Avnet released a series of four Linux-ready “PicoZed” COMs based on Xilinx’s Zynq-7000 SoCs, which integrate dual ARM Cortex-A9 cores along with FPGAs.

We’ve flip-flopped between calling Avnet’s MicroZed boards computer-on-modules or single board computers. In fact, the compact boards reflect aspects of both, and are much more COM-like than Avnet’s original Zynq-based ZedBoard. Now, Avnet has served up a true COM without the real-world Ethernet and USB ports of the MicroZed, but sharing its basic design and support for running Linux on a variety of Xilinx Zynq-7000 system-on-chips.

PicoZed 7030
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While Avnet has spun off different versions of the MicroZed for various Zynq-7000 models, the PicoZed is essentially a single board that offers pin compatibility with an even greater range of Zynq SoC variants. The PicoZed, which is offered in versions based on including the Zynq-7010, -7015, -7020, and -7030 SoCs, is aimed at industrial control, embedded vision, test and measurement, motor control, and software-defined radio applications. Avnet also offers industrial temperature versions, and has released a PicoZed Carrier Card (see farther below).


PicoZed block diagram
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The PicoZed is available with the Zynq-7010, -7015, -7020, and -7030 SoCs in a pin-compatible footprint, offering common functions including memory, configuration, Ethernet, USB, clocks, and power, says Avnet. Most of the PicoZed’s programmable logic I/O is expressed via a Low-Pin Count (LPC) FMC connector. Also provided are interfaces for HDMI output, a second gigabit Ethernet port, and several peripheral module connectors.

All four supported Zynq SoCs provide the same ARM subsystem, with dual Cortex-A9 cores. No clock rate was mentioned, but on the more recent MicroZed boards, the SoCs were clocked to 866MHz.

PicoZed 7010
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The Zynq models differ in the tightly linked FPGA subsystem. For example, the Zynq-7020 offers an FPGA with 85K logic cells, compared to 28K for the Zynq-7010. It also offers 53,200 look-up tables (LUTs), up from 17,600, and supplies 560KB of extensible block RAM, compared to 240KB. The -7020 provides 220 programmable DSP slices, up from 80, and features over twice the DSP processing power with over 200 GMACs.


PicoZed 7015
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The Zynq-7015 falls in between the Zynq-7010 and -7020 with 74k logic cells and 160 DSP slices, and it also adds four 6.25Gbps transceivers. Moving up from the Artix-7 level FPGA functionality provided by these three SoCs, the Zynq-7030 mimics lower-end models of the upper-range Kintex-7 FPFA family, with 125k logic cells and 400 DSP slices. The Zynq-7030 also provides four 12.5Gbps transceivers. (More information may be found on this Xilinx Zynq comparison chart.)


PicoZed 7020
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All four versions provide access to over 100 user I/O pins through three I/O connectors on the rear of the module for connecting Ethernet, USB, JTAG, power and other control signals. The Zynq-7015 and -7030 models are supersets of the other two models. They add support for these SoCs’ GTP/GTX high-speed serial transceivers by adding four transceiver ports to the I/O connectors.


PicoZed 7030
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The four serial transceivers on the Zynq-7015 and -7030 based PicoZeds are allocated to a PCI-Express x1 (Gen2) card edge interface, as well as the FMC connector, an SFP+ cage, and a general purpose SMA interface, says Avnet. Adjustable bank voltage power supplies are said to enable user I/O voltage selection of the various I/O banks.

 
Summary of PicoZed COM specs

Specifications listed for the PicoZed include:

• Processor — Xilinx Zynq-7010, -7015, -7020, or -7030 (2x Cortex-A9 cores @ up to 866MHz); FPGA varies for each model
• Memory:
  • 1GB DDR3 SDRAM
  • 4GB eMMC flash
  • 128Mb QSPI flash
• Networking — gigabit Ethernet PHY
• Other common I/O:
  • USB 2.0 PHY
  • JTAG config. port via I/O connectors
  • PS JTAG pins via I/O connectors
  • 33.33MHz oscillator
• FPGA I/O:
  • 7Z010 Version:
    • 113 User I/O (100 PL, 13 PS MIO)
    • PL I/O configurable as up to 48 LVDS pairs or 100 single-ended I/O
  • 7Z015 Version:
    • 148 User I/O (135 PL, 13 PS MIO)
    • PL I/O configurable as up to 65 LVDS pairs or 135 single-ended I/O
    • 4 GTP transceivers
  • 7Z020 Version:
    • 138 User I/O (125 PL, 13 PS MIO)
    • PL I/O configurable as up to 60 LVDS pairs or 125 single-ended I/O
  • 7Z030 Version:
    • 148 User I/O (135 PL, 13 PS MIO)
    • PL I/O configurable as up to 65 LVDS pairs or 135 single-ended I/O
    • 4 GTX transceivers
• Operating system — Linux BSP and reference design

 
Baseboard for the PicoZed COMs

PicoZed Carrier Card
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The PicoZed Carrier Card extends the PicoZed modules with the following features:

• Processor/memory — Zynq-7xxx via PicoZed modules
• Storage — MicroSD slot
• Networking — 2x gigabit Ethernet ports
• Other I/O:
  • HDMI out port
  • USB 2.0 port
  • USB UART
  • SFP+ cage
  • SMA port for GTX/GTP
  • JTAG port
  • Programmable clock mux
  • SMA reference clock input
  • User I/O:
    • FMC (Low Pin Count)
    • PS Pmod (Shared with eMMC)
    • PL Pmod (7015/20/30 only)
    • PL Pmod (7015/30 only)
• Expansion — PCIe x1 Gen 2
• Other features — User push buttons; LEDs
• Power — 12V AC/DC supply with adjustable bank voltage

PicoZed Carrier Card block diagram
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“With the launch of PicoZed, Avnet is providing a cost-effective alternative to chip-down SoC design,” stated Jim Beneke, VP of global technical marketing at Avnet Electronics Marketing. “The scalability in being able to go from a lower density, transceiver-less 7010 to a higher density, transceiver-based 7030 Zynq-7000 All Programmable SoC opens the door to some creative options for designers.”

 
Further information

The PicoZed is available now, with pricing per hundred pieces for the Zynq-7010, -7015, -7020, and -7030 models at $179, $299, $229, and $399, respectively. Industrial temperature versions are also available. The PicoZed Carrier Card is available for $425. More information may be found at the Avnet PicoZed and PicoZed Carrier Card product pages.

The PicoZed is being demonstrated at Avnet’s X-fest technical workshops. X-fest events will be hosted in nearly 40 locations throughout Asia, Europe, North America and Japan, starting this month and ranging through January 2015.