Xilinx Kintex 7 FPGA Boards

Skoll is an easy to use FPGA Development board featuring XC7K70T FPGA Kintex 7 FPGA with FTDI’s FT2232H Dual-Channel USB device. It is specifically designed for development and integration of FPGA based accelerated features in to other larger designs. Skoll is pin compatible with Saturn Spartan 6 FPGA Module and Neso Artix 7 FPGA Module and thus offers seamless upgrade path. The high speed USB 2.0 interface provides fast and easy configuration download to the on-board SPI flash. No programmer or special down loader cable is needed to download the bit stream to the board. The second FTDI channel can be used to develop custom high data-rate USB based applications. Skoll provides user flexibility in adding their own peripherals though IO Expansion Headers

• Pin compatible with Saturn Spartan 6 FPGA Module and Neso Artix 7 FPGA Module and offers seamless upgrade path
• FPGA: XC7K70T in FBG484 package, Speed Grade: -1
• DDR3: 2Gb DDR3 (MT41J128M16HA-125:K or equivalant)
• Flash memory: 128 Mb Quad bit SPI flash memory (N25Q128A13EF840E)
• 100MHz CMOS oscillator
• High Speed USB 2.0 interface for On-board flash programming. FT2232H Channel B is dedicated for SPI Flash /JTAG Programming. Channel A can be used for custom applications.
• On-board voltage regulators for single power rail operation
• FPGA configuration via JTAG and USB
• Maximum IOs for user defined purposes
  • FPGA – 150 IOs
  • FT2232H – 8 IOs

• Product Prototype Development
• Accelerated computing integration
• Development and testing of custom embedded processors
• Signal Processing
• Communication devices development
• Educational tool for Schools and Universities

The following sections describe in detail how to use this module.

Along with the module, you may need the items in the list below for easy and fast installation.

1. USB A to Micro B cable.
2. DC Power supply (Optional)

This diagram should be used as a reference only. For detailed information, see Skoll schematics at the end of this document. Details of individual connectors are as below.

The on board full speed USB controller helps a PC/Linux/Mac computer to communicate with this module. Use a USB A to Micro B cable to connect with a PC. By default the module is powered from USB so make sure not to overcrowd unpowered USB hubs (the picture on the right shows USB Micro connector).

FT2232H Channel B is dedicated for SPI Flash /JTAG Programming. Channel A can be used for custom applications.

By default the board is configured to use +5V supply from USB. So an external power is not required unless USB port is unable to supply enough current. USB 2.0 ports are only capable of providing enough current for the module for small designs which require less power. Current requirement for this board largely depends on your application. Please consult FPGA data sheet for more details on power requirements. If for any reason, an external power supply needs to be used for the board, the Power select jumper should be configured properly before connecting the power supply. Please refer to the marking on the board for more details. External power supply should be in the range of +5 to +12V, with sufficient current rating.

The Power Select header P7 is used to configure the power source for the board. Connect pins 1 and 2 to use USB power and pin connect pins 2 and 3 to use the external DC power.

JTAG connector provides access to FPGA’s JTAG pins. A XILINX platform cable can be used to for JTAG programming.

Channel A of FT2232H can be connected to the SPI bus that connects the SPI Flash chip to the FPGA or to the JTAG pins of the FPGA. By connecting SPI bus to FT2232H channel A, the SPI flash can be directly programmed to save the configuration permanently. This is the default configuration set when Skoll is shipped. When FT2232H channel A is connected to SPI, Skoll Configuration Downloader utility can be used to program the board.

When FT2232H channel A is connected to FPGA JTAG, the JTAG signals can be accessed directly through FT2232H. Skoll Configuration Downloader utility currently does not support programming FPGA SRAM through JTAG.

Please see the tables below for information about selecting SPI or JTAG for FT2232H channel A. SPI must be selected for Skoll Configuration Downloader utility to work.

Solder Jumpers P2

Jumper Configuration for SPI	Jumper Configuration for JTAG
1 - 2	2 - 4
5 - 6	3 - 5

Solder Jumpers P3

Jumper Configuration for SPI	Jumper Configuration for JTAG
1 - 2	2 - 4
5 - 6	3 - 5

Important: These jumper settings are only meant for accessing the JTAG signals via FT2232H through USB using programs such as xc3sprog.  If you are using external JTAG such as Xilinx Platform Cable USB II connected to the JTAG header, then please do not change these jumpers. They should be in the factory-shipped SPI configuration. If the jumpers are changed to JTAG mode, and an external JTAG is used, then the external JTAG will not work.

