need help for interfacing FPGA to a PC.

[electronic_jas]

hi guys,I'm doing an OFDM TX and Rx functions implementation on FPGA for my B.E project.

It consists of serial to parallel converter,IFFT,parallel to serial converter in TX and reeverse operations in Rx

"does any one know how to interface virtex PRO FPGA to a pc".I need to somehow get the data from PC to FPGA.

 

[sameh_yassin99]

Hello,
That depends on you application. I think the easiest is to start using serial interface so you are going to need UART IP which is free IP. However, if you need higher speeds you can use USB.

For serial interface try the following link
[url]https://www.fpga4fun.com/SerialInterface.html [/url]

Best wishes

 

[elecrom]

Serial interface will be simplest and best option. If you are using virtex pro, then build the system using microblaze softcore, that will simplify many debugging tasks.

 

[electronic_jas]

thank you very much for the advice guys.

I downloaded a UART IP core from xillinx.
it is in verilog.

does anyone know how to use it in fpga i.e what to do after i dump this code to FPGA.
I mean which port to connect to and how to send data from PC e.t.c.[/b]

 

[sameh_yassin99]

Hello,

To connect through PC serial port it depends on your operating system. If you are using windows XP the best way is to use the hyper terminal session. If you are using linux you can use an alternative program such as cute-com which is very easy to be used.

you may need to see the following link:

https://linuxwave.blogspot.com/2009/06/hyper-terminal-for-linux.html

Best Wishes

 

[electronic_jas]

thank guys i understood a little bit of basics about uart.

does any one know any websites where i can get a uart vhdl code that works with windows xp hyperterminal.

 

[bigdogguru]

Sorry, but I just had to ask:

If your design incorporates a Virtex-II Pro, why not put the PowerPC 405 that's onboard your FPGA to use?

Use Xilinx's EDK, add what peripherals you need (like an UART), load an Embedded Linux OS and have it manage dataflow: From the FPGA to PC, From the PC to FPGA, To the IFFT and back, etc.

Don't like Linux or want a leaner RTOS? Try µC/OS-II. Or any of the open source Tiny OSs.

A step by step example of just such a system

Why reinvent the wheel?

Anyway it's just a thought.

 

[electronic_jas]

thanks for da help bigdogguru.

but i'm new to power pc.

do you know any websites/sources where a rookie like me could learn more about using power pc.

 

[elecrom]

Following is in-depth and detailed tutorial on how to use microblaze softcore and create FPGA based designs using it. This tutorial gives the example of making 16x2 LCD driver using microblaze.

You can follow this tutorial to learn the how to develop complete systems using EDK:

[url]https://www.fpgadeveloper.com/2008/10/microblaze-16x2-lcd-driver.html [/url]

Later on you can apply same principals, explained in the above tut and then switch to PowerPC.

I will strongly recommend to follow above tutorial as it will give you complete overview and brief insight into EDK platform.