Xilinx launches targeted design platform

SAN FRANCISCO, USA: Xilinx Incorporated, the programmable logic vendor based in San Jose, California, the United States, has launched the latest of its targeted design platforms – meant for broadcast connectivity applications.

This broadcast connectivity platform, based on the Virtex-6 FPGAs of Xilinx, is aimed at simplifying development of serial digital interface (SDI) solutions for high-performance broadcast audio systems and video systems, a statement from the company said.

Introduced by Xilinx in February 2009, the concept of targeted design platform will offer customers a validated set of components – including reference designs, design environments, IP cores – which cover a majority of designs for different target applications.

Xilinx says that its new targeted design platforms let customers focus on their time and resources on adding various features.

For example, the broadcast connectivity platform speeds up time to market and differentiation of professional broadcast audio, video and network connectivity products such as switchers, routers, encoders, professional monitors, cinema projectors, and cameras.

Xilinx’s offering of the broadcast connectivity kit integrates an industry-standard FPGA Mezzanine Card that supports digital audio and video interfaces and bridging technologies, a Virtex-6 LX240T device on the ML605 evaluation board, targeted reference designs to implement SDI interfaces based on the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers standards, as well as complete ISE Design Suite Logic Edition software development environment.

Xilinx’s Virtex-6 FPGA broadcast connectivity kit is available from January 2010, from the Xilinx website or from its distributors. It is priced at $4,995.