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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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14 years ago

Best way to use 2 phys in a design?

Hello i have two ethernet interfaces each one with it's own phy.

In my current design i am using two ALTERA TSE MAC (small mac), TWO SDGMA_TX, two SDGMA_RX and two descriptor memory and it works well.

The problem is that only this part of the design is using 10k logic elements and 150k memory bits which makes it pretty in-viable for my project.

Is there a better design approach to reduce the amount of logic/mbits? Maybe another MAC?

5 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    Since you use the TSE small mac option, you are using 10/100Mbps or (exclusive) 1000Mbps.

    If you are using the 10/100 phy, then you can try to switch to the opencores mac. I use it in a design with two ethernet interfaces like yours and each one requires about 2500 LE and 62k memory bits.

    If you don't want to change tse, then you may reduce descriptor memory, if your application allows it.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    Ok but do you also use two sgdma (rx and tx) for each opencore mac? How is the migration from altera tse mac for opencores? Does it have linux support?

    plus it really wouldnt change much since 2 opencores mac* 2500 = 5k and i am using 6k with two altera tse mac

    if it doesnt use two sgdmas then i can see some adv
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    The Opencore macs have internal DMAs, so you spare the SGDMAs and descriptor memories.

    AFAIK there are Linux drivers.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    Ok but do you also use two sgdma (rx and tx) for each opencore mac? How is the migration from altera tse mac for opencores? Does it have linux support?

    --- Quote End ---

    The migration from tse to oc mac is quite simple.

    Refer to the following page on alteraWiki (thanks to JakobJones)

    http://www.alterawiki.com/wiki/avalon_opencores_10/100_ethernet_mac_with_interniche_driver

    Daixiwen already answered the other points, although I'm not aware of Linux support.

    --- Quote Start ---

    plus it really wouldnt change much since 2 opencores mac* 2500 = 5k and i am using 6k with two altera tse mac

    --- Quote End ---

    :confused: In the original post you said your TSE design required 10k
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    The migration from tse to oc mac is quite simple.

    Refer to the following page on alteraWiki (thanks to JakobJones)

    http://www.alterawiki.com/wiki/avalon_opencores_10/100_ethernet_mac_with_interniche_driver

    Daixiwen already answered the other points, although I'm not aware of Linux support.

    :confused: In the original post you said your TSE design required 10k

    --- Quote End ---

    Yes because it uses 2 sgdma rx (1600) 2 tx (2400 ) 2 tse (6k) :)

    I will take a look in the OC one, thanks.