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FPGA Subsystem Proposed For Linux Kernel

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  • FPGA Subsystem Proposed For Linux Kernel

    Phoronix: FPGA Subsystem Proposed For Linux Kernel

    For unifying common FGPA drivers, a FPGA subsystem has been proposed for the Linux kernel...

    Phoronix, Linux Hardware Reviews, Linux hardware benchmarks, Linux server benchmarks, Linux benchmarking, Desktop Linux, Linux performance, Open Source graphics, Linux How To, Ubuntu benchmarks, Ubuntu hardware, Phoronix Test Suite

  • #2
    Nice, a unified fpga kernel api would be a blast.

    Be sure to provide ways to write fpga's and overwrite partly.
    Visit fpga tools feature pages to implement useful ideas!
    Would love to have a standard way to write fpga hardware descriptions to fpga.

    Avoid using the name "fpga subsystem core" because the word core will have people who compare things with CPU cores too much.

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    • #3
      This is cool. It'd be nice to be able to write bitstreams to FPGAs without needing the vendor's tools. I wonder how similar the protocols are between vendors (ie. Xilinx, Altera, Actel, Lattice, etc.)? Is this supposed to also work with the flash chips that are used to program FPGAs on power on?

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      • #4
        I suppose whole point of this is to prevent mucking around kernel driver for yet another FPGA programmer.

        But these thingies are on USB already and can be recognised at plugin and acted on accordingly through libusbx,

        So, what would be the point ?

        Also, since these things use serial protocol very similar to JTAG or even JTAG itself, wouldn't OpenJtag and OpenOCD projects be covering those needs already ?

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        • #5
          Also, even though it is not directly related to kernel, it might be a good idea to push toward Ethernet instead of USB as interface of choice for these things.

          USB is brain-damaged hardwarewise, it requires registration with USB consortium ( which is why majority of such projects use FTxxx instead of native USB support within microcontroller- which brings up new set of headaches) and above all, it is not insulated, that is, your PC and the device that you want to debug, read or program, have to share GND and signal lines. Which can be awkward or outright dangerous.

          Why people dablle with USB on these things is beyond me.

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          • #6
            @Brane215

            A driver interface has nothing to do with the physical device connection interface.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by plonoma View Post
              @Brane215

              A driver interface has nothing to do with the physical device connection interface.
              Ah, zo. I undestand now. I bothered to reread the link more carefully. And check out hwicap. Sorry for brainfart.

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