Opal Kelly Blog

Press Release

Portland, Oregon – May 22, 2018 – Opal Kelly, a leading producer of powerful FPGA modules that provide essential device-to-computer interconnect using USB or PCI Express, announced the XEM7305 USB 3.0 FPGA Module, combining a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface and a Xilinx Spartan-7 FPGA into a compact sub-business-card sized form factor suitable for prototyping, testing, and production-ready integration. The XEM7305 USB interface delivers real-world transfer rates exceeding 340 MB/s and includes integrated DDR3 memory.

The XEM7305 measures only 64mm x 42mm x 6.15mm (2.52″ x 1.65″ x 0.24″), includes the Xilinx XC7S50-1CSGA324C FPGA, USB 3.0 interface, 32 Mb SPI Flash, 200 MHz low-jitter clock oscillator, and 512 MB DDR3 SDRAM. The XEM7305 fully supports Opal Kelly’s popular cross-platform FrontPanel SDK for FPGA configuration and host communication using a comprehensive API in C/C++, C#, Python, Java, and Ruby programming languages. The XEM7305 may also be configured to boot the FPGA in non-tethered mode from the on-board SPI Flash.

Designed without on-board switching power supplies, the XEM7305 is powered from the customer’s peripheral through the two 80-pin Samtec BSE-040 connectors. This arrangement reduces cost and is particularly well suited to noise-sensitive applications where switching power supplies could introduce undesired electromagnetic interference. Engineers may design a power supply system for the XEM7305 that is appropriate to their application peripheral, optimizing the parameters critical to the application.

FrontPanel SDK

Opal Kelly integration modules include the indispensable FrontPanel SDK, a powerful trio of firmware, software, and programmable hardware blocks that connect the engineer’s software application and FPGA firmware. The FrontPanel SDK dramatically reduces development time and risk and accelerates time to market. The multi-platform, multi-language FrontPanel programmer’s interface (API) accommodates most development environments and provides a consistent, easy-to-use architecture supporting Opal Kelly’s USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 devices. The FrontPanel SDK has over a decade of demonstrated success, proven and refined in thousands of customer deployments worldwide, across diverse applications and industries.

Availability

The XEM7305 is available now with the Spartan-7 (XC7S50-1CSGA324C device density). The XEM7305 is in stock and available now through Opal Kelly’s online web store at $349.95 (qty 1) with volume discounts starting at 10 pieces. An optional breakout board (BRK7305) is also available as a reference design and to provide prototype access to the high-density connectors. The BRK7305 is $59.95. Additional device densities are available for orders starting at 100 pieces. Please contact [email protected] for more information and higher volume pricing.

About Opal Kelly

Opal Kelly, founded in 2004, offers a range of powerful, off-the-shelf, FPGA integration modules and the robust, easy-to-use Opal Kelly FrontPanel SDK. Opal Kelly production-ready integration modules are perfect for all phases of product development from prototyping, through test and development, and OEM integration. The Opal Kelly FrontPanel SDK provides essential high speed device-to-computer interconnect on supported USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 devices. Development engineers, researchers, teachers, and serious hobbyists, worldwide, use Opal Kelly modules for a versatile 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.