Connecting FPGA to Host Computer via PCIe: VCK190 with VGA 6+2 Interface
Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are integrated circuits that can be programmed to perform specific tasks. Connecting an FPGA to a host computer via PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) enables high-speed data transfer and communication between the two. This article focuses on connecting the VCK190 FPGA board to a host computer using a VGA 6+2 interface.
VCK190 FPGA Board
The VCK190 FPGA board is a Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC development board with a XCZU9EG-2FFVC1156-1-E device. It features a quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor and a dual-core ARM Cortex-R5 real-time processor. The board also has various interfaces, including PCIe, USB, Ethernet, and VGA.
PCIe Interface
The PCIe interface on the VCK190 board is a Gen3 x8 interface that supports high-speed data transfer up to 8 GT/s. The PCIe interface is powered by a VGA 6+2 interface, which provides the necessary power and ground connections. The VGA 6+2 interface consists of six power pins and two ground pins.
Connecting VCK190 to Host Computer
To connect the VCK190 board to a host computer, follow these steps:
- Connect the VCK190 board to the host computer using a PCIe cable with a VGA 6+2 interface.
- Install the necessary drivers on the host computer to enable communication between the host computer and the VCK190 board.
- Configure the PCIe interface on the VCK190 board to enable data transfer.
Code Example
The following is an example of how to configure the PCIe interface on the VCK190 board using the Xilinx Vivado Design Suite:
// Create a new IP block for the PCIe interface
create\_ip -name pcie -vendor xilinx.com -library ip -template xilinx\_pcie -version 2020.2
// Connect the PCIe interface to the Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC
connect\_ip -intfint -source pcie -target soc
// Configure the PCIe interface
set\_property -dict "{\"PCIE_LANES\" : \"x8\", \"PCIE_SPEED\" : \"Gen3\", \"PCIE_DATAWIDTH\" : \"32\", \"PCIE_ADDRWIDTH\" : \"32\"}" [get\_ip\_instances -of\_objects pcie]
// Generate the bitstream
generate\_bitstream
References
- VCK190 Evaluation Teardown Guide
- Xilinx PCIe User Guide
- Xilinx Vivado Programming and Debugging Reference Guide
Connecting an FPGA to a host computer via PCIe enables high-speed data transfer and communication between the two. The VCK190 FPGA board features a Gen3 x8 PCIe interface that supports up to 8 GT/s data transfer. The PCIe interface is powered by a VGA 6+2 interface, which provides the necessary power and ground connections. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can connect the VCK190 board to a host computer and configure the PCIe interface for data transfer.