In the ever-evolving world of embedded systems, Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are gaining immense traction due to their unmatched flexibility and performance. But harnessing this power requires a robust development environment. Vitis, a unified software platform from Xilinx (now part of AMD) empowers you to design, implement, and accelerate applications on Xilinx FPGAs . A host of development boards are available and in this series of blogposts we will be exploring the development boards offered from Alinx.
The current post serves as your roadmap for getting started with Vitis, specifically targeting its use with Alinx FPGA boards. We’ll navigate through the installation process, explore the key features, and guide you through building your first basic application on an Alinx board.
Setting Up Vitis for Success on Alinx Boards
- Download and Installation:
Head over to the Xilinx website and download the latest version of Vitis tailored to your operating system (Windows, Linux, or macOS).
During installation, ensure you select the appropriate hardware target library that corresponds to your specific Alinx FPGA board. You can find compatibility information on the Alinx website or within the Vitis hardware target selection menu.
- Licensing:
Vitis offers a free tier with limited features. For full functionality, consider exploring the various licensing options available.
Exploring the Vitis Landscape:
Vitis boasts a comprehensive suite of tools catering to different aspects of FPGA development:
- Vitis HLS (High-Level Synthesis): Seamlessly convert C/C++ code into hardware accelerators for FPGAs, unlocking significant performance gains.
- Vitis Embedded Platform: Create a complete embedded system environment on your Alinx FPGA board, including a processor, peripherals, and a real-time operating system (RTOS).
- Vitis AI: Simplify the integration of pre-trained Artificial Intelligence (AI) models onto FPGAs, enabling efficient on-device inferencing for Alinx boards with appropriate capabilities.
- Vitis RTL (Register-Transfer Level): For experienced developers, Vitis offers traditional hardware design tools for Verilog and VHDL.
Building Your First Vitis Application on an Alinx Board:
Let’s delve into a basic example using the Vitis Embedded Platform on an Alinx board by manual Method
Tenet Technetronics offers dedicated FPGA training on covering the following topics both onsite or online.
- Understanding FPGA Architectures
- Getting Started with VHDL/Verilog
- Basic Digital Design Concepts
- Implementing Simple Projects
- Advanced FPGA Techniques
- FPGA Optimization and Debugging
- Integrating FPGAs with Other Systems
If you are interested in bringing in one of these courses we will be more than happy to support and assist you.
For inquiries related to our products or to place an order, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@tenettech.com. Our team is standing by to assist you with any questions or requests you may have. Experience the power of Alinx FPGA boards and unlock new possibilities for your projects today!
