Processing signals.

Pentek has announced the Model 7070 PCIe FMC carrier with a Virtex-7 FPGA. As a stand-alone signal processing board, it provides an ideal development and deployment platform for demanding DSP applications. 

How can the technology be utilised:

The 7070 has many useful capabilities. The optical transceivers provide a direct pipeline to the FPGA for very high bandwidth links to remote sensors or systems. The powerful Virtex-7 handles the most challenging DSP tasks, and installing an FMC transforms the 7070 into a complete I/O subsystem. Combined with any of Pentek’s FMCs, it creates a complete radar and software radio solution.

Model 7070 design features:

The Flexor Model 7070 features a high pin-count VITA 57.1 FMC site, 4 GB of DDR3 SDRAM, PCI Express (Gen. 1, 2 and 3) interface up to x8, optional 12x user-configurable gigabit serial I/O and optional LVDS connections to the FPGA for custom I/O.  The Flexor Model 7070 delivers new levels of I/O performance through the built-in gigabit serial interface with optional optical transceivers, making 12 full duplex optical lanes available to an MTP connector. With the installation of a serial protocol in the FPGA, this interface enables a high bandwidth connection between 7070s mounted within the same chassis or over extended distances between chassis.

Preconfigured A/D XMC Modules for radar, communications & data acquisition applications!

The newest members of Pentek's highly popular Onyx® family of high-speed data converter XMC FPGA modules: the 3-channel Onyx Model 71721 and the 4-channel Onyx Model 71761, 200 MHz 16-bit A/D XMC modules based on the high density Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA. Each has a programmable digital down converter and a suite of built-in programmable cores.

“These modules hit the current sweet spot for performance and functionality with their built-in IP cores that eliminate costly development effort," said Bob Sgandurra, Pentek’s director of Product Management. "The increased space for IP in the Virtex-7 also leaves plenty of additional room for customer supplied applications."

A/D Converter Stage

Each module has a front end A/D converter stage that accepts three (Model 71721) or four (Model 71761) analog HF or IF inputs on front panel SSMC connectors, with each transformer-coupled to Texas Instruments ADS5485 200 MHz, 16-bit A/D converters. The 200 MHz sampling rate handles the needed bandwidth for a wide range of signal processing applications. The Model 71721 also includes a two-channel 16-bit 800 MHz D/A converter.

Performance IP Cores

The Model 71721 and Model 71761 come preconfigured with a suite of built-in functions for digital down conversion, data capture, synchronization, time tagging, and formatting, making them ideal turn-key interfaces for radar, communications, or general data acquisition applications. An A/D acquisition IP module is included for easy data capture and delivery to system memory.

The Model 71721 and 71761 each feature a complete beamforming subsystem. The DDC core contains programmable I & Q phase and gain adjustments followed by a power meter that continuously measures the individual average power output. The time constant of the averaging interval for each meter is programmable up to 8K samples. The power meters present average power measurements for each DDC core output in easy-to-read registers. A threshold detector automatically sends an interrupt to the processor if the average power level of any DDC core falls below or exceeds a programmable threshold.

A programmable summation block sums any of the four DDC core outputs, with a power meter, threshold detector and a programmable gain stage to compensate for bit growth. The sum can be selected for output across PCIe. Alternatively, for larger systems, local sums from several boards can be aggregated via a built-in Xilinx Aurora gigabit serial interface, daisy- chained through the P16 XMC connectors.

The Model xx721 also includes a waveform generation IP core and a programmable interpolation filter to support digital upconversion within the D/A.

Boosting Performance with the Onyx Architecture

Building upon the proven design in the Cobalt Virtex-6 family, architectural enhancements in the Onyx family include a doubling of the DDR3 memory in both size and speed to 4 GB and 1600 MHz, respectively. The PCIe interface has been upgraded to Gen 3, delivering peak transfer rates up to 8 GB/sec. The Virtex-7 is more power efficient than previous generations making it easier to utilize larger FPGAs. Optional LVDS and gigabit serial connections to the Virtex-7 are available for connecting to custom high performance I/O.

Development Tools and Software Support

GateXpress® PCIe Configuration Manager is a sophisticated FPGA-PCIe hardware engine for managing FPGA reconfiguration. At power up, the GateXpress manager immediately presents a PCIe target to the host computer for discovery and enumeration, giving the FPGA time to load from FLASH. Once booted, the GateXpress manager offers multiple options for dynamically reconfiguring the FPGA with a new IP image, handling the hardware negotiation and streamlining the loading task. GateXpress also allows dynamic FPGA reconfiguration though software commands as part of the runtime application.

For systems that require custom functions, IP can be developed using the Pentek GateFlow® FPGA Design Kit, extending or even replacing the factory-installed functions. Software support packages are available for Linux and Windows operating systems.

Form Factors 

The Model 71721 and Model 71761 XMC modules are designed for both rugged and lab environments and are available in CompactPCI (Models 73721 & 73761), AMC (Models 56721 & 56761), PCIe (Models 78721 & 78761) and VPX (Models 53721 & 53761).

High-performance, pre-integrated and tested VPX systems!

Pentek has announced the launch of the newest member of the SPARK™ development systems, the Model 8267. The Model 8267 is pre-configured 3U VPX system to speed application development for the expansive family of Pentek Flexor® FMC, Cobalt® Virtex-6 and Onyx® Virtex-7 FPGA 3U VPX software radio and data acquisition I/O boards. The Model 8267 is delivered with the selected Pentek hardware configured for either Windows 7 Professional or Linux operating systems along with ReadyFlow® BSP drivers and software examples, fully installed and tested. This pre-integrated system not only targets research and development in a lab environment, but also serves as a platform for deployed applications.

“The Model 8267 SPARK development platform enables engineering development teams at prime contractors or small companies to immediately run example applications out-of-the-box. We tackle the complexity of VPX and work with customers to resolve the profile, topology and module interaction dependencies inherent with VPX system architectures,” stated Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. He added, “All hardware is installed in the appropriate slots, fully configured with proper cabling, power and cooling strategies. The CPU board is configured with optimized BIOS and operating system settings. The customer simply needs to unpack the system, power up and start developing. This proven strategy significantly reduces initial integration efforts.”

