AMD DK-S6-CONN-G-J

Overview

DK-S6-CONN-G-J from Xilinx is a Spartan-6 FPGA Connectivity Kit development board featuring the Spartan-6 LX45T FPGA with 8 GTP transceivers (3.125 Gb/s), PCIe Gen1 x1 endpoint support, and integrated DDR3 memory controller IP. It delivers validated high-speed serial connectivity for embedded PCIe-to-GbE bridging applications in industrial and communications systems.

For engineers reviewing the DK-S6-CONN-G-J datasheet, pinout, applications, or equivalent options, this kit provides production-ready reference designs-including PCIe-DMA-DDR3-GbE-with AXI4-Stream and AXI4-Lite interfaces, FMC expansion, and full ISE Design Suite Embedded Edition licensing.

Technical Context

The DK-S6-CONN-G-J implements a complete end-to-end system architecture centered on the Spartan-6 LX45T FPGA, integrating GTP transceivers for 2.5 Gb/s PCIe and 1.25 Gb/s Gigabit Ethernet line rates. It includes pre-verified LogiCORE IP for PCIe Endpoint (x1 Gen1), Northwest Logic Packet DMA (>3 Gbps aggregate bandwidth), and MIG-based DDR3 memory controller.

Hardware design elements include RTL source, simulation environment, implementation scripts, and FPGA bitstreams-all tested and maintained per ISE software release. The board supports AXI4 Streaming, Memory-Mapped, and Lite interfaces to enable interoperability between IP blocks and user logic without custom bus translation.

Key Specifications

Availability

DK-S6-CONN-G-J is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial communications gateways, embedded PCIe-to-Ethernet bridges, and FPGA-based protocol conversion systems requiring stable component supply and long-term design continuity.

Supply support for DK-S6-CONN-G-J includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Xilinx, Inc. is a U.S.-based semiconductor company specializing in programmable logic devices, including FPGAs, SoCs, and adaptive compute acceleration platforms.

The DK-S6-CONN-G-J belongs to Xilinx's Connectivity Platforms product line, designed to accelerate adoption of high-speed serial protocols-especially PCIe, Gigabit Ethernet, and DDR3 memory interfacing-in cost-sensitive, low-power embedded systems using Spartan-6 FPGAs.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the DK-S6-CONN-G-J?

The DK-S6-CONN-G-J is a ready-to-run development kit built around the Spartan-6 LX45T FPGA, delivering pre-validated PCIe Gen1 x1 to Gigabit Ethernet bridging capability via the PCIe-DMA-DDR3-GbE reference design. It enables rapid prototyping of protocol-conversion systems without requiring low-level transceiver configuration or IP integration effort. DK-S6-CONN-G-J includes all necessary hardware, software licenses, and documentation for immediate evaluation.

Does DK-S6-CONN-G-J support DDR3 memory operation?

Yes, DK-S6-CONN-G-J features a 200-pin DDR3 SODIMM socket with a Xilinx Memory Interface Generator (MIG)-based controller targeting 400 MHz clock frequency and 64-bit data width. The included PCIe-DMA-DDR3-GbE reference design uses this interface for high-throughput packet buffering and DMA transfers. DK-S6-CONN-G-J provides verified timing constraints and PCB layout guidelines compliant with JEDEC DDR3 standards.

What software tools are included with DK-S6-CONN-G-J?

DK-S6-CONN-G-J ships with a full seat of ISE Design Suite Embedded Edition, device-locked to the Spartan-6 LX45T FPGA. This includes synthesis (XST), implementation (MAP, PAR), ChipScope Pro for in-system debugging, SerialIO Toolkit for transceiver characterization, and PlanAhead for floorplanning and pin assignment. DK-S6-CONN-G-J also includes pre-generated bitstreams and simulation models for its reference designs.

Can DK-S6-CONN-G-J be used for production deployment?

DK-S6-CONN-G-J is intended for evaluation, prototyping, and reference design reuse-not direct production use. However, its hardware design files (schematics, PCB layout), RTL source, and verified IP integrations are licensed for derivative product development. DK-S6-CONN-G-J provides a foundation for building custom carrier boards or mezzanine modules based on the same Spartan-6 LX45T and FMC interface architecture.

Is FMC expansion supported on DK-S6-CONN-G-J?

Yes, DK-S6-CONN-G-J includes a VITA 57.1-compliant FMC LPC connector supporting up to 68 user-defined single-ended or 34 differential I/Os, plus dedicated clocks and power rails. This enables connection of third-party or custom mezzanine cards for interfaces such as CX4, SMA, SATA, or high-speed ADC/DAC. DK-S6-CONN-G-J documentation specifies pin mapping, voltage compliance (1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V), and signal integrity guidelines for FMC add-ons.