May 22, 2022

FPGA - Xilinx Vitis software

Vitis is the latest tool from Xilinx, replacing the Vivado 2019.1 combination with the SDK. Xilinx is still grinding out new versions of Vivado, but subsequent to 2019.1 none are integrated with the SDK and you are urged to use Vitis for such things.

I am unsure whether this is the best plan if you are working with an older product like the Zedboard. There are an abundance of Vivado tutorials for the Zedboard, and virtually none for Vitis. So it would appear to me that sticking with Vivado 2019.1 and the SDK is a solid plan.

Apparently there is a hybrid option where you work with Vivado, generate an XSA file, then pull this into a Vitis project in lieu of using the SDK.

XXXX I downloaded Vitis 2021.2 some time ago, but found that it would immediately exit every time I tryed to start it on linux (now running Fedora 35). This is a known problem, but none of the recommended solutions worked for me. So, since I keep getting pestered every time I login that a new version (2022.1) is available. I install that. Doing so is an all day project (mostly unattended). Now the new version does start, and immediately presents me with choices. Do I want to create a hardware project or a platform project? I as stumped at step 1 until I figure out what they are talking about, but at least i starts.

Vitis and Zedboard

I do have what I consider a "mainstream" product, namely a Zedboard. It is popular at any rate. Perhaps someone has published a "Vitis Zedboard tutorial". Some of the searches related to this are somewhat commical: Here a fellow asks a straightforward question and gets a runaround from the Avnet folks. Apparently Element 14 is an Avnet forum, and even though Avnet partnered with Digilent in creating (and selling) the Zeboard they now want to declare support for it as "end of life". "It is a ten year old board" they say, go talk to Digilent. First they give lazy vague answers telling a guy to go search for a blog they wrote, then give what is now a broken link. Pretty shabby by any standard.

But setting aside this amusing yet tragic sidetrack, here are some links:

Feedback? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's Computer Info / tom@mmto.org