Project and Lab Stuff

Most of the course evaluation is based on a project that you will do using the Xilinx tools and the Xilinx board. Learning to use the tools quickly is important so that you can have enough time to do the project. The key is to learn enough of the tools to do what you need to do.

Teams of Three

Labs and projects are to be done with teams of three unless special arrangements are made with the instructor. You must make a commitment as a group by the second week so that the projects may begin. It is unfair to the others in the team if you drop out part way.

Discussion Board on piazza.com

This course will be using piazza.com for its discussion board. Blackboard will not be used for this function. Piazza has much nicer features, including mobile apps for iPhone and Android. To sign up to the piazza discussion board, please go to piazza.com and sign up for ECE532H1S at utoronto.ca. You may also have received a direct link in a class email but you can easily sign up for the course starting at piazza.com.

You must use the piazza when you have questions about the tools or some other issue that might be of interest to everyone in the class. In this way, everyone can see what issues are arising and the same question will not have to be answered multiple times. Only email the instructor or a TA if there is a specific personal issue. All other emails will be returned with a message to use the piazza.

The TAs will be monitoring piazza and respond when they can. We also encourage you to respond if you know the answer. Support you classmates whenever you can and they will do the same. We hope that the piazza will make this easy.

As mentioned under Grading, there are Community bonus marks for participating on the discussion board. Piazza even provides the instructors statistics to make it easy to see who are the most active.

The Boards

We will be using boards that have been developed by Xilinx in collaboration with Digilent Inc..

Note that one member of the group will be recorded as being responsible for the board. Even if the designated member leaves the group, that person will remain responsible until Fred or Norm have been given updated information.

Each group will be able to sign out a board and keep it for the term. You must bring your own board to the lab if you need to do a demo.

Labs

For the lab component of your mark you will be required to:

1. Do some tutorials to learn the tools
2. Demonstrate that you can build a small design
3. Demonstrate that you can use the simulator

Tutorial Modules

These modules will only give you a very basic introduction and some guidance as to where to look for more information.

There will be three lab periods where you can get help with the lab modules during the lab period. The first lab will be an introductory lab to help you get started. There will not be any grading done during these lab periods. The TAs are there to help so use that time effectively.

You will need to work on these modules outside of the lab periods. The tools can take a long time to do a compile so you won't be able to finish everything during lab hours and you'll spend a lot of time waiting anyways. Plan on having something else to do in parallel.

Once you have the tools set up, it should be possible to work through most of the tutorials in less than a day. This is the most efficient way to do them.

Lab Test Requirements

During the lab test period you will be assigned a specific time slot where you will be graded on the lab test design and a simulation. You must become comfortable with the simulator very quickly as you should be doing lots of simulation so this is your incentive to learn.

Project

You will need to work on some aspects of the project before completing the tutorials since the proposal will be due before you need to complete the required tutorials.

Requirements

The basic guideline is that your project should incorporate at least one processor running a part of your application and a hardware block of your own design. The remainder of the project can use and software or hardware IP that you find useful.

Block Diagrams

You will need a block diagram of your system. The example shown here is good. The diagram should show all datapath connections. Note that any software IP should be indicated within the processor blocks running that software.

Project Demos and Reports

This describes the format of the project demos and what you will need to put into the two reports you will submit. Two good example group reports can be found here and here. This one does a good job of summarizing the feature changes and the appendix is a good model for describing your project schedule. The requirements for the reports each year may be slightly different, so be mindful that the examples do not cover everything required in a year.