OpenVPX Product Line extended by Pentek

By combining processing, data conversion and preconfigured functions, the 52xxx family is suitable for such applications as signal intelligence (SIGINT) and communications intelligence (COMINT) receivers for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), airborne communication transceivers and radar countermeasures, shipboard diversity transceivers and armored vehicle anti-improvised explosive devices (IED) systems. The 15-watt power savings boosts packaging densities, processing efficiencies and overall system performance.



According to Rodger Hosking, vice-president of Pentek, Customers using the 52xxx series can now achieve a substantial savings in their power and cost budgets without taking a hit on performance. He added, “In addition, our 52xxx OpenVPX products benefit from a parallel offering of functionally-equivalent PCI Express cards. This way, customers can jump start their development effort in a low-cost desktop PC and then deploy 3U OpenVPX 52xxx boards in the final application system.”



Pentek’s 52xxx OpenVPX modules support VPX REDI (VITA 48) and feature the ruggedized construction and extended temperature options essential for military equipment. The products are available in commercial and rugged packages, with air-cooled and conduction-cooled options. The modules support PCIe x4 over the VPX P1 connector, a popular configuration for 3U OpenVPX modules. The 52xxx modules are fully compatible with Pentek’s 53xxx 3U OpenVPX modules, which include a fully programmable serial fabric crossbar switch.



Product Offerings



All 52xxx OpenVPX products are available with a choice of Xilinx Virtex-6 or Virtex-7 FPGA devices to match the application. Other common features include PCIe (Gen 2) interfaces up to 4 lanes wide, synchronous clocking locked to an external system reference and an LVPECL synch bus for synchronizing multiple modules to increase channel count. The release of boards in the 52xxx series include:



Cobalt® Virtex-6 FPGA products:



•Model 52611: Quad Serial FPDP Interface



•Model 52620: 3-Chan 200 MHz A/D and 2-Chan 800 MHz D/A



•Model 52621: 3-Chan 200 MHz A/D w/DDC & 2-Chan 800 MHz D/A w/ DUC



•Model 52630: 1 GHz A/D and D/A



•Model 52640: 1-Chan 3.6 GHz or 2- Chan 1.8 GHz 12-bit A/D



•Model 52641: 1-Chan 3.6 GHz or 2-Chan 1.8 GHz 12-bit A/D with DDC



•Model 52650: 2-Chan 500 MHz A/D and 2-Chan 800 MHz D/A



•Model 52651: 2-Chan 500 MHz A/D w/ DDC & 2-Chan 800 MHz D/A w/ DUC



•Model 52660: 4-Chan 200 MHz, 16-bit A/D



•Model 52661: 4-Chan 200 MHz A/D with DDC



•Model 52662: 4-Chan 200 MHz A/D with 32-Chan DDC



•Model 52670: 4-Chan 1.25 GHz, 16-bit D/A



•Model 52671: 4-Chan 1.25 GHz, 16-bit D/A with DUC, Extended Interpolation



•Model 52690: L-Band RF Tuner and 2-Chan 200 MHz A/D



Onyx® Virtex-7 FPGA products:



•Model 52720: 3-Channel 200 MHz A/D and 2-Channel 800 MHz D/A



•Model 52760: 4-Channel 200 MHz, 16-bit A/D



Clock Generator and Synchronization products:



•Model 5294 High-Speed Clock Generator



•Model 5292 High-Speed System Synchronization and Distribution Amplifier



Embedded IP Offers Flexible Software Radio Solutions



The 52xxx family provides developers with a high level of both standard and customizable processing power. Pentek installs numerous signal processing, data acquisition, and control functions in the Virtex FPGA to support popular radar and communications applications. This strategy provides a wealth of useful factory-installed functions, while leaving enough unused FPGA capacity for user-defined IP.



Pentek’s GateFlow® FPGA Design Kits allow integration of additional custom signal processing algorithms to meet special application requirements. GateFlow kits include VHDL source files for all standard board features and work in conjunction with the Xilinx ISE Foundation Design tools.



Software development tools for C-programming include ReadyFlow® Board Support packages for Windows and Linux operating systems.



Price and Availability

The 52xxx 3U OpenVPX module pricing starts at $11,595 USD; delivery is stock to 8 weeks ARO.