Digilent Nexys A7: FPGA Trainer Board Recommended for ECE Curriculum

Features and Specifications

• FPGA Features
  • Internal clock speeds exceeding 450MHz
  • On-chip analog-to-digital converter (XADC)
  • Programmable over JTAG and Flash
• System Features
  • USB-JTAG programming circuitry
  • 16 MB QSPI Flash
  • Due to supply chain constraints, either the S25FL127S or S25FL128S Flash Memory may be loaded on your board. These parts are not functionally equivalent, but flash programming through Vivado and the QSPI boot mode are not affected. More information can be found in the Nexys A7 Reference Manual, available in the Support tab.
  • Powered from USB or any 7V-15V source
  • microSD card connector
• System Connectivity
  • 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
  • Note: Xilinx-provided software support for the Nexys A7's ethernet interface is limited in versions of Vivado 2019.2 and newer. For more information, see the Ethernet PHY section of the Nexys A7 reference manual, which can be found through the Support tab.
  • USB-UART Bridge
• Interaction and Sensory Devices
  • 3-axis accelerometer
  • PDM microphone
  • PWM audio output
  • Temperature Sensor
  • 2 four-digit seven-segment displays
  • USB HID for mice, keyboards, and memory sticks
  • 16 Switches
  • 16 LEDs
  • 2 tri-color LEDs
  • 12-bit VGA output
• Expansion Connectors
  • 4 Pmod connectors
  • Pmod for XADC signals

The Nexys A7 by Digilent, formerly known as the Nexys 4 DDR, is a versatile and robust FPGA development board. It's built around the Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA family and serves as a comprehensive platform for digital circuit development, making industry applications accessible in educational settings.

This board, equipped with a large, high-capacity Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), ample external memories, and a variety of ports including USB and Ethernet, can accommodate designs from basic combinational circuits to sophisticated embedded processors. It comes with several integrated peripherals like an accelerometer, temperature sensor, MEMs digital microphone, speaker amplifier, and multiple I/O devices, eliminating the need for additional components.

The Digilent's Nexys A7 provides students with a wide array of interfaces, including 10/100 Ethernet, USB, UART, JTAG, and VGA, enabling immediate learning opportunities. Its inbuilt temperature sensor, microphone, and accelerometer facilitate diverse project creation without extra hardware. Additionally, it offers five Pmod ports for further customization and application possibilities.

What's in the Box

• Nexys A7 development board
• Micro USB cable