ADS1675REF: Resident native configuration HDL source code ?

Randall Forsyth

Part Number: ADS1675REF

Hello, I know this question has been asked many times over the years but all of the threads are locked where individuals were helped directly via email. Many have been seeking the HDL source code for the ADS1675REF board with Opal Kelly XEM3010 FPGA module.
Those seeking the source code for this eval board that works with ADCPro had been directed to a TI ftp site that either no longer exists or I do not know how to access.

example: https://e2e.ti.com/support/data-converters/f/73/p/653055/2398719?tisearch=e2e-sitesearch&keymatch=ads1675ref#2398719

I see this part has been active nearly ten years, yet still seems to be the highest sample rate and bit depth on the market, am I missing its replacement? Is there a newer >4Msps+ 24 bit ADC available?
Otherwise, please direct me to the source code, I need to modify it for our application.

Thanks for any help or guidance! If I am pursuing an obsolete design path please let me know where I should be looking for updated high speed high dynamic range low noise ADC.

over 4 years ago

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago

Prodigy 90 points

File of interest seems to be named ads1675evm_fw.zip which I also understand is password protected. Does anyone have this file and its password? Thank you.

0 Keith Nicholas over 4 years ago in reply to Randall Forsyth

TI__Mastermind 42820 points

Hello Randall,

ADS1675 is TI's highest sample rate 24b ADC.

The only source code available is included in the ADS1675REF-SW plug-in. (This plug-in will not run in Windows10; must run on Windows 7 or XP)

This plug-in can be found on the ADS1675REF product folder page.

http://www.ti.com/tool/ADS1675REF

After the plug-in is installed, you will find the source files in this location (assuming you installed to the default directory):

C:\Program Files (x86)\ADCPro\plugins\evm\ADS1675REF

Regards,

Keith Nicholas
Precision ADC Applications

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago in reply to Keith Nicholas

Prodigy 90 points

Hi Keith, thank you for your reply, I have seen that reply to several people who have requested the FPGA code, but judging by info from previous forum discussions, it is not accurate. I've seen at least 6 requests for FPGA code with this reply, then the threads are locked.

I am not seeking a software plug in, I have already installed that. I am not seeking any software source code, although that would be helpful. I am seeking the HDL code (Xilinx ISE project with Verilog or VHDL RTL code) for the FPGA firmware that is running on the XEM3010 FPGA. I know that it exists, because there are numerous forum posts where @Tom Hendrick and @Ryan Andrews have helped individual people by sending them files and passwords directly to their email accounts, but this does not help the general community. There is a lot of reference to a specific zip file named ads1675evm_fw.zip, I have also seen references to ads1675evm_source.zip also ADCProFW.zip, PA_LVCommon.zip and adcpro_v2.zip which were at one time hosted on TI's ftp site and would be very useful

I do not know if this ftp is still serving, or how to access it. Even if I obtained the files they appear to need passwords to open them.

Please refer to the following posts which all have the same request that I do and refer to the availability of the HDL code that I am seeking. Note, this is not software source code, it is FPGA RTL code. Obtaining this is critical to our decision to use the ADS1675 here at Miltenyi Biotech.

The posts I have found referencing this source code are below:

I thank anyone who may have a copy of these archives and their passwords, as this is the only obstruction to proceeding with development based around this ADC.

0 Keith Nicholas over 4 years ago in reply to Randall Forsyth

TI__Mastermind 42820 points

Hi Randall,

The original ftp servers are no longer running. TI has also recently changed its policy on how we distribute software, including source code (including VHDL).

I am looking at what options we have to share this code, but at this time, I do not think we will be able to provide.

Please feel free to post questions to the forum when working the ADS1675. The ADS1675 does not use registers to configure; everything is configured through IO pins, which makes it easier to work with. In order to support the high speed mode (4MSPS), the device generates its own SCLK, DRDY and DOUT. The host controller monitors the DRDY signal, and on the rising edge, can capture the data. Please refer to Figure 1 in the datasheet form more details.

Regards,
Keith

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago in reply to Keith Nicholas

Prodigy 90 points

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to have a functioning ISE project to use as a template, as building up a new one from scratch with USB driver and everything else can be significantly time consuming. The interface to the ADC should be fairly straightforward, thanks for the breakdown, but the DMA engine, USB interface MIG and everything else will take some a good bit of reconstructing.

If this were an obsolete part, I would understand, but it appears to be a current offering. I am surprised that the technology has not evolved over ten years and that this is still the fastest 24 bit ADC. Ideally we would like 10Msps.