Pentek collaborates with customers to select from the extensive family of 526xx & 536xx Cobalt, 527xx & 537xx Onyx and 5973 Flexor FMC-based 3U VPX modules and then evaluates system requirements to define the Model 8267 configuration that is most appropriate for the final application. Various VPX topologies and profile configurations are evaluated to determine best fit alternatives for a given application. Engineering teams big and small alike can take advantage of Pentek expertise to SPARK their design on a tight development schedule.

ReadyFlow Software
Pentek ReadyFlow drivers and board support libraries are preinstalled and tested. ReadyFlow includes example applications with full source code, a command line interface for immediate control over hardware without the need for compiling any code, and Pentek’s Signal Analyzer, a full-featured analysis tool that continuously displays live signals in both time and frequency domains.

System Implementation
Built on a professional 4U 9-slot, rackmount workstation, the Model 8267 is populated with a high-performance VPX single board computer with an Intel Core i7® processor and DDR3 SDRAM. All necessary analog and timing cables are installed and tested, providing SMA connectivity for all analog I/O lines. The Model 8267 can be configured with 64-bit Windows Professional or Linux operating systems. These features accelerate application code development and provide unhindered access to the high-bandwidth links connecting the Cobalt, Onyx and Flexor analog and digital I/O modules.

Single-channel multiband recording and playback system.

Pentek has introduced the first member of the Talon® recorder series, the Model RTV 2601 single-channel multiband recording and playback system. This recorder is part of the new Talon Value Series of rackmount recorders for laboratory and benign environments.

The RTV 2601 represents Pentek’s best value in a single channel recording and playback system. Equipped with a 200 MHz, 16-bit A/D, it is ideal for recording signal bandwidths up to 80 MHz with over 80 dB of spurious free dynamic range (SFDR.) The 800 MHz, 16-bit D/A reproduces recorded signals and also serves as a powerful complex waveform generator.

Equipped with a 4 TB storage array, these 4U rackmount systems are ready for off-the-shelf delivery. “We often receive customer requests for quick delivery,” stated Chris Tojeira, product director of Recording Systems. “The popular, well-equipped configuration we chose for the RTV 2601 allows us to ship directly from stock. And, our cost-sensitive customers really appreciate a price tag under $20,000.”

The RTV 2601 includes a user-programmable digital downconverter (DDC) and digital upconverter (DUC), for recording and playing back signals with bandwidths ranging from a few kHz up to 80 MHz. Flexible center frequency tuning handles IF signals as high as 700 MHz. Providing 4 TB of data storage, the six hot-swappable front-panel disk drives can be easily replaced by empty drives when full.

Ease of Operation
All Talon recorders are built on a Windows 7 Professional workstation and include Pentek’s SystemFlow software, featuring a GUI (graphical user interface) and API (Application Programming Interface). The GUI provides intuitive controls for out-of-the-box turn-key operation using point-and-click configuration management. Configurations can be easily stored and recalled for single-click setup. The GUI also includes a virtual oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer to monitor signals before, during and after data collection. The C-callable API allows users to integrate the recorder control into larger application systems.

Pentek provides a Talon Recording System Simulator for evaluation of the SystemFlow software package.

High-Speed, Rugged rackmount &portable recorders for ground, sea and air applications!

Two additions to the Talon® family of high-speed turnkey recording systems have been announced by Pentek. The Model RTR 2728 rugged portable and the Model RTR 2748 rugged rackmount recorders use state-of-the-art SSD (solid state drive) storage technology to achieve aggregate recording and playback rates up to 4 GBytes per second.

As complete recording systems, these Talon recorders are ideal for recording and reproducing wideband IF signals at sample rates up to 1 GSamples/sec. Systems are built on a Windows 7 Professional workstation with an Intel Core I7 processor and provide both a GUI (graphical user interface) and API (application programmer’s interface) to control the system. Signal analysis tools are also provided to allow the user to monitor and analyze signals prior to, during and after a recording.

According to Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek, “The new Talon recording systems have the ability to capture and reproduce signal bandwidths approaching 500 MHz. The recorded signals can be reproduced to replicate live sensor equipment or receivers in the field. Today’s higher-precision converters require more storage for long flights or experiments. The advanced SSDs we use in our ruggedized recorders not only add capacity, but they also keep up with the very high data rates. For example, the rackmount system can record up to 5.3 hours of contiguous data without interruption. And, both recorders operate flawlessly under shock and vibration, making them ideal for severe environments."

Data files include time stamping as well as recording parameters and optional GPS information. Files are stored in the native Windows NTFS (new technology file system) format, eliminating the need for file conversion. Files can also be transferred from the system through gigabit Ethernet, USB ports or written to optical disks using the built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.

The recorder’s SSDs are configured to support numerous RAID levels giving the user many options to balance performance versus failsafe trade-offs. They are hot-swappable and can be easily removed or exchanged during or after a mission to retrieve recorded data.

Data Streaming
Both recording systems use Pentek’s high powered Virtex-6-based Cobalt® boards that provide the data streaming engine for the high-speed A/D and D/A converters. A built-in synchronization module is provided to allow for multi-channel phase-coherent operation. The rackmount system is scalable to accommodate multiple chassis for more channels and higher aggregate data rates.

Supporting Features and Products
Pentek SystemFlow® recording software features a Windows-based GUI (Graphical User Interface) that provides a simple and intuitive means to configure and control the system.

High-speed, multichannel LVDS recorders for R&D, earth, sea & airborne applications.

Pentek has introduced three additions to the Talon® family of high-speed turnkey recording systems handling LVDS (low-voltage differential signaling) digital I/O: the Model RTS 2718 commercial rackmount, the Model RTR 2738 rugged portable and the Model RTR 2758 rugged rackmount recorders. Using state-of-the-art disk storage technology, these systems are highly flexible and achieve aggregate recording rates up to 4 GBytes per second.

As complete recording systems, the Talon recorders are ideal for capturing any type of streaming sources including live transfers from sensors or data from other computers. The built-in Windows 7 Professional workstation with an Intel Core i7 processor gives the user total flexibility in routing recorded data to other drives, networks and I/O channels. Plus, post-processing and analysis tools installed on the workstation can immediately operate on the recorded data.

