GTS Transceiver PHY User Guide: Agilex™ 5 FPGAs and SoCs

ID 817660
Date 4/07/2025
Public

Visible to Intel only — GUID: bmy1699560496757

Ixiasoft

Document Table of Contents

3.13. Configurable Quartus® Prime Software Settings

You can configure the GTS PMAs using the Quartus® Prime software settings (.qsf) file. You can also configure the HSSI TX and RX parameters through the Analog Parameter Options in the IP GUI. However, configuring the HSSI analog parameters through the .qsf file takes precedence over the IP GUI settings.

You can specify values for the following HSSI parameters in the Quartus® Prime settings file (.qsf) or use the Assignment Editor of the Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software to configure the GTS PMAs:

TX Equalization:

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "tx_eq_main_tap=<parameter_value>" -to <TX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
Valid parameter settings:
  • Main_tap: 0-55
  • Pre_tap_1: 0-15
  • Pre_tap_2: 0-7
  • Post_tap_1: 0-19
Table 68.  TX Equalization HSSI Parameter Name and Values
HSSI Parameter Name Valid Parameter Values (Decimal)
tx_eq_main_tap 0-55
tx_eq_pre_tap_1 0-15
tx_eq_pre_tap_2 0-7
tx_eq_post_tap_1 0-19
Note: Refer to the TX Equalizer tool for the legal combinations.
Example assignments in .qsf file:
  • set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "tx_eq_main_tap=41" -to c12tx_serial[0] -entity top
  • set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "tx_eq_pre_tap_1=1" -to c12tx_serial[0] -entity top
  • set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "tx_eq_pre_tap_2=0" -to c12tx_serial[0] -entity top
  • set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "tx_eq_post_tap_1=4" -to c12tx_serial[0] -entity top
Figure 72. Assignment Editor Example for TX Equalization
Note: It is recommended that you set some baseline values for the TX equalization parameters for your design to optimize the GTS PMA transmitter. You can use the GTS Transceiver Toolkit Parameter Settings to tune and find the optimal settings for your link.

TX Invert Pin: 37

To swap TX P and N serial lanes.

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "tx_invert_pin=<parameter_value>" -to <TX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
Table 69.  TX Invert Pin HSSI Parameter Name and Values
HSSI Parameter Name Valid Parameter Values
tx_invert_pin tx_invert_pin_enable
tx_invert_pin tx_invert_pin_disable

Example assignment in .qsf file:

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "tx_invert_pin=tx_invert_pin_enable" -to tx_serial_data[0] -entity top

RX AC Coupling:

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_external_couple_type=<parameter_value>" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
You must set the correct RX AC coupling type according to your RX external coupling link setup. The valid parameter settings:
  • RX_EXTERNAL_COUPLE_TYPE_AC: When you use external AC coupling capacitors in your link.

  • RX_EXTERNAL_COUPLE_TYPE_DC: When you do not use external AC coupling capacitors in your link.

Table 70.  RX AC Coupling HSSI Parameter Name and Values
HSSI Parameter Name Valid Parameter Values Use Case
rx_external_couple_type RX_EXTERNAL_COUPLE_TYPE_AC When AC coupling capacitor is used externally in the link.
rx_external_couple_type RX_EXTERNAL_COUPLE_TYPE_DC When AC coupling capacitor is not used externally in the link.
Example assignment in .qsf file:
set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_external_couple_type=RX_EXTERNAL_COUPLE_TYPE_AC" -to c12rx_serial[0] -entity top
Figure 73. Assignment Editor Example for RX AC Coupling

RX Termination Mode:

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_termination_mode=<parameter_value> -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity
<TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
Valid parameter settings:
  • RX_TERMINATION_MODE_GROUNDED: Grounded termination mode for AC coupled link

  • RX_TERMINATION_MODE_DIFFERENTIAL: Differential termination mode for DC coupled link38

