The FPGA firmware bit file is permanently stored on the FED in 2 places :
1. A Compact Flash card holds the bit files for all the FPGAs (except VME FPGA boot device). The card can be easily removed and reprogrammed using standard CFlash card writer devices.
2. The Boot device (VME FPGA) bit file is stored in a re-programmable EPROM. This requires a special cable and tools to reprogram but is very rarely changed.
Contact Saeed Tagahvi s.taghavi@rl.ac.uk or Osman Zorba o.zorba@cern.ch for instructions on how to create Compact Flash files and VME boot files from the raw FPGA bit files.
The current stable release of FPGA bit file designs are as follows:
| FPGA | Latest Firmware Bit Files Versions | Links to Raw Bit File Archives |
| FE (VHDL) | 23100344 | Archive contact Osman Zorba |
| BE | 2200038F | Archive |
| DELAY | 2400022B | Archive |
| VME | 2100032D | Archive |
There is also a full revision History of design changes of all FPGA Bit Files.
Explanation of the Version & Revision Numbering code for FPGA Bit Files
FPGA Designs Technical Descriptions:
| Name | VirtexII Device | Major Functions | Documentation |
| Delay | XC2V40 | Clock Skew, Spy Channel. | Revised Technical Description April 2007 |
| Front-End | XC2V2000 | APV Frame Finding, Zero-Suppression algorithms. | Technical Description v1.5 May 2009 |
| Back-End | XC2V2000 | Event building, buffering and S-LINK readout. | Technical Description |
| VME | XC2V1000 | VME readout, FPGA configuration and Boot device. | Description Nov 2003 |
Programming Command Lists & Register Maps:
| Delay | command list |
| Front-End (VHDL version Oz) | command list |
| Back-End | command list |
| VME | memory register map |
Firmware Logical Functions Block Diagram (with status)
Logic Utilisation in FPGAs summary
General Xilinx FPGA Information
VirtexII Platform Products
ChipScope Pro Embedded Logic Analyser
System ACE Configuration Tools