Xilinx XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit

Spartan™-3A DSP Edition FAQ

October , 2008
General Kit and Collateral Questions
1. What is included in the Video Starter Kit
A: This kit includes the following Items:
• XtremeDSP Development Platform – Spartan-3A DSP 3400A Edition
• ISE Design Suite Development Software DVD which includes:
- Full seat of System Generator for DSP – System Generator
enables the use of The Mathworks DSP friendly Simulink™ and
MATLAB™ modeling environments for Xilinx FPGA design. System
Generator includes the Xilinx DSP Blockset that provides over 100
Xilinx optimized DSP building blocks for use within the Simulink
environment.
- Full seat of Embedded Development (EDK) Design Suite for
Embedded Processing - The Embedded Development Kit (EDK)
bundle is an integrated software solution for designing embedded
processing systems. This pre-configured kit includes the award-
winning Platform Studio tool suite as well as all the documentation
and Intellectual Property (IP) that you require for designing Xilinx
Platform FPGAs with embedded PowerPC® hard processor cores
and/or MicroBlaze™ soft processor cores.
- 60 evaluation version of ISE Foundation
• Universal Power Supply
• Compact Flash Card - 256 MB
• USB Download/Probe Programming Cable
• DVI adaptor
• Quick Start Guide and Online Documentation
• Reference Designs
• FMC-Video daughter card supporting the following video interfaces:
- DVI Input
- Single Channel In and Out Composite
- S-Video In and Out
- Two Independent LVDS Camera Interfaces
• Micron VGA CMOS Camera Module with Tripod
• Miscellaneous Cables:
- S-Video, RCA composite
- CAT 5 Ethernet crossover
- CAT 6 Ethernet patch
- VGA
- DVI
- Null modem
2. What speed grade Spartan™-3A DSP 3400 device is on the board?
 A: The board is populated with -4 as default speed grade.
3. Can I upgrade to a larger or faster device?
A: Yes, you can but Xilinx can not provide any assistance and honor the board’s warranty.
4. What is your return policy for boards and software?
A: Please visit the following site:
http://www.xilinx.com/products/quality/rma.htm
Software Related Questions
5. How do I register and install my software?
A: The following procedure will guide you through the SW installation and registration
process:
Quick Start to Installing the Software
The Xilinx XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit – Spartan-3A DSP Edition includes a Xilinx Software
Development Suite DVD in the box, or the user can download the software from the Xilinx
software registration site. In both cases, the software must be registered as part of the
installation process. The software cannot be installed until it has been registered.
Step 1: Accessing the Xilinx Electronic Fulfillment Site
This development kit comes with “entitlement” to a FULL seat of System Generator for DSP
and a FULL seat of the Embedded Development (EDK) Design Suite product. To determine
what software the user has – Full, Evaluation, or Free license – visit the Xilinx software
registration and entitlement site.
Note: The Video Starter Kit does not include an entitlement for ISE Foundation Customers
who do not own ISE Foundation can get started using a free 60-day software evaluation. At
the end of this 60 day trial period, however, customers will need to either transition to an
existing ISE foundation entitlement or purchase one from Xilinx.
To begin using the development kit software resources, the ISE Foundation, System
Generator for DsP and the EDK Design Suite, the user must first obtain installation keys. To
do this, the user may register or download these products immediately on the Xilinx
Registration and Download Site at:
http://www.xilinx.com/register.
Step 2: Check for Software Updates
If the user has already installed the ISE software, please make sure the software has the
latest updates. The latest software updates for all Xilinx products can be found on the Xilinx
Download site:
http://www.xilinx.com/support/download/index.htm
If the user still needs to install the ISE Foundation software then log into the following
registration web:
http:// www.xilinx.com/register
Please select the check box for the “ISE Foundation”. If you do not already own an
entitlement for ISE Foundation you may request a 60 day evaluation at this time
Step 3: Register and Install Software
A version of System Generator for DSP, EDK and ISE Foundation need to be installed.
Any additional software may be selected for evaluation for a period of 60 days. After making
the desired product selections, click "next". An installation code will be presented. Use this
 code to install the software from the Xilinx Software DVD in the Kit or use it with the software
that was downloaded from the Xilinx software registration and download site.
Insert the Xilinx Software Development Suite DVD that came with the kit or select and install
the Install image that was downloaded from the Xilinx Registration and Download Site. Follow
the instruction included in the installation software.
6. What software do I need to run these reference designs?
A: ISE Design Suite 10.3
7. Where do I get the latest software?
A: [See steps 1 and 2 in QA #5 above.]
8. 10. What other Software would be helpful? Why?
• ChipScope Pro™ - an FPGA debug and verification tool. Using the ChipScope Core
Generator or Core Inserter, you put ChipScope-specific logic into your design, called a
ChipScope core. Then, you can connect to ChipScope cores later using the ChipScope
Analyzer software to debug or validate your design.
• The AccelDSP™ Synthesis Tool - a product that allows you to transform a MATLAB®
floating-point design into a hardware module that can be implemented in a Xilinx FPGA.
The AccelDSP Synthesis Tool features an easy-to-use Graphical User Interface that
controls an integrated environment with other design tools such as MATLAB, Xilinx ISE
tools, and other industry-standard HDL simulators and logic synthesizers.
• PlanAhead – a design and analysis software product used to design large FPGA devices.
The core technology includes a hierarchical floorplanning tool that can partition the
physical design into smaller, more manageable pieces, thus reducing the time to
understand, design, verify, and implement the FGPA.
Applications & Reference Designs
9. What reference designs are available for the Video Starter Kit
A: There are 4 reference designs available for the XtremeDSP Video Starter Kit – Spartan-3A
DSP edition. Design files and detailed information about these designs can be accessed
from the following web page:
http://www.xilinx.com/products/devboards/reference_design/vsk_s3/vsk_s3.htm

