System Monitor?!?

Can anyone assist/comment on using System Monitor with the 5010? Since we don’t have access to schematics, it is NOT clear how (if at all) the required A/D pins are connected (VREF, VP, VN, etc.). In Chipscope I get NO valid values for temp or voltages. There is no mention of System Monitor configuration in the Users Manual, nor are the appropriate pins defined in the OK supplied .ucf files. What do I need to do to make this work?

System monitor functions are not supported on the XEM5010.

Sorry, but that is just a plain STUPID oversight (easy enough to support, just a couple of wires to connect). The reason this was particularly UNWISE for your FIRST V5 board is the following:
Since you’ve NOT provided any heat-sinking info (ok, yes, it’s appl. dependent), a VERY good way to determine the part’s temp (and thus the rqmts. and effectiveness of the heatsink) is using SYSTEM MONITOR!!! I can attest that the part gets HOT without any heat sink (probably to the point of destruction).

SO… If you’re going to compete with the “big boys” (i.e. the myriad of vendors supplying high-end FPGA boards with V5 and V6 parts), it would be wise to look at FULLY supporting the part’s features. Sorry, but if you want to make the jump from the Spartan to the Virtex world (and compete effectively), it’s gonna take some better support. Overall, the board is a nice design - but there are “issues” (this SM thing is just another one). You REALLY need some better (optimized) MIG + FIFO memory controller examples, in particular!!! You need a breakout board that supports FMC (like everyone else) - not your own “funky” 2mm connectors (YIKES - not even standard 0.1" - ok so you saved $2 in board costs - and I had to find 2mm stuff at high $$$).

This thread ended too quickly. Exactly what is wrong with the XEM5010 that we are unable to use at least the internal temperature monitoring?

I too have a need for the system monitor ONLY to monitor temperature, which is built into the part.

So I would like confirmation from Opal Kelly that thier board absolutely can’t support this, and why?

The XEM5010 was not designed to support the optional system monitor feature of the Virtex-5. Semiconductor devices are designed with many features which are not necessarily supported in every board design.

There is nothing about the XEM5010 which disables this feature. It simply isn’t supported by the design.

Opal Kelly offers services to design specific features into our products for customers looking for particular functionality. If you would like to engage us to modify the XEM5010 to support this feature, please let us know and we can discuss the details.

I see this as a hard requirement for future Virtex based designs you. We’re using a fan on our design in a hidden enclosure.

If that fan fails, the chip will destroy itself and we’ll have no way of knowing until it is too late.

Please ensure that the board wiring will support the SystemMonitor.

Thx!!

Peter