“These LVDS recording systems offer a low-level, general-purpose interface commonly found in many digital systems,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. "The recorders exploit the latest storage technology to deliver the industry's fastest recording rates and deepest capacities. Because the LVDS interface incorporates a Virtex-6 FPGA, Pentek can offer options for configuring custom interfaces and protocols to handle special applications.”

"Our SystemFlow® recording software simplifies user operation, and the API allows system integrators to add the recorder as a peripheral to a larger system. "We offer these recorders in many different configurations for operation not only in the lab but also in the field and on board vehicles, ships and aircraft. The SSDs we use in the ruggedized recorders are immune to shock and vibration and are ideal for severe environments."

Data files include time stamping as well as recording parameters and optional GPS information. Files are stored in the native Windows NTFS format, allowing drive units to be read directly by PCs and eliminating the need for file conversion. Files can also be transferred from the system through gigabit Ethernet, USB ports or written to optical disks using the built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.

Talon recorders capture data at a very high rate using the latest generation of high-capacity disk drives. The rugged portable (Model 2738) and rugged rack-mount (Model 2758) are configured with SSDs (solid state drives) while the commercial rack-mount (Model 2718) is configured with HDDs (hard disk drives). The drives are hot-swappable and can be easily removed or exchanged during or after a mission to retrieve recorded data.

LVDS digital I/O module for control & data capture applications

The Model 71610 digital I/O module with LVDS (low-voltage differential signaling) I/O connected to a Virtex-6 FPGA has been introduced by Pentek. This Cobalt^® module provides 32 LVDS differential input or output pairs plus LVDS clock, data valid and flow control signals via an easy access front panel 80-pin connector routed to the Virtex-6 FPGA.

LVDS is a general purpose digital interface operating at very high speeds over inexpensive twisted-pair or flat ribbon copper cables. It is popular for many common control or data capture applications such as high-speed video, graphics, video camera data transfers and general purpose computer buses. The standard built-in data capture and data generation facilities of the Model 71610 make it an ideal turnkey solution for developing and deploying custom FPGA processing algorithms.

Data can be pulled from devices such as sensors, data converters, custom digital systems or spectrum analyzers and then processed, decoded or formatted in the Virtex-6 FPGA before delivery to the host system processor. Likewise, signals from the host can be processed and formatted by the FPGA before delivery to the LVDS output.

“The LVDS interface gives developers a low-level interface that is highly configurable to handle many types of unique interface requirements,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “This module is ideal for custom I/O, which can be tailored to match a wide range of different LVDS peripheral devices.”

The Model 71610 is a VITA 42 XMC (switched mezzanine card) module that can plug into carriers such as VPX, CompactPCI, AMC (Advanced Mezzanine Card) and PCI Express. The Model 71610 supports x4 PCIe on the primary P15 XMC connector. The secondary P16 XMC connector supports dual 4X or single 8X user-installed gigabit serial interfaces, such as Aurora, PCIe or Serial RapidIO. The Model 71610 has an optional PMC P14 connector with 20 pairs of LVDS connections to the FPGA for custom I/O to the carrier.

Multiple Virtex-6 FPGA options are available so developers can select the best match for their processing and environmental requirements. The Virtex-6 is ideal for encoding/decoding, modulation/demodulation, encryption/decryption and channelization of signals between transmission and reception. 2GB of DDR3 SDRAM provides ample memory buffer space for transient capture, digital delays, DMA packet formation and signal processing algorithms.

Supporting Features and Products
Pentek GateFlow FPGA Design Kits allow users to develop and install their own custom IP for data processing. The kits include full VHDL source code for factory installed intellectual property (IP) functions, so developers can easily add new functions by incorporating additional FPGA IP modules.

Pentek's ReadyFlow board support packages, with high-level C-callable library functions and device drivers, are available for Windows and Linux operating systems.

Simulator provides recording system evaluation & speeds development

Pentek has announced the SystemFlow Simulator for its Talon® analog and digital recording systems. The SystemFlow Simulator includes a virtual recorder server application that simulates disk and I/O transactions for a complete and realistic recording environment. Using either the standard SystemFlow graphical user interface (GUI) or the SystemFlow application programming interface (API), the virtual server provides live, interactive operation for training or development. The user can easily switch between different recording systems in the Talon recording system product line. The common user interface (UI) and API provides a simple transition from one Talon recorder to another.

“The Talon recording system simulator makes it easy for our customers to take a test drive of our powerful SystemFlow user interface,” stated Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “Developers of custom user interfaces can also gain a significant time-to-market advantage by using the API package to develop software in advance of receiving the system.”

The SystemFlow Simulator demonstrates actual Configuration, Record, Playback and Status screens of the standard GUI, each with intuitive controls and indicators. It also includes the SystemFlow Signal Viewer to display simulated live signals being digitized and recorded by a Pentek analog signal recorder. The SystemFlow Signal Viewer includes a virtual oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer for signal monitoring in both time and frequency domains.

Developers have the option of using the SystemFlow API as an invaluable tool for developing their own UI to control the Talon recording system. The UI can be tested against the simulator prior to receipt of a Talon recorder, saving valuable development time. The simulator can be controlled locally or remotely via the socket-based client-server architecture. This allows system engineers to setup and test remote control of their recording system before it is received.

System profiles containing all parameters and operational modes for specific recording sessions can be created and saved in the simulator for later use in the Talon recording system.

The SystemFlow Simulator is provided in 32- and 64- bit Windows 7 Professional operating system versions. Qualified developers can download and install the SystemFlow Simulator to experience the UI prior to purchasing a recorder.

PC development system for software radio apps

Pentek has announced the launch of its Model 8266 PC development system, pre-configured to speed application development for the expansive family of Pentek Cobalt® Virtex-6 and Onyx® Virtex-7 FPGA PCI Express software radio and data acquisition I/O boards. The 8266 is delivered with the selected Pentek hardware configured for either Windows 7 Professional or Linux operating systems along with ReadyFlow® BSP drivers and software examples, fully installed and tested. Upon delivery, the system allows development engineers to immediately run example applications out-of-the-box.

