Compact board hosts FPGA development

The XEM3001 Spartan-3 experimentation module is a business-card-sized board with high-speed USB 2.0 support and multiple-output PLL clock generator.

Opal Kelly has released the XEM3001 Spartan-3 experimentation module, a business-card-sized board with high-speed USB 2.0 support and multiple-output PLL clock generator.

Also included with the module is Opal Kelly's FrontPanel application for downloading configuration files to the 400,000-gate FPGA as well as an easy-to-use C++/Python/Java API under Windows and Linux for communicating with the module in custom applications.

Intended for OEMs interested in integrating USB and/or FPGA functionality into new or existing designs, the module is also well suited as a learning platform for students and hobbyists.

The XEM3001 can be bus-powered or self-powered if external power is supplied.

One 20-pin and two 50-pin expansion connectors provide over 90 FPGA I/O pins and are laid out on a 0.1in grid, making add-on design easy.

The onboard PLL can generate frequencies up to 150MHz and has outputs wired to the FPGA and expansion connectors.

The included FrontPanel software not only provides a simple way to quickly download FPGA configurations to the module, but also allows the creation of virtual instrument panels with components such as LEDs, hex displays, pushbuttons, triggering pushbuttons, and multi-radix entries and displays.

The virtual panels are written in human-readable XML and connect to endpoints within the FPGA design to communicate signal values.

FPGA core blocks are provided with the module which allow user designs to communicate synchronously and asynchronously with the PC via the C++/Python/Java API.

The same modules are used to communicate with the virtual instrument panels in FrontPanel.

An online tutorial illustrates the use of these HDL modules and the API using the DES core available from OpenCores.org.

With the FrontPanel software, powerful and easy-to-use API, and prebuilt core modules for communicating with the API, the XEM3001 makes an ideal daughter device for OEM evaluation modules, device test fixtures, university labs and hobbyist workbenches.

The XEM3001 is available now via the Opal Kelly online store.

Priced at $199.95 including the FrontPanel software, C++/Python/Java API and FPGA cores are included free of charge for Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

The API is also available for Linux.

Significant volume discounts are available.

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