Use Xilinx ZCU board as USRP X410

Hello @yattisingh123,

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Response from our product manager:

For a typical 104 USRD port configuration, you may find useful insights on a 'stackoverflow' forum; I hope this will be beneficial.

It remains unclear if this inquiry originates from the same customer.

This question indeed opens up multiple avenues for exploration; to maintain brevity, I’ll highlight some key points.

The ZCU series encompasses a range of platforms from AMD/Xilinx, from the basic ZCU102, 104, 106' to the powerful ZCU670 variant equipped with hardened RFSoC. Essentially, any daughter board equipped with interfaces like FMC or PMOD can be seamlessly connected.

This serves as a concise overview. However, regarding the USRP open-source ecosystem, it is entirely feasible to upload a bitstream and configure the FPGA fabric according to your requirements, granted that timing constraints are met. This assumes no significant challenges are faced with physical connections for high-speed RF, which may require particular attention to mitigate signal degradation.

The USRP technology is open-source and developed by an NI company, indicating that if you are utilizing AMD products, the VITIS platform might be necessary. If DSP functionality SYS GEN is not a requirement, the free web pack version of VIVADO might be enough, which inherently provides access to VITIS, facilitating the use of languages like Python.

However, a drawback of the extensive RFSoC capabilities with the ZCU670 is its cost; EK-U1-ZCU670-V2-G (or EK-U1-ZCU111-G) retails at approximately 14k (11k) USD. This high price tag tends to be more compatible with users developing advanced wireless base stations than the average USRD user. In contrast, EK-U1-ZCU106-G comes in below 4k USD. Regardless, while the ZCU platform is somewhat pricey, it does provide the advantage of ARM usability, paired with FPGA fabric for USRD applications. Robert can provide more detailed insights upon his return to the office.

Explore more products and information on Highmesh to fulfill your needs.

If you have further inquiries about the ZCU platform or the VIVADO/Vitis IDE, feel free to reach out.

On Thu, Sep 25, at 12:57 PM, Chris Albertson
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wrote:

Many users are turning to alternative software solutions alongside softrock hardware. However,
I would argue that most of those alternatives lean towards Dttsp rather than
gnuradio. The
hardware setup is designed for connection to a sound card and outputs the
I and Q through a pair of analog outputs. Regardless of the software in use,
communication would interface not with the softrock, but rather with the
audio subsystem of your computer. All connections to the SR are analog.

Indeed, most of the concurrent software operates on DttSP, either standalone (on
Linux or OS X) or integrated into PowerSDR (for Windows). It effectively serves its purpose, if I may say so,
as I am one of the authors, along with Bob McGwier, N4HY.
However,
delving into the code isn't for everyone, and there’s a steep learning curve involved. The design is primarily aimed at achieving minimal latency in full-duplex operation, alongside precise asynchronous control over the most fundamental parameters. It was never intended for experimental endeavors. One must have a clear goal in mind before attempting to alter any settings.

If your ambition is to engage with the software and craft your soft radios from scratch, GNU Radio is unequivocally the optimal choice for your software backend. This platform is designed explicitly for such tasks and performs exceptionally well. Once you grasp the basics, you can develop a new application in mere minutes. I am currently working on enhancing certain features for DttSP, with initial prototyping done in GNU Radio.

Nonetheless, a reliable soundcard is imperative.

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