PMC-Based Transceiver Handles Wideband Signals

A new PMC module, the Model 7156 dual-channel transceiver, integrates two 400-MHz, 14-bit analog-to-digital converters and two 800-MHz, 16-bit digital-to-analog converters. Both data converters use the new Texas Instruments monolithic devices, the ADS5475 and DAC5688, respectively. The module also features a built-in clock synthesizer that accepts an external 5- or 10-MHz reference and synthesizes two phase-locked, low-jitter clocks delivered separately to the ADCs and DACs. A dual-FPGA architecture offers excellent processing power with the flexibility to handle custom DSP algorithms in the signal processing FPGA and custom I/O functions in the interface FPGA. The FPGAs are members of Xilinx’s Virtex-5 family, allowing users to choose specific devices for each to fulfill particular requirements. In addition to the 100-MHz, 64-bit PCI-X interface, the 7156 offers an XMC interface for gigabit serial I/O. Customers can install their own serial communication Internet protocol or popular I/O standards such as Xilinx’s Aurora, a low overhead protocol well-suited for high-speed point-to-point connections. PENTEK, Upper Saddle River, NJ. (201) 818-5900.