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Can you give some guidance for the hardware folks? Because they want to get the PCB routing done as soon as possible.
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Before you route anything on a PCB you need to create a Quartus project to ensure that it is feasible.
For example, that will confirm that your frame clock can be used as a transceiver reference clock, or if it cannot. If it cannot, then you need another plan.
The way I design these things is;
1) Determine my options (by looking at an evaluation board)
2) Create a block diagram of my interface logic (eg., your proposed HSMC design)
3) Create a Quartus project that interfaces to the proposed design.
If the design synthesizes Ok, i.e., no warnings about clocks or invalid tool settings, then you have much higher confidence that your design will work.
4) Simulate the design.
Make sure you can actually use what you propose, eg., decode the 8/10B data and make sure you can recover data across multiple lanes.
This is all work that is needed in the final application, I'm just advocating that you do it first, so that you do not waste time on a PCB that cannot work.
Cheers,
Dave
Honored Contributor