Table 71.  RX Termination Mode HSSI Parameter Name and Values
HSSI Parameter Name Valid Parameter Values Use Case
rx_termination_mode RX_TERMINATION_MODE_GROUNDED For AC coupled link (when you enable AC coupling externally)
rx_termination_mode RX_TERMINATION_MODE_DIFFERENTIAL For DC coupled link (when you do not enable AC coupling externally)
Example assignment in .qsf file:
set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_termination_mode=RX_TERMINATION_MODE_GROUNDED" -to c12rx_serial[0]” -entity top
set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_termination_mode=RX_TERMINATION_MODE_DIFFERENTIAL" -to c12rx_serial[0]” -entity top
Note: The rx_termination_mode is currently set by default to the GROUNDED mode in the GTS PMA/FEC Direct PHY Intel FPGA IP.

RX On-Chip Termination:

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_onchip_termination_setting=<parameter_value>" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
Valid parameter settings:
  • RX_ONCHIP_TERMINATION_SETTING_R_1: 85 Ohms

  • RX_ONCHIP_TERMINATION_SETTING_R_2: 100 Ohms

Table 72.  RX On-Chip Termination HSSI Parameter Name and Values
HSSI Parameter Name Valid Parameter Values Use Case
rx_onchip_termination_setting RX_ONCHIP_TERMINATION_SETTING_R_1 85 Ohm
rx_onchip_termination_setting RX_ONCHIP_TERMINATION_SETTING_R_2 100 Ohm
Example assignment in .qsf file:
set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_onchip_termination_setting=RX_ONCHIP_TERMINATION_SETTING_R_2" -to  c12rx_serial[0] -entity top
Figure 74. Assignment Editor Example for RX On-Chip Termination
Note: It is recommended that you set the rx_onchip_termination_setting parameter based on your transmission link characteristic impedance.

RX Invert Pin: 37

To swap RX P and N serial lanes.

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_invert_pin=<parameter_value>" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
Table 73.  RX Invert Pin HSSI Parameter Name and Values
HSSI Parameter Name Valid Parameter Values
rx_invert_pin rx_invert_pin_enable
rx_invert_pin rx_invert_pin_disable

Example assignment in .qsf file:

set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_invert_pin=rx_invert_pin_enable" -to rx_serial_data[0] -entity top

Manual Tuning:

If you want to bypass the RX auto adaptation mode for the PMA lane you are using in the GTS PMA/FEC Direct PHY Intel® FPGA IP, you can change the PMA lane adaptation to RX manual adaptation mode by using the following .qsf settings shown below:
set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "flux_mode=FLUX_MODE_FLUX_MODE_BYPASS" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_adaptation_mode=RX_ADAPTATION_MODE_MANUAL_ADAPTATION" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>

RX Manual Tuning:

If you configure the RX link to manual tuning mode (RX adaptation mode is set to manual mode in the IP GUI), you must provide the RX PMA analog settings. You can use the GTS Transceiver Toolkit Parameter Settings to tune the link during manual adaptation mode to find the optimal setting for the RX analog parameters. You can control the VGA gain, High frequency boost, and DFE Tap 1 PMA settings by selecting the value in the Analog Parameters tab or by using the following .qsf settings shown below:

  • VGA gain:
    set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_eq_vga_gain=<parameter_value>" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
    
    Valid parameter values (decimal) are 0-63.
  • High frequency boost:
    set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_eq_hf_boost=<parameter_value>" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
    Valid parameter values (decimal) are 0-63.
  • DFE Tap 1:
    set_instance_assignment -name HSSI_PARAMETER "rx_eq_dfe_tap_1=<parameter_value>" -to <RX_SERIAL_PIN> -entity <TOP_LEVEL_NAME>
    
    Valid parameter values (decimal) are 0-63.
    Note: If you are using the auto adaptation mode, do not configure the VGA gain, High frequency boost, and DFE Tap 1 PMA settings in the .qsf file, as it results in a compilation error.
37 This feature support is preliminarily and not supported in hardware in the current Quartus® Prime Pro Edition software release.
38 This feature is currently preliminary and unavailable as it is pending hardware verification.