Retrofitting Additional Processors
Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2017 6:39 pm
Hello,
We have an existing prototype based on the XU216-512-TQ128. We wish to retrofit additional XMOS processors onto this prototype and connect each processor together via xConnect links. The existing XU216 would be the master and the additional processor we are connecting would be the slaves. The idea is that we could create a small board with our additional XMOS slaves where each slave is connected to each other via xConnect in a single pipeline.
This is where things get fuzzy for me. We would like to be able to connect the first slave's xConnect link, which is the link that would get connected to the master processor, to a female header that is identical to what the XTAG uses. This way, we can just plug in our add-on board onto the existing prototype in place of the XTAG. This would let us use XL0 on the master processor to connect to the first slave on the add-on board.
With me so far? Good.
Now we'd like to be able to connect a female header to an xConnect link on the last slave processor on the add-on board so that we can connect the XTAG to our system. So what where doing is reusing the existing XTAG header to let us establish an xConnect link to an add-on board and then move the XTAG down to the end of the pipeline. This means that instead of the XTAG being connected directly to the master, it is now connected to the last slave processor in the pipeline.
Here are my questions.
Is this feasible? Does the XTAG need to be connected directly to the master processor? Would we be able to load firmware via XTAG and debug as usual in this configuration?
Some side quesitons.
Is the xConnect Architecture document and XS1 Link Performance and Design Guidelines (located here https://www.xmos.com/download/private/x ... 1.0%29.pdf and here https://www.xmos.com/download/private/X ... 2.0%29.pdf respectively) still accurate for the xCore 200 processors?
I remember reading somewhere that with the xCore 200 processors you didn't need to use specific xConnect links for your outward master and maybe even for the slaves. If someone could confirm that or point me in the right direction to figure that out that would be great!
Thanks!!!
We have an existing prototype based on the XU216-512-TQ128. We wish to retrofit additional XMOS processors onto this prototype and connect each processor together via xConnect links. The existing XU216 would be the master and the additional processor we are connecting would be the slaves. The idea is that we could create a small board with our additional XMOS slaves where each slave is connected to each other via xConnect in a single pipeline.
This is where things get fuzzy for me. We would like to be able to connect the first slave's xConnect link, which is the link that would get connected to the master processor, to a female header that is identical to what the XTAG uses. This way, we can just plug in our add-on board onto the existing prototype in place of the XTAG. This would let us use XL0 on the master processor to connect to the first slave on the add-on board.
With me so far? Good.
Now we'd like to be able to connect a female header to an xConnect link on the last slave processor on the add-on board so that we can connect the XTAG to our system. So what where doing is reusing the existing XTAG header to let us establish an xConnect link to an add-on board and then move the XTAG down to the end of the pipeline. This means that instead of the XTAG being connected directly to the master, it is now connected to the last slave processor in the pipeline.
Here are my questions.
Is this feasible? Does the XTAG need to be connected directly to the master processor? Would we be able to load firmware via XTAG and debug as usual in this configuration?
Some side quesitons.
Is the xConnect Architecture document and XS1 Link Performance and Design Guidelines (located here https://www.xmos.com/download/private/x ... 1.0%29.pdf and here https://www.xmos.com/download/private/X ... 2.0%29.pdf respectively) still accurate for the xCore 200 processors?
I remember reading somewhere that with the xCore 200 processors you didn't need to use specific xConnect links for your outward master and maybe even for the slaves. If someone could confirm that or point me in the right direction to figure that out that would be great!
Thanks!!!