Opal Kelly Blog

Portland, Oregon – June 17, 2010 – Opal Kelly, a leading producer of powerful USB-based FPGA modules that provide essential device-to-computer interconnect, today announced the second result of its “Logic Analyzer in a Day” Challenge. In just 10 hours, Opal Kelly Expert Kevin Smith designed a logic analyzer using the Opal Kelly XEM3010 with the included Opal Kelly FrontPanel Software Development Kit (SDK). Kevin’s entry is the second logic analyzer resulting from the challenge; a third design will be announced over the next few weeks.

The Opal Kelly Experts’ Design Challenge invited its team of design experts to create an exhibition-quality logic analyzer in just 10 hours, using the Opal Kelly FrontPanel software and Application Programming Interface (API), selecting from Opal Kelly’s XEM3001, XEM3005, or XEM3010 modules and optional breakout boards. Aside from the time limit, the only other firm requirement on the project design was that the results needed to be readily accessible on the Opal Kelly website, as free, open-source code.

Opal Kelly Expert Kevin Smith, a seasoned HDL expert, with experience working with Opal Kelly modules, added excitement to his project by using a language that was new to him—Microsoft Visual Studio with C#. He leveraged knowledge from numerous FPGA and Opal Kelly-based designs he had created in the past, and designed his logic analyzer using an Opal Kelly XEM3010 module with the Opal Kelly FrontPanel API, along with VHDL and C# design languages. For more information, screen shots, or to download Kevin’s logic analyzer code, please visit: www.opalkelly.com/experts/logic, where you will also find information on the first Logic Analyzer result from Rainer Malzbender.

“It was a challenge to produce a logic analyzer in just one day, while also learning a new design language, C#,” said Kevin Smith, Opal Kelly Expert. “Opal Kelly provides a slick development platform, an SDK, and sample code that made it easy to get this project done quickly. In addition, with Opal Kelly modules you don’t need a big laboratory. I was able to do most of the work at Starbucks!”

“Kevin’s decision to learn a new software language during the project illustrates the confidence he has working with HDL and the FrontPanel SDK. As could be expected, the user interface is light on polish, but the hardware support for the logic analyzer is all there and nicely done,” said Jake Janovetz, president of Opal Kelly. “This project showcases how Experts, like Kevin Smith, can quickly produce prototype designs using Opal Kelly modules, delivering useful designs in just a short period of time.”

For more information about the Opal Kelly Experts Program, please visit: https://opalkelly.com/experts/.

About Opal Kelly

Opal Kelly, founded in 2004, offers a range of powerful, off-the-shelf, USB-based FPGA modules, including the easy-to-use Opal Kelly FrontPanel software interface and robust API. Opal Kelly products provide the essential device-to-computer interconnect for efficient and fast product prototyping, testing, development, and OEM integration. Development engineers, researchers, teachers and serious hobbyists, worldwide, use Opal Kelly modules for an efficient and economical interconnect solution that shortens development time, fills expertise gaps, and dramatically accelerates time to market. For more information, or to purchase Opal Kelly products, please visit www.opalkelly.com.

Press Contact:
Frances Mann-Craik
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408-868-9577