PCI Bus Development

Links: PCI Fundamentals / D0STT

Here are some ideas for developing devices with PCI bus interfaces. For the STT we will need two types of modules, PC-MIP modules for the link interfaces and PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card - see spec document) modules for the logic boards. Most folks need only worry about PMC cards.

A standard-size PMC card looks like this:

(the board shown is a prototype board from the CMS experiment DAQ)

To develop such a board, one needs a PCI bus interface (typtically either a commercial chip or FPGA logic) and some kind of development platform.

PCI Interfaces

All of the major FPGA companies sell PCI interface "cores" which implement bus interfaces with various features. You can download free versions of the Altera interfaces which will simulate but not allow programming of chips. The list price for the license of one of these is around $15k (!). I'm investigating the university program options. Cypress' cores are free, but there is no PCI master core available as of today. There are also complete single-chip PCI interfaces.

PCI Interface Chips and Macros

PLX Technology 9050, 9060, 9080
Chips 32 and 64-bit Master, Target interfaces
Development kits, etc. Used by CMS DAQ group

Altera Megafunctions New family pci_mt32 etc. Cost is 10% list for Universities.

Cypress PCI Cores for CPLDs Free(!) as VHDL

AMCC PCI Chips S5933 used in CMS CSC DDU

Galileo PCI Chips Used for CMS DDU Prototype

PMC Development Platforms

VME-Based Platforms: Various manufacturers make VME boards with PMC sites on them (with and without CPUs). I've only picked a couple of examples.

VME Format PMC Carrier Boards

ESD Electronics PMC-Caddy 6U VME module with two PMC sites
VME-to-PCI bridge (Tundra), no CPU

Motorola Computers MVME210x $1600
(approx) 6U VME PowerPC CPU with
PC-MIP and PMC sites
** not available until Dec 99 **

MVME230x 6U VME PowerPC CPU with
PMC sites (used at Fermilab)

VMIC Various Models 6U VME with Intel-compatible CPUs

PC-Based: You can buy adapter cards to let you plug a PMC board into a standard PC. If you want to do it this way, I recommend buying a cheap PC motherboard (less than $200), laying it on your bench and attaching monitor, disk and keyboard to make a dedicated system.

PCI-PMC Adapter boards

Bustools, Inc PMC2PCI-64 $395 (list) Buffers only (no PCI bridge)
Allows access to both sides of PMC board

Peritek, Inc PMA-P $295 (list) Passive board (probably the cheapest option)

Technobox, Inc 1328
2434 $895
Passive board with logic analyzer connections, LEDs
Fancy board with on-board processor

PLX Technology	9050, 9060, 9080 Chips	32 and 64-bit Master, Target interfaces Development kits, etc. Used by CMS DAQ group
Altera	Megafunctions	New family pci_mt32 etc. Cost is 10% list for Universities.
Cypress	PCI Cores for CPLDs	Free(!) as VHDL
AMCC	PCI Chips	S5933 used in CMS CSC DDU
Galileo	PCI Chips	Used for CMS DDU Prototype

ESD Electronics	PMC-Caddy		6U VME module with two PMC sites VME-to-PCI bridge (Tundra), no CPU
Motorola Computers	MVME210x	$1600 (approx)	6U VME PowerPC CPU with PC-MIP and PMC sites not available until Dec 99
	MVME230x		6U VME PowerPC CPU with PMC sites (used at Fermilab)
VMIC	Various Models		6U VME with Intel-compatible CPUs

Bustools, Inc	PMC2PCI-64	$395 (list)	Buffers only (no PCI bridge) Allows access to both sides of PMC board
Peritek, Inc	PMA-P	$295 (list)	Passive board (probably the cheapest option)
Technobox, Inc	1328 2434	$895	Passive board with logic analyzer connections, LEDs Fancy board with on-board processor