Xcell Publications - Xcell Journal Issue 63

Welcome to issue 63 of Xcell Journal, Programmable Systems Solutions: At the Heart of Innovation, providing solutions for a programmable world. Xcell Journal offers in-depth technical coverage of the latest advances in hardware and software technologies, systems solutions, applications, training, services, and support – from Xilinx and our partner ecosystem.

This issue focuses on high-volume consumer and automotive solutions and is filled with interesting application articles from Xilinx technical staff and our partner ecosystem.

On this site, you can download individual articles for reading or printing. Or if you like, you can read the magazine in its entirety by registering for a FREE subscription immediately available in digital format.

IN THIS ISSUE

Viewpoints

• Letter from the Publisher
  Forrest Couch, Publisher, Xcell Publications: Behind the Wheel
• View from the Top
  Wim Roelandts, Xilinx CEO and Chairman of the Board: Looking Ahead in 2008
  Xilinx is poised for growth in high-volume consumer applications.
• Industry Editor
  Kevin Morris, Editor FPGA and Structured ASIC Journal: Short Stack with Syrup
  Looking between the layers of the non-volatile Spartan-3AN family.
• Xpectations
  Ivo Bolsens, Xilinx CTO: Enabling Efficient Packet Processing
  A clean-slate approach to reinventing the Internet.

Feature Articles

Cover

• At the Heart of Consumer and Automotive Innovation
  Xilinx offers silicon, development tools, IP, middleware, and design services for the automotive electronics market while meeting the industry’s temperature, quality, and reliability requirements.

Automotive

• Marriage Made in Heaven?
  Creating standard automotive platforms with maximum differentiation.
• Block Matching for Automotive Applications on Spartan-3A DSP Devices
  The Spartan-3A DSP FPGA outshines VLIW DSP-CPUs in automotive driver assistance applications.
• A Compact Multimedia Display Development Platform for Automotive and Industrial Markets
  Xilinx FPGAs and Xylon IP cores shorten design cycles and lower production costs for multimedia applications.
• Scalable and Flexible In-Vehicle Networking
  FPGAs and full IP solutions give automotive engineers options in optimizing their electrical architectures.

Portable Handsets

• Designing GPS Systems Using CoolRunner-II CPLDs
  Expanding functionality using low-power CoolRunner-II CPLDs.
• Decrease Processor Power Consumption Using a CPLD
  Utilizing a CPLD to offload operations from the system microprocessor keeps the processor in a power saving mode longer and contributes to significant power savings.
• Supporting Multiple SD Devices with CPLDs
  Creating an SD multiplexer using CPLDs.
• Designing Portable Handsets Using CoolRunner-II CPLDs
  CPLDs can improve processor-based handsets.
• Easing Design Challenges with CoolRunner-II CPLDs
  The CoolRunner-II CPLD Starter Kit promotes ease of use.

Audio / Video

• Designing Digital Displays with Spartan-3 Generation FPGAs
  Programmable solutions improve your time to market.
• Taking Device DNA Technology to the Next Level
  Xilinx and Helion work together to make low-cost FPGA designs more secure.
• A High-Speed Broadcast Video Connectivity Solution
  Xilinx Spartan-3E and Spartan-3A FPGAs, National Semiconductor Smart SERDES, and the Xilinx protocol stack provide a cost-effective and flexible approach to the challenges of multi-rate broadcast for SD, HD, and 3G-SDI.

Resources

• Featured White Papers
  From high-volume consumer to automotive to global security, Xilinx white papers help you stay on top of technology applications.
• Automotive ECU Development Kit
  Xilinx offers a complete development platform ideal for designing intelligent automotive subsystems.
• Spartan-3AN FPGA Starter Kit
  With its out-of-the-box guarantee, you’ll be testing and designing FPGA solutions in minutes with the new Spartan-3AN Starter Kit.
• CoolRunner-II CPLD Starter Kit
  The ideal CPLD low-power design platform.
• Protect Your Brand with Spartan-3 Generation FPGAs
  Build a low-cost security solution for high-volume applications.
• Titanium Dedicated Engineering
  This Xilinx program provides skilled experts when you need them.

Web Xclusives

• Implementing Industrial Ethernet
  
• Designing Efficient, Synchronized and Reliable Motion Networks
  
• Speeding Up Control Automation with EtherCAT