“The Model 8266 is offered as a standard pre-integrated platform, saving our customers valuable time and cost in selecting, assembling and configuring components for a high-performance, real-time development system,” stated Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “We resolve the typical hardware, operating system and software compatibility obstacles inherent in new PC development platforms. All hardware is installed in appropriate slots, fully configured with proper cabling, power and cooling strategies, and optimized BIOS and operating system settings. The customer simply needs to remove the system from the package and start developing. As an added benefit, the tested and proven configuration of the Model 8266 streamlines Pentek customer support.”

Pentek collaborates with customers to select from the extensive family of 786xx Cobalt® and 787xx Onyx® PCI Express modules and then evaluates system requirements to define the Model 8266 configuration most appropriate for the final application.

ReadyFlow Software
Pentek ReadyFlow drivers and board support libraries are preinstalled and tested with the Model 8266. ReadyFlow includes example applications with full source code, a command line interface for custom control over hardware, and Pentek’s Signal Analyzer, a full-featured analysis tool that continuously displays live signals in both time and frequency domains.


System Implementation
Built on a professional 4U rackmount workstation, the Model 8266 is equipped with the Intel Core i7® processor, DDR3 SDRAM and a high-performance PCIe motherboard. These features accelerate application code development and provide unhindered access to the high-bandwidth PCIe links connecting the Cobalt and Onyx analog and digital I/O modules. All necessary coaxial and timing cables are installed and tested, providing SMA connectivity for all analog I/O lines. The Model 8266 can be configured with 64-bit Windows or Linux operating systems.

Rugged high-speed, multi-channel serial FPDP recorders

The Talon™ family of high-speed, multi-channel Serial FPDP turnkey recording systems has been introduced by Pentek. These are the Model RTS 2716 commercial rackmount, the Model RTR 2736 rugged portable, and the Model RTR 2756 rugged rackmount recorders. Using state-of-the-art disk storage technology, these systems are highly flexible and achieve aggregate recording rates up to 2 Gbytes per second.

As complete recording systems, they are ideal for capturing any type of streaming sources including live transfers from sensors or data from other computers. The built-in Windows 7 Professional workstation with an Intel Core i7 processor gives the user total flexibility in routing data to various drives, networks, and I/O channels. Plus it allows the user to install post-processing and analysis tools to operate on the recorded data.

“These recorders exploit the latest storage technology to deliver the industry’s fastest recording rates and deepest capacities,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “Our SystemFlow recording software simplifies user operation and the application programming interface (API) allows system integrators to add the recorder as a peripheral to a larger system. We offer these recorders in many different configurations for operation not only in the lab, but also in the field and on board vehicles, ships, and aircraft. The SSDs (solid state drives) we use in the ruggedized recorders are immune to shock and vibration and are ideal for severe environments.”

Data files include time stamping as well as recording parameters and optional GPS (global positioning system) information. They are stored in the native Windows NTFS (new technology file system) format, allowing drive units to be read by personal computers eliminating the need for file conversion. Files can also be downloaded from the system through gigabit Ethernet, USB ports, eSATA3 ports or written to optical disks using the built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.

Talon recorders are able to move data at a very high rate to the latest generation of high-capacity disk drives. The rugged portable (Model 2736) and rugged rack-mount (Model 2756) recorders are configured with SSDs while the commercial rack-mount (Model 2716) recorder is configured with HDDs (hard disk drives). The drives are hot-swappable and can be easily removed or exchanged during or after a mission to retrieve recorded data.

About Serial FPDP Compatibility
The recorders are fully compatible with the VITA 17.1 Serial FPDP specification in all modes and operational features. Supporting 1.0625, 2.125 and 2.5 Gbaud link rates and options for multi-mode and single-mode optical interfaces, the modules can work in virtually any system. Programmable modes include flow control in both receive and transmit directions, cyclical redundant checks (CRC) support and copy/loop modes. The recorders can be ordered with either four or eight bidirectional Serial FPDP ports and with copper or optical interconnect options. The Serial FPDP interface provides an ideal light-weight protocol that is able to connect system-to-system and system-to-peripheral to enable recording in nearly any situation.

Supporting Features and Products
Pentek SystemFlow recording software features a Windows-based GUI (Graphical User Interface) that provides a simple and intuitive means to configure and control the system.


“Customers praise this easy-to-use interface for fast setup of their recording systems right out-of-the-box,” Rodger concluded.

Beamforming and multichannel waveform generation

Pentek has released its highest-performing D/A converter module for RF and IF waveform playback, the Cobalt® Model 71670. The module delivers four independent analog outputs each through its own digital upconverter and 16-bit D/A with sampling rates to 1.25 GHz. An on-board Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA contains factory-installed IP that provides turnkey waveform playback functionality for output signal bandwidths up to 250 MHz. Users can also customize the module’s operation by implementing their own IP in the FPGA.

“With four channels capable of independent translation from baseband to IF frequency,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek, “the Model 71670 makes a perfect complement to our Cobalt Models 71660 and 71661 four-channel A/D boards. For the first time, this important new addition to our Cobalt product line provides four channels of digital up conversion in a single module instead of four. This helps engineers save costs and greatly simplifies the design of synchronous beamforming radar and multichannel transceiver systems.”

Channel independence in the Model 71670 is achieved with two new DAC3484 D/A converters from Texas Instruments (TI), each providing two digital upconverters (DUC) and 16-bit D/A channels with up to 16x interpolation that can translate a quadrature (I+Q) signal to a user-selectable IF center frequency.

“We began working with Pentek on their new D/A boards shortly after the DAC3484 became available,” said Chuck Sanna, marketing manager for Texas Instruments’ High Speed Products business. “With the DAC3484, Pentek was able to dramatically increase board density and performance thanks to the device’s small package size and the industry’s lowest power consumption.”
Precision Timing Enables Large Synchronous Systems
The Model 71670’s internal clock generator supports a wide range of timing modes and operates from an on-board programmable VCXO or an external clock. A front-panel connector accepts a 5 or 10 MHz reference clock to phase lock the internal programmable VCXO. The module also accepts a direct D/A sample clock input that can be as high as 1.25 GHz.

