Mercury Computer Systems / Echotek FPDP-PMC Module

The Mercury Computer Systems/Echotek FPDP-PMC is a single-width PCI Mezzanine Card that bridges high-speed FPDP interfaces to PCI bus architectures. This module implements the ANSI/VITA 17-1998 standard for Front Panel Data Port connectivity, delivering sustained data rates up to 160 MBytes/sec with PECL clocking or 80 MBytes/sec with TTL control. Built on the PLX PCI9080 chipset with dual Direct Memory Access Controllers, it handles real-time signal acquisition, image processing, and data streaming in embedded systems. The card supports four distinct operational modes—transmitter master, receiver master, and receiver configurations—with flexible framing control from unframed through dynamic repeating frames. Dual FIFO buffers (configurable 8K × 32 or 32K × 32) with crossbar switching provide unidirectional data flow management. Factory-selectable memory configurations and software-controlled TTL and PECL termination adapt the module to varied signal environments.

– Technical Specifications

• Form Factor: Single-width PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC)
• Standards Compliance: ANSI/VITA 17-1998 (FPDP), PCI Bus Revision 2.1
• FPDP Interface: 32-data-bit, 80-conductor bus with TTL control/data and one PECL clock
• Data Rates: 160 MBytes/sec (40 MHz PECL), 80 MBytes/sec (20 MHz TTL)
• PCI Signaling: 3.3 V or 5 V operation
• FIFO Buffer: Factory-configurable to 8K × 32 or 32K × 32
• Operating Temperature: −20°C to +65°C with 300 ft./min. airflow

– Key Features

• Dual DMACs with PCI memory chaining enable sustained high-throughput transfers
• Software-controllable termination for both TTL and PECL clock lines
• Five framing modes support un-framed, single-frame, fixed repeating, and dynamic repeating data structures
• Interrupt sources include FIFO flags, frame complete, data valid states, and programmable count thresholds
• Two programmable I/O lines for application-specific control

– Typical Applications

• Real-time signal and image processing in embedded systems
• High-speed telemetry and sensor data acquisition
• Data recording and streaming over PCI architectures

– Compatibility & Integration

Driver support spans VxWorks, Solaris, and Windows NT environments with PCI burst mode operation. Single-wide PMC form factor ensures direct integration into standard carrier boards.