Orange Tree announces SuperSpeed USB 3.0 FPGA module ZestSC3 provides 360Mbytes/sec sustained data transfer

Orange Tree Technologies today announced the ZestSC3, an easy to use FPGA module with a Xilinx Artix-7 user-programmable FPGA and a very high performance SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface.

The new module provides a simple, easy to use way to transfer large amounts of data quickly between a computer and the outside world, without having to integrate complex hardware and software.  The ZestSC3’s USB 3.0 interface can sustain 360MBytes/sec of data transfer in either direction, enabling new, bandwidth hungry applications.

With its compact form factor (40mm x 50mm), high level of integration and low external component requirements, the module is ideally suited to integration in embedded systems and OEM equipment. 105 user I/O pins provide maximum flexibility for end applications.

Charles Sweeney, Hardware Director at Orange Tree Technologies, said, “SuperSpeed USB 3.0 delivers a dramatic speed increase over USB 2.0, as well as improving bandwidth utilisation, while still retaining backward compatibility. This makes it ideal for applications that need the extra bandwidth, such as high-resolution video in consumer, industrial or medical equipment, high-bandwidth data acquisition and control, test equipment and high throughput server applications.”

The user-programmable Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA is coupled with 512MBytes of high speed 1.6GBytes/sec DDR3 memory. The FPGA can be programmed from the 8MBytes of on-board Flash, USB or JTAG. It can be used as a programmable interface to external devices, for high speed processing of streaming data, and for data acquisition and control.

The ZestSC3 uses the well-proven Cypress FX3 USB controller chip and comes pre-loaded with optimised firmware to act as a communications bridge between the FPGA and host computer.  The FX3 provides a flexible high speed streaming interface alongside additional low speed control and status interfaces.

The module can be used as a stand-alone board powered over USB, and includes the ability to program the user FPGA and Flash over USB without requiring additional programming cables or hardware. Flash can also be used for user data storage. Requiring only a single 3.3V-5V power supply, the new module is simple to integrate into a larger system.

The ZestSC3 is supplied with a complete set of FPGA cores for its peripherals, a host library and example code to simplify development (including C, VHDL and Verilog source for reference designs). Windows and Linux software support is provided for configuring and communicating with the user FPGA.

The new module is available now. For pricing, please contact Orange Tree Technologies – discounts are available for quantities, and for students and universities.