To offer precision timing control in a multi-module design, Pentek has implemented its new µSync timing bus in the Model 71670. The bus uses CML (current model logic) signaling for highest precision and includes clock, sync/reset, and gate/trigger signals that keep the operations of multiple modules sample-synchronized. Two modules can use the bus in a master/slave relationship to achieve 8-channel synchronization. For higher channel counts, the Model 7192 Cobalt Synchronizer can drive numerous modules using a star configuration.

High-Performance I/O
The Model 71670 complies with the VITA 42.0 XMC interface specification, providing two gigabit serial connectors. The primary XMC connector supports x4 or x8 PCIe Gen 2 with multiple DMA controllers for efficient transfers to and from the module. The secondary connector supports two 4x or one 8x link with bit rates up to 3.125 GHz to support user-installed gigabit serial protocols such as Aurora, SRIO, or a secondary PCIe interface. An additional I/O option provides 20 LVDS differential pairs to the FPGA through the PMC P14 connector.

Built-in and Customizable Operation
Like all Cobalt family modules, the Model 71670 includes a Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA to implement internal data flow. The FPGA’s factory-configured functions include a sophisticated Waveform Playback IP module that includes four linked list DMA controllers to support waveform generation from tables in either on-board or host memory. As many as 64 individual link entries are available for each channel and can be chained together to create complex waveforms with a minimum of programming.

Pentek also provides users with its GateFlow software development tool for implementing their own IP in the FPGA. The tool includes source code for the factory-implemented configuration as well as other system IP, allowing users to customize the module’s default operation as well as incorporate their own proprietary IP. Customers can also choose the size of the FPGA on their module, ensuring they will have adequate capacity for implementing the functionality they desire.

Rugged, portable, multiband recording and playback system

This new instrument  is a complete workstation, data acquisition, and solid-state RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) recording system in a box for the capture and playback of signals up to 700 MHz in shock- and vibration-prone environments such as vehicles, ships, and aircraft.

The RTR 2726 is Pentek’s second-generation in portable recording devices, but the first to use the popular Cobalt™ series of software radio modules. “Customers with our first-generation RTS 2721 were using it in flight applications and asked for an upgrade to solid-state disk drives for tougher environments,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “We went much further, increasing signal frequency and bandwidth, and nearly tripling the recording speeds.”
The system includes built-in digital up- and down-converters, with record channels offering 16-bit, 200 MHz ADCs and playback channels offering 16-bit, 800 MHz DACs. It can stream data to and from storage at sustained data rates of 1600 Mbytes/second, allowing the RTR 2726 to support four channels of record and/or playback in a variety of configurations. Storage consists of eight hot-swappable solid-state disk drives in a RAID configuration with up to 4 TB in total capacity.

Data files include time stamping as well as recording parameters and optional GPS (global positioning system) information. They are stored in the native Windows NTFS (new technology file system) format, allowing drive units to be read by other PCs without the need for extensive file conversion. Files can also be downloaded from the system through Ethernet, USB ports, eSATA ports or written to optical disks using the built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.

Rugged Portable Operation
The RTR 2726 is housed in a steel enclosure with carry handle, measuring 16.9” W x 9.5” D x 13.4” H and weighing just 30 pounds. A fold-down front panel holds a full keyboard and touchpad and exposes the unit’s built-in 17” LCD monitor. The system can also be closed and operated remotely using a built-in Ethernet port. Connections are made through the unit’s side panel and include analog signal inputs and outputs, six USB ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, two eSATA ports, PS2 ports for external keyboard and mouse, and a VGA output for connection to an external monitor.

The cooling system in the RTR 2726 includes built-in temperature monitoring. A temperature monitor display is included underneath the system’s LCD and built-in temperature alarms provide users with early alerts when operating in very hot environments.

Turnkey System
Like all of Pentek’s recording and playback instruments, the RTR 2726 is a full Windows-based workstation. It includes a quad-core Intel Xeon® processor, a high-resolution 17” LCD monitor, keyboard, and a high-performance SATA RAID controller along with Cobalt modules for the data acquisition, signal conditioning and playback.

Software built into the RTR 2726 includes the Windows 7 Professional operating system and Pentek’s SystemFlow Recording software. SystemFlow features a GUI for setup and control of the record and playback operations and is able to store configuration profiles for later one-click set-up. In addition, the SystemFlow software includes signal viewing and analysis tools that allow the user to monitor the signal prior to, and during, recording as well as examining the signal during playback. The tools include a virtual oscilloscope and virtual spectrum analyzer, eliminating the need for additional equipment during a data collection session.

Digital recorders

Pentek has released the first in a new family of COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) turnkey high-speed digital recorders, the Talon™ RTS 2715. Available with either magnetic or solid-state disk drive arrays, the RTS 2715 can continuously record up to two 10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) data streams to a RAID array without data loss.

According to Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek, “Many of our customers have sensors and computer systems communicating massive amounts of digital data over a network and they need a way to capture that information for archiving or post-mission analysis. Our new Talon line of digital recorders addresses that need. The first in the family, the RTS 2715, handles 10GbE with a variety of data protocols and physical interface types in a commercial-grade configuration. Ruggedized versions and other configurations are on the horizon.”

The RTS 2715 can capture one or two simultaneous 10GbE data streams, guaranteeing zero data loss with an aggregate recording rate up to 2 Gbytes/sec. It accepts either TCP or UDP data packet protocols and stores data to files on a RAID disk array. The RTS 2715 can also play data back from its drives, streaming it over the 10GbE channels using either protocol. An optional GPS module provides time and position stamping during data capture.

Multiple Interface and Recording Options
The RAID drives are hot-swappable, allowing virtually unlimited data capture capacities. Because the files are stored in a NTFS (new technology file system) format, users can read the files on a standard Windows-based computer system, eliminating the need for file format conversion. Two Gigabit Ethernet ports, four USB ports and a built-in optical disk drive provide alternatives for off-loading data.

