[sdiy] Xilinx 3E board comments

[James Patchell]

Yes, the documentation for this things SUCKS! big time.

Also, the Base System Builder (BSB) file seems to be lacking a lot as well 
(this is a file needed to use the EDK system wizard).

In general, there is a lot about the Xilinx stuff that leaves a lot to be 
desired.  The documentation for the software drivers for the EDK ranges 
between poor and piss poor.

However, it does have a very high cool factor.  Just yesterday, I finally 
figure out how to get interrupts working on the Microblaze (without using a 
demo program).  It is really funny, the one demo I had was really a piss 
poor example, and did not properly demonstrate how to use the library 
functions.

And the Microblaze is unlike any processor I have ever used...it is 
sometimes difficult understanding what is going on...

At 10:48 AM 6/7/2006 -0500, Paul Schreiber wrote:
>a) just got mine. All I can say is: ***ORDER ONE IMMEDIATELY!** This board 
>is EASILY worth $500.
>
>b) there is a clever USB-to-JTAG circuit on the board. It uses a 
>pre-programmed Cypress EZ-USB uP. On the schematics for the board, this 
>part of the circuit is NOT THERE (the page has something like "page is 
>blank due to proprietary info...")  Also be aware the schematics are those 
>crappy EagleCAD dark brown/dark green colors and some B/W printers 
>(errr....MINE!) puke all over when trying to print. Why not convert to 
>B/W? Ack!
>
>c) In typical XiIlinx form, the documentation is sparse. The application 
>that came pre-loaded (turn the rotary encoder, watch the LEDS go back and 
>forth) has no documentation that I can find (help Jim!). I am guessing 
>it's a Blaze processor (Pico or Micro) but who knows? The READ ME FIRST 
>booklet (printed in like 6 languages) refers to a demo program not that I 
>can see (unless there are 3 preloaded demos, one for each of the possible 
>booting options listed in the previous email. There are jumpers to select 
>which of the 3 devices you boot from. I'll let Jim try his board first).
>
>d) this board is 100% DIY drool-inducing. But as a caution: Xilinx really 
>lacks good, "I'm an idiot, hold my hand and let's go step-by-step" 
>tutorials or documentation. It's more of "here are the basics, go at 
>it!!". But the VALUE of this board is staggering compared to soldering op 
>amps on perf board (sorry Ian!). 500K gates + ADC + DAC + USB + 
>VGA/mouse/serial ports + FLASH + SDDRAM + LCD? $150? That's crazy talk!!
>
>Paul S.
>

         -Jim
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