Software-defined radio platforms feature Kintex-7 FPGA

The USRP Hardware Driver (UHD) architecture, common to all NI USRP (Universal Software Radio Peripheral) devices, provides a comprehensive, easy-to-use interface. Developers can programmatically control the USRP with the UHD C++ API, or choose from a wide selection of third-party tools and software such as GNU Radio. The USRP X300 and USRP X310 use a flexible software ecosystem to deliver cost-effective, high-performance SDR systems that help wireless system designers quickly create simple prototypes, develop complex systems and accelerate their wireless research.

Both the USRP X300 and USRP X310 leverage the Kintex-7 family of FPGAs from Xilinx. The USRP X300 uses the XC7K325T, and the USRP X310 is based on the larger XC7K410T. Kintex-7 FPGAs integrate up to 1540 DSP48 slices operating in parallel so USRP users can deploy custom or third-party signal processing algorithms onto each device. Users can process data in real time using their own DSP algorithms such as filters, modulators/demodulators and coders/decoders. They can also access and control the wide range of peripherals available on each USRP, including the RF front ends.

Matt Ettus, Founder and President of Ettus Research, says: "The USRP X310 and USRP X300 significantly extend the USRP product family to a new level in capability and processing power. Offering unprecedented levels of real-time signal processing power and RF bandwidth, the USRP X310 and USRP X300 can now address applications such as next generation 5G wireless standard prototyping, multichannel spectrum scanning and analysis and even active radar prototyping and development."

Product features include:

• Two wide-bandwidth RF transceiver slots with up to 120MHz of real-time bandwidth
• 10 Gigabit Ethernet and PCI Express bus options for high-bandwidth, low-latency operation
• Large customisable Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA for high-performance DSP
• GNU Radio support through the open source UHD

For further information about these software-defined radio platforms, please follow the links to the USRP X300 product page and the USRP X310 product page.