Question about Cyclone V SX PCIE as End Point

Hi,

The CV SoC board uses the PCIe female connector, so you can't use it as endpoint directly. For endpoint design, this is usually using the Cyclone V development kit that use PCIe Male connector, see link below:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/products/boards_and_kits/dev-kits/altera/kit-cyclone-v-gt.html

You probably can try to search if there is a PCIe Male to Male adaptor that you can use for this case.

Regards -SK

Thanks. So with a PCIe Male to Male adaptor, we can use Cyclone V SX SocFPGA as PCIe end point, right?

For https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/programmable/products/boards_and_kits/dev-kits/altera/kit-cyclone-v-gt.html, does it use the same SW as Cyclone V SX board? I don't see it has SD card slot, can we boot Linux from Sd card?

Thanks

The Cyclone V SX SocFPGA is designed for the PCIe root port, so it uses the female connector. To convert the female connector to a male connector, what I understand is to use a Male to Male adaptor, but I haven't had a chance to test it. You might need to double-check with the supplier/dealer before you get one.

For the Cyclone V GT development kit, it designs for the PCIe endpoint, so it uses the male connector. There is no SD card slot or boot Linux since this is targeted for the endpoint, not root port.

Regards -SK

Thanks. Understand now for Cyclone V SX.

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For Cyclone V GT, you mentioned "There is no SD card slot or boot Linux since this is targeted for the endpoint, not root port.", then my question is How we develop/run SW on Cyclone V GT to enable the PCIE end point function?

The software driver is running on the host side (root port), where the endpoint is the application, no requirement for the software.

Regards -SK

----------"The software driver is running on the host side (root port)"

I understand this. If Cyclone V GT connects to a PC host, we need a driver on the PC host

-----------"where the endpoint is the application, no requirement for the software"

Not clear about this. If we want Cyclone VT GT behaviors like a video adapter (or a network interface card), do we need some software running on Cyclone V GT side? and how?

This is really depending on your application. For PCIe endpoint alone, this does not require the software driver. The FPGA can implement the Nios processor (soft), you can implement the software over there if necessary.

Regards -SK