SainSmart
Xilinx FPGA Development Spartan-3E XC3S500E-PQG208 Board
Explore digital logic design with the SainSmart Xilinx Spartan-3E FPGA Development Board. This discontinued board features the XC3S500E FPGA, offering a powerful platform for prototyping complex embedded systems. It includes an integrated 2.4-inch TFT LCD for immediate visual feedback, along with essential peripherals like an ADC, DAC, RTC, and VGA output. The board supports multiple input/output options, including UART and JTAG for programming and debugging. Power is supplied via a 5V adapter, making it a versatile tool for engineers and students.
$147.99
Owner Satisfaction
4.0
/ 5
Category Rank
1420
/ 1546
#1420 in Development Boards
Price vs Category Average
+69%
Above average
FPGA Core Chip
3500208
/ XCSE-PQG
Who it's for
- Excellent Value for Entry-Level Learning
- Robust Community and Educational Resources
- Sufficient Logic Capacity for Foundational Projects
Who should skip it
- Reliance on Legacy Development Software
- Outdated Architecture and Limited Speed
- Higher Power Consumption and Heat Output
Key Specs
FPGA Core Chip
XC3S500E-PQG208
Logic Cells
500,000
SRAM
64KB (IS61LV25616AL-10T)
Onboard Clock
Dual-active crystal (50MHz/40MHz)
Onboard Peripherals
1x ADC (TLC549), 1x DAC (TLC5615C)
Serial Interfaces
1x UART, 1x JTAG
Display
Integrated 2.4" RGB Panel board
Input Devices
8 Tact keys, 6 DIP switches
Features
- Integrated 2.4-inch TFT LCD for visual output
- Includes ADC and DAC for analog conversion
- Real-Time Clock for time-sensitive tasks
- VGA output for external display
- Dual crystal setup for flexible clock speeds
- JTAG interface for programming and debugging
- Multiple input/output options
- Ideal for embedded systems prototyping
What customers say
The primary insight surrounding the SainSmart Spartan 3E board is its compelling value proposition, offering an affordable entry point into FPGA development. While the hardware quality is generally considered reliable for prototyping and educational use, customer feedback consistently highlights challenges related to ease of use. New users often face a steep learning curve due to sparse or outdated documentation, requiring reliance on community forums for setup and configuration guidance. This board is best suited for budget conscious learners who are comfortable with self directed troubleshooting.
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$148