Need some advice about selection of FPGA devices(probably with PCIe interface)

[Altera_Forum]

Hi everyone, 

 I am a PhD researcher in university and recently my advisor wants to start a project regarding using FPGA to process some data from chemistry sensors. We have a lot of NEEKs (nios ii embedded evaluation kit, a lot of them:> ). But probably in this project, we want a FPGA board which can easily be integrated to computer(or mobile device!).So I think what we need is an FPGA board with PCIe interface rather than a evaluation board? As I said, the FPGA is mainly used to accelerate scientific computing. I have found some of them on Altera's website:  http://www.bittware.com/products-services-fpga-cots-hardware/s5-pcie  http://www.bittware.com/products-services-fpga-cots-hardware/aafms5-pcie  But there are too many of them. So can somebody here give me some suggestions on which one we might purchase? Which one is popular?  In addition, is there any board which can be integrated with mobile device(maybe through USB interface?)  Thanks a lot!:o:o

[Altera_Forum]

What do you consider mobile? Your laptop or your cell phone? :) 

 If your laptop has an "ExpressCard" slot, then you effectively have a PCIe connector on the side of your laptop. You can use this to connect to a box that contains standard PCIe cards, eg., the MaxExpansion cube or the OneStopSystems micro-ATX motherboard (these two places are the same company)  http://www.maxexpansion.com/ http://www.onestopsystems.com/  As to which FPGA board to use. Don't buy anything until you have created some example designs.  Assume you have purchased one of the above boards; create a design for it. What are the resource requirements? Is the board sufficient?  Buy a board only after you have analyzed what you need to use it for. You have to create the HDL at some point, so start now.  Also contact the University Program. They may be willing to donate a board, eg., an older Stratix IV rather than a new Stratix V board. Free is good, right? :)  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

Hi Dave, 

Thanks for your reply:> Mobile means cell phone. I have checked the two links you gave.They would be helpful. So if I am on a desktop with a FPGA board with PCIe interface, I think I can just directly insert it to the PCIe slot on the motherboard,right? I understand I should not just buy a board without considering the resources I need to use. However, the only FPGA devices I have used is NEEK as I mentioned. So right now I just need some general suggestion on what devices are available there and what are popular(Altera , Xilinx or others are all OK).... I will just use them as a start point and start to do my work... Now I just feel lost... Yes. I know University program of Altera. Actually I contacted them once before probably two years ago:>     --- Quote Start ---  What do you consider mobile? Your laptop or your cell phone? :)  If your laptop has an "ExpressCard" slot, then you effectively have a PCIe connector on the side of your laptop. You can use this to connect to a box that contains standard PCIe cards, eg., the MaxExpansion cube or the OneStopSystems micro-ATX motherboard (these two places are the same company)  http://www.maxexpansion.com/ http://www.onestopsystems.com/  As to which FPGA board to use. Don't buy anything until you have created some example designs.  Assume you have purchased one of the above boards; create a design for it. What are the resource requirements? Is the board sufficient?  Buy a board only after you have analyzed what you need to use it for. You have to create the HDL at some point, so start now.  Also contact the University Program. They may be willing to donate a board, eg., an older Stratix IV rather than a new Stratix V board. Free is good, right? :)  Cheers, Dave  --- Quote End ---  

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---   Mobile means cell phone.   --- Quote End ---   Interfacing your system to a cell phone is simple. You just use network programming. In which case, what is wrong with talking directly to a NEEK?  If you need more processing power than the NEEK can provide, then your FPGA hardware will always need to reside in a box (big FPGAs need proper cooling). If that box needs to be moved around, then the MaxExpansion cube and a laptop is a good solution. If not, a PCIe card in a desktop is fine.    --- Quote Start ---   I understand I should not just buy a board without considering the resources I need to use. However, the only FPGA devices I have used is NEEK as I mentioned. So right now I just need some general suggestion on what devices are available there and what are popular(Altera , Xilinx or others are all OK).... I will just use them as a start point and start to do my work... Now I just feel lost...  --- Quote End ---    You're starting by asking the *wrong* question, i.e., "What board?".  The question you first need to answer is "What processing?"  If your algorithms require lots of floating-point performance, then you will need to look at a high-end device, i.e., Stratix V. However, if your processing can be implemented using fixed-point math, then the Cyclone or Arria or earlier Stratix series devices would be ok.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

