Spartan-DSP series

Features: Xilinx, Inc. has introduced the low-cost Spartan-DSP series with enhanced design software for wireless, video and consumer applications.

Xilinx said that the Spartan-DSP series provides high DSP performance at the lowest cost points in the FPGA industry, delivering over 20 GMACS for under $30, while consuming up to 50 per cent less dynamic power than other high-performance reconfigurable devices for DSP functions at this performance point. It targets cost-sensitive, high-performance signal processing applications.

With the addition of the new Spartan-DSP series, the XtremeDSP silicon portfolio offers three DSP-optimized platforms with an array of devices that provide DSP engineers with the flexibility to choose the right mix of features to match application requirements and easily migrate designs between platforms, Xilinx statement said.

The Spartan-3A DSP platform features the 3SD3400A device delivering over 30 GMACS and 2200 Gbps memory bandwidth and the 3SD1800A device with over 20 GMACS and 1500 Gbps memory. At the heart of the Spartan-3A DSP architecture is the new cost-optimized XtremeDSP slice (DSP48A) that enables designers to implement many independent arithmetic functions.

Will Strauss, president of Forward Concepts, said, “With the new Spartan-DSP series and expanded line-up of XtremeDSP solutions, Xilinx is able to scale the performance and power advantages of their device portfolio to unprecedented price-performance points.” The Spartan-3A DSP platform with the 3SD3400A device is available immediately and the 3SD1800A device to follow later this quarter, a Xilinx statement said.

Price: The 3SD3400A device is priced at $44.95/- and the 3SD1800A device at $29.85/-.