Hardware/Software Development System scales to 20 channels.
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Press Release Summary:
RTS2503 Development Platform consists of hardware and software bundles, supported by set of board and system-level development tools targeted for real-time data acquisition, signal processing, and recording. It includes 1 GHz G4 PowerPC processor, 2 Virtex-II and 2 Virtex-II Pro FPGAs delivering 18M gates of programmable logic, and on-board 215 MHz 12-bit A/D converters. Model 4990 SystemFlow API and libraries allow developers to customize already functioning starter RTS platform.
Original Press Release:
New Hardware Plus System Software APIs and Libraries Optimize Pentek's RTS Development Platform Family
o Provides Out-of-the-Box Functionality
o Optimized for High-Bandwidth, Signal-Processing and Recording Applications
o Doubles A/D Sampling Rate to 215 MHz and Scales to 20 Channels
o Supports Onboard Xilinx FPGAs with GateFlow FPGA Design Resources
o Includes SystemFlow GUI, API Functions and Source Code, Simplifying Customization and Application Development
ARLINGTON, VA-February 22, 2005-Pentek, Inc., the industry pioneer of VME board-level technology, has boosted support for system developers to an even higher level with the introduction of the RTS2503 Development Platform and the SystemFlow Application Program Interface (API) and libraries. RTS Development Platforms are ready-to-use hardware and software bundles, supported by a full set of board and system-level development tools targeted for real-time, high-bandwidth data acquisition, signal processing and recording. The addition, the Model 4990 SystemFlow API and libraries afford developers a simple way of addressing new applications by customizing an already functioning "starter" RTS platform.
Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek, Inc., noted, "SystemFlow is a major new resource for developers of high-performance application systems. Out-of-the-box functionality of the RTS platforms gives developers an ideal starting point for getting a system fired up and ready for application development. SystemFlow then allows them to quickly make the system their own. They can add an alternate user interface, real-time FPGA signal-processing algorithms and application-specific software. Because SystemFlow software evolved from Pentek's extensive toolset and ReadyFlow board support libraries and comes with full source code and documentation, it's just what system integrators need to cut development time and still get maximum performance."
SystemFlow API and Libraries
SystemFlow software has a modular design that includes API libraries for the target board as well as user-control libraries for the host PC. Windows dynamic link library (DLL) calls are written in Visual C++, and a graphical user interface (GUI) is provided as a front end PC host system. The PC host front-end communicates over Ethernet with the royalty-free eCos real-time operating system on the G4 PowerPC target board, which executes real-time application code.
API libraries for both host and target include full source code, allowing developers to easily modify both the platform front end and target code to meet their needs. The software package also includes a data viewer, written in LabView, that shows display plots of collected data in either time or frequency domain. Developers can use the viewer to preview data before storage or to review stored data.
RTS2503 Development Platform
The company also released today the second member of the RTS Development Platform family, the RTS2503 Multi-Channel 215 MHz Real-Time Data Acquisition, Signal Processing and Recording System Development Platform.
The new RTS2503 platform implements a complete multi-channel wideband data recording system suitable for applications such as wireless communications or radar signal capture and analysis. With a 1 GHz G4 PowerPC processor, two Virtex-II and two Virtex-II Pro FPGAs delivering 18M gates of programmable logic, and on-board 215 MHz 12-bit A/D converters, the system provides designers with the latest technology for signal capture and processing.
The system is scalable from one or two channels in just two VMEbus slots to 20 channels that fit within a single rack-mount chassis. Real-time streaming data flows through various high-speed interfaces including FibreChannel, Gigabit Ethernet, RACE++, FPDP and the new VXS serial fabric. The on-board FibreChannel interface links to disk arrays for real-time wideband data acquisition using a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) or just a bunch of disks (JBOD) storage systems.
FPGA Resources
Pentek's GateFlow FPGA design resources fully support the on-board FPGAs of the RTS2503. Tools include the GateFlow FPGA Design Kit for adding user-defined FPGA algorithms; the GateFlow IP Core Library for high-performance Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), digital receivers and radar pulse compression algorithms; and GateFlow Factory Installed IP Cores so customers can take immediate advantage of FPGA technology with zero FPGA development effort.
Pricing and Availability
The RTS2503 Development Platform starts at $24,500 USD for hardware only, while the Model 4990 SystemFlow package costs $2,500 USD with a one-year support subscription. SystemFlow, ReadyFlow and GateFlow FPGA development tools are available separately to allow development teams the flexibility to acquire only the licenses they need.
About Pentek
Pentek develops, manufactures and markets innovative DSP systems to original equipment manufacturers, distributors and value-added resellers. Pentek offers powerful VME, PMC, VIM and PCI boards for data acquisition, software radio and digital signal processing featuring Texas Instrument's C6000 DSPs, Motorola's G4 PowerPC and Xilinx FPGAs. Pentek's I/O includes A/Ds, D/As, digital receivers and upconverters and more. Pentek equips products with high-performance interfaces including VXS, RACE++ and FPDP-II and offers strong DSP software support.
Pentek, SystemFlow, ReadyFlow and GateFlow are registered trademarks of Pentek, Inc.
Brand or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders.
North American Sales Contact: Mario Schiavone, Pentek, Inc., One Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458-2311; telephone 201-818-5900, ext. 766; fax 201-818-5904; email news@pentek.com, website www.pentek.com.
International Sales Contacts: VSystems SA in France at 130070060, VSystems Electronic GmbH in Germany at 892737630, VSystems s.r.l. in Italy at 11.966 1319, VSystems AB in Sweden at 84441550, Vsystems UK at 1142813123, WTI in Israel at 99-563163 and MISH International in Japan at 42-538-7650, Beijing BetaOne Sysjob Ltd. in China at 10 82895256 and Acetronix Co. Ltd. in Korea at 24202343.