Drives are available in several different configurations, supporting RAID levels of 0, 1, 5, 10, or 50 with up to 20 Terabytes (TB) of data storage. Single-channel recorders are available in 5 TB, 10 TB, and 20 TB versions using up to 24, 3.5” hard disk drives (HDD). A 2 TB version uses up to eight solid-state drives (SSD). Dual-channel recorders include 10 TB and 20 TB HDD and 3 TB SSD versions. Both 4U and 5U rack mount chassis configurations are offered.

Customers can specify any of three popular physical interface options for the 10GbE connections. The CX4 interface supports Twinax copper cabling for run lengths up to15m. Optical interfaces operating at 850nm using LC connectors are available for either multi-mode fibre cables up to 300m long or single-mode fibre cables for run lengths up to 10km.

Built-in Workstation
The RTS 2715 is built on a server-class Windows 7 Professional workstation with a 1.8 GHz Intel^® Core™ i7 processor and 2 GB of SDRAM. This workstation comes pre-loaded with Pentek’s SystemFlow Recording Software, which provides a simple and intuitive GUI (graphical user interface) for system configuration and control that shares the look and feel of other Pentek Talon recording systems. Users can store custom configurations as profiles for single-click setup, and use the Gigabit Ethernet interface for remote control of the recorder. The C-callable API (application programming interface) that comes with SystemFlow also allows users to integrate the recorder as a high-performance server front end to a larger system.

Signal bandwidth doubled with software radio module

Pentek has  announced its fastest ever multichannel data converter with digital down and up converters. With two channels each of 12-bit, 500 MHz A/D and 16-bit, 800 MHz D/A, the Model 71651 delivers more than twice the bandwidth of Pentek’s previous data converters. As a member of the popular Cobalt™ family of high-performance XMC modules, the Model 71651 has a Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA at its core. The FPGA is preconfigured with data acquisition and playback IP to give the module turn-key functionality, with room left for user customization.

“The Model 71651 handles a tremendous breadth of communications and radar signals,” commented Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “With its high speed data converters and digital up/down converters, tuning bandwidths range from 10 kHz to 240 MHz, two and a half times our previous modules.” Hosking also pointed out that the 71651 FPGA is preconfigured for use out of the box. “Our embedded IP was inspired by what our customers most often require for their applications. We’re simply giving them a quick start towards their final configuration.”

The Model 71651 features two input and two output RF channels, transformer-coupled to allow direct connection to HF or IF radio stages. The input channels feature 12-bit, 500 MHz A/Ds that feed data into the Virtex-6 FPGA. The output channels incorporate a Texas Instruments DAC5688 digital upconverter that translates real or complex baseband signals to any IF frequency up to 380 MHz. Dual 16-bit, 800 MHz D/As create real or in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) analog outputs.

Built-in Acquisition and Playback IPFour types of pre-configured IP in the FPGA help simplify the capture, movement, and playback of data. Three Acquisition IP modules accept data from any of the A/Ds, a test signal generator, or the Playback IP in loopback mode. These acquisition modules each have a private memory bank for storing data in capture mode, or to serve as a FIFO buffer for the linked-list DMA engine to move data off-board through the x8 Gen 2 PCIe interface. The DMA engines can automatically generate meta-data to simplify host processing.

Each Acquisition Module includes a powerful DDC IP core with flexible input selection. Each DDC has an independent 32-bit tuning frequency from 0 Hz to the A/D sampling frequency, and an independent decimation setting from 2 to 131,072. The decimation filters accept user-supplied coefficients and deliver complex (I and Q) output data streams.

In addition to the DDCs, the 71651 features a complete beamforming subsystem. Each DDC core contains programmable I and Q phase and gain adjustments followed by a power meter that continuously measures the individual average power output and performs threshold detection. A programmable summation block handles any of the three DDC core outputs, automatically compensating for summation bit growth. For larger systems, multiple 71651 modules can be chained together via a built-in Xilinx Aurora 4X gigabit serial interface.

The D/A Waveform Playback Module provides a linked-list controller so users can easily deliver waveforms stored in on-board or host memory to the D/As. Up to 64 individual link entries can be chained together to create complex waveforms with a minimum of programming. Parameters for each waveform include length of waveform, delay from playback trigger, waveform repetition, plus the link to the next waveform.

Development Tools
Users can also implement their own IP in the 71651’s FPGA using Pentek’s GateFlow FPGA design kit. Boards can be populated with a variety of FPGAs to match the specific requirement of the processing task.

Pentek’s ReadyFlow Board Support package for Windows, Linux or VxWorks operating systems includes C-callable libraries, drivers, and example code for easy access to all of the features. The Signal Analyzer features a virtual oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer for viewing live data streaming from the 71651, straight out of the box. A command line interpreter allows customers to change module parameters to check operation and performance on the Signal Analyzer without having to compile C code.

Support radio module

Pentek has a new addition to the popular Cobalt^® family of Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA boards, the Model 71662 four channel, 200 MHz, 16-bit data acquisition board with built-in digital down converters (DDCs). With an input bandwidth from 300 kHz to 700 MHz, the board is suitable for direct connection to IF or RF ports of communications, unmanned autonomous vehicle (UAV) and radar systems for real-time DSP tasks such as demodulation and decoding. Together with Pentek’s ReadyFlow board support package, with its built-in command line interface and signal viewer, the Model 71662 forms a complete solution for data acquisition, processing and analysis.

Pentek software radio is available in PCIe, VPX, & cPCI
formats as well as conduction-cooled versions

“With 32 channels of multiband DDC, the Model 71662 represents the highest channel count product in our Cobalt family. This is perfect for communication applications where a multitude of channels need to be intercepted and received in parallel,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. “In addition to the on-board resources, Pentek provides the components that enable customers to easily build, customize and integrate their own system application. GateFlow enables custom FPGA IP (intellectual property) development, and the ReadyFlow board support libraries and command line interface allow engineers to quickly get up and running.”

Built-in Acquisition IP

The 71662 provides four transformer-isolated input channels that each supply a Texas Instruments ADS5485 16-bit, 200 MHz ADC. The ADC outputs pass to an input multiplexer that supports four Acquisition IP modules factory-installed in the Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA. Each IP module can receive data from any of the four ADCs, or from a test signal generator, providing highly flexible input and antenna assignments.