Are you saying that the code exists, but TI has a policy of not providing it anymore? Please do look into any options, this seems to me to be a valuable piece of the ADS1675 EVAL kit we have purchased based on its functionality that we expected to be able to expand. ADCPro is limited in many ways as is and we would like to explore expanding the capability so that we can transfer continuous streams without limit to a host if practical, and trigger the event.

I am hoping someone else may have the ads1675evm_fw.zip and password and drop it here.

Thanks for your help.

0 Keith Nicholas over 4 years ago in reply to Randall Forsyth

TI__Mastermind 42820 points

Hello Randall,

For future products, we can provide source code with the proper release approvals. However, as you pointed out, this evaluation platform was developed over 10 years ago, and I do not believe we have the ability to meet this new standard.

Based on your previous posts, it seems like you are looking at different options. If the AC specifications are the key specs you need to meet, then you may want to look at some of TI's new 16b high speed converters as well. These operate at speeds in the >10Msps, and at least one device, ADC3660, has an internal digital filter that can improve SNR and approach the performance of the ADS1675.

Regards,
Keith

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago in reply to Keith Nicholas

Prodigy 90 points

I'm confused and extremely concerned, Keith. Although I appreciate the replies, this is still a vague answer. Are you saying the source exists, but TI has some policy not to provide it? Or are you saying that the source code has somehow disappeared and is not available?

You are making it sound as though the part is too old to support and therefore not worth supporting, yet there is no alternative provided by TI or its competitors. As far as I know even after ten years, this is the fastest and highest dynamic range on the market and we absolutely need the 24 bit depth to provide the dynamic range that we require in a photodetector application. We already are using 16 bit ADCs in our legacy product but dynamic range is the upgrade feature that we are designing our new product around.

So why would TI not support this part just as they would future products? Is there a future product that is equivalent to this? If not it makes no sense that it would no longer be supported if there is no alternative. What exactly is preventing distribution of the source code, policy or availability?

Are you telling me that this part is end of life or near end of life? If that is the case we are taking a huge risk designing this into our next generation product. Can you advise us on this? Without source code the eval board becomes much less valuable if not useless and our development effort becomes far more costly. Even without it, if we are designing around an unsupported part, we need to make some huge trajectory changes in terms of customer expectations etc. We can't take the risk of a part approaching end of life. Lack of support willingness from TI is a huge red flag.

0 Keith Nicholas over 4 years ago in reply to Randall Forsyth

TI__Mastermind 42820 points

Hello Randall,

Yes, the source code exists, but does not have the proper approvals within TI to distribute to customers. This is due to a recent change in requirements at TI to comply with software export controls.

The ADS1675 is still a fully active part with no plans to obsolete. We still support customers using this device through this forum. We just cannot provide the source code files, including the VHDL hardware configuration files for this specific product.

Regards,
Keith

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago in reply to Keith Nicholas

Prodigy 90 points

Anytime something makes no sense the root cause is some one size fits all bureaucratic policy that does not apply to a specific problem or situation. I am in the USA what does this have to do with exports. What sensitive information could possibly be in some ten year old firmware for an evaluation board that has already been released to the public? Obviously it is not a national security threat.

You are telling me that you still support customers for this device, yet a critical and valuable component of that support (which we thought we had purchased in the cost of this eval board) the company is withholding, even though it had previously been released and is floating around in the public. How is that "control" and how is it "support".

I hope that this can be elevated and some rational minds will intercede here. Or, I hope a community member that had previously downloaded this will stop by and contact me. It would be interesting if that happened, yet I can't get it directly from TI.

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago in reply to Randall Forsyth

Prodigy 90 points

"does not have the proper approvals within TI to distribute to customers" - a bit vague.

Are these approvals in process? If not why not?

0 Keith Nicholas over 4 years ago in reply to Randall Forsyth

TI__Mastermind 42820 points

Hi Randall,

We do not have the resources at this time to get the approvals. This may change in the future, but as of today, there are no plans to release this code.

Regards,
Keith

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago in reply to Keith Nicholas

Prodigy 90 points

Thanks Keith but that is kind of a non- answer and is of no help to us. I don't mean to sound flip but I can't imagine what kind of resources are required. Pens from the supply cabinet? Please help me understand because from my perspective all I can see is that TI does not want to go out of its way to help a customer.

Please explain and tell me when these resources that you speak of will be available and why they are not. We have some major decisions to make and the lack of support or even any indication of any will to support this product is getting infuriating. I feel as though we are getting jerked around. You have the files, we need them, please help us to obtain them, and what possible reasonable explanation there is for you to be withholding them indefinitely?

This makes absolutely no sense.

0 Randall Forsyth over 4 years ago in reply to Keith Nicholas

Prodigy 90 points

Why was the rest of the thread deleted?

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ADS1675REF: Resident native configuration HDL source code ?