Altera's MegaCore PCI Functions Serve CompactPCI Applications

<%=company1%> reports that its entire family of industry-leading 32- and 64-bit, 33- and 66-MHz PCI MegaCore functions now support CompactPCI and PCI 2.2 applications. As a result of its compliance with the industry-standard CompactPCI requirements, Altera now provides hot-swap capability for customers designing embedded applications that require this feature to perform real-time system upgrades, reconfigurations, and field replacements. Such embedded applications include communications, computer telephony, real-time data acquisition, networking, and industrial control.

Altera offers fully parameterized PCI MegaCore functions supporting 64-bit Master Target, 32-bit Master Target, 64-bit Target Only, and 32-bit Target Only applications. Altera's PCI cores are capable of running at 66-MHz in Altera's ACEX, APEX, and FLEX device families. These PCI cores have been rigorously tested on the Phoenix Technologies' Testbench, Hewlett-Packard's PCI Bus Analyzer, and Altera's FLEX 10KE PCI development board for optimal performance.

PLD Applications' HotSwap Now! CompactPCI board is an Altera FLEX 10KE-based prototyping board that can be used in 5- and 3.3-V, 32- and 64-bit, and 33- and 66-MHz CompactPCI environments. This board provides electrical, functional, and timing compliance with CompactPCI, and supports PLD Applications' 32- and 64-bit PCI Target and Master/Target cores, available through the Altera AMPPSM program. A connector provides support for in-system programming via Altera's ByteBlaster parallel port cable. Optional on-board SRAM is available in densities from 64- to 2048-kilobytes.

The HotSwap Now! Board offers field reprogramming of an Altera EPC2 configuration device, allowing OEMs to upgrade their applications via the Internet.

Prices for Altera's CompactPCI cores start at $4995 for the 32-bit PCI Target MegaCore function. All PCI MegaCore functions include netlist, simulation vectors, documentation, and timing constraint files to guarantee timing compliance.

Pricing for the PCI solutions in Altera PLDs is said to be very competitive with standard PCI devices, while providing value-added features. For example, the 32-bit/33MHz Target PCI MegaCore function uses only 38% of the ACEX EP1K30TC144-2 device for an effective volume cost of only $3.61. The remaining device resources may be used for proprietary functions. This results in a cost effective PCI solution with distinguishing features that target precise system requirements.

PLD Applications' HotSwap Now! CompactPCI development board is available from PLD Applications for $3,990. The development board includes all versions of PLD Applications' PCI cores licensed for the board only and can be ordered directly from PLD Applications at http://www.plda.com or through its distributor network.

Edited by David Maliniak