Reference Design Functionality Description

DVI Pass-Through • Capture a video stream input port
• Perform real-time image processing on the video stream
• Displaying the processed video
DVI Frame Buffer • Capture a video stream input port
• Buffering the video stream in external memory
• Reporting memory bandwidth utilization data
• Display video stream on output DVI port
Camera Frame Buffer • Capturing a video stream from a camera
• Performing processing on the video stream
• Buffering the processed video stream in external memory
• Displaying the processed video at a different rate
• Using a microprocessor to configure various aspects of
the video pipeline
S-Video Processing • Capture video stream from an s-video interface
• Performing processing on the video stream
• Buffering processed video stream as “weaved” image data
(not de-interlacing)
 • De-weave image data and display video stream on output
s-video port

Training, Resources and Support

1. How do I get Xilinx technical support?
A: Web Support - The Xilinx support site provides many ways for you to find the answers
you need including tools such as: Forums, Answer Browser and My Alerts. Get the answers
you need at our award-winning web site. For more information, please go to:
www.xilinx.com/support
Technical Support - Our highly-trained engineers average 5+ years of industry experience.
When you contact us you will be routed directly to our team specializing in embedded support
which will provide you the most up-to-date knowledge in embedded design. For more
information, please go to:
www.xilinx.com/support
2. What training is available?
A: Recorded Learning Module - Xilinx provides Recorded e-Learning for course
accessibility at your convenience. Available at no charge, topics range from high-level
software updates and ASIC-to-FPGA conversion strategies to specifics on device
architecture. Check one out today at:
http://www.xilinx.com/support/training/free-courses.htm
Webcasts - Xilinx webcasts are 60-minute live broadcasts featuring interactive technical
presentations, product demonstrations, and question-and-answer sessions presented by our
expert silicon and software engineers on Xilinx technology, the industry, or both. All
broadcasts are made available for on-demand viewing within 24 hours of the live session.
Please register for a webcast live at:
http://www.xilinx.com/events/webcasts.htm
...or check out the on-demand training at:
http://www.xilinx.com/events/webcasts_od.htm
Embedded and DSP Education Courses - Xilinx provides targeted, high-quality education
services designed by experts in programmable logic design and delivered by Xilinx qualified
trainers. Our series of instructor-led embedded classes includes:
• DSP Development
• Embedded Systems Development
• Embedded Open-Source Linux
For more information on Xilinx Education courses, please go to:
www.xilinx.com/education
Embedded QuickStart! - Embedded QuickStart! provides access to an engineer specializing
in embedded development for one week to provide a two-day Embedded Systems
Development course and three days of coaching on your embedded design. Coaching will
include focus on:
• Design environment configuration
• EDK software customization
• Design architecture consultation
 • HW/SW partitioning and integration guidance
• MicroBlaze/Power PC processor optimization
For more information, please go to:
www.xilinx.com/quickstart
Titanium Dedicated Engineering - This robust service provides a dedicated Applications
Engineer on a contract basis who can either work remotely or at your site. The Titanium
engineer can help you optimize your hardware design and FPGA implementation and provide
support for advanced HW/SW debugging and complex IP integration. For more information,
please go to:
www.xilinx.com/titanium
Xilinx Design Services - Xilinx Design Services perform the role of a development partner
with unmatched skill and experience in system, logic and embedded software design.
Leveraging these skill sets will help you optimize your budget, schedule and performance
requirements. The XDS portfolio includes:
• Embedded Software Design
• FPGA Design from Specification
• FPGA System Design
• DSP Design
For more information, please go to:
www.xilinx.com/xds