ProASIC3 FPGA development card comes with MRAM and on-board programmer

Domain Technologies has announced the availability of its FPGA development card for Actel ProASIC3 FPGAs that includes 512 Kbytes of 35 ns non-volatile magneto resistive random access memory (MRAM) and an on-board device programmer. Measuring only 2.4" × 1.0" and priced at only $750.00 each, the standard A3P-MRAM development card comes with an Actel A3P1000 in an FGG256 package, allowing for speedy development of some of the most sophisticated designs. For development of applications that don't require so much FPGA fabric, a lower-cost version with an A3P250 device installed is available for only $640.00.

512 Kbytes of MRAM
With its 512 Kbytes of high-speed, non-volatile MRAM, Domain Technologies A3P-MRAM card is ideal for implementing customized microcontroller applications in a reprogrammable FPGA. Because both program and data can be stored in a single MRAM device, there is no need for writing cumbersome and slow flash programming algorithms, as was typically the case in the past. Moreover, MRAM read access times are about half the access times of typical flash memory devices, meaning that applications can usually run twice as fast.

On-board device programmer
Since the A3P-MRAM development card comes with its own built-in USB-based device programmer, there is no need to purchase a separate FPGA programming pod. All FPGA device programming and software debugging of implemented microcontroller designs is carried out via the A3P-MRAM's built-in USB interface. This means that the only additional hardware required to design, develop, and debug FPGA embeddable microcontroller designs is a mini-B USB cable. The on-board device programmer and stand-alone programming GUI is 100% compatible with STAPL files generated by the Actel's Libero integrated development environment.

On-board JTAG emulator
In addition to the on-board device programmer, the same mini-B USB interface is used for accessing the A3P-MRAM's on-board JTAG emulator/debugger. When used with Domain Technologies BoxView real-time debugger and Integrated Development Environment, the on-board JTAG emulator allows developers to debug their customized Actel's Core8051 or Silicon Laude 8051 microcontroller designs without having to attach a separate JTAG emulation pod. Moreover, a unique feature of the JTAG emulation function is the ability to debug both a Core8051 and Silicon Laude 8051 simultaneously through the same USB interface, which comes in handy in cases where both cores are implemented in the same FPGA device.

Price and availability
Both the A3P-MRAM-1000 and A3P-MRAM-250 are available from stock and are priced at $750.00 and $640.00 each (respectively) in single-unit quantities. Each unit is shipped with stand-alone FPGA device programming GUI and mini-B USB cable. Domain Technologies BoxView real-time debugger, compatible with both the Actel's Core8051 and Silicon Laude's SL8051, is sold separately for $450.00.

About Domain Technologies
Based in Plano, Texas, Domain Technologies specializes in real-time software development tools and custom application software development services for Freescale DSPs, VeriSilicon ZSPs, Silicon Laboratories MCUs, and various other microcontrollers.