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Viretx4 FX chip availability

I was wondering what anyone else's experience ahs been with getting hold of Virtex4 FX 20 and 60 devices (The ones with the up to 10 GBPs MGTs). I have had 3 of the XC4VFX60-10FF672CES2 (That is engineering sample stepping 2) devices on order since May this year, originally with a 6 week lead time. I have had constant series of delays for no clear reasons given by our local agent (I'm in Australia). Xilinx won't talk directly, everything has to go through this agent MEMEC, the sole authorized distributer for Xilinx in Oz. They are either unwilling or don't have the info themselves. I get given snippets about speed of the MGTs , yield problems, new speed grade desiginations but no real info. The Xilinx website has nothing but its totally positive marketing hype. To add insult to injury I was due to get my chips late October. At this time MEMEC was bought by AVNET, all the puchase orders with xilinx were reraised under the AVNET banner but they stuffed up and reraised at the current market leadtime of 16 weeks odd!

I have a fully designed (12 layer) PCB which is fully populated with a big blank where the FPGA is to go and its seriously delaying our whole project. The project also relies on the 10 GBPs serial data rate capability of the V4 RocketIOs. Do any of you people not so far away from the source as I am know what the story is with the FX devices? Should I be redesigning my sytem to use external SERDES and not rely on the V4 FXs coming along. I spoke to one of the hard to find parts specialists in the US and they said the engineering sample V4 devices are free in the US. I'm paying $1300 each for them is this true?

When I looked at going back one step to the Viretex2 pro X 10 GBPs devices I find all reference to the -5 10 GBPS devices has totally vanished from the Xilinx datasheets. What's going on here?

Paul R

Reply to
Paul R
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"Paul R" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:eBEdf.16405$ snipped-for-privacy@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

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Hi Paul,

As mr Murphy is still so things go wrong. It is clear that more than expected has gone wrong with V4.

I was considering using V4MGT in a design where we needed proof of concept proto in July 2005 and full working proto within a few months after that. As of the information from disties that schedule looked tight but possible. Luckily our project delayed anyway so it wasnt a problem for us that V4 MGTs delayed.

Memec was sold early 2005, but the final sales required a US court decision (about possible violation of Anti-monopoly laws) - so the somewhat unclear time surely did not make the communication with the disties any better.

If your product needs to use non-ES FX60 silicon, then you can not ship it before end of Q3 2006. If that doesnt fit your schedule, then you need to look for alternatives.

If you could start shipping of the product based on working ES silicon then the timing looks better. I also do not know if the 10GB is the problem making part of the current silicon, but some MGT ES silicon defenetly is available as of today. But your chances to get right now (without leadtime) from disti are NIL.

FPGA manufacturers (and their disties) do not have official or unofficial 'samples' programme. Not in US not in Australia. That doesnt mean that it is not possible to get samples. I guess some key customers defenetly get them, and sometimes others as well.

In your case, well here is what I would do:

Take a screenshot of the PCB that designed with FX60, add some short description of the project, and send that to xilinx direct. With a simple promise that the PCB goes to fabrication the same day you receive fedex tracking # for the parcel with FX sample that is on the way to you. You may have to provide additional info about the intended use, etc, but my bet is that if Xilinx actually has ready some silicon in the package that you need you will get it.

Antti BTW nice to see interest in V4 in Australia ! I always wanted to visit AU - it will come true next tuesday but unfortunatly only 1 hour in Sidney airport transit lounge :(

Reply to
Antti Lukats

Paul

I'll join Antti and say that you want to find out your support FAE at whatever flavour of Avnet you have out there. Silicon allocation when parts are short does tend to go large customers first but if you can make a good case sometimes doors will open. Not particularly giving things away I believe things are being done to ease the shortages but do talk to your FAE for the detail.

If your redesigning for external serdes I believe the LX and SX parts are now not bad to get hold off in the main.

John Adair Enterpoint Ltd. - Soon to be home of Broaddown4. The Ultimate Virtex-4 Development Board.

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Reply to
John Adair

I know some of the CSIRO guys have had v4 chips for a while.

They were using avnet/memec but now are supposedly buying from the US to get decent service and pricing.

Apparently with the memec to avnet switch 4 month leads turned into 8 month leads.

So you are not alone.

Local TI guys told us to talk to avnet but they don't bother returning phone calls.

Alex

Reply to
Alex Gibson

Hi Paul,

I got 5 FX 20's a couple of months ago in the UK. We are a small customer. Don't forget to check the errata before using those engineering samples, particularly if you want to use the MGTs and you've already made your PCB!

Cheers, Jon

Reply to
Jon Beniston

"Jon Beniston" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

oh FX20 was available for small customers some time already, but only ES with no functional MGTs and the original poster was only interested in FX60 and 10GB use of MGTs

Antti

Reply to
Antti Lukats

Seems like he was interested in the FX 20's.

Cheers, Jon

Reply to
Jon Beniston

I'm using a VIRTEX4 FX12 it should be ready by the end of October, but now it seems that the production will start end of Febrary.

Francesco

Reply to
francesco_poderico

Thanks for the advice Everyone,

Have made some progress in that the local Avnet FAE has contacted me as a result of this thred and is setting up a discussion with Xilinx directly so at least I can make my case to the source.

Jon, good to hear you actually got some FX20s, gives me heart the FX60s are out there.

Alex, I'm one of those CSIRO guys. While we have designed boards for the V4FX we are yet to see a V4 chip arrive apart from the FX12 (which have no rockets) on my dev board I have been using to get the linux PPC control code going on which will eventually go on the FX60 board.

For interest here is a photo of the assembled board waiting for the FX60 chip (for 2 months now on the bench) the other gaps are some expensive 2GS/S 10 bit ADCs/DEMUX and memory which I don't want to put on till I've tested the FPGA.

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My collegue who is building the receiver board is in a similar situation with a fully assembled board using the FF1152 package just sitting on the bench awaiting a V4.

Enjoy your stopover Antti. Its not often one just stops over in Sydney, its a long way from anywhere. Are you on your way to New Zealand?

Regards, Paul

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Reply to
Paul R

Hi Paul, I noticed from your photo that you have two 28 pin PLCC packages (U15/16?) in the bottom right of the PCB. Do you find you have problems with getting the right solder paste thickness for these parts given that you have some fine-pitched TTSOPs on the board as well? You might need a stepped solder mask with a BIG step! I try very hard to avoid PLCC packages, I've had too many manufacturing problems with them. Anyway, it's a minor point, just thought I'd mention it! Any chance of a view of the backside to see how you've laid out your bypass caps for the V4? Good luck, Cheers, Syms.

Reply to
Symon

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