Altera Home Page
Literature Licensing
Buy On-Line Download

  Home   |   Products   |   Support   |   End Markets   |   Technology Center   |   Education & Events   |   Corporate   |   Buy On-Line  
  Devices   |   Design Software   |   Intellectual Property   |   Design Services   |   Dev. Kits/Cables   |   Literature  

 High-End FPGAs
      About Stratix Series
   Stratix IV (E and GX)
   Stratix III (L and E)
   Stratix II (and GX)
   Stratix (and GX)
  
 Midrange FPGAs
   Arria (GX)
  
 Low-Cost FPGAs
   Cyclone III
       Overview
          End Markets & Applications
          Design Resources
          Literature
          Getting Started
   Cyclone II
   Cyclone
  
 CPLDs
   MAX II (and G, Z)
   MAX 3000A
  
 ASICs
      About HardCopy Series
   HardCopy IV (E and GX)
   HardCopy III
   HardCopy II
   HardCopy Stratix
  
 Device-Specific Offerings
   RoHS Compliant
      Extended Temperature
      Industrial Temperature
      Military Temperature
      Automotive Temperature
  
 Configuration Devices
   Enhanced Configuration
   Serial Configuration
  
 Mature Products
      Product Listing
  

Cyclone III FPGA Development Kits

Accelerate your design process by utilizing a variety of Cyclone® III FPGA-based development kits and optional daughtercards from Altera and selected partners (see Tables 1 and 2). These hardware-based solutions contain everything you need to create and implement a design in hours.

Altera developed the specification for the high-speed mezzanine connector (HSMC), which is based on the Samtec mechanical connector, to define and standardize the interface between optional daughtercards and host boards (see Figure 1). This specification outlines both the electrical and mechanical properties of the interface between daughtercard and host. You can also create your own HSMC-based prototype daughtercards.

Figure 1. Host and Daughtercard Interconnection via HSMC

Figure 1. Host and Daughtercard Interconnection via HSMC

Table 1. Cyclone III FPGA-Based Hardware
Product Name Type Vendor Device Price/Availability
Cyclone III FPGA Starter Kit Dev kit Altera Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C25) $199
Low-Power Reference Platform Dev kit Arrow Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C25) $249
USB 2.0 Embedded Development Kit Dev kit SLS Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C25) $349
Nios® II Embedded Evaluation Kit, Cyclone III Edition Dev kit Altera Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C25) $449
MercuryCode—Industrial Communications Reference Platform Dev platform EBV Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C40) (€579, ~ $890)
SnakeBytesIndustrial Applications Reference Platform Dev platform EBV Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C120) (€599, ~ $925)
Cyclone III FPGA Development Kit Dev kit Altera Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C120) $1,495
DSP Development Kit, Cyclone III Edition Dev kit Altera Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C120) $1,895
Video Development Kit Dev kit Bitec Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C120) $1,895
ARM® Cortex-M1 FPGA Development Kit Dev kit Arrow Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C25) $2,500
ViClaro III HD Video Development Platform Dev platform Microtronix Cyclone III FPGA (EP3C120) $3,995

Table 2. Optional HSMC Interface-Compatible Daughtercards, Adapters, or Cables
Product Name Type Vendor Host Board (1) Price/Availability
Dual-Channel 16-Bit 1.0-GSPS Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC5682Z EVM) HSMC capable Texas Instruments Any HSMC-based
host board
$499
Dual-Channel Broadcast Video HSMC daughtercard Bitec Cyclone III FPGA Development Kit ~ $490
Quad-Channel Video Input HSMC daughtercard Bitec Cyclone III FPGA Development Kit ~ $450
Dual-Channel 14-bit ADC/DAC with Audio CODEC HSMC daughtercard SLS Cyclone III FPGA Development Kit $440
HSMC-to-AMC Carrier HSMC daughtercard. Purchase with HSMC-to-AMC module. SLS Any transceiver-based HSMC host board $349
HSMC-to-AMC Module Must purchase with HSMC-to-AMC carrier SLS Not applicable $199
Upgrade Package from Cyclone III Starter Kit to Nios II Embedded Evaluation Kit HSMC daughtercard Terasic Cyclone III FPGA Starter Kit $329
Dual-Channel 14-bit ADC/DAC HSMC daughtercard Terasic Any HSMC-based
host board
$219
Digital Visual Interface (DVI) Input/Output HSMC daughtercard Bitec Cyclone III FPGA Starter Kit ~ $210
HSMC to Dual Santa Cruz Adapter HSMC daughtercard SLS Any HSMC-based
host board
$89
HSMC to Santa Cruz Adapter HSMC daughtercard Terasic Any HSMC-based
host board
$70
HSMC Breakout Adapter HSMC daughtercard Bitec Any HSMC-based
host board
~ $70
HSMC to GPIO Adapter HSMC daughtercard Terasic Any HSMC-based
host board
$50
HSMC-to-Quad-PHY Ethernet HSMC daughtercard MorethanIP Any HSMC host board Contact Vendor/ Now
HSMC-to-Dual-PHY Ethernet (with IEEE-1588 time stamp functionality) HSMC daughtercard MorethanIP Any HSMC host board Contact Vendor/ Now
HSMC-to-CX4 Adapter HSMC daughtercard MorethanIP Any transceiver-based HSMC Host Board Contact Vendor/ Now
32-Mbyte Flash Memory HSMC daughtercard Terasic Any HSMC-based
host board
Contact Vendor/ Now
HSMC-to-HSMC Cable 
(6, 12, or 18-inch lengths)
HSMC cable Samtec Any HSMC-based board Contact Vendor/ Now
HSMC-to-SMA Cable HSMC cable Samtec Any HSMC-based board Contact Vendor/ Now

Note:

  1. Certain combinations of HSMC daughtercards and host boards (Cyclone III, Arria® GX, or Stratix® III FPGAs) have been tested, others have not.

  Please Give Us Feedback