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1-Gigabit Ethernet MAC v8.5 User Guide
UG144 April 24, 2009
Chapter 4:
Designing with the Core
R
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See also
Appendix C, “Calculating DCM Phase-Shifting”
to meet Spartan-3, Spartan-3E
and Spartan-3A device setup and hold requirements for external GMII.
Keep it Registered
To simplify timing and increase system performance in an FPGA design, keep all inputs
and outputs registered between the user application and the core. This means that all
inputs and outputs from the user application should come from, or connect to, a flip-flop.
While registering signals may not be possible for all paths, it simplifies timing analysis and
makes it easier for the Xilinx tools to place-and-route the design.
Recognize Timing Critical Signals
The UCF provided with the example design identifies the critical signals and timing
constraints that should be applied. See
Chapter 9, “Constraining the Core”
Use Supported Design Flows
The core is pre-synthesized and delivered as an NGC netlist. The example implementation
scripts provided use XST 11.1 as the synthesis tool for the HDL example design. Other
synthesis tools may be used for the user application logic. The core is always unknown to
the synthesis tool and should appear as a black box. For post synthesis, only ISE® 11.1 tools
are supported.
Make Only Allowed Modifications
The GEMAC core should not be modified by you. Any modifications may have adverse
effects on system timing and protocol compliance. Supported user configurations of the
GEMAC core can only be made by selecting the options in the CORE Generator when the
core is generated. See
Chapter 3, “Generating the Core.”
Table 4-1:
Degree of Difficulty for Various Implementations
Device Family
Difficulty
Spartan-3A/3AN/3A DSP platforms
Difficult
Spartan-3E platform
Difficult
Spartan-3 device
Difficult
Virtex-4 device
Easy
Virtex-5 device
Easy
