inputs to/outputs from FPGA board

Hi, My verilog design has been synthesized and has passed post-PAR simulation. And I understand how to load my design on FPGA(particularly, Xilinx Spartan-3 XC3S400). Now I want to give inputs to the design on FPGA and observe outputs out of it. But I have no idea how I can do it. 1) giving inputs: While doing simulations on PC, I could give inputs to the design using a testbench file. But I have no idea at all how to give inputs to the FPGA. Please let me know how to do it. (*I'm using Xilinx ISE 6.3i) 2) observing outputs: My understanding is that I can assign a pin for each bit of the output values by editing the UCF file and that's waht I did. I heard that, in order to observe outputs, I needed to connect an oscilloscope to each of the pins. Is this correct? Please let me know whether this is correct and If there is a better or easier way to do it. Thanks much in advance!

Asked By: thomasc
On: Jun 17, 2005 6:25:50 AM

Comments(1)

Hi, Well for your first question of how to give inputs to an FPGA: I guess the simplest way is to use a dip-switch. Well basically you get 8 pin dip switches(you can buy it or it may be on your test board) and you can set the inputs as either high or low depending on what you want.The FPGA will have pins for the dip switches(or you can assign them to NC pins). For your other question, I guess the simplest way is to write a verilog code for a 7 segment display encoder. I mean lets say you have 4 bit data 0011 and you want to display a 3. So the corrosponding segments on the LED will light up. The FPGA will have pins for connecting LEDs. OR you can always use an LCD but again with an LCD you have a much harder time with the code since you have to make sure of the timings. But I would go for LEDs. Also the oscilloscope will be easier since your just connecting probes to the pins and checking the outputs.

Comment By: rskurane
On: Jun 19, 2005 12:45:25 PM

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