fpga dram 128bit fifo CLIP for PXIe-5171R reconfigurable oscilloscope

[fabrizio_giorgetta]

I am porting a labview project from a system with 7965R FPGA module and 5761R digitizer and Labview 2012  to a system with a 5171R reconfigurable oscilloscope using Labview 2014.

The project accesses the 7965R DRAM banks using the 128bit FIFO CLIP. This allows to read AND write one 128 bit element from/to the DRAM within one cycle of a 40 MHz SCTL.

When selecting socketed CLIPs mode for the 5171R target DRAM in the target properties and activating the DRAM in the memory properties, an error is generated saying that no CLIPs are found. Is there no FIFO CLIP for the 5171R? If not, can the required performance (read and write a 128 bit element from/to the DRAM within one 40MHz SCTL cycle) be achieved with the DRAM labview fpga memories mode? (see also attached screen shots of the DRAM properties).

Thanks,

Fabrizio

[Nathan-P]

Hi fabrizio,

For the NI PXIe-5171R, the DRAM interface is not implemented into a CLIP the same way it is exposed in FlexRIO.  For examples and code that illustrates how to use the DRAM on this device, download the Reconfigurable Oscilloscope Instrument Design Libraries 14.0

The Getting Started Guide gives instructions on how to open the Sample Projects here: http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/374503b.pdf

I would reccomend you open the "Streaming Sample Project" and take a look at the DRAM FIFO IDL implemented on the FPGA block diagram.  You will use this subVI instead of the CLIP, as it implement the FIFO functionality in LabVIEW FPGA code instead, directly on the LabVIEW FPGA DRAM interface.

For the PXIe-5171R, the DRAM has a 384-bit wide port, so this will be the biggest difference with the 128-bit DRAM FIFO Clip you have used already.  

I hope this helps!

-Nathan

[fabrizio_giorgetta]

Thanks.

I started looking at the sample projects and it looks like a major re-code is required.

I have more questions for this re-code for which I will create separate posts.

- Fabrizio

[Nathan-P]

Glad I could help.  For the PXIe-5171R, please post your questions in the High-Speed Digitizers Forum.