and SRAM ?
    * Standard SRAM footprint should not blow a pin budget, on a big BGA FPGA surely ?

    PCB is looking quite close to a Eurocard in size, but has not been part-placed for that ?
  • 65816581 Posts: 132
    edited 2014-10-21 14:46
    I am curious how if there is an Altera Blaster circuit on board with an CPLD or if it's some custom stuff.
  • AribaAriba Posts: 2,690
    edited 2014-10-21 15:16
    I understand it so that there is a Prop1 that write the config data into a flash chip while it holds the FPGA in reset. After releasing the reset the FPGA reads the config data from this flash. The Prop1 gets the data over the well known FTDI USB interface from a custom PC application.

    Andy
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2014-10-21 16:05
    I happy to see this. Hopefully I've been a good boy this year and Santa will bring me one...

    Bean
  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    edited 2014-10-21 16:08
    Ariba wrote: »
    I understand it so that there is a Prop1 that write the config data into a flash chip while it holds the FPGA in reset. After releasing the reset the FPGA reads the config data from this flash. The Prop1 gets the data over the well known FTDI USB interface from a custom PC application.

    Yup, a common Altera solution is a FT240X + Max CPLD to do FIFO-JTAG handling, it looks like the P1 replaces the CPLD, but does anyone know if Parallax use the FT240X, which seems the fastest FS USB chip ?
    Can the P1 manage USB-FIFO-FPGA_Fpp16 Loader at 1MByte/s ?
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2014-10-21 16:58
    WTG Parallax. Using a prop P1 to drive the FPGA makes sense from Parallax's perspective.

    In the quick reading of the specifications, it would have been nice for the second 32 I/O port to be configurable for 2V5 or 3V3 and perhaps the first 32 I/O port to be configurable to 3V3 or 2V5.

    Might have been nice to use the C6N speed part but I guess that adds more cost.

    I wonder how much support Altera is providing (chip cost) for the FPGA? Currently I am in negotiations with Altera for a small FPGA pricing. The published costs are unrealistically high and every design gets its own pricing from Altera. IOW it seems everyone gets different pricing depending on how well you can negotiate and what ALtera thinks about your market.
  • ozpropdevozpropdev Posts: 2,792
    edited 2014-10-21 23:06
    Ken Gracey wrote:
    What you’ll see next from Parallax - after this board is released with our Lifetime Warranty - could include the scheduling of a Propeller 2 Early Adopter Seminar, the release of a Propeller 2 Verilog image, and a significant amount of testing from the development community

    Thanks Parallax! FPGA board looks good.
    Two other points GRABBED my attention as well. The release of a P2 Verilog image and the mention of an early adopters seminar. :)
  • pik33pik33 Posts: 2,366
    edited 2014-10-22 07:33
    What about the RAM on this board?
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