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ControlCARD with XINTF ?

Crcarle
Intellectual 280 points

Other Parts Discussed in Thread: TMS320F2812, CONTROLSUITE

Hi:

I am planning to build a system that uses a TMS320F2812 and needs 1Mx16 SRAM as well as significant IO expansion via memory mapped registers in an FPGA.  The controlCARDs that I've seen so far all use 100 pin DIMM forms and don't bring out the XINTF, except possibly the C28346 exception, which uses a 168 pin card.  It is not clear from the documentation on the web if the XINTF is fully accesssible on this model either.

Thus, I am convinced that it is necessary to build a custom F2812 board with the capabilities I need.  Rather than build one board with all components however, I am attracted to the concept of the controlCARD, and am considering to design a controlCARD-like F2812 module, including the 1Mx16 SRAM on the card, and no other accessories.  My card would however, bring the entire set of IO and XINTF pins to the backplane, so that they may all be made accessible to other modules, such as an FPGA module.  The point of the controlCARD concept, to me, is that peripherals should not be integrated onto the card, but rather the backplane or other modules on the backplane bus.  Thus, I the CPU-centric controlCARD saves me from having to duplicate the core CPU support circuitry when I deploy the same CPU over multiple applications, each with different IO peripheral needs.

Has anyone else been frustrated by the lack of XINTF signals on the controlCARDs?  Any thoughts on the ideal controlCARD?  Has anyone done a F2812 or other C2000 series coupled to an FPGA via XINTF?

Thanks for input!

  • Genius 5170 points

    Have you looked at 2812 eZdsp from Spectrum Digital? TI may offer similar boards but am not sure ... eZdsp board may offer you all the features you are looking for ... Here is the link http://www.spectrumdigital.com/product_info.php?cPath=30_84&products_id=138&osCsid=ba51b2415036b1ebed64865d2cbd8d65

  • in reply to Arefeen
    Intellectual 280 points

    Thanks for the reply.  Yes, I have several of the eZdsp F2812 boards, and have two deployed in prototype versions of the system I am building.  Trouble is, I need to integrate the 1Mx16 SRAM and FPGA. 

    The SRAM chip (U4) pads on the eZdsp are not compatible with a SRAM larger than 256kx16.  In fact, I de-soldered the 64kx16 SRAM from the board and applied a pin-compatible 256kx16 (the eZdsp routes 18 address lines to the U4 pads, but only comes by default with a 64k chip) so I could get closer to my full memory needs.  So my choices for reaching the full system are:

    1.  Build a PCB containing the SRAM, FPGA, and the eZdsp board as a daughter board (with the on-board 64kx16 chip removed from the eZdsp so it won't interfere with the larger SRAM on the XINTF on the main PCB).

    2.  Build a PCB or modularized set of PCBs containing everything including the F2812 from scratch.

    Option #1 is not out of the question since this is a low volume (about 10 units) production, but I have inclined away from it because of several reasons.  One is that it ties me to Spectrum Digital's board, which is more expensive to keep spares of than making a few more copies of a controlCARD-like module.  Second, I can more easily upgrade my system to a new processor with a controlCARD-like module, whereas a new eZdsp board from SD might not fit the header sockets that I design for the F2812 version.  Third, I want to have a F2812 module that makes it easy and cheaper than the $469 eZdsp to prototype and deploy systems in a research lab environment, particularly with the full XINTF RAM expansion.  Finally, the option of putting the eZdsp on another board is somewhat klunky and doesn't integrate well into the physical chassis plan for my system.

    Thus, I am most likely going to choose option #2 and build a new controlCARD-like F2812 module.

  • in reply to Crcarle
    Genius 5885 points

    Hi Crcarle,

    The C28346 controlCARD brings XINTF to the DIMM connector. If you download controlSUITE and install/unpack it look inside "controlSUITE\development_kits\~controlCARDs\DIM168CC2834xHWdevPkg" folder where you can get schematics and pinouts.

    As it seems the website of C28346 controlCARD is down, and the C28346 experimetal kit is marked obsolete. This fills me doubs what is TI roadmap for DIMM168 format controlCARDS? Will they keep the pinout the same? Will they continue with production of DIMM168 controlCARDS? Or are they just updating the design? I hope that some of the TI people see this and try to answer

     

    Regards, Mitja