Powering up a XS1-G04 ...

[SpacedCowboy]

I'm not getting any traction from XMOS support (I've contacted them 3 times now over the last week or so with no reply) and it's the last thing (barring bugs) to do on my (http://www.xcore.com/projects/digistation) project so if anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.

I need more power than can be provided by method in the reference design, so I have two voltage regulators, and I'm concerned about hitting the power-on sequence timing. The question is this: Is there a maximum time that the 3.3v supply can be active before the 1.0v supply becomes active ?

In other words, can I power VDDio, wait for it to become stable, then power up VDDcore ?

Cheers
Simon

[SpacedCowboy]

I've been informed by XMOS support that there is no support for the XS1-G04.

Apart from the disappointment that they'd reply just to tell me they weren't going to help me, I find it completely unprofessional that there is no mention of this lack of support of the G part on their website. As far as I can tell online, the G series part is a peer to the other devices. Yes, it's an older generation, but there's no indication that this would be an issue.

This is the email I received/replied to:

On Oct 29, 2012, at 8:34 AM, Sethu @ XMOS support <support@xmos.com> wrote:
>
> Hi Simon,
>
> Sorry for the delay and inconvenience caused to you. XMOS is not supporting XS1-G devices
> and we would recommend using two L2's instead of a single G device for new designs.
>

Well, that's very disappointing. Typically when an IC is not supported, it is mentioned somewhere on the webpage. In fact, typically, it is VERY CLEARLY mentioned on the first hit the user is likely to encounter on the webpage. It is also *always* mentioned in the datasheet.

What is *not* typical is for a prospective customer to go through the entire board design stage unaware of the fact that there is no support for the device (s)he has chosen to use.

In case it's not clear, I'm very annoyed about this. I have expensive equipment on-order, a board design, and a vacation I'd taken off work all in order to hit a series of deadlines, and now the entire house of cards has been brought crashing down because of an unbelievable lack of communication on XMOS' part.

If you're not providing support for the G series part, I think it is incredibly unprofessional to have it advertised as a peer to the other parts on the various webpages throughout your website.

I'll be re-thinking the design. I'll be trying to avoid using XMOS parts in that redesign.

I'll remove the above-linked project in the meantime. Not sure how I'll be implementing what the XMOS was going to provide, but L2's are out - the QFN package is far too hard to work with. BGA's are easy by comparison. Perhaps I'll go back to an FPGA...

*Not* a good first-experience with XMOS.

Simon

[SpacedCowboy]

[grin] Ok, and now the rebuttal...

Got another email from XMOS support disclaiming the above statement of lack of support, and even answering the original question - for the interested it seems there is no problem in having VDDio applied well before VDDcore is supplied.

The more important statement is that the G series is in fact still supported. Given that I was bitching about the perceived lack of professionalism above, I thought it was only fair to post the below as well, and also mention that it arrived in a very timely manner

Hi Simon,

Allow me to reply to your original question, and correct the response you received earlier.

We do still support the G4 device. At such time as we stop supporting it, we will of course ensure that customers are informed.

As Sethu mentioned, for new designs we do recommend our customers use the L-series devices rather than the G4. This is because these devices offer a higher performance speed grade, and are lower power.

To answer your original question, there is no maximum time between the power supplies being enabled. The only requirement is that they are brought up in order, as described in the datasheet.

Please accept my apologies for the confusion caused here.

I just wish I hadn't deleted the project already. I'll have to get around to reinstating it...

Simon.

[franksanderdo]

hmmm.... why do I start thinking about grandma's words:
If you can see smoke....there will be some fire near...

okok the translaton form german into english is poor, but I have to admit I am not to much surprised.
Even though I am only a beginner in XMOS and I had to keep my Testboards waiting for some time, but when I restarted last week I had to learn that the information for the XC1-A (the G4 Demo Board) some how got lost on the XMOS site.

However, we learned that soon the Gs will disappear....

See you around
Frank

[segher]

I had to learn that the information for the XC1-A (the G4 Demo Board) some how got lost on the XMOS site.

It is there: RESOURCES -> XKITS RESOURCES -> Older Boards ->
XC-1A Development Kit

(that's not me shouting, that's the website, spellos and all ;-) )

Very nice board btw.

[franksanderdo]

thanks segher
I must have lost my glasses when I was searching for it last week.

I ordered last year the XC1-A and the XK1-A in order to play around with both processors.
I am playing around a lot with IO for me and the XC was the board were I can add some thing easiest.

After I did (20 Years ago) quite some work on and with INMOS, I hope that I do not fall in the same trap again ;-) When I had finished my first selling development INMOS got sold and soon after disappeared.

See you around
Frank