Acromag´s APMC4110 busless PMC module carrier card allows the use of a PMC module in an independent stand-alone mode. This carrier card delivers power to a PMC module and regulates the PCI bus start-up sequence to prevent a system lock-up by the connection to the local bus.
“After introducing our PMC modules with configurable Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs, many customers asked for a way to use them independently in engineering bench prototyping and test systems” states Joseph Primeau, Acromag’s embedded sales and marketing director. The Virtex-5 FPGA modules offer plenty of computing power and a number of engineers would like apply the DSP and logic capabilities without all the costly overhead of a full embedded system with a backplane, rack, CPU card, and more. Acromag’s PMC-VFX module even has a hard-core PowerPC on the configurable FPGA to provide additional processing abilities for a stand-alone implementation.
As a single-slot non-intelligent carrier, the board acts simply as an adapter to route signals to and from a PMC module. The user has full access to the field I/O via two 50-pin ribbon cable connectors.
Using an external power supply, this carrier card allows use of any industry-standard PMC module. The on-board DC-DC converter creates +3.3 VDC from the external +5 VDC source, lowering the number of external power connections required.
For troubleshooting, a 14-pin Xilinx JTAG connector facilitates boundary scan debugging. Users have access to the TDI, TDO, TCK and TMS signals. Also, a manual reset button allows the user to force a PCI reset when needed. The voltage monitor helps prevent code execution errors during power-up, power-down, or potential brown-out conditions if the +5 VDC supply dips too low.
Features
- Single-slot PMC carrier card
- Stand-alone design does not require expensive card cage or other computer chassis
- Ideal for custom computing solutions based on configurable FPGA modules
- On-board DC-DC converter provides +3.3 VDC to the PMC module from a +5 V power source
- Users can optionally provide a ±12 VDC source
- Manual reset button initiates a PCI reset at user’s discretion
- Voltage monitor designed to prevent code execution errors during power-up, power-down, or potential brown-out conditions when +5 VDC supply dips too low
- A standard 14-pin Xilinx JTAG connection is available for utilizing the TDI, TDO, TCK, and TMS signals
- Front or rear connection I/O access
Ordering Options
| Manuf. Part No | | Part Description |
| APMC4110 | | Stand-alone powered PMC module carrier card |
Accessories
| Manuf. Part No | | Part Description |
| 5025-550-x | | Flat ribbon cable, non-shielded, 50-pin connectors. Specify x = length, in feet (1 ft = 30.5; cm max. 4 m) |
| 5025-552 | | Termination panel, DIN rail-mount, 50-screw terminals, 50-pin ribbon cable connector |
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