Launching Targeted Design Platforms is getting to be old hat for Xilinx Inc.  The effort begins with a base platform, then expands into specialized markets like aerospace or automotive.  At the DesignCon 2012 show, Xilinx is demonstrating its first base TDP for Virtex-7, the VC707 Evaluation Kit(www.xilinx.com/vc707), and the first base TDP for the Kintex-7, the KC705 (www.xilinx.com/KC705).   At the same time, Xilinx is launching a DSP kit for Kintex-7 in conjunction with Avnet Electronics Marketing, who will serve as primary marketers for the DSP version.

Xilinx is making a special effort to emphasize that its own Kintex-7 and Virtex-7 kits integrate FPGA Mezzanine Card (FMC) connectors, compatible with VITA 57 standards, because such mezzanine cards are becoming the form factor of choice for FPGAs (http://www.vita.com/fmc.html).  Mark Moran, senior manager for Kintex products at Xilinx, said he is aware of more than 100 FMC designs, indicating the pent-up demand for such card-level products.

Because of the interest in linking high-performance analog with high-end FPGAs, Xilinx will demonstrate at DesignCon its Agile Mixed Signal blocks, which integrate high-performance A/D and D/A blocks with multiplexers and registers.  The AMS core is part of all Xilinx-7 family members, and a discrete AMS evaluation board ships along with an FPGA board in the Xilinx base TDP kits.

The KC705 and VC707 include an ISE Design Suite 13.4, and primary board using a PCI Express form factor.  The PCIe board has an HDMI interface in the KC705, and offers DDR3 and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces in the VC707.  The Avnet DSP kit does not include the AMS evaluation board, but does offer a high-performance data conversion board from 4DSP Inc., using FMC form factor.

The KC705 is priced at $1,695 and the VC707 is $3,495.  The Virtex DSP kit, offered from Avnet, is $3,495.