Getting started with Xilinx CPLDs

CPLD stands for Complex Programmable Logic Device. It is used for implementing logic using macrocells - it has not software, the hardware is "programmed". In the future I need it to adressing an SRAM, which is important for making a CMOS camera working...

Development board

I chose Xilinx XC95144XL because it supports 3,3V power supply, has 144 macrocells and it can be programmed 10000 times. I had to design and build a development board, because it's socket is not a DIL and I wanted to connect it to my breadboard.

Unfortunately the conductions had faults, so I had to fix them with wire and solder iron

The two side PCB-s are more complex, therefore I used one side PCB

The board has one 50MHz oscillator for clock input and eight SMD LEDs for general purpose. On the left is an another LED for power indicating.

Programmer

Xilinx CPLD can be programmed through JTAG. Since the Paralell Cable III is the simplest and cheapest programmer, I have made a clone. This programmer uses paralell port and does not support USB-Paralell converters. So the development takes place on a desktop computer.

In the box

It's almost done

The End

On the breadboard

It is working

I program in VHDL using Xilinx ISE. I already made a 8 bit binary counter and a chase.