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Avinash_S_Intel's avatar
Avinash_S_Intel
Icon for New Contributor rankNew Contributor
6 years ago

Startix10 - Transceiver Tool Kit shows half the number of bits

Hi,

I have created a Stratix 10 design for testing the serial links using Transceiver Tool Kit.

The Transceivers have their 8b/10b encoder and decoder disabled.

The Pattern Generator and Checker are configured to work at 40 bit wide data.'

Details of tool and device used

Quartus Prime Version : 18.0.0 Build 219 04/25/2018 SJ Pro

Device : 1SG280LU3F50E1VG (Startix10)

Transceiver Data Rate: 8112 Mbps

Transceiver: altera_xcvr_native_s10_htile

I configured the Transceiver link in "Serial Loop Back" mode and ran the test for 5 mins (300 sec)

I expected the tool to show "2.4336E12" in "Number of bits Tested" filed, but what was observed was "1.2158E12".

The tool shows half the number of bits than what is expected.

Can you please let me know the reason for this?

Regards,

Avinash

3 Replies

  • CheepinC_altera's avatar
    CheepinC_altera
    Icon for Regular Contributor rankRegular Contributor
    6 years ago

    Dear Avinash,

    As I understand it, you have some inquiries related to using TTK with S10 L tile XCVR. For your information, generally when we perform the BER testing, we would use the hard PRBS blocks inside the XCVR channel instead of using external pattern generator. Once we turn on the ADME and Optional Reconfiguration Logic, you can use TTK to access the internal PRBS blocks to perform BER link test. Please let me know if you are still observing issue using internal PRBS blocks.

    By the way, just wonder how do you calculate the expected tested bit?

    Please let me know if there is any concern. Thank you.

    Best regards,

    Chee Pin

    • Avinash_S_Intel's avatar
      Avinash_S_Intel
      Icon for New Contributor rankNew Contributor
      6 years ago

      Hi Chee Pin,

      Thanks for your response.

      Please note, i have enabled ADME and Optional Reconfiguration Logic and i am using the Hard PRBS generator option.

      As shown in the attached picture, the receiver shows the number of bits it has tested and also reports number of error bits and corresponding BER.

      In my case, i am not seeing the right number of bits received by the receiver.

      I calculate the expected number of bits using the "Data Rate" and the "Duration of the Test".

      No Of Bits = Date Rate (in sec) * Duration Of Test (in sec)

      In my case i ran the test for 5 mins = 300 sec

      The data rate is 8112 Mbps

      No of Bits Expected = 8112E6 * 300 = 2.4336E12

      Please do let me know if there is anything which i am doing wrong.

      Regards,

      Avinash

  • CheepinC_altera's avatar
    CheepinC_altera
    Icon for Regular Contributor rankRegular Contributor
    6 years ago

    Hi Avinash,

    Thanks for your clarification. For your information, I have not really tested on checking the number of tested bits within specific duration. Thus, I could not really comment why there is a different between your expectation vs the log by TTK.

    Generally when I am using the TTK, my focus would be on the bit error rate for a specific configuration. If I understand it correctly, in the BER link test, there is a parameter to configure TTK to run a test for certain duration. Probably you can leverage this parameter to run your target duration. Please feel free to let me know if you still observe significant gap in the number of bits tested after using the duration parameter.

    Please let me know if there is any concern. Thank you.

    Best regards,

    Chee Pin