moving from xlinx 8.1 to 8.2 or better wait ?

We got most of recent designs done in the former xlinx version 8.1 and consider continuing with the most recent version 8.2. Since it seems not be possible to reasily step back, once having converted to 8.2, I'd like to ask for experiences with the newer version.

At the point of time, some difficulties with project behaviour and stability have been reported to me from others and I wonder if it is more risky to stay with the old version or better go for the new one. (?)

Another information says, that Xlilinx will come out with a new version

9.0 in the near future. Anything about that ?

Hints are welcome. Thanks

Reply to
fpgauser
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"fpgauser" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@a3g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...

Xilinx has announced Virtex-5 and Spartan-3A but there is no full support for them in 8.2 (Data2mem does not support them) so I would say Xilinx has to come out with 9.1 very soon. I think it is(or was) targeted for release in January

Antti BTW webcase solutions already give responses like "this bug will be fixed in 9.1 SP1" so 9.1 should be actually ready for release if the new bugs are already scheduled for

9.1 SP1 and not 9.1 main release
Reply to
Antti Lukats

One reason *I* need to use 8.2 rather than 8.1- to quote from "What's New": ## iMPACT Support for direct programming of SPI FLASH PROMs from Atmel® and ST Micro®. ##

-this explained the frustration of my being unable to use a Spartan3E board from Avnet, while a colleague with v8.2 used it OK.

-- Per ardua ad nauseam

Reply to
tersono

Just out of curiosity, is this referring to xapp 445, or something new? I know Xilinx has a tool that allows you to program Atmel and STMicro flash SPI flash using a platform cable, but it was bit-banged, and required you to create a second "JTAG" connector. (Mind you, I'm not complaining - this utility will allow me to replace a platform flash and separate flash memory with one, larger, flash memory)

It would be great if I could program the part via the actual JTAG chain through the FPGA, as though it were a platform flash. This would definitely make it simpler to use SPI flash for configuration.

I suspect, though; that they rolled the code from the utility in that XAPP into Impact, and you still need a separate programming port for the SPI flash on the board. Otherwise, why would anyone buy platform flash chips anymore?

Reply to
radarman

I am using a simple way to do that: I configure the CPLD and FPGA through JTAG, the last one with a loader program. Thisi program will wait for me to send it the desired contents of the FPGA (.bit file) and save the interesting part directly in the SPI FLASH (wtih no bit order messing!) through the CPLD. Easy, and fast.

NOTE: You should provide some way to force the CPLD to abandon all communication with the CPLD on reset, so that you may update FLASH contents this way *if you have already put some contents in the FLASH*. That is really important, otherwise the FPGA may be programmed with a mix of FLASH contents and JTAG data. FUBAR

Best regards,

Zara

Reply to
Zara

No- the board I'm using is described here:

formatting link

This board can be programmed several ways, but the way I'm using needs

*only* the USB connection and a utility supplied with the board. As I said, version 8.1 Impact fails, 8.2 succeeds.

I see that the user guide can be downloaded from the above page; that may well answer questions I can't. But beware- it has several errors, and it's only after a colleague was helped by yet a third party that he managed to get anywhere.

-- Per ardua ad nauseam

Reply to
tersono

Hmm - I'm rolling a new board, so I'm looking into configuration options. I'm planning on using a 16Mb Atmel flash. Even after loading the configuration data, there will be adequate room (~87kB with a XC3S250E configuration file loaded) left over for program and settings storage. (I'll treat it lilke an EEPROM once the system is running)

Are there any flash based xilinx config memories that you can write (easily) after configuration? (equivalent to using the SPI flash)

Reply to
radarman

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