Drigmorn1 Development Board FAQ

Drigmorn1

"I HAVE PROGRAMMED THE SERIAL FLASH BUT FPGA DIES NOT CONFIGURE" - When the programming cable is plugged into the serial flash programming header the FPGA line PROG_N is pulled low holding the FPGA in pre-configured state. This avoids the programming cable conflicting with the FPGA accessing the serial flash memory. Removing the cable from the Drigmorn1 header will allow the FPGA to configure.

"HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THE FPGA IS CONFIGURED" - When the FPGA is not configured LED1 will be dimly on and LED2/3 will be off. If your design uses these LEDs say in a flashing mode it is a good indicator that configuration has not completed. LED1 will be brighter when actively driven constantly on than preconfigure mode.

"CAN I HAVE DRIGMORN1 WITHOUT GULLWING HEADERS FITTED" - We will be offering variants of this board without headers, with straight headers, and with turned pin headers to allow use as a coprocessor for our other development boards.

"CAN USE BOTH SERIAL FLASH HEADER AND JTAG HEADER AT THE SAME TIME" - You can use both headers at the same time e.g. JTAG used as a logic analyser function using Chipscope^TM and other header for programming serial flash (needs mod and care to switch PROG_N from active state to allow conflict free programming).

"CAN I USE THE SERIAL FLASH LINES AS EXTRA I/O" - Provided the serial flash is inactive (CS0_B = '1') then the DIN, DOUT, CCLK lines can be used as I/O. Please note that these signals operate at 2.5V and 3.3V inputs, or larger, may cause damage.

"WHERE DOES THE NAME DRIGMORN1 COME FROM" - This product name comes from the Galloway Hills in south west Scotland.

"WHAT VOLTAGE DOES DRIGMORN1 RUN FROM" - Drigmorn1 normally runs from a 5V input. However most of the board, except RS232, by specification can run at 3.5V. We have had this board configuring and running a test design at 3.0V. Most of the board, including FPGA bank voltages, operates at 2.5V generated by a TPS70402 regulator from the input voltage supply.

"WHAT INPUT CURRENT DOES DRIGMORN1 TAKE" - Using our simple waggle test (see applications) we see 130-150mA, at 5V, taken from the input supply. This can drop to 90mA at 3.0V input supply.

"WHAT PROGRAMMING CABLES IS DRIGMORN1 COMPATIBLE WITH" - Our PROG2 (supplied with board) and Xilinx Platform Cable USB/ Parallel Cable IV will operate with this board using the 14 way ribbon cable. Xilinx Parallel Cable III will also operate with Drigmorn1 with mechanical cable adaption.

"WHAT PACKAGE DO I SET MY ISE TOOLS FOR" - The package to use is CP132 (CPG132).

"CAN I OPERATE THIS FROM A BATTERY STACK" - Because the module operates over 3-5.5V and regulates it's internal power supplies it can operate on a battery stack of say 3 AA batteries.

"CAN I OPERATE THIS FROM A CAR OR BOAT 12V SUPPLY" - Not directly as it exceeds the maximum input voltage. Low cost dc-dc power adaptors that plug into cigarette lighter sockets and output 5V are easy to obtain.

"DOES DRIGMORN1 SUPPORT LVDS" - Two pairs of signals are capable of operating as LVDS either as inputs or outputs. As yet this feature is untested and not guaranteed. The pin pairs appear on the gull-wing connectors on pins 7/8 and 16/17. The Spartan^TM-3E has internal termination capability and the -4 speed grade should allow data rates in excess of 500+ MBit/s per pair.

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