Opal Kelly announces Altera Cyclone IV FPGA module with SuperSpeed USB 3.0

PORTLAND, USA: Opal Kelly, a leading producer of powerful FPGA modules that provide essential device-to-computer interconnect using USB, announced the ZEM4310 Cyclone IV USB 3.0 FPGA Module, which leverages the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface for FPGA configuration download and communication.

The ZEM4310, the company's first Altera-based integration module, includes over 160 FPGA I/Os in a mezzanine format similar to other Opal Kelly products, but based on the HSMC standard connector and pinout.

The Opal Kelly ZEM4310 utilizes the Altera Cyclone IV FPGA (EP4CE55F23C8N) as well as the Cypress FX3 USB controller for fast configuration downloads and up to 330 MB/s data transfer rates.

The ZEM4310 is fully compatible with the company's FrontPanel SDK and proprietary FX3 firmware, which provides a turnkey link between hardware and software. Furthermore, API compatibility exists across the entire line of Opal Kelly FPGA integration modules making the transition within the FrontPanel family comfortable and easy.

The ZEM4310 is a compact device, measuring just 80mm x 60mm x 16mm, designed for product integration and turnkey USB 3.0 support in FPGA designs. An on-board 50 MHz clock can be used with the Cyclone IV clock synthesis capabilities for most applications.

The module also includes high-efficiency power supplies, 16 MiB SPI Flash memory, and 128 MiB DDR2 SDRAM for easy integration. Target applications include image or video capture, data acquisition, industrial control, digital communications, and HSMC peripheral interfaces.