I've got an app where I need to communicate between several cards in a chassis, with cable lengths up to about 15cm, and a data rate of about
1.5Gb/s, possibly increasing to about 4.5 Gb/s. At some point in the future, I may also need a cable run of a few metres.I've had a look around the Xilinx website, but it seems to be pretty short on basic beginner's selection information. Can anyone give me some advice on this lot? I can do all the necessary encoding/decoding; the problem is just the physical level:
- RocketIO? Or could I use LDT/LVDS/whatever in a cheaper device?
- Can I drive straight off-board from the FPGA, or do I need additional drivers/receivers?
- Can I just use twisted pair from board to board? At what point do I have to go optical? Any recommendations on cabling and connectors?
- What about cabling and connectors if I go for multiple channels at a lower date rate?
Thanks -
Paul