I see. Thanks:) 

   --- Quote Start ---  Interfacing your system to a cell phone is simple. You just use network programming. In which case, what is wrong with talking directly to a NEEK?  If you need more processing power than the NEEK can provide, then your FPGA hardware will always need to reside in a box (big FPGAs need proper cooling). If that box needs to be moved around, then the MaxExpansion cube and a laptop is a good solution. If not, a PCIe card in a desktop is fine.    You're starting by asking the *wrong* question, i.e., "What board?".  The question you first need to answer is "What processing?"  If your algorithms require lots of floating-point performance, then you will need to look at a high-end device, i.e., Stratix V. However, if your processing can be implemented using fixed-point math, then the Cyclone or Arria or earlier Stratix series devices would be ok.  Cheers, Dave  --- Quote End ---  

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  What do you consider mobile? Your laptop or your cell phone? :)  If your laptop has an "ExpressCard" slot, then you effectively have a PCIe connector on the side of your laptop. You can use this to connect to a box that contains standard PCIe cards, eg., the MaxExpansion cube or the OneStopSystems micro-ATX motherboard (these two places are the same company)  http://www.maxexpansion.com/ http://www.onestopsystems.com/   --- Quote End ---    Hi Dave,  I just need a lot bit more information about the FPGA boards attached to a laptop before I purchase the devices. So if the FPGA devices have a PCIe interface(e.g., this one: http://www.annapmicro.com/ws6pci.html ), is it possible to directly insert it to the PCIe interface inside the laptop(is the FPGA device too big?). What if my laptop doesn't have PCIe connector on the side? Is the "ExpressCard" slot common in today's laptop? I still believe directly inserting it inside will get higher throughput,right? Thanks,

[Altera_Forum]

That one looks like a full-length card - you may need to do minor surgery to fit it in a desktop!

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---  That one looks like a full-length card - you may need to do minor surgery to fit it in a desktop!  --- Quote End ---   Oh... I see. Then probably an expansion interface outside the box will be a better option.

[Altera_Forum]

--- Quote Start ---   I just need a lot bit more information about the FPGA boards attached to a laptop before I purchase the devices. So if the FPGA devices have a PCIe interface(e.g., this one: http://www.annapmicro.com/ws6pci.html ), is it possible to directly insert it to the PCIe interface inside the laptop(is the FPGA device too big?).   --- Quote End ---   You will not be able to plug any sort of PCIe card inside a laptop :)  The link you point to shows a board that looks significantly longer than a regular PCIe card. You would need to talk to MaxExpansion and OneStopSystems to get their recommendations on which product to use. For example, I use this bare motherboard, which would also work for the card you link to  http://www.onestopsystems.com/pcie_atx_bp.php    --- Quote Start ---   What if my laptop doesn't have PCIe connector on the side? Is the "ExpressCard" slot common in today's laptop? I still believe directly inserting it inside will get higher throughput,right?   --- Quote End ---   An ExpressCard is only a x1 PCIe link, so depending on your data transfer requirements, it may be too slow.  You would need to insert the board inside a regular desktop machine if you need x4 or x8 PCIe. If the board is too large for a regular desktop, then you can still use the OneStopSystems board I linked to above, but you also need a bridge card and a cable - to bridge x4 or x8 PCIe from the motherboard over to the bare motherboard.  Cheers, Dave

[Altera_Forum]

I see. Good. Thanks a lot, Dave:>

[Altera_Forum]

Full length cards should fit in a desktop case, but in many the metal support for disks (etc) comes down too far and fouls the end of the card. 

In a cheap case this can be fixed by drilling out a few rivets and bending the support out of the way.  The other problem is the lack of airflow around the expansion cards. With cards drawing 20 watts you need some additional forced cooling between the expansion card slots.  If you want to connect to a mobile device, about the only simple connection is USB to serial - ok provided the data rates are low.