Four 512 MB DDR3 SDRAM memory banks, one for each IP module, can buffer data in a FIFO mode or store data in a transient capture mode. All memory banks have DMA engines for streaming data at up to 1600 MB/second through the PCIe interface to off-board storage or additional processing. These linked-list engines offer a unique acquisition Gate Driven mode in which the gate duration determines the transfer length, eliminating the need for pre-set transfer lengths. To simplify post-acquisition analysis of multi-channel data, the DMA engines can automatically construct meta-data packets that contain information such as channel ID, a sample-accurate time stamp and data length.

Integrated Digital Downconverter Cores

Also contained within each of the four Acquisition IP modules is an 8-channel digital downconverter bank. Each DDC bank has its own decimation setting from 16 to 8192, providing a wide range of independent output signal bandwidths. The decimation FIR filter within each bank accepts a unique set of 18-bit user-supplied coefficients for custom channel shaping. Each of the eight DDC channels within a bank can have its own 32-bit tuning-frequency setting and delivers a complex output stream consisting of 24-bit I and 24-bit Q samples.

“The combination of input channel selection, independent decimation controls, and channel bandwidth controls allows quick configuration of the Model 71662 for a wide variety of applications,” said Bob Sgandurra, product manager of Pentek. “In communications monitoring, for instance, the board can be set to continuously examine wide spectral bands for signals of interest on some channels, and use other channels to zoom in on a detected signal for a detailed narrowband view. The 71662’s internal timing bus further expands the module’s applicability by supporting the synchronization of multiple modules for even wider channel counts.”

FPGA Resources Available

The installed Acquisition IP modules in the 71662’s on-board Virtex-6 FPGA allows users to implement their own logic designs. A variety of FPGA sizes are available for the 71662 so that users can obtain as much, or as little, capacity as they need. The SXT devices, for instance, offer up to 2016 DSP slices for applications such as real-time signal demodulation, decoding and forwarding by an UAV monitoring communications in hostile areas. For applications with less-demanding requirements, the lower-cost LXT series is available.

To support custom design in the 71662, Pentek offers the ReadyFlow board support package and the GateFlow FPGA Design Kit. ReadyFlow provides features such as turnkey signal analysis software and a command line interface for controlling the module’s operation in an application program. GateFlow includes all of the board's factory-installed IP as documented source code, as well as a library of other functions so that developers can integrate their own IP with Pentek’s. All data and control paths are accessible within the FPGA.

Real-time recording and playback instrument

Pentek has announced its first multi-channel real-time recording and playback instrument based on the company’s popular Cobalt family of Xilinx® Virtex™-6 FPGA modules – the Model RTS 2706. Housed in a 4U rack-mountable enclosure, the RTS 2706 utilizes 16-bit 200 MHz A/Ds and 16-bit 800 MHz D/As with as many as 20 hot swappable SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) drives configurable as RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) Levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 or 50. The RTS 2706 instrument includes COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) features that can be selected by the customer to suit his application.

These flexible, customer-selectable features include A/D channel count, DDC (digital down converter) capabilities, D/A and DUC (digital upconverter) resources for the real-time reproduction of recorded signals, storage drive capacity and GPS time stamping and positioning. The net result of this flexibility is a turn-key, high-bandwidth recording and playback instrument suitable for a wide range of applications, including with all the benefits of a COTS system including faster delivery and value pricing.

RTS 2706

"As an example, the RTS 2706 in a four-channel configuration, provides sustained recording rates of up to 1600 MB/sec,” said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. He added, "The instrument is much faster than Pentek's previously released recorders and this system offers unmatched flexibility. With the RTS 2706, our customers can now record larger signal bandwidths for longer periods of time and choose configuration options that work best for their specific application."

The RTS 2706 supports GPS (Global Positioning System) for GPS time and position stamping of recorded data. The RTS 2706 allows synchronization across all channels and operates under a single GUI (Graphical User Interface) virtual instrument that is scalable to meet any recording requirement.

Embedded Workstation Speeds Processing and Analysis
"In addition to the recording and playback of data, the RTS 2706 serves as a fully-functional signal processing workstation. Based on the Intel® Core™ i7 processor and Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGAs, the instrument can perform real-time signal analysis during capture and playback so operators can validate input sources and examine signals on the fly,” said Pentek product manager Chris Tojeira. “And the multi-core Intel Core i7 is only lightly loaded during recording, so users have a powerful workstation to handle post acquisition signal analysis and processing.”

The RTS 2706 is Pentek's first high-bandwidth digital recorder to utilize the Windows® 7 Professional operating system. By using this operating system, the instrument is able to handle as many as twenty, one Terabyte drives in a RAID configuration, recording data in NTFS (New Technology File System) format to eliminate the need for data conversion that can take as long as the recording itself.

Users have a variety of options for transferring data recorded on the RTS 2706 to other systems for additional processing or archiving. The instrument’s SATA drives are hot swappable, allowing them to be removed and inserted in another system for immediate access. Users can also offload data via two gigabit Ethernet ports, six USB 2.0 ports or two eSATA ports. Additionally, data can be copied to optical disk using the instrument’s built-in 8X double layer DVD±R/RW drive.


Software Provides Full Analysis Capability
As with all Pentek recording instruments, the RTS 2706 has full software support with Pentek’s SystemFlow package. The software provides a GUI for easy instrument setup and control and can save user profiles for single-click configuration. The software also includes a Signal Viewer, which provides virtual instruments such as a spectrum analyzer and an oscilloscope for real-time viewing of data before, during and after recording.

High performance data acquisition & processing

Pentek has announced a new member of its Cobalt product family leveraging Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGAs for high-performance data acquisition and signal processing - the 71660 four-channel data acquisition module. Targeting radar and communications applications requiring next-generation performance, the product is a natural successor to Pentek's popular Virtex-5 FPGA 7150 board family, improving signal quality and tripling DSP resources.

