Circuit Board Assembly Services
FPGA Board allows hardware reprogramming via USB.
Press Release Summary:
MORPH-IC(TM) uses MPSSE interface of FTDI's FT2232C to program and reprogram FPGA via USB interface, making it suitable for applications requiring flexibility and in-circuit hardware upgrade-ability. Contents of FPGA can be defined over USB on initialization, by loading from an Altera format configuration file, and can also be reloaded and/or redefined in 0.2 seconds. Second channel of FT2232C is hard wired to I/O pins of FPGA, to be used to communicate with application software over USB.
Original Press Release:
MORPH-IC(TM) Board Allows Hardware Reprogramming Via USB
Pittsford, New York. MORPH-IC(TM) is a reprogrammable board which uses the Multi Protocol Synchronous Serial Engine (MPSSE) interface of FTDI's FT2232C to program and reprogram the FPGA via a USB interface in a fraction of a second, making it ideal for instrumentation, communications and other demanding application areas where flexibility and in-circuit hardware upgradeability are of paramount importance. Not only can the contents of the FPGA be defined over USB on initialization by loading from an Altera format configuration file, but the contents of the FPGA can be reloaded and/or redefined almost in real time (under 0.2 seconds). This effectively allows a single product to Morph between different hardware configurations under software control via USB from a single application. The second channel of the FT2232C is hard wired to the IO pins of the FPGA. These can be used by the FPGA to communicate with the application software over USB at transfer rates of up to 1M Byte / second.
MORPH-IC(TM) combines the flexibility of FTDI's FT2232C USB interface I.C. together with an Altera ACEX 1K series FPGA (EP1K10TC100-3) in a compact ready to use module. The power and IO pins of the module are brought out on to two 20pin, 0.1in pitch headers on the underside, allowing easy connection to the pins on a 0.1in grid. The module can also be plugged into a pcb using readily available mating pcb connectors (two included). Included on the module are the 3.3V and 2.5V voltage regulators required by the FPGA as well as a 50MHz CMOS oscillator hard wired to one of its two clock pins. Power control to meet USB suspend current requirements is provided by the FT2232C and an on-board MOSFET power switch.
MORPH-IC(TM) comes complete with USB drivers for Windows 98/ME/2000/XP, VHDL code examples, FPGA loader program (including Delphi source code) and a Windows DLL interface which can be used to interface it to most common Windows programming languages. Examples of DLL interfacing in Visual C++, Visual Basic and Borland Delphi are provided. Linux Drivers and a Linux version of the FPGA loader written in Kylix are also provided. An example project demonstrating IO over USB is included complete with VHDL and Delphi source code.
To complete the package, a second CD containing the Quartus II Software Starter Suite is included. This contains the free Altera Quartus II Web Edition software which provides a complete environment for programmable logic device (PLD) design, including schematic- and text-based design entry, HDL synthesis, place-and-route, verification and simulation. This package runs under Windows NT/2000/XP and can be used to develop code for the on-board FPGA. Registration with Altera is required in order to run this package.
MORPH-IC(TM) has competitive pricing and a quantity discount structure, making it ideal for incorporating into low - medium volume designs. Since it comes complete with all FPGA development software required and example code, it also makes an ideal classroom training tool for colleges and universities as well as engineers wanting to learn more about hardware development using FPGAs.
MORPH-IC board is available now for $125 (1) from FTDI's USA distributors: Saelig Co. Inc. (585-385-1750; 585-385-1768 fax; info@saelig.com; www.saelig.com).
Further details: Alan Lowne. 585 385-1750 o fax -1768 info@saelig.com
Saelig Company Inc. 1160-D2 Pittsford-Victor Rd. Pittsford NY 14534 USA
Or see www.saelig.com/news.htm
