VPXI-ePC

Features

• VPX for Instrumentation
• 4U OpenVPX embbed computer system
• Integrated timing and triggering
• Advanced multiple plane connectivity
• Rugged with wide-temperature options
• Embedded PC
• Runs Windows, Linux or VxWorks
• COM Express module with Intel i5/i7 CPU with up to 8 GB memory
• Gb Ethernet, 4x USB, Displayport video
• 80GB SSD (256GB optional) + up to 3 removable drives
• Half (1/2) rack, 4U system
• Five slots total: CPU slot + 4 OpenVPX Peripheral/Payload Slots
• Compatible with many OpenVPX cards
• Three rightmost peripheral slots can host HDD/SSD via adapter
• Supports Innovative X3/X5/X6 and VPX-COP
• Integrated timing and triggering features
• Synchronized, multi-card sampling
• Internal or external clock/references
• Generate low phase noise sample clocks from 0.125 to 1 GHz
• 10MHz, 0.5 ppm stable clock reference
• Optional GPS-disciplined reference
• Advanced architecture supports multiple data planes
• PCI Express and Aurora planes
• Mesh interconnects all IO cards
• Rear Terminal Modules for I/O and CPU slots
• Forced air cooling with upper and lower fans
• Integrated 350W power supply
• Expands to additional VPXI chassis using cable PCI Express option

Applications

• Remote, Autonomous IO
• Mobile Instrumentation
• Distributed Data Acquisition
• Signal Processing Clusters

Overview

The VPXI-ePC is a 4U VPX embedded computer system that provides a performance architecture for instrumentation, signal processing and embedded computing applications. Four Peripheral/Payload slots are included in the compact half rack, 4U enclosure. The VPX-COMEX CPU combines an Intel-architecture COM Express CPU module with timing and communications features. Real-time, data-intensive operation is built on multiple, high performance data planes employing both centralized and mesh topologies interconnections between the cards.

VPXI integrates timing features into the VPX architecture providing synchronized high performance clock and trigger features to each slot. Peripheral slots receive a dedicated clock and trigger input, as well as several shared coordination signals. These signals are used by VPX-COP, X6 and X3 IO card families and support simultaneous and coordinated sampling. An optional high-precision GPS can be used with the VPX-COMEX as a timing reference.

The backbone of the system in the VPXI-ePC are the PCIe and Aurora planes in the VPXI system. Each plane can sustain data rates over 500 MB/s concurrently on PCIe and Aurora planes.

The VPXI may host one VPX-COMEX CPU card to create a Windows/Linux/VxWorks compatible PC. The VPXI-ePC can run the same applications as desktop system. Performance OS such as Linux Xeonmai and VxWorks are available for real-time applications.

Resources on Youtube

These videos may be helpful in learning about using the FPGA on this board.

• FPGA Basics
• Xilinx Virtex 6 Resources
• Xilinx Virtex 6 HDL Coding
• Floating Point in Xilinx FPGA’s
• Xilinx ISE Tutorial