This paper will enumerate the benefits of a platform-based system design approach.  The original electronic design process built by linking tools together has remained largely unchanged for decades. Companies doing electronics design continue to design products by cobbling together a collection of tools to create what is commonly referred to as the “tool-chain”. Many of these tools … Read More → "Next Generation System Design – Platforms versus Tool-Chains"

To support the accelerating image format conversion to FPGAs, Altera has developed a 1080p video design framework, described in this white paper, that makes it easy for system designers to develop a custom image format conversion signal chain. The image format conversion reference design discussed can be used as a starting point and modified to develop custom video processing applications. … Read More → "Enabling Improved Image Format Conversion with FPGAs"

Designing video equipment for streaming multiple uncompressed video signals is a new challenge, especially with the demand for high-definition video streams. This white paper examines how a multichannel streaming PCIe … Read More → "Streaming Multichannel Uncompressed Video in the Broadcast Environment"

Traditionally, portable system designers have used ASICs and ASSPs to implement memory interfaces, I/O expansion, power-on sequencing, discrete logic functions, display, and other functions. Cost limitations, power and cooling restrictions, and board space requirements often limit the use of PLDs in these applications. Today, however, innovations in CPLDs in power reduction, cost optimization, and small form-factor packaging allow PLDs … Read More → "Reduce Total System Cost in Portable Applications Using MAX II CPLDs"

In addition to processing techniques, FPGA innovations allow Altera to move beyond Moore’s Law to meet higher bandwidth requirements while meeting cost and power budgets. Altera’s Stratix V FPGAs provide breakthrough bandwidth via 28-Gbps power-efficient transceivers, and allow users to integrate more of their design on a single FPGA by using Embedded HardCopy Blocks while increasing flexibility through partial reconfiguration.

The rapid growth in bandwidth required to support video and broadband wireless is straining communication networks. The current 10-Gbit OTN … Read More → "Enabling 100-Gbit OTN Muxponder Solutions on 28-nm FPGAs"

With high-speed 100-GbE communication network standards converging,Read More → "Integrating 100-GbE Switching Solutions on 28-nm FPGAs"

Efficiently supporting ever-increasing system bandwidth needs by attaining higher data rates and achieving greater integration is becoming an ever-greater challenge. This paper is an architectural exploration of SERDES challenges and solutions for 12.5-Gbps backplanes and next-generation optical modules at 28 Gbps. It describes the direction of the 10- to 28-Gbps transceiver industry, highlights challenges, and introduces 28-nm silicon and productivity solutions that address these challenges.

Read More → "Extending Transceiver Leadership at 28nm"