Xilinx launched a cost down version of their Zynq-7000 series with Zynq-7000S series SoC combining a single ARM Cortex A9 core with Artix FPGA fabric last year. We’ve already seen sub 100 Euros/Dollars board based on the new SoCs with ZynqBerry and MiniZed boards. MYiR Tech has now launched their own version, a cost-down version of their Z-Turn board, with Z-Turn Lite board featuring either the new cost-down Zynq-7007S or the “good old” Zynq-7010 SoC.
- SoC
- Xilinx XC7Z007S-1CLG400C (Zynq-7007S) with a single ARM Cortex A9 core @ 667 MHz, Artix-7 FPGA fabric with with 23K logic cells, 14,400 LUTs, 66 DSP slices OR
- Xilinx XC7Z010-1CLG400C (Zynq-7010) with two ARM Cortex A9 cores @ 667 MHz, Artix-7 FPGA fabric with 28K logic cells, 17,600 LUTs, 80 DSP slices.
- System Memory – 512 MB DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 256MB, 32-bit)
- Storage – 4GB eMMC flash, 16MB QSPI flash, and a micro SD slot
- Connectivity – 10/100/1000M Ethernet
- USB – 1x mini USB 2.0 OTG port
- Debugging – USB-UART debug interface, 14-pin JTAG interface
- User I/O –1x 0.5mm pitch 120-pin connector for expansion interface on the bottom of the board
- Sensors – 3-axis acceleration sensor and temperature sensor
- Misc – 2x buttons (reset and user), boot selection jumpers, 5x LEDs, 1x Buzzer
- Power – 5V/2A via power barrel
- Dimensions – 91 x 63 mm (10-layer PCB design)
Compare to Z-Turn, Z-Turn Lite comes with less memory (512MB vs 1GB), adds a 4GB eMMC flash, and removed HDMI, CAN bus, and motion / temperature sensors, and only comes with one expansion interface instead to two. Z-Turn Lite board runs Linux 3.15.0, and the company provides all drivers with source code, Sourcery GCC 6.1 toolchain, and a ramdisk image. Potential target applications include Zynq-7000S series evaluation, multi-axis motor control, machine vision, programmable logic controller (PLC), industrial automation, and test & measurement.
Z-Turn Lite board will start shipping on August 11st, but the company is already taking pre-order for $69 for the Zynq-Z7007S version, and $75 with Zynq-7010, including a 4GB SD card and product disk with documentation and source code. Alternatively, you can also get more complete kit with power supply, and cables for $89 and up. You’ll find purchase link and some hardware documentation like the PDF schematics on the product page.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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3.15.0… Another dead, outdated, unmaintained and vulnerable kernel 🙁
Are there concrete use cases of such boards with FPGAs in field ? It’s unclear to me what could be achieved with such characteristics. Eg: line-rate gzip compression ? audio/video codecs ? emulation of older CPUs (eg: vintage game consoles) ?
@Willy
You can find some projects forZedBoard boards @ http://zedboard.org/projects
Those are all boards based on Xilinx Zynq-7000(S) series.
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
Thanks! Not much convinced yet but at least there are some projects 😉
Anyone knows the model of the 120 pin expansion connector? It looks like Samtec connector but I can’t find exact model.
Terasic also has a couple similar form factor Intel FPGA boards (ARM + FPGA SoCs):
– https://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&CategoryNo=167&No=1046
– https://www.terasic.com.tw/cgi-bin/page/archive.pl?Language=English&CategoryNo=167&No=941
They’re more expensive but they have academic discounts which is nice since these types of boards are likely most useful for students learning how to program for ARM and FPGA targets. They’re both dual core ARM Cortex-A9s and have more FPGA logic than these Zynq boards. The first one has an HDMI output that may be useful to some.
@skmov
Company told me it’s Samtec connector part No.: BSH-060-01-F-D-A.
@willy
Basically anything that can not be done with existing SoC, or fast enough via software can be done with FPGAs.
Once we used a CPLD (somewhat like a low-end FPGA) to simulate a CF card interface between a GUI processor and a media processor.
@Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)
You can still buy CPLD https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-5V-MAX-II-EPM240-CPLD-Minimum-System-Core-Board-Development-Board/32572133174.html?
@theguyuk
Yes, you can still buy CPLD. They are not quite as flexible as FPGAs, but usually cheaper. It depends on your application.
Z-turn Lite IO Cape released for $29 -> http://www.myirtech.com/list.asp?id=570
It brings out peripherals and signals like HDMI, Camera, LCD and GPIOs.