This device is equipped with a maximum 150 user IO pins that can be used for various custom applications. All user IOs  are length matched and can be used as differential pairs.

* ACBUS0 – ACBUS7 are pins of FTDI FT2232H Dual-Channel USB device.

Windows

This product requires Numato Lab drivers to be installed for proper functioning when used with Windows. The driver can be downloaded from http://productdata.numato.com/assets/downloads/driver/Driver.zip Windows users should download and run the WHQL Certified executable file that will prompt to install the Numato Lab drivers. When driver installation is complete, the module should appear in Skoll Flash Config Tool as Skoll Kintex-7 FPGA Module.

HDL design needs to be converted to bit stream before it can be programmed to FPGA. Skoll at this time accepts only binary (.bin) bitstream created by XILINX ISE (http://www.xilinx.com/tools/webpack.htm). Once the HDL is synthesized, it is easy to create a binary bit stream out of it. Please follow the steps below to generate binary bit stream from your design using ISE Web Pack.

Step 1: Right click on the “Generate Programming File” option in “Processes” window.

Step 2: Select “Process Properties” from the pop up menu. In the dialog box, check “Create Binary Configuration File” Check box and click “Apply”.

Step 3: Click “OK” to close the dialog box. Right click on “Generate Programming File” option again and select “Run”. Now you will be able to find a “.bin” file in the project directory and that file can be used for Skoll configuration.

Skoll is factory configured to be powered directly from USB port so make sure that you are using a USB port that can power the board properly. It is recommended to connect the board directly to the PC instead using a hub. It is practically very difficult to estimate the power consumption of the board, as it depends heavily on your design and the clock used. XILINX provides tools to estimate the power consumption. In any case if power from USB is not enough for your application, external supply can be applied to the board. Jumper PWRSEL should be set up properly (short pin 1-2) to use the board on external power. Skoll requires three different voltages, a 3.3V, a 1.8V supplies and a 1.3V supply. On-board regulators derive these voltages from the USB/Ext power supply.

The Skoll Kintex-7 module can be configured by two methods,

1. Using Kintex-7 configuration tool through USB.
2. Using the Xilinx programming cable.

Skoll has an on-board FTDI FT2232 device which facilitates easy reprogramming of on-board SPI flash through USB interface. The FTDI receives bit stream from the host application and program it in to the SPI Flash and lets the FPGA boot from the flash. The Skoll configuration application can be downloaded from www.numato.com for free.

Step 1: Open Skoll Config Tool. Click “Scan for Devices” if “Skoll  Kintex-7 FPGA Module” is not detected automatically.

Step 2: Click on “Load Binary” Select the “.bin” file, then click on “Program Flash” button. Wait till “Programming Completed” appears on the screen.

Skoll Kintex-7 module features an on-board JTAG connector which facilitates easy reprogramming of SRAM and on-board SPI flash through JTAG programmer like “XILINX Platform-cable usb”. Programming Skoll using JTAG requires  “XILINX ISE iMPACT” software which is bundled with XILINX ISE Design Suite. To program the SPI flash we need a “.mcs” file needs to be generated from the “.bit” file. Steps for generating “.mcs” file are as below. Programming FPGA SRAM does not require a “.mcs” file to be generated.

Step 1: Open ISE iMPACT. Click on “Create PROM file(PROM file formatter)”. In the dialog box, select “Configure Single FPGA” in storage device type. Then click on the green arrow on the right side.

Step 2: Select 128M in Storage Device (bits).Now click on “Add Storage Device”, then the green arrow on the right side.

Step 3: Set an output file name and the output file location (the “.mcs” file will be generated at this location which will be required later for programming the FPGA), then click OK twice, then select the “.bit” file we already generated then click Open and click NO when it prompts to add another device file.

Step 4: Double click on “Generate File”.  A “Generate Succeeded” will be displayed as shown in the image below if the “.mcs” the file is generated successfully.

Step 1: Run VIVADO and open Hardware Manager. Select Tools -> Auto Connect.

Step 2:  Go to Tools, Select Add Configuration Memory Device, then the FPGA device.

Step 3: In the dialogue box that appears, select Micron, SPI, 128Mb in the Manufacturer, Type and Density section respectively and select n25q128-3.3v. Then click OK.

Step 4: Select the configuration file (.bin) and click OK  button to program.

Wait until programming completes.

* All parameters considered nominal. Numato Systems Pvt Ltd reserves the right to modify products without notice.

Skoll Revision V1: Skoll Schematics

Skoll Revision V2: Skoll Schematics

Skoll GPIO Easy Reference