"The 71660 delivers critical performance levels previously unattainable and provides an excellent technology-insertion path for existing applications," said Rodger Hosking, vice president of Pentek. "Its four front-end data acquisition channels offer the industry's highest resolution, and the back-end PCI Express interface offers at least four times the throughput of previous PCI-X interfaces. Between them lies a Xilinx Virtex-6 FPGA with over 2000 DSP slices to handle the toughest real-time signal processing tasks. We've built in several popular data acquisition features inspired by customers using our earlier-generation boards."

"Pentek is taking full advantage of the Virtex-6 family's functionality in their Cobalt product line, achieving sustained data throughput at 80% of the built-in PCI Express interface's theoretical peak data rate," said Xilinx senior manager, Platform Solutions, Raj Seelam. "They are also able to leverage the Virtex family's reduced power requirements to create boards that will support any Virtex-6 FPGA the customer requires."

High Performance Data Acquisition
The four 200 MSPS, 16-bit data acquisition channels of the 71660 deliver nearly 90 dB of spurious free dynamic range, allowing users to detect small signals of interest surrounded by large interferers. The channels operate from a common clock that can come from an external source or an on-board, programmable, crystal-controlled oscillator. An external clock can also be used as a phase-lock reference for the internal oscillator. The 71660 also utilizes two sync and two gate/trigger signals for synchronizing data acquisition channels across multiple modules.
Modular Memory

Four independent memory banks provide the 71660 with a capacity of up 2 GB of DDR3 SDRAM for applications requiring deep memory, or up to 32 MB of QDRII+ SRAM for applications requiring fast random access. The memory can also be configured to offer two banks of each type, giving users the flexibility to accommodate complex applications. Built-in functions of the memory controller include multi-channel ADC data capture, data streaming, and tagging of data streams with metadata packets that include channel ID, sample count and time stamp information.

Turnkey Functionality with User Configurability
The Virtex-6 FPGA on the 71660 provides customers with a combination of turnkey and custom functionality. Customers can select the specific FPGA device installed, ranging from the lower-cost LX130T to the high-performance SX475T with up to 2016 DSP slices. The board ships with the FPGA configured to provide synchronization, triggering, multiplexing and data acquisition features including a complete radar range gate engine. Users can immediately take full advantage of these advanced 71660 features with no additional FPGA programming. In even with the smallest member of the Virtex-6 family, these built-in functions occupy no more than 40% of the FPGA's resources, providing users with ample opportunity to add their own IP.

The FPGA controls and implements data flow paths for all resources on the board, giving users full command of board operation when desired. Users can configure the FPGA using Pentek's GateFlow Design Kit. The Cobalt version of GateFlow has been optimized for the Virtex-6 family and features increased modularity to help simplify development.

Real time recording instrument

Signal recording instrument synchronizes two 16-bit channels at 200 MSPS

Pentek has announced its Model RTS 2703 Real-Time Recording Instrument, which packs up to 4 Terabytes of removable RAID storage and dual 200 MHz, 16-bit sampling channels into a 4U rack-mount instrument. Both sampling channels use the same start, stop, triggering and clock timing to ensure that the two data sets are fully synchronized. In addition to the data acquisition and recording functions, the instrument forms a complete high-performance Windows XP workstation that can run under standalone operation as well as connect to a gigabit Ethernet network for remote access and control.

“This instrument is the first to offer two A/Ds with 16-bit resolution and a 200 MHz sampling rate. It’s ideal for radar, communications and storage applications that need high-speed synchronized recording of multiple data channels,” said Chris Tojeira, recording systems product manager at Pentek. “A single instrument can capture two 90 MHz bandwidth signals and users can easily synchronize multiple instruments to increase channel count for beamforming applications.”
High Performance Data Acquisition and Storage
The two 16-bit data acquisition channels deliver nearly 90 dB of spurious free dynamic range, allowing users to detect small signals of interest surrounded by large interferers. A hardware-driven DMA engine continuously streams data at 200 Msamples/second from each channel to dedicated five-unit RAID arrays with a capacity of 2 TB per channel, ensuring more than an hour of continuous recording without dropping a single sample.

The storage system incorporates 10 SATA disk drives configured as dual five-unit RAID arrays. The units can offer RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6 10 and 50 and can be configured to offer redundancy in the recording to ensure that data is never lost. The hot-swappable RAID disks are front-panel accessible, which allows users to readily remove and replace the drives for extended recording or transport to another location.

Simple Access to Recorded Data
Unlike the proprietary file formats typically used in other high-performance data recording instruments, the RTS 2703 records its data files in the Windows-compatible NTFS file system. This means users can access files with the instrument’s workstation capabilities immediately after recording with no file conversion processing required. Users can also remove the RAID drives from the instrument and use them immediately in another Windows-compatible system with no file conversion or other special software.

Each data file includes a header containing a time stamp, file size and recording parameters such as channel number and acquisition settings. With long files, users can extract segments of interest from within the file and save them as separate files. Data is accessible off-unit through a variety of mechanisms, including transfers using the built-in USB or gigabit Ethernet ports to external storage or other network-connected computing systems. Users can also copy files to optical disk using the 8X double layer DVD +R/RW drive on the front panel.

SystemFlow Software
As with other members of Pentek’s RTS 27xx family, the dual-channel recording instrument is fully supported by Pentek’s Model 4990 SystemFlow Instrument Software. This includes a Windows-based graphical user interface (GUI) that provides a simple means to configure and control the instrument. Virtual-instrument push buttons, status indicators, pull-down menus and data-parameter entry windows provide simple and intuitive operation for all functions. Custom configurations can be stored as profiles and later loaded when needed, allowing the user to select pre-configured instrumentation settings with a single click.

SystemFlow Signal Viewer
SystemFlow also includes a powerful signal viewing and analysis tool, so users can monitor signals before, during and after a recording session. The Signal Viewer includes a virtual oscilloscope and a virtual spectrum analyzer for detailed signal analysis in both time and frequency domains.

Advanced signal analysis capabilities include automatic calculators for signal amplitude and frequency, second and third harmonic components, total harmonic distortion (THD) and signal to noise and distortion (SINAD). With time and frequency zoom, panning modes and dual annotated cursors to mark and measure points of interest, the SystemFlow Signal Viewer can often eliminate the need for a separate oscilloscope or spectrum analyzer to monitor signals of interest.