Xilinx announced initial shipments of its Virtex-5 LXT field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The second of four domain-optimized platforms in the new Virtex-5 family, the LXT platform series is the first FPGA to deliver a hard-coded PCI Express Endpoint and Tri-mode Ethernet Media Access Controller (MAC) blocks. The Virtex-5 LXT platform also features the industry’s lowest power 65-nanometer (nm) transceiver, typically consuming less than 100mW per channel at 3.2 Gbps.

Virtex-5 LXT Platform

The Virtex-5 LXT platform delivers a FPGA to offer a built-in PCI Express Endpoint block and tri-mode Ethernet MAC, which gives designers an off-the-shelf solution that saves time, reduces power consumption and frees up valuable FPGA fabric resources. Built on the 65-nm Virtex-5 platform with new ultra-fast ExpressFabric technology, proven ASMBL architecture and low-power triple-oxide technology, the Virtex-5 LXT platform delivers an average of 30 percent higher performance, 65 percent increased capacity and up to 35 percent reduction in dynamic power consumption over previous generation 90-nm FPGAs. The hardened PCI Express core saves users up to 10,000 LUTs and two watts of power as compared to soft intellectual property (IP) core implementations.

Key features:

• Up to 24 RocketIO transceivers operating from 100 Mbps to 3.2 Gbps typically consuming less than 100mW per transceiver/receiver pair.
• Built-in PCI Express block: fully compliant endpoint block that works with the RocketIO GTP transceivers to provide x1, x2, x4 and x8 PCI Express interfaces.
• Built-in tri-mode Ethernet MAC blocks: four independent 10/100/1000 Mbps blocks that work seamlessly with RocketIO transceivers.
• Eight programmable levels of Transmit Pre-emphasis and four programmable levels of Receive Equalization address even the most stringent channels.
• Advanced diagnostic capability with the Chipscope Pro software toolset gives engineers the best signal integrity solution available.
• The Virtex-5 RocketIO transceivers support industry standards including PCI Express, Gigabit Ethernet, XAUI, SONET/SDH, CPRI and OBSAI, Serial RapidIO, HD-SDI and Fibre Channel.
• Complete protocol-based solution consisting of software, IP cores, reference designs, development kits, characterization reports, protocol compliance certification, collateral and design support.

Pricing and Availability

Design software support for the Virtex-5 LXT platform is available this month. Virtex-5 LXT engineering samples are shipping now through the Xilinx Early Access Program in LX30T, LX50T, and LX110T densities, with LX85T and LX330T to follow over the next six months. At volume production timeframes in 2008, the LX30T device will list for US$109, the LX50T for US$189 and the LX110T at US$529 in 1,000 unit volumes. Xilinx will roll out complete, ready-to-go protocol solutions kits starting with the PCIe solutions